The driest desert on Earth and the clearest sky humans have ever looked up into.
DiscoverThere’s a stretch of the Atacama where the silence has weight. Where the salt cracks under your boots and the Andes go gold, then violet, then black, and the stars come down so close you’ll swear you could lose a hand in them.
This isn’t a bus tour. It’s a small private group, private vehicles, and local driver-guides who read this desert the way the rest of us read a street map. There are no pre-dawn alarms. We watch the sun set over Valle de la Luna from the quiet ridges, float in the salt lagoons with no one else in frame, climb to the high lagoons of the Puna, and buy weavings straight from the makers. We eat under the stars at a table set just for us, and we stand quietly, as guests, at the edge of Todos los Santos, the night these communities light the cemetery and call their dead home.
Five days, four nights. A private expedition, premium and unhurried.
This expedition is led by Managing Director Adam Lambert and Chief Experience Officer Vanessa Lambert—the team who built West Zephyr on 15 years of creating transformational adventure experiences worldwide.
Adam leads trip development and guest experience, curating the destinations, partners, and people that make each expedition unforgettable. Vanessa shapes the journey's transformational arc, ensuring every moment lands with intention and presence.
Afternoon arrival, private transfer to Our Habitas, an easy first evening, and a private Valle de la Luna sunset to ease into the desert.
Land in Calama in the afternoon and transfer to Our Habitas Atacama (about an hour), where the priority is easing into the altitude. Settle in with the Habitas welcome ritual, time at the pool, and a relaxed wander through San Pedro’s craft market. Late afternoon, a private Valle de la Luna sunset: the Great Dune, the Anfiteatro, the Tres Marias, and the sky turning gold then pink. Low effort by design. Dinner at Almas, the wood-fired restaurant on site.
A gentle low-altitude day: optional sandboarding, a salt-lagoon float, flamingos at golden hour, and the first live-music night at Almas.
Start with optional morning adrenaline: sandboarding at Valle de la Muerte, right next to town, for anyone who wants it. Midday, float in the salt lagoons on the Cejar and Laguna Piedra circuit (prepare for a chill, showers on-site). At golden hour, Laguna Chaxa for the flamingos: three species, volcanoes mirrored in the water, soft light, few people. Back to Habitas for dinner and the Friday live music at Almas.
Your high-country day: the full Lagunas Altiplanicas circuit, crafts from the makers in Socaire and Toconao, then Saturday live music.
After breakfast, the full Lagunas Altiplanicas excursion into the Puna: the Miscanti and Miniques lagoons, Piedras Rojas, and more flamingos at altitude (the day climbs to about 4,200m). This is also where you shop with intention, buying weavings and crafts directly from the makers in Socaire and Toconao. Back by late afternoon, with a quick browse of the San Pedro market on the way in. A relaxed dinner at Almas with the Saturday live music.
No alarm. Morning wellness, the All Saints observance at the cemetery, then the private desert dinner and the trip's darkest sky.
A slow start in the wellness center: the temazcal hot-stone ritual is our group activity, options to add a massage or one of the many custom Habitas treatments. Ideal for recovery from the altitude. In the afternoon, walk into town for Todos los Santos (All Saints’ Day), when the cemetery fills with candlelit, flower-covered graves as families honor their dead; we witness it quietly and respectfully. In the evening, the private desert dinner under the stars: candles, a fire, wood-fired food, the open desert, then a private astronomer session on the darkest night of the week (the moon rises late). The centerpiece of the trip.
A final morning in the desert, an optional sunrise walk at Quitor, then the transfer to Calama.
If there’s time before the transfer, a sunrise walk at Pukara de Quitor or a last morning of yoga. Then the private transfer to Calama for the flight back to Santiago.
This isn't a generic expedition. It's a curated journey where the people who built West Zephyr travel alongside you—bringing years of insight into what makes adventure meaningful.
Adam and Vanessa have spent years building relationships with world-class partners, guides, and lodges across the globe. Those relationships inform every element of this itinerary—the routes, the accommodations, the moments that most travelers never find. You're not getting a catalog trip; you're getting one shaped by people who've done this hundreds of times.
Every person on this expedition is intentionally selected. You're not joining a busload of strangers—you're stepping into a small group of curious, accomplished people who travel for meaning as much as adventure. The destination is extraordinary, but the real magic is who you experience it with.
Most companies send staff. On Founders' Trips, Adam and Vanessa are there—sharing meals, joining excursions, present for the conversations that happen when remarkable people explore together. Our expert local partners handle every operational detail so you (and we) can simply be present.
*Properties may change in rare circumstances, but never the quality or experience
San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
A design-forward desert retreat on the edge of San Pedro, eco-conscious and beautifully spare. Daily breakfast included, a wood-fired restaurant (Almas) with weekend live music, and an on-site wellness center. Private rooms for each couple.
"This trip was absolutely life-changing. Vanessa and Adam are a stellar team who are passionate about cultivating community and connection within the framework of every experience they offer. They are highly skilled at facilitating small groups: from periodic de-briefs and check-ins to seamlessly orchestrating the daily activities, I felt as if the entire trip was curated with the utmost care and the best intent for everyone to have the time of their lives. I highly recommend this trip — or any other! If you are on the fence, don't be! Go!"
"Words to describe this trip include: magical, transformational, stunning, physically and emotionally challenging, delicious, incredibly well organized, and just what I needed! Adam and Vanessa are a great team to lead a trip like this. It was very challenging, and yet I felt safe and capable the entire time. They did a great job creating that environment, from the preparatory exercises to holding space for our fears and growth during the trip. Truly awesome, in so many ways! Also, it's a great value for the money!"
