Chile & Easter Island: Norte Grande

by Greg Benchwick

Discover Chile and Easter Island. Includes FREE planning and background information. Devil dusters zoom wantonly through the vast wasteland of the Atacama Desert, spinning dirt high into the air like an inverted waterfall. It-s as if Pachamama, the earth goddess herself, decided to take back her creation and start anew in this sun-scorched land of dust, dirt and decay. But Chile-s Norte Grande - with its undulating curves of rock and stone, Andean lagoons, snow-capped volcanoes, salt flats and sensuously perforated coastline - is here to stay. The star attraction of El Norte Grande is the tiny adobe village of San Pedro de Atacama. Ideally situated just a day trip away from the world-s highest geyser field and some astounding desert formations, San Pedro has become Chile-s number-one tourist draw in recent years.

Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2009

About the author

Greg Benchwick is an internationally acclaimed travel writer and children's author. His work has appeared in National Geographic Traveler, Lonely Planet, Conde Naste and more than 50 newspapers, websites and magazines worldwide. He has authored over 40 travel books and coffee table books for Lonely Planet and the Fodor's guide. When he’s not adventuring around the globe, or making up stories about passenger pigeons, Greg writes speeches and human interest stories for the United Nations on conservation, education and climate change.

Over the past 10 years with the United Nations, Greg has served as the coordinating author on a number of publications on climate change and conservation.

He is an expert on travel, international development, food, wine, Latin America, sustainable travel and adventure sports, and has also contributed as an authoritative expert for such media outlets as Newsweek, The Washington Post, BBC Radio, Rick Steve’s Radio and Let’s Travel Radio.

In his free time, Greg writes short stories, children's books and screenplays, and adventures around the American West with his eight-year-old daughter and their 100-pound Newfoundland.