Through ghost towns and desert oases

It’s the driest desert outside the polar regions – and we can feel it. We were constantly drinking water and still felt thirsty, applying lotion several times a day and yet our skin stays dry, and we woke up at night because our noses had dried out – it took quite some getting used to. 

We visited the well-known ghost town of Chacabuco, one of the many abandoned saltpetre and nitrate mines in northern Chile that had their heyday between 1924 and 1940. Along the Pacific coast, we came across several abandoned guano extraction sites and ports from that era, which, despite their decay, offered a fascinating glimpse into Chilean history. In addition to these “lost places,” we also saw a whole array of animals along the coast: Sea lions lounging on the rocks, otters, and many birds. 

The port city of Iquique is, for us, the epitome of contrasts. Nestled between the Pacific and sand dunes, without groundwater or fertile soil, around 200,000 people live here. The port city was founded because of mines located nearby. Today, it is an industrial hub with fish and petroleum processing plants. We enjoyed being around people and took the opportunity at the local Mercedes-Benz branch to have the axle and transfer case oil changed on the Axor. 

Back in the desert, we were slowly getting used to the dry climate. We made a stop to admire the Giant of Atacama, whose impressive height of 115 metres can only truly be grasped from the air. After that, we spent a few days in the oasis village of Pica. There, we sat in the shade of the trees and decide against visiting the 40-degree hot springs in the village – we were already warm enough. In the evening, we enjoyed the cool air and the beautiful sunsets over the desert.

Andrea and Mike Kammermann have been on the road in their Expedition Axor since June 2020. From the northernmost point of Norway to the Canary Islands, the Swiss couple has visited large parts of Europe and even made a detour to Tunisia. Distance covered on the road: 83,000 kilometres!

Especially due to pandemic-related restrictions, further destinations were unreachable — until now: From now on, Andrea and Mike will be discovering South America. Stay tuned to see what happens next! The current tour is the second one that the Swiss couple has embarked on in their Axor. In 2018 and 2019, they travelled to more than 20 countries and covered a good 47,000 kilometres.