We arrived at Explora Atacama with great ambition and high expectations, as we had previously visited Explora Patagonia and found it to be a transformative hospitality experience. We were so pleased that our expectations were met and exceeded. The warm welcome we received from Maureen, the gracious and charming manager, after a long (and snowy!) journey across the Andes, set the tone for the entire visit. The Explora Team - from the guides, to the waiters, to the hospitality staff - are warm, engaging, and genuine. The Explorations are varied and fascinating, and the guides move deftly and expertly from geology to flora to fauna to history, depending on your interest. The guest orientation, which was something new for us, was fabulous, and one of our favorite parts of each day was the planning session in the Guide Room for tomorrow's excursions. Stargazing is a real treat. The food is healthy and well prepared, and the bar - THE BAR!! - is a spirited place to gather at the end of an eventful day, with the friendliest bartenders on the planet. It is truly unfair to single out any particular member of the extraordinary Explora team, but we are especially grateful to our Spirit Guide, Cecelia, who capably led us through a high-mountain ascent that truly pushed our boundaries.

I don't think we've ever felt better cared for.

We cannot say enough about how wonderful the lodge, staff and guides were. The atmosphere is relaxing, seemingly simple but actually sophiticated luxury. Meals were excellent, amenities all top notch. But above all, the excursions made this an amazing experience; how we were advised on what to do to adjust to the altitude for hiking, the variety of hikes offered, the quality of the guides we went out with-all made for an especially memorable visit to the area.

Everything from stunning natural surroundings the desert and the mountains, to a perfectly designed hotel that fits into the landscape extremely well, to a wonderful staff at the hotel and guides on the wonderful excursions was top of the grade. This is our third family outing to this hotel; fourth to San Pedro (the other hotel shall remain nameless, but didn't come close to the Explora.

Explora is a pioneer of the luxury adventure experience. They work hard to be good stewards of the surrounding environment. They shine in providing support for guests outings, including transportation for one way hikes, and providing guides no matter how small the group. I did 3 trips with just the guide, driver, and myself.