Nayara Alto Atacama Review: A Smart Pick for Adventurous Couples Visiting the North of Chile

Nayara Alto Atacama, one of six properties that comprise the Nayara Resorts collection, is situated in an oasis zone around two miles from the town of San Pedro de Atacama, the epicenter of tourism in the Atacama Desert region. It is one of a handful of “all-inclusive” resorts that bundle together not just food and drink, but also daily excursions into the desert. (Guests may opt out of the all-inclusive pricing if they prefer.) 

Here’s what luxury travel advisors should know about booking Nayara Alto Atacama. 

Why Book It

• The resort has been a member of American Express’s Fine Hotels & Resorts program since 2022, and the property was awarded a Conde Nast Traveler Reader’s Choice Award in 2020, 2023, and 2024. 
• With only 32 rooms and 10 suites spread over 21,000 square feet of land, there is plenty of space for guests to enjoy the resort without ever feeling crowded. 
• It’s perfect for adventurous couples and families seeking immersive, inclusive luxury in Chile’s desert landscape. 
• The Nayara VIP team works closely with advisors, noting down special requests and providing personalized welcome notes on their behalf. 
• Alto Atacama has its own telescope and offers complimentary, nightly stargazing sessions. 
• Fine-dining that relies on local ingredients, aiming to get to “zero kilometers” of distance between the produce and the kitchen. 
• The property has been recognized with the “S” stamp of Sustainable Tourism of Chile, meaning it adheres to all global criteria for sustainable tourism.

Rooms & Suites

Nayara Alto Atacama features 32 rooms and 10 suites, all decorated in a desert-inspired neutral palette with interior décor crafted by local artisans. The property boasts uninterrupted views of the outdoors, lending it a strong sense of place. All are non-smoking. 

All rooms and suites can be booked as breakfast-only or fully inclusive, with one full-day or two half-day excursions included per night. 

Rooms are divided into two categories—Quitor and Catarpe—while suites are all of the same style. All rooms come with a king-sized bed, a minibar stocked with complimentary beverages and mineral water, and are serviced twice daily. 

Both Quitor and Catarpe rooms are 550 square feet, but while Catarpe’s outdoor terrace has a view of the property’s surrounding mountains, the Quitor terraces have views of the resort’s interior gardens. (A limited number of Catarpe rooms have twin beds instead of a king.)

The view of the Catarpe Valley and Andes Mountains is worth the slightly higher price, luxury travel advisor Kellee Brennan of The Devoted Traveler says, calling it the room category that offers clients the best value. 

The 10 Tilo suites, which are always the first category to sell out, measure 750 square feet in size and feature a fully private terrace, complete with an outdoor rain shower, for those who truly want to immerse themselves in the desert experience. 

Tilo suites are also the only room category that can be connected, making them the only real option for families larger than three that need connecting options. 

Food & Drink

Dining is a highlight at Nayara Alto Atacama, but not an upsell opportunity beyond convincing clients to purchase the all-inclusive package (which includes food, beverages, and excursions). Breakfast is always included, and lunch and dinner are included for those who get the all-inclusive package. 

The property has only two options: Ckelar Restaurant and the more casual Bar Puri, which has limited space and hours for dining. The executive chef is Rodrigo Acuña, whose emphasis on local ingredients makes for delicious dining, particularly the seafood. 

A special treat at Alto Atacama is its outdoor South American “quincho” outdoor barbecues. Meat lovers can pile their plates high with many different cuts of meat, while vegetarians can fill up on grilled vegetables, corn, and potatoes. The Atacamenian quincho is offered twice weekly and is not to be missed. During high season, reservations are highly recommended. 

Full-day tours include food, while sunrise and sunset tours feature elaborate sundowner-style bites with Champagne and wine. 

Experiences & Amenities 

While a stay at Nayara Alto Atacama is delightful, if your clients aren’t spending most of their time away from the property, they’re doing something wrong. Excursions into the Atacama Desert are the reason to travel to northern Chile. 

The Atacama Desert is the driest non-polar region on Earth, offering some of the most starkly beautiful landscapes on the planet. To say it’s otherworldly is not an exaggeration: NASA has used parts of the desert as a double for Mars training missions, believing it to be the most Mars-like spot on Earth. 

Whether your clients have paid for the all-inclusive package or prefer to pay per excursion, numerous options are available, ranging from sunrise and sunset experiences to half-day and full-day tours. Excursions are divided into four categories: Cultural and Local Tradition, Contemplative, Astronomical, and Adventure. 

