In Northern Chile, closest to the small touristy town of San Pedro de Atacama, you will find the breathtaking Salar de Atacama salt flat — the third largest salt flat in the world. And within this salt flat, you’ll find a number of salt lakes (lagunas) that are the most incredible colors!
The first one Arnie & I visited was Laguna Tebinquiche, and we drove into the Salar de Atacama in our little camper van through some really unique and special areas:
One of the first things you notice as you approach the lake is the texture and the salt flat itself. The Atacama desert is the driest place on earth, and it gets less than 30mm of rainfall a year (with some areas apparently as low as 1-3mm annually), and it is mineral rich. I don’t know the science behind it all, but it creates a terrain that is totally nuts – it looks like the crumbly top of a coffee cake. Take a look —
The next thing you notice, which you absolutely can’t miss, are the amaaaazing colors of the lakes. They are insane! These photos make the colors look incredible, but I promise you, they are even more incredible in person!! And the longer you walk around the lake, the more and more colors you will notice. Check it out:
So lots of reasons to visit and enjoy. Apparently this particular lake is perfect for the sunset, which we unfortunately missed. But I 100% recommend getting a camper van and driving around & exploring by yourself. Just make sure to bring your water!! ❤
Arnie & Amanda's Grand Adventure 
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