Photography

Photos: Wildflowers Bloom in the Atacama Desert

Javier Torres, a photojournalist with AFP, recently visited the Atacama Desert in Chile, capturing images of a desert in bloom after a spell of unusually wet weather.

By Alan Taylor
An aerial view of patches of blooming wildflowers in a desert, with small mountains in the background
Javier Torres / AFP / Getty
An aerial view of patches of blooming wildflowers in the Atacama Desert near Copiapó, Chile, seen on September 18, 2026
Two people look at a carpet of flowers blooming in a desert.
Javier Torres / AFP / Getty
People look at a carpet of flowers blooming in the Atacama Desert on September 18, 2026.
An aerial view of a car driving through a flower-covered area of a desert
Javier Torres / AFP / Getty
A car passes through a flower-covered area of the Atacama Desert on September 18, 2026.
A view of cactus amid blooming wildflowers
Javier Torres / AFP / Getty
A view of cactus amid the blooming wildflowers
A Chilean flag stands among wildflowers.
Javier Torres / AFP / Getty
A Chilean flag stands among wildflowers near Copiapó.
An aerial view of a road passing through a blooming area in a desert
Javier Torres / AFP / Getty
An aerial view of a bloom of growth in the Atacama
Blue wildflowers in bloom
Javier Torres / AFP / Getty
Blue wildflowers in bloom
Yellow flowers, blooming in a desert
Javier Torres / AFP / Getty
A view of the Atacama Desert on September 17, 2026
A wildflower emerges from cracked earth.
Javier Torres / AFP / Getty
A wildflower emerges from cracked earth in the Atacama Desert.
Rolling hills and a desert plain, with a light covering of pink, purple, and green wildflowers and grasses
Javier Torres / AFP / Getty
Hills covered with patches of blooming wildflowers
White wildflowers cover a desert plain.
Javier Torres / AFP / Getty
A field near Copiapó, seen on September 18, 2026
A close view of purple wildflowers in bloom
Javier Torres / AFP / Getty
A close view of purple wildflowers in bloom
A dark sunset, under a cloudy sky, above a field of blue-and-white wildflowers
Javier Torres / AFP / Getty
The sun sets over the Atacama Desert on September 17, 2026.
A rainbow appears at sunset above wildflowers.
Javier Torres / AFP / Getty
A rainbow appears at sunset.
An aerial view of the full arc of a rainbow over a desert
Javier Torres / AFP / Getty
An aerial view of the full arc of a rainbow over the Atacama Desert, seen on September 17, 2026

About the Author

Alan Taylor is a senior editor at The Atlantic.
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