explora Atacama

Our days included hiking by the geysers, spotting wildlife, and visiting Valle de la Luna. Everything went smoothly without feeling rushed. Mattias shared so much context about what we were seeing, while David made the logistics easy. Both were knowledgeable, upbeat, and exceptionally organized. The lodge staff also deserve credit. The meals were consistently excellent, and everyone was attentive and proactive. The operation felt world-class, from the warm, professional service to the calm, polished setting, comfortable rooms, and beautiful grounds. We stayed at Explora Atacama as part of the Explora Travesía from Atacama through Bolivia to Uyuni. It was an incredible beginning to an unforgettable trip. If you’re considering Explora in the Atacama, especially as part of the Travesía, it felt worth it in every way. Ask for Mattias and David if you can.

The landscape across the Alto Plano and Andes is breathtaking, and Atacama is definitely a bucket list destination. I’m not sure a luxury stay is possible in Atacama, but I’m certain you won’t find it at Explora Atacama. There was no management presence that I could see. The employees seemed thoughtful but didn’t have service skills, and the food was mediocre at best, with unappealing, lacking service. Our room was dysfunctional: some outlets and switches didn’t work, there was no working fan, and no maintenance techs were available to fix anything. It was cleaned daily and the towels were changed. The explorations were disorganized and didn’t match what was billed. The vans were in disrepair, with nonfunctional AC, which was a big issue. In my opinion, the drivers pushed them to their limits and drove unsafely. You do need to wear seatbelts. Atacama itself is a must, but be prepared for no luxury at Explora Atacama.

Robert was great at adapting our days to our pace and interests, and he shared a lot about the local landscape along the way. If you want a guide who’ll challenge you with a fast hike, tougher trails, or hard cycling, he’s your man. He balanced the athletic side with local knowledge really well. We couldn’t recommend him more highly for an active stay in San Pedro. My partner Liam and I came from London for four days with Robert, our private guide from Explora in the Atacama, and had an unforgettable time. Day one was Moon Valley, with its dunes and salt flats. On day two we hiked to the hot springs, then on the third day went up to the geysers and saw flamingos in their natural habitat. We finished with a mountain bike ride on day four, full of steep climbs and difficult single track. We wanted a proper workout, so that was perfect for us.

The scenery was wonderful, the general staff and guides were caring, and the food and wine were good. Those things would have earned 4-5 stars, but management’s lack of care, the absence of a process when things go wrong, and the poor culture brought our rating down. One smaller example: I cut my head during an exploration and asked for a basic first aid kit when we got back, just to clean the wound with antiseptic and put on a bandage. I was told Explora’s policy meant they couldn’t provide anything. No one offered a ride, so I had to walk to the pharmacy in town and back, a one-hour round trip with a cut on my head. The more serious incident happened when our van went off the road during an exploration, nearly rolled down a small hill, and got stuck in deep sand. We were at 4200m, exposed to strong wind and falling temperatures. The guide called for help, which arrived 1.5 hours later. Explora sent a team for the vehicle but seemed to ignore us as guests. They couldn’t free it, and the small vehicle they brought had no room for us. We were told to flag down other people for a ride. Luckily, a lovely man stopped and drove our guide and the two of us back to the lodge. It felt as if the van mattered more than the guide and guests, who were effectively left to hitchhike. When we returned, we only asked the manager to contact the people who helped us, and ideally repay them as a gesture. It took three weeks and multiple emails for Atacama to finally reach them. We reimbursed them ourselves because Explora hadn’t. This could have been a great experience, but the lack of care when things went wrong, inadequate policies, and the apparent unwillingness to thank people who help in remote places spoiled it. I hope Explora keeps a fully stocked first aid kit with trained staff, puts policies in place that make staff and guest safety an absolute priority, and builds a culture of thanking people who assist them.