The Grand North

The Grand North (or El Grande Norte) is an extensive area highlighted by contrasts. Desert and ocean are the main landscape components here, forever engaged in a struggle in which one tries to overtake the other one. Meanwhile the oases, such as Pica, steal vivid colors from the desert.
The Grand North extends from Arica on the northern end to the boundary of Antofagasta on the southern end, and consequently the region offers a variety of places to visit. Its main cities are Arica, Iquique and Antofagasta, all of them located at the base of the Chilean Coastal Range. Smaller but no less important are the cities of Tocopilla and Calama, the latter being the starting point for exploration of the Atacama desert. Along with them are small villages such as Putre, Chiu-Chiu or Isluga, which carry on the ancient lifestyles of Andean populations. 

Marvel at its flora and fauna, which fight against harsh environmental conditions, including places such as Lauca National Park (Chungará Lake); the Los Flamencos and Pampa del Tamarugal National Reserves, where one can see flamingos, vicunas, foxes, the famous yareta and the paja brava (Festuca ortophylla).
Special spots include the Valley of the Moon, a place that is inspiring when the wind dies down and one can “listen to the sound of the desert”; or the Llano de la Paciencia (Patience Plain) where the desert shows its finest hues, which every traveler crosses on the route from Calama to San Pedro de Atacama. Generally, all those who visit the Grand North are awe-struck by its spectacular sights. 
 One can also get imbued in history with a visit to the pre-Columbian fortress of Quitor, for instance, or the Gustavo Le Paige Museum in San Pedro de Atacama, which depicts how the Atacaman culture adapted to the difficult living conditions. The saltpeter offices are more recent historical landmarks, being sprinkled lengthwise and crosswise the Grand North as silent witnesses of their respective period. Humberstone and Maria Elena stand out as the better-preserved examples.
The Grand North also offers the best beaches for relaxation and practicing nautical sports. Iquique and Arica boast lengthy strands of beach with quiet waters where you can enjoy bathing, as well as special waves for lovers of surfing. Places such as Hornitos, Cifuncho or Pan de Azúcar are great for unwinding away from hectic city life, as well as for a relaxing stroll on the sand or fishing for succulent sole at the water’s edge. There are also numerous beaches that only reveal their secrets to those who dare explore the intricate Grand North coastline.
This mystical place holds all that and much more for those who take time to wander its dusty paths and fall under the spell of the desert.