In the far north of Chile, the Atacama Desert holds some of the driest ground on Earth, and the Loa river is the only stream that crosses it, carving a green line through the sand and rock. The road between Cupo and Topain follows a stretch of the Inca trail through this country, high in the Andean foothills above Calama and San Pedro de Atacama, a segment of the Qhapaq Nan, the Inca road network inscribed by UNESCO in 2014.
Along these old routes, llama caravans carried salt, copper and food between the coast, the desert oases and the high plateau, and the Incas built tambos, resting places with storehouses, along the way. The landscape is vast and empty, with mineral-coloured hills, volcanoes on the horizon, and villages of adobe houses with small churches and terraced fields. The people here are Atacameno, or Likan Antay, and their culture combines ancient traditions with Catholic festivals.
The desert is a place of extremes. Days are hot and bright, nights are bitterly cold, and the air is so dry that the stars seem close enough to touch. At altitudes above three thousand metres, the sun is strong and the air thin. Rain is almost unknown, but in the summer, storms from the Altiplano can send flash floods down dry gullies. The best time to ride is from March to November, with clear skies.
Roads in this area vary from good tarmac to rough gravel, and distances are long. Fuel is the main concern: fill up in Calama or San Pedro de Atacama, both with several stations, and carry a spare can, since there will be none out here. Bring water, food, warm clothing, and let someone know your route. Mobile coverage is patchy.