Petra at Nayara Alto Atacama

Everything at Nayara Alto Atacama is just right

On arrival at the hotel, we are warmly welcomed with a refreshing drink and can relax for a while in the hotel garden. We can’t believe our eyes. Despite being in the driest place on earth, it’s beautifully green here. The garden reflects the unique local culture and the landscaping is truly astonishing; lush yet very well maintained. We immediately understand why landscape architect Veronica Poblete derives so much pleasure from her work. It is an oasis with llamas, and a variety of crops are grown on a small scale. Local and natural materials have been used throughout; the stone and wooden boundary fences are a fine example of this.

We’re staying in a Catarpe room, with views over the Catarpe Valley. The room is very spacious and tastefully decorated. The décor reflects the local area, featuring plenty of natural elements and pastel shades. The lighting in the room is minimal, which is gentle on the eyes. It’s very bright outside, so the room allows your eyes to rest properly. We take a stroll and enjoy the wonderful tranquillity. A welcome leaflet from the hotel states that the desert is a place of reflection; there’s no denying that the tranquillity and vastness of the enchanting, rugged landscape have a sobering effect.

Refined down to the last detail

In the evening, we enjoy a delicious dinner served with matching wines. After dinner, we’re taken to one of the sand dunes on the outskirts of San Pedro. Our guide leads us through the dark area, lit only by the moon. She tells us that the dunes we’re now walking through used to border her grandmother’s back garden and that she often used to run around here as a child. Nowadays, she is one of the enthusiastic guides at Nayara Alto Atacama. In the distance, we can see the astronomical observatory, from where, just like us here, you get an unparalleled view of the starry sky. We return to the hotel and settle into our comfortable beds, feeling thoroughly satisfied.

The next morning, we enjoy a delicious breakfast buffet with more than enough choice, and we’re even allowed to order various dishes from the kitchen. This morning, we have a ‘Triology’ massage on the agenda. We enjoy this deeply relaxing massage from the skilled ladies. Just as we think the massage is almost over, we’re asked if we’d like to walk over to the mineral baths. We settle in and are treated to the final part of our massage. Whilst lying in the warm thermal bath, we’re given a head massage. I secretly hope it will never end, but then it’s time to open our eyes again. Fortunately, there’s no reason to be sad – the view of the Catarpe Valley is stunning and we’re wonderfully relaxed.

Exploring the surrounding area

We’ve only been at the Nayara Alto Atacama hotel for a day, and the friendly staff have already managed to surprise us several times. In this place, you are literally pampered. If we are to believe the staff and guides, the area surrounding the hotel is just as promising as the accommodation itself. Today and tomorrow we’re setting out to explore the surroundings, and we’re eagerly looking forward to what the area has in store for us.