I was fortunate enough to participate in a Bales tour of Chile, which culminated in a visit to its most northernmost point, the Atacama Desert. Our trip was entitled “Chile Land of Contrasts” and had already covered the extreme south with a visit to Punta Arenas and the penguins in freezing conditions, the spectacular scenery of the Torres del Paine National Park and the green expanse of lakes and volcanoes that form the Chilean Lake District.

Our destination was the small oasis town of San Pedro de Atacama, situated towards the Peruvian border in the foothills of the Andes and whose inhabitants are Indian in appearance, very different to their counterparts further south, as is the hotter climate. We arrived at the airport as the sun was setting heading out across the desert, doubting that any community could exist in such a hostile environment. We reached the settlement of San Pedro as darkness fell and our first glimpse was of narrow winding streets, lined with attractive adobe buildings and lit by lanterns to denote the bars and restaurants. Sixties music filled the air as San Pedro was formerly a haunt for backpackers, but is now welcoming a more discerning type of traveller and can accommodate them too in one of its small hotels. We were heading for the Terrantai, nestling in the heart of San Pedro and reached from the street like many of San Pedro’s buildings, through an ornately carved doorway. Accommodation was simple but comfortable and the restaurant is designed in typical local style, with an open roof in the centre to disperse the smoke from the open fire and allow a view of the stars.

Daylight brought the chance to explore our surroundings, the pretty local square with its whitewashed church and the many interesting shops selling local handicrafts, all easily reached on foot. Trips further afield included the Salar de Atacama, an area of salt lakes in the desert, home to pink flamingos. Later in the afternoon we were taken to the Valley of the Moon to watch the sunset, an amazing lunar landscape worthy of its name. A very early start the following morning saw us ascending to witness the amazing spectacle of the El Tatio geysers, which are at their best early in the morning as the spray erupts into the cold light of dawn. But for me nothing matched the magical atmosphere when we first arrived at nightfall, as the beauty of San Pedro unfolded and music filled the air.