Most require some level of physical ability—it is the desert, after all. For instance, the half-day Rock Art hike is a nearly two-mile trek that requires a steep ascent and descent through calf-high sand. The full-day Rainbow Valley hike covers nearly 6.5 miles, mostly flat. More strenuous activities, including canyon bike rides and mountain climbing, are also available. 

There are a few easier options. The Ckamur Valley Sunset excursion requires no walking at all. The half-day Atacama Salt Flat and Toconao Village excursion requires minimal walking via pathways through the salt flats at the Los Flamencos National Reserve and a short stroll in the picturesque village of Toconao. 

A handful of excursions require clients to stay at the resort for longer periods to acclimate to the elevation, in order to reach even higher elevations. (Nayara Alto Atacama is situated at 8,200 feet above sea level.) 

Travel advisors can also collaborate with the on-site concierge to create personalized, private tours tailored to their clients’ needs. This comes with a higher all-inclusive price. 

For clients spending longer at the property (say four days or longer) and are willing to give up a half-day’s excursion to relax, Nayara Alto Atacama does offer several smaller pools for dipping into, as well as a small spa. 

Daily nightly stargazing sessions are offered twice per night and must be signed up for ahead of time. Advisors can request a sign-up for their clients before their arrival to ensure they get a spot. This is especially important if your clients are staying for only one or two days. 

Wellness & the Spa

Just a few steps from the outdoor bar and pool area is the unimposing Puri Spa. Like the rest of the resort, the spa seamlessly blends into its surroundings, yet behind its simple exterior lies an oasis of wellness and relaxation. Treatments such as herbal and hot stone massages, reflexology, mud wraps, and lymphatic drainage are grouped according to the four ancestral elements—fire, water, earth, and air—and use sounds, aromas, and local, organic products. 

There is no fitness center on the property, but the spa offers for-fee guided yoga and stretching treatments. 

Reservations can be made ahead of your client’s stay, but this can be challenging if you don’t know the exact timing of the excursions they wish to participate in. Depending on your clients’ priorities, it might be better to advise them to make any spa reservations at the same time they pick their excursions upon arrival at Nayara Alto Atacama. 

Family & Multi-Gen Appeal

Nayara Alto Atacama can accommodate families, but they are not the primary target market for this property. There are rooms that can accommodate up to three guests, and some suites are interconnected; however, there are no family-style rooms available. Additionally, there is no kids’ club, and some excursions have a minimum age of 12. 

One aspect of the property that kids would love is the llama enclosure, which is open during limited hours for hands-on visits. 

Sustainability & Accessibility

Sustainability is a core tenet for Nayara Resorts overall. Nayara Alto Atacama has been awarded Chile’s “S” stamp, indicating that it meets all global criteria for sustainable tourism in three key areas: social-cultural, economic, and environmental. 

The majority of the staff are from nearby San Pedro de Atacama, and Nayara provides yearly scholarships to young people to help them complete high school. Kitchen staff receive extra training and education, not only to create a better experience for guests, but also to enhance their employability should they choose to leave.

Rooms are designed to maximize the effects of sunlight and ventilation, minimizing the need for air conditioning and heating. Buildings often feature solar panels to harness the abundant sunlight. A reverse osmosis system makes the well water drinkable, and after the water is used in the hotel, it is reused to irrigate the onsite gardens. All paper and cardboard, aluminum, and glass are recycled and then taken to the city of Calama for treatment and recycling. 

Most of Nayara Alto Atacama is accessible, featuring flat footpaths, wheelchair-accessible entrances to the main building and restaurant, and a selection of wheelchair-accessible rooms. 

Location & Access

Nayara Alto Atacama is situated in the Antofagasta region of northern Chile, approximately 10 minutes by car from San Pedro de Atacama. The nearest airport is in Calama, about 1.5 hours away. Most visitors to the region arrive via Santiago, Chile, first, and then fly to Calama. 

There is nothing within walking distance of the resort, but guests can take a complimentary shuttle into town and back. The resort also provides van transportation for all excursions, as well as to and from the airport (either included in the all-inclusive price or available for an extra fee). 

How to Book Smart

Nayara Alto Atacama is a preferred supplier of Virtuoso and a member of Internova’s Select Hotels & Resorts Collection. Both options provide a complimentary upgrade on arrival, if available, along with a $100 resort credit or spa credit to be used during the stay. Additionally, early check-in or late check-out is available, subject to availability. With Internova, a welcome amenity may also be provided at the property’s discretion. 

The property is also a member of American Express’s Fine Hotels & Resorts program; card members receive a $150 spa services credit and a guaranteed 4 p.m. check-out.