The Atacama Desert in the north of Chile is one of the most popular travel destinations in this country. Visitors from every corner of the globe flock to the tiny town of San Pedro de Atacama, which is packed with endless rows of tour operators. For those of us less inclined to get shepherded into tour vans, I recommend renting a car from the Calama airport. And to help you navigate the open roads, I’ve created a self-guided driving tour for your Atacama adventure.

The Atacama Desert is known as one of the driest places on Earth, creating harsh conditions for wildlife that dares to exist here. But don’t write it off just yet. Travelers will find this travel destination to be full of magnificent surprises, with vast stretches of geographic diversity. 4 days in Atacama should be a great start for anyone who wants to visit this popular tourist destination in Chile.

It’s one of the world’s longest countries, at over 2600 miles from north to south. Chile hosts some of the most beautiful geographical diversity, and is also one of the largest wine exporters. The country has plenty of accolades to its name, which can also make it overwhelming to the first-time visitor. So I wanted to share some of my favorite highlights, chosen from my own travels and themed around some of the best aspects of this South American gem.