This desert looks so alien that scientists have used it to test rovers bound for Mars.
About Valley of the Moon (Valle de la Luna)
The Valley of the Moon lies in the hyper-arid Atacama, the driest non-polar desert in the world, near San Pedro de Atacama. Its forms were sculpted over long ages by wind and the occasional flow of water through salt and clay deposits. The extreme, sterile landscape has drawn comparison with other planets and is protected within a reserve, a centrepiece of Atacama tourism.
The Valley of the Moon, in Chile's Atacama
Desert, is a surreal landscape of salt-crusted canyons, jagged ridges and wind-sculpted rock that looks so otherworldly it is named for the Moon. One of the driest places on Earth, it is famous for its eerie terrain and its spectacular sunsets, when the mineral-rich earth glows in shifting shades of pink, gold and violet.
A Desert Like Another Planet
Set near the oasis town of San Pedro de Atacama, the valley was shaped over ages by wind and the rare action of water on salt and sediment, creating dunes, sharp ridges and strange formations encrusted with salt that crackles as the temperature drops. The landscape so resembles the surface of the Moon, or Mars, that it has been used to test planetary rovers. The classic experience is climbing a great dune at sunset to watch the desert blaze with colour.
The Experience
You tour the valley by late afternoon, walking among salt caves, dunes and jagged formations, then climb a high dune or ridge for the famous sunset, when the low sun turns the mineral terrain vivid pink, orange and purple and the distant Andes catch the last light. The silence and strangeness of the desert are profound. Clear, dark skies afterwards make the Atacama one of the world's great stargazing regions.
Why It Matters
The Valley of the Moon is one of the iconic landscapes of the Atacama Desert and Chile, renowned for its otherworldly terrain and sublime sunsets. It exemplifies the extreme, beautiful environment of the world's driest desert and is a not to skip for visitors to northern Chile.
Why Visit
A surreal, Moon-like desert landscape near San Pedro de Atacama, famous for salt-crusted canyons and spectacular sunsets over the Andes.
✦ Photo Gallery
Best Season
🌤 The Atacama is visitable year-round; days are warm and nights cold.
Quick Facts
Best time to visit
The Atacama is visitable year-round; days are warm and nights cold.
Getting there
In San Pedro de Atacama, Chile; reach San Pedro de Atacama first, then continue to the site.
Location
San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
Type
attraction
Insider Tips
- 1
Climb a dune at sunset for the colour-changing spectacle.
- 2
Bring warm layers; desert nights are very cold.
- 3
Stay for the stargazing in the clear Atacama skies.
- 4
Tours run from San Pedro de Atacama.
