Editor's Note:
Squeezed between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific coast, Chile's Atacama Desert is the driest non-polar desert on earth. Unlike its many desolate counterparts, the Atacama Desert has become one of the former tourist attractions in South America. The desert is also a popular location for filming scenes set on other planets due to its distinctive geological formations. Photos: CFP
Death Valley, or Valle de la Muerte in Spanish, is one of the highlights of the Atacama Desert, Chile. Its name comes from an old adage that says people who get lost in the valley never come out alive. 
Visitors sit in a row along a ridge to watch the sun set over Moon Valley. Known as Valle de la Luna in Spanish, the valley is another highlight of the Atacama Desert, Chile. 
Visitors enter a cave to get a closer view of salt crystals in the Atacama Desert, Chile. Salt flats and salt lakes are also commonly seen in this area. 
Visitors are surrounded by geysers in El Tatio, sitting at an altitude of over 4,000 meters in the Atacama Desert, Chile. Surrounded by many active volcanoes, the water temperature here can reach as high as 85 degrees centigrade. 
One of the largest geysers in El Tatio, bubbling away at an altitude of over 4,000 meters in the Atacama Desert, Chile. Surrounded by many active volcanoes, the water temperature here can reach as high as 85 degrees centigrade. 
People relax in a thermal spring of El Tatio in the Atacama Desert, Chile. 
Visitors use a map to navigate their way around San Pedro de Atacama, a town near the Atacama Desert, Chile. Tourists often get lost in the town's complex network of roads, despite its small size. 
A local woman shows off souvenirs for sale in San Pedro de Atacama, a town near the Atacama Desert, Chile. As a local specialty, llama wool blankets are consistently a bestseller.
