The Atacama Desert is home to the famous ALMA Observatory, which features the world’s largest microarray telescope (worth $1.5 billion!). The climate and geography of Northern Chile’s Atacama Desert, mixed with the incredible clarity of its skies and the elevated Andean mountain range, provide some of the rarest star-studying conditions on our planet. Furthermore, the southern sky frames a perfect view of the Milky Way and the Magellanic Clouds.

At Tierra Atacama, located in the charming town of San Pedro de Atacama, guests can opt for night-time stargazing excursions, where you’ll stand under a dark desert dome while a private guide teaches you all about the wonder of the nighttime sky. And if you’re headed to the enchanting country of Chile at the end of this year, don’t miss the anticipated total solar eclipse on December 14, 2020. Akin to how the U.S. witnessed the total eclipse directly overhead in 2017, this one is expected to occur over Chile’s incredible Lake District at precisely 1:03 p.m., and will last for two minutes and nine seconds. After you ditch your eclipse viewing glasses, there’s still plenty to do in the nearby resort hub of Pucón, including white-water rafting, boating, mountain biking, and hiking.