"You will never land in a space more sacred, more safe with women who honor you and cherish you. Once you come here and you get over that fear wall and you decide to take the leap to your highest possible destiny and reality I promise you you will not regret one second. Vanessa and her team have put on something so beautiful and sacred and connected that it is absolutely unquestionable that this is a space where all Starseeds should be."
"This trek was unforgettable. We pushed ourselves to limits we couldn't imagine and are so ever grateful for this beautiful journey. The coaches did everything to ensure every one of us was comfortable, happy and taken care of. The lodges are just incredible to arrive at after a day's hike for relaxation, warm food, and great company. Highly recommended!"
"If you are looking for an opportunity to challenge yourself physically and mentally, then a West Zephyr trek is for you. While you go through said challenge, you are provided with luxurious accommodations, local cuisine, expert trail guides who also provide plenty of history of the area, and an opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals."
"It was way more amazing than I could have even imagined and I had some pretty high expectations but when you are in the group aura it’s this kind of sacred energy you can not replicate yourself so if you want to accelerate your experience and tap into some deep energy that you haven’t felt before, this will definitely be for you."
"This adventure was everything we hoped it would be, and more! Great accommodations, fabulous food, amazing guides who shared their knowledge of the trail, people, culture, and ruins, and great travel companions. The trip was physically and mentally challenging, but incredibly fun and rewarding — Vanessa and Adam made sure everyone felt safe and also provided opportunities to grow and rise to the challenges of the trek. This has been one of the most amazing and rewarding trips we have ever taken, and we'd do it all over again — not to be missed!"
"This trip was one of the best, if not the best, vacations that I have ever had the pleasure of enjoying. Vanessa and Adam are amazing hosts — caring and compassionate, attending to the needs of all guests. They somehow manage to make sure that groups with vastly different needs, skills and abilities stay happy, engaged and motivated. My wife and I will absolutely attend future trips with Adam and Vanessa!"
"The experience was above and beyond my expectations there was so much warmth and love and expansion and so many cool things that pushed out of our comfort zones and expanded us and brought us together as a group. I am leaving with a full heart and many women that I can now call friends."
"I highly recommend this trip. It is special. Words cannot do it justice. It's a very personal journey, but one you take with love and support from coaches, guides, and fellow travelers. The hiking is challenging, the accommodations and food are wonderful, the scenery is spectacular. But that really doesn't even scratch the surface. It's something you just have to experience for yourself, and you should."
Founders' trips are intimate gatherings led personally by Adam and Vanessa. A quick intro helps us get to know you. Not a group person? No worries—we do bespoke too.
Continue your journey with us
Want to bring your own group? We can design this same journey as a private expedition—built just for you.
Start Planning →Transfers to another person or departure date may be possible with a $300 fee. View our full Terms of Service.
Yes — travel medical coverage is required. You must have a minimum of $150,000 USD combined coverage for medical emergencies, evacuation, and repatriation. This protects you if you're injured or become seriously ill abroad. Many premium credit cards and some health insurance plans include this coverage—check your existing policies before purchasing.
We strongly recommend trip cancellation and interruption insurance equal to your trip cost. This covers you if a legitimate emergency (illness, injury, death in family, etc.) forces you to cancel or return home early.
For maximum flexibility, consider Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) coverage. CFAR is the only policy that reimburses voluntary cancellations—if you simply change your mind or have personal concerns about traveling. CFAR must be purchased within 14-21 days of your deposit to qualify.
Proof of medical coverage is required 30 days before departure and verified on Day 1 of your trip.
4 nights at Our Habitas Atacama (double occupancy) with daily breakfast; nonstop domestic flights between Santiago (SCL) and Calama (CJC) round-trip; all private ground transport with expert local driver-guides; private excursions (Valle de la Luna at sunset, the Cejar and Laguna Piedra salt-lagoon float, Laguna Chaxa flamingos, optional sandboarding at Valle de la Muerte, and the full Lagunas Altiplanicas day to Miscanti, Miniques, and Piedras Rojas with stops in Socaire and Toconao); a private astronomy session; Habitas wellness (the temazcal and a massage); the private desert dinner under the stars; private round-trip airport transfers between Calama and San Pedro; and West Zephyr coordination and on-trip support.
Anything not listed above or in your final itinerary. This covers international airfare to and from Santiago; lunches and dinners not listed in the itinerary; travel insurance; gratuities; and all personal incidentals.
A little. San Pedro de Atacama sits at 2,400m (7,900ft), and the trip’s one high day, the Lagunas Altiplanicas, climbs to about 4,200m (13,800ft). We sequence the week low-to-high on purpose, and there are no pre-dawn starts. Drink plenty of water from day one, go easy on alcohol the first night, and tell us if you have any altitude history. Most guests adjust without issue.
On November 1st, Todos los Santos (All Saints’ Day), the San Pedro cemetery fills with candlelit, flower-covered graves as families gather to honor their dead. It is a public, deeply felt observance, not a ticketed event. We take part quietly and respectfully, as guests; bringing your own flowers or a candle is a lovely way to honor the tradition. It is one of the most meaningful evenings of the trip.
This is a moderately active but unhurried trip, with no pre-dawn alarms. Expect walking on uneven desert terrain and volcanic rock, optional sandboarding, and one high-altitude day (the altiplano lagoons, about 4,200m). Altitude is the main physical variable, not exertion, and no strenuous hiking is required. If you have any concerns about altitude, cardiovascular health, or mobility, let us know before booking.
Nonstop domestic flights between Santiago (SCL) and Calama (CJC) are included in your trip price, roughly 2 hours each way. For October 29th we coordinate an afternoon arrival into Calama. For November 2nd we schedule the return so you have the morning in San Pedro before the transfer to the airport.
5 Days, 4 Nights of curated adventure with people you'll want to know.
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