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Dark sky travel stories and planning essays (Page 29)

Long-form pieces I write on aurora science, astrophotography how-tos, destination deep-dives, and practical planning essays for dark-sky trips.

Aeropuerto El Loa Calama arrivals hall with desert landscape visible through glass doors, passengers with luggage waiting for shared shuttle transfer to San Pedro de Atacama

Calama to San Pedro de Atacama: Transfer Options

Maya Okonkwo Updated 6 min read

Shared shuttle, private transfer, rental car, or bus from Calama airport (CJC) to San Pedro de Atacama — 100.5 km, ~1h10 on Route 23. What to book and when.

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Is the Atacama worth it? Milky Way galactic core arching over volcanic peaks near San Pedro de Atacama, Bortle-1 darkness, Chile

Is the Atacama Desert Worth It for Stargazing?

Maya Okonkwo Updated 7 min read

An honest look at whether the Atacama Desert is worth the cost, altitude, and logistics for stargazing travelers. The skies are real. Here's the full picture.

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Aerial view of the Atacama Desert from a plane window approaching Calama, Chile, with the Andes volcanoes visible and the salt flats stretching below under clear skies

Santiago to San Pedro de Atacama: Getting There

Maya Okonkwo Updated 6 min read

The fastest route from Santiago to San Pedro de Atacama is a 2-hour flight to Calama, then a 1h10 transfer by shared shuttle. Here's exactly what to expect.

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The Atacama Desert at night showing the driest terrain on Earth, parched salt flats and volcanic peaks under a sky blazing with stars, the Milky Way galactic core visible overhead at the world's driest non-polar desert

Why Is the Atacama Desert the Driest on Earth?

Maya Okonkwo Updated 9 min read

Three forces starve the Atacama of rain: the Andes rain shadow, the Humboldt Current, and subtropical high pressure — clearing its skies 330 nights a year.

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