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Antofagasta, Chile — South America Overland Guide
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posted by Chris Vasquez
Drive from San Pedro de Atacama: approximately 4–4.5 hrs. Drop west toward the Pacific through immense mineral-colored desert before reaching Chile’s long coastal highway again. This stage is designed around the expedition rule that we never ask the driver—or our 2001 Toyota Land Cruiser 100 Series—to grind through more than six hours of actual driving in a day. The reward at Antofagasta is La Portada sea arch, Pacific cliffs and desert-to-ocean landscapes. The route itself is part of the story: we are watching South America change through the windshield rather than flying over the difficult pieces.
Adventure & stay: Walk coastal viewpoints, photograph the arch and take a proper recovery meal after leaving the high desert. Our preferred stay is Enjoy Antofagasta or a modern upscale oceanfront hotel. A full-service coastal room is a welcome contrast after San Pedro’s dust and altitude. The idea is never luxury for luxury’s sake; it is recovery that lets us get back outside the next morning. A real bed, a hot shower, a spa or a good meal can be just as important to a long overland expedition as another night under canvas.
Land Cruiser check & daily equipment: Check tire pressures after dropping elevation, inspect brakes and rinse dust from radiator/condenser surfaces. For this leg we want windbreaker, coastal layers, water, brake cleaner and a compact pressure washer or rinse bottle if practical. The 100 Series is being used exactly as Toyota intended—quiet and comfortable on pavement, full-time four-wheel drive ready when the road turns to gravel, and mechanically conservative enough that preventative checks remain more important than dramatic modifications. We leave Antofagasta only when both the crew and the truck are ready.
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