Breakfast was a rush this morning, despite our late start – or perhaps because of it. We were tucked away in a corner of the restaurant and service was slower than usual. (Though we were also cutting it close, time-wise.) But we got there in the end, and we arrived at Reception early for our Huayra hiking exploration, often referred to as “the Mars dunes”.
It definitely feels like the trip is starting to wind down. But rather than trying to skid across the finish line in a cloud of tire smoke and exhaust(ion), we’re embracing this slower pace – later starts, fewer excursions, and one eye firmly trained on all that awaits upon our return.
We’ve loved this trip, but I’ve learned some valuable lessons about myself in the process – one of which is that I prefer “shorter” trips of around 6 weeks to those that last 3 months or longer.
Speaking of longer trips, we got an e-mail early this morning informing us that one of our excursions for our Melbourne to Tokyo cruise had been cancelled – sailing aboard the Brindabella. So there was a scramble in the van as we attempted to rebook. The only included trip is a bus tour, but it looks like there is a shorter version of the Brindabella – so we’re going to try that instead.
We’re not fans of having to pay for Silverseas excursions whenever they are booked, instead of onboard or at the end of the cruise as used to be the procedure – it has added an irritating extra layer to the process.
The van ride did not take terribly long – perhaps 30 minutes at most – and then we disembarked with our guide and four fellow guests.
Quite the view from up here:
The dune ahead of us is the one that we will be descending – or rolling down, if our children get their wish.
The other side of the valley is rugged and layered:
It’s tough to fit all this beauty into just a few photos.
We start our descent.
The paths are somewhat slippery with dust and loose rock. We manage fine without hiking poles, but they’re worth bringing for anyone who struggles with balance (or who want to do their utmost to avoid a fall).
We get a close up look at the rock formations, in which one can really see the layers – particularly a thick layer of gypsum in the middle:
We ascend the second hill, and get a closer look at the now-dry river valley:
Our guide tells us that there are two periods a year in which water flows along that river bed. The Altiplanic winter (January to March) tends to be the wettest period in the Atacama, but even then there is very little rain.
We also learn that the Juriques volcano – the flat-topped volcano next to Licancabur – is said to have lost its top due to a fireball thrown by a god. (Interestingly, there is evidence that a huge comet turned miles of the Atacama into glass some thousands of years ago.)
We continue on our hike. In the distance – sandboarders:
With a total hike distance of a mere 3.8 km (2.4 miles), it isn’t long before we start our descent down the dune itself.
The process of climbing down the lip of the ridge is perhaps the most challenging aspect of the hike – but there are a series of ‘steps’ in the rock that aid in the scramble down. And it only takes perhaps a minute before you’re on firm sand once more.
The descent gives us a closer view at the jagged rock formations:
And the sandboarders:
The sand shifts beneath our feet, but it’s more firmly packed than some of what we’ve encountered in Namibia and the Sahara.
So many different types of terrain lay in front of us – rock, sand, mountains, and a faint hint of the vegetation from the San Pedro oasis:
We take a look back to see where we’ve been – there’s already another group gathering at our initial viewpoint:
And – the kids get their druthers:
Back to the van, where we dump out our sand-filled shoes and enjoy a glass of custard apple and pineapple juice – which sounds like an unusual combination, but it is delicious.
We pass the sandboarders along the way, and are surprised to find that they are using full proper snowboards. They seem to have a lot better control than those using the very basic sandboards in the Sahara and Namibia, though I can’t imagine how much wax they must use keeping them in good repair.
It’s just a short drive back to Explora from the base of the dune – scarcely long enough to sort through photos – and we’re back at the lodge shortly after 11 am. The perfect easy morning activity, and the kids absolutely loved rolling down the dunes. And if there’s ever a time to roll down a dune, it’s when you’re a child – though one young-at-heart adult guest also took the plunge during an earlier exploration!
A repeat of the lunch menu today:
We ordered the grilled scallops again. They were quite tasty, though I would suggest that Explora consider expanding their menu rotation if they want guests to stay for longer stretches.
They did kindly make our daughter her very own glass of strawberry juice, which is her absolute favourite:
Off to the pool:
No issues with getting the steam room running today, though no pool bar this time around. No matter – the bartending team is more than happy to send you off with a bottle of wine and some glasses, or some cocktails. Which is fair enough – there were only six of us at the pool (two of whom don’t drink), so it seems a bit silly to set up an entire bar just for us.
We had a lovely, long lingering afternoon at the pool. The kids played Marco Polo and hung out at the jacuzzi, while I swam some laps and lounged on one of the chairs. It was perfect.
We initially planned a trip to Volcán Blanco for tomorrow but then decided it was going to be too much for our final full day at Explora. So instead we went up to the Explorations desk to see if we could book some kind of a half-day trip instead.
There was much back and forth. We had initially wanted to do the Domeyko hike (aka the rainbow valley), and also considered hiking through the Puritama valley itself – we had approached it from a different angle via the Tambores hike. Camino del Agua is unfortunately not available at this time of year, but we eventually settled on Punta del Inca for tomorrow afternoon.
With that settled, we all took a bit of free time. My wife and I sat out on the terrace to read and drink a glass of Explora’s sauvignon blanc. It was fabulous.
Dinner tonight was very good – a repeat of a previous menu, but we arrived early so the service was brisk and there were no issues with custom orders. I was able to order the chicken gallina that my wife had last time, while she ordered the same again – previously photographed so not pictured this time around.
Another of the little details found with Explora – the ever-changing ‘good night’ cards left on our bed:
They also provide some of the most delicious bedtime chocolates we’ve ever had – they’re like miniature kitkat bars with a thick layer of dulce de leche in the middle.
Off to bed earlier than we’ve managed in recent nights, and an even later start tomorrow. What could possibly go wrong?