From the Andes Mountains to excessive desert lagoons, these are the most effective issues to do in San Pedro de Atacama. The Atacama Desert was our favourite place to go to in Chile. Situated in northern Chile, the Atacama Desert is the driest non-polar desert on the earth and plenty of vacationers make their solution to the city of San Pedro de Atacama to take pleasure in all the wonderful excursions on this extraordinary vacation spot. We visited the Atacama Desert with Exodus Travels and found all of the highlights with the assistance of our trusty information, Alex.
Issues to do in San Pedro de Atacama
The Atacama Desert is the best and dryest non-polar desert on the earth. It’s identified for its lunar panorama and pure magnificence. With a wide range of terrains together with salt flats, geysers, and lagoons, Salar de Atacama is without doubt one of the most placing locations we’ve ever visited.
Excursions and journeys will be booked to the desert from San Pedro de Atacama, and whereas visiting this area of Chile, additionally, you will have the possibility to immerse in its tradition as it’s a heart for indigenous communities. The city is a well-liked vacation spot for backpackers and intrepid vacationers who’re inquisitive about journey, nature, and historical past, and there are a lot of issues to do within the space. Listed here are some recommendations for issues to do in San Pedro de Atacama.
The place is San Pedro de Atacama
The Atacama Desert is situated within the northern half of Chile between the Pacific Ocean, to the west, and the Andes Mountains, to the east. This 1,000-mile strip of desert, is the best non-polar desert plateau on the earth. (Antarctica is the driest place on earth if you’re questioning) and San Pedro de Atacama is a small city situated within the coronary heart of it close to the Bolivian Border. San Pedro de Atacama is the place everybody makes a base to do desert excursions and this cool city is a vacation spot in its personal proper. With eating places, lodges, tour firms, and outlets, it makes for a unbelievable base to see every part in Salar de Atacama.
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1. Laguna Chaxa
Seeing the flamingoes of Chaxa Lagoon was the primary cease on our tour and it was a great one! As a part of the Los Flamencos Nationwide Reserve, Chaxa Lagoon is the most effective place to see flamingoes. Three species of flamingoes frequent the salt swimming pools to feed on brine shrimp. The setting is what makes this cease so extraordinary.
Rocky paths weave by way of salt lagoons surrounded by layers of colours resulting in the Andes Mountains. Flamingoes fly from one pool to a different after which slowly saunter within the nonetheless waters with their reflections dazzling within the backdrop of the encircling volcanoes. From the white salt deposits to the pink hues of the desert, it is a place you’ll wish to pull out your digicam.
There are three primary lagoons in Sector Soncor with the Chaxa lagoon being the most effective place to identify Andean and Chilean Flamingoes. The lagoons are situated at a excessive elevation of 2300 meters (over 7500 toes)
Chaxa Lagoon is 2 hours from San Pedro de Atacama and also you’ll spend not less than an hour having fun with the strolling trails that weave by way of the lagoons.
2. Go to the Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley)
The Valle de la Luna is a novel panorama that’s situated simply 13 km (8 miles) exterior of San Pedro de Atacama. It’s known as the Moon Valley due to its similarity to the floor of the moon nevertheless it actually appears extra just like the floor of Mars. Additionally situated inside the Los Flamencos Nationwide Reserve, this is without doubt one of the prime locations to go to within the Atacama to view the Mars Valley. With its rocky terrain and weird rock formations. Actually, NASA examined its Mars Rover within the Atacama due to its related panorama and local weather.
3. Hike Duna Mayor
The valley is a superb place to go climbing, and there are a number of trails that lead by way of the world. You can even go to the valley at sundown for some lovely views of the encircling mountains. Mountaineering Duna Mayor is a wonderful brief hike to unbelievable vistas. The hike is about 20 minutes out and takes you alongside a slender path overlooking excessive dunes and out-of-this-world rock formations.
Probably the most spectacular sight was the Moon Valley Amphitheatre. We had the clearest view of it strolling again alongside the excessive experience on the Duna Mayor hike. It reminded us a lot of Wilpena Pound in South Australia.
4. Mirador Lickan-Antai
There are a number of miradors to observe the sundown in Valle de La Luna and we made positive to pop into all of them for the most effective views. With Exodus Travels we have been spoiled and loved a glass of wine with cheese as we neglected the extraordinary views from Mirador Lickan Antai. This can be a beautiful cease off the facet of the highway if you’re biking, self-driving or have employed a information. You may hike out for higher views of the desert landscapes.
5. Las Tres Marias Valle de La Luna
If you’re in search of these images that seize the Salar de Atacama, a cease at Las Tres Marías is the place you’ll view the well-known rock formations of the Atacama Desert. The salt flat of the Atacama Desert is much completely different from the Bolivian Salt Flats. See what the salt flats in Bolivia are all about at A Bolivia Salt Flats Tour in Uyuni: All the things You Have to Know
Since it’s such a dry desert (some locations solely see rain each 100 years!) you don’t get the glass-like views and trick-of-the-eye images as you do in Bolivia, however that is the place the place you may play with scale and scope a little bit bit. The path is a brief 15-minute stroll.
6. Sundown from Mirador de Kari Piedra del Coyote
Top-of-the-line issues to do in San Pedro de Atacama is to observe the sundown from Mirador de Kari Piedra del Coyote. Situated exterior Valle de La Luna, that is the most effective place for sundown as a result of you must be out of the valley by a sure time. Since you can not keep within the Valle de la Luna after sundown, this mirador has the majority of vacationers watching the solar go down within the Atacama Desert.
It’s a lovely view with the solar creating shadows and depth on the rocky valley flooring because the excessive mountains twinkle with coloration surrounding the huge desert.
7. Go to the El Tatio geysers
The El Tatio geysers are a gaggle of geothermal springs which might be the best geothermal space on the earth. A go to to the geysers occurs at daybreak, and whereas it’s an early and chilly tour, that is one place within the Atacama Desert that you simply don’t wish to miss.
The El Tatio Geysers are a couple of two-hour drive from San Pedro de Atacama. We have been picked up properly earlier than dawn and hopped within the van for a nap earlier than getting out within the brisk air. It was -13 levels Celcius on the geysers so make sure you layer up with gloves and a hat. The geysers are most energetic at daybreak when the water is at its hottest (and air at its coldest), and so they produce steam and scorching water that may attain temperatures of as much as 100°C.
It takes about 90 minutes to stroll across the geysers alongside the designated stone paths and whereas not fairly as spectacular on the Geysers of Yellowstone, these are the third largest geothermal areas on earth so they have to not be missed!
8. Lagunas Miscanti and Miñiques
Have you ever ever puzzled what it was wish to stroll at excessive altitudes however don’t wish to hike for days to get there? Nicely, a go to to the high-altitude lakes (The Lagunas Altiplanicas) of Miscanti and Miñiques will do the trick. We drove on to an elevation of over 4000 meters (13,000 toes) to stroll from the picturesque lakes of Miscanti and Miniques.
Often, you would wish to trek for days to get to this elevation. The nonetheless deep blue waters are placing and it’s stunning to be standing at 4000 meters with the 2 excessive volcanoes towering overhead. It was onerous to imagine that the Volcano proper earlier than our eyes was larger than Mount Kilimanjaro. The 2 volcanoes that body the lagoons are (5,622 meters (18,445 ft)) and Cerro Miñiques (5,910 meters (19,390 ft))
9. Spy on Vicuñas
The lagoons are linked by a path of rocks and also you’ll be capable to see wild vicunas roaming the panorama. These animals are associated to the llama and el paca households and are actually protected. These vicunas are not possible to cultivate so to get their in-demand wool, they spherical them as much as shave them solely as soon as each three years.
10. Go stargazing
San Pedro de Atacama is situated in an space with little or no mild air pollution or precipitation, which makes it a great place for stargazing and excursions will be booked for round $50 to see the night time skies throughout San Pedro de Atacama. There are a number of firms that provide stargazing excursions within the space you could ebook in San Pedro de Atacama. Our tour was an add on with Exodus Travels.
The clear, dry air of the Atacama Desert permits for glorious visibility of the celebrities, planets, and the Milky Approach. Due to the low humidity, excessive altitude, and low mild air pollution, it’s a scorching spot for astronomers to review the skies, and plenty of firms from all over the world have scientists learning its darkish skies. San Pedro de Atacama is in style for Astro-tourism and you can not miss doing this tour. I actually didn’t suppose I’d be impressed, however I liked listening to the tales of our information as he identified constellations earlier than having us look into the huge telescopes at Saturn, Mars, and Pluto.
We seemed by way of these huge telescopes at stars and planets till the wee hours of the morning. Our information was so gung ho that lengthy after different excursions left, we stayed trying into the night time till 2 am!
No cell telephones or cameras are allowed, however Dave went off on his personal to take some night time images and the corporate we went with was type sufficient to produce images of our expertise. This is without doubt one of the hottest excursions within the Atacama Desert.
You can even go to the ALMA Observatory, which is situated about 50 kilometers exterior of San Pedro de Atacama. The observatory is house to the biggest array of radio telescopes on the earth, and
11. Stand on the Tropic of Capricorn
There’s something particular about crossing one of many 5 main circles of the earth. For instance, when taking a cruise, every passenger will get a certificates that they crossed the equator. When visiting the Atacama Desert, we had the possibility to face on the Tropic of Capricorn. The Tropic of Capricorn is about 60 km from San Pedro de Atacama. It’s a small and brief cease, however very cool to face on the place that’s the most southerly latitude the place the solar can seem immediately overhead at excessive midday. Cool eh?
12. Go to the Village of Tocanao
Apart from San Pedro de Atacama, there are just a few villages within the Atacama Desert. If you wish to do some buying, the village of Tocanao is an efficient cease. We purchased some jewellery and luggage for just some {dollars}. Situated 38 km from San Pedro de Atacama, most excursions will cease right here for not less than half-hour to an hour to help the area people. Probably the most notable constructing within the village is the bell tower which was inbuilt 1750.
13. Church of Socaire
Socaire is one other cease within the Atacama Desert that could be a good selection for lunch. Our information known as forward to order conventional stew. The principle attraction on this city is the Church of Socaire. This rustic church with a thatched roof is situated in a picturesque setting simply off the facet of the highway.
14. Discover the Salar de Tara
The Salar de Tara is a big salt flat situated inside the Los Flamencos Nationwide Reserve of the Atacama Desert subsequent to subsequent to Piers Rojas (the Purple Rocks). It’s the third largest salt flat on the earth, and it’s house to a wide range of plant and animal life. The Salar de Tara is a superb place to go for a drive, as there are a number of grime roads that lead by way of the world. You can even go to the salt flats on a tour, which is able to take you to a number of the finest spots for images and sightseeing. Learn extra at: Salar de Tara an Extraordinary Journey within the Atacama Desert
15. Valle de la Muerte (Loss of life Valley or Mars Valley)
Valle de la Muerte is known as so as a result of it is without doubt one of the harshest areas on the planet. Prior to now these animals (and people) who dared to cross perished within the unforgiving situations. No vegetation, animals and even bugs can survive in Loss of life Valley.
Also called Mars Valley, it is a nice cease for backpackers or these trying to discover on their very own. Situated simply 2 km from San Pedro de Atacama it is a good cease to see the rocky panorama with desert dunes and unusual formations giving a style of that Mars terrain that we talked about earlier.
16. San Pedro de Atacama
Nicely, this complete article is in regards to the excursions from San Pedro de Atacama, so let’s cease and discuss this sprawling desert city situated in northern Chile. San Pedro de Atacama has that typical backpacker vibe with loads of eating places and outlets. There are a number of lodges on the town and it’s a good spot for eating. You may ebook any day journey you need from city and it has a cool laid-back vibe that makes it excellent for chilling out for just a few days.
There are a number of issues to do in San Pedro de Atacama with out leaving city.
- Meteorite Museum – Whereas strolling round San Pedro de Atacama, make a cease on the Meteorite Museum which helps you to truly contact stones from out of this world,
- R. P. Gustavo Le Paige Archaeological Museum – t is devoted to the archaeology and historical past of the Atacama Desert. The museum has a set of artifacts and reveals that showcase the indigenous cultures of the area, together with the Atacamenian, Inca, and Mapuche cultures.
- Procuring – This can be a unbelievable city for buying. The artist’s neighborhood of Pueblo de Artesanos is an efficient place to choose up Andean souvenirs from ponchos to blankets.
Learn how to Get to San Pedro de Atacama
By air: The closest airport to San Pedro de Atacama is the El Loa Airport, which is situated within the metropolis of Calama. The airport is served by a number of main airways, together with LATAM and Sky Airline, and there are flights to and from Santiago in addition to different cities within the area. From the airport, you may take a taxi or a bus to San Pedro de Atacama, which is a couple of 45-minute drive from the airport.
By bus: There are a number of bus firms that function common service to San Pedro de Atacama from main cities in Chile. The bus journey from Santiago to San Pedro de Atacama takes about 23 hours, and there are a number of completely different lessons of service obtainable, together with semi-cama (semi-bed), cama (mattress), and VIP. The buses depart from the Terminal Alameda in Santiago, and tickets will be bought on-line or on the terminal.
By automobile: Should you want to journey by automobile, you may drive to San Pedro de Atacama from Santiago or different cities within the area. The drive from Santiago to San Pedro de Atacama takes about 22 hours, and it’s endorsed to take a 4×4 car as a result of tough terrain of the Atacama Desert. You can even lease a automobile in Santiago or Calama, and there are a number of automobile rental firms that function within the area. Take a look at automobile rental costs right here.
By tour: Should you want to journey with a guided tour, there are a number of firms that provide excursions to San Pedro de Atacama from Santiago and different cities in Chile. The excursions often embrace transportation, lodging, and actions, and they’re a great possibility for vacationers who wish to see as a lot of the area as attainable.
Regardless of the way you select to get to San Pedro de Atacama, it is very important plan your journey upfront and to be ready for the distinctive situations of the Atacama Desert. The city has a dry, arid local weather, and it is very important deliver loads of water and solar safety with you if you go to.
The place to Keep in San Pedro de Atacama
San Pedro de Atacama is the primary hub to discover the Atacama Desert of Chile. There are a number of choices for lodging. Listed here are some recommendations for the place to remain in San Pedro de Atacama:
- Inns: San Pedro de Atacama has a wide range of lodges to select from, starting from price range to luxurious. We stayed at Lodge Diego Del Almagro which has top-of-the-line areas in San Pedro de Atacama. The resort rooms are primary, however you may’t be the situation. Situated proper within the heart of town, it was inside strolling distance to every part. If you’re driving, it has free parking for visitors and a swimming pool.
- Another in style choices embrace Lodge de Larache, Lodge Atacama, and Lodge Casa de Don Tomas. These lodges provide a variety of facilities, together with swimming pools, eating places, and spas, and they’re situated within the heart of the city, close to the primary sq. and the primary vacationer points of interest.
- Hostels: