Explora en Atacama - All Inclusive

In many ways our trip to Atacama was magical. We loved the different areas of the desert and it was great to be somewhere all inclusive where everything was taken care of so you could focus on the most important item, the excursions. Explora misses out on 5 bubbles from us because it wasn't perfect but it was very good. On arrival from Calama we were collected from the airport with some other guests and arrived at Explora mid-afternoon. We were keen to maximise our stay and wanted to do a half-day excursion shortly after arrival. To their credit the staff at Explora, after greeting us with a Pisco sour, were also keen to arrange an excursion. Before that first excursion they wanted us to sit down with a staff member and set out our excursions over the duration of our stay. One improvement I would suggest would be that once the activities are agreed, a summary should be provided to guests confirming the excursions, also with details of what clothing and equipment is necessary. It was only by chance when we were talking to a guide one evening that we realised the staff member who arranged our excursions had made an error and booked us onto the wrong one the following day. Fortunately we were able to correct the error. The guides were generally very good, although if you couldn't keep up at the front, you were likely to miss out on conversation and information as you hiked along. The transportation was at times difficult in terms of terrain and suspension, perhaps the transport requires some upgrading. We thought the accommodation was disappointing, especially in the context of the cost of our stay. It's great that the accommodation is simple and traditional but it was tired, dark and not as clean as it could be. The ceiling fan needed to be on during the night, but this was right above the bed and essentially blowing in your face all night! The biggest disappointment was the star gazing activity, the event we were looking forward to the most. Sadly for us it was a little cloudy, clearly not in the control of the staff, but the group was far too big which meant you were standing around in the observatory doing nothing as people took their turns. They need to have a rethink about this activity because it doesn't compare well to the various excursions that take place during the day. Food was generally good and always available. And the staff were friendly and helpful. They were also able to arrange return transport in line with our flight time. All in all, although not perfect, we would consider using Explora again for further South American exploration.

We had very high expectations for this visit -and actually planned our trip around staying here in December 2024. The staff tried hard and some were excellent but not all. First, the excursions were top rate and the guides (except for one) were superb. They were all amazingly knowledgeable and eager to share. The star gazing was a huge disappointment. They do not let you book until you get there and once we checked in - the only availability was the last night of our 4-night stay and we were given the earlier of the two slots. That guide was in a rush - skipped the outside viewing, and then after showing our (rather large group) four stars/planets rushed out saying he had another group. He actually left our group of 4 in the planetarium questioning how to find our way back to the lodge. Second, the meals were also very disappointing. The chef tried too hard to be fancy and failed in many of the dishes, which were mediocre at best. The simple grilled trout we had one night at dinner was the best meal. Another night, a new waiter served the wrong dishes and gave the vegetarian in our group a stew with meat. Finally, while they do provide shuttle service to the airport - the schedules do not necessarily coincide with flight times. So while the management made out like they were going to help accommodate our flight - that did not happen. Nor did our request for a later checkout. It's a lovely place to spend a number of days, particularly because of the wonderful guides and excursions - but there should be a better effort to maintain the 5-star rating the hotel seems to enjoy, particularly given the price!

Website should be proactive and notify weekly about weather conditions. It is important to advise what clothing to pack for different explorations. When exploration is at 5K altitude in spring, there could be very low temperature, which requires winter clothes. At the same date bike exploration at the hotel altitude requires light clothes as it is extremely hot.

The people are really great. The food is 'okay'- they try too hard to create usual tastes... need some simple options too. The rooms need a major renovation. The common areas look like they were renovated but in more of a low budget way. The van's are okay but need to upgrade to sprinter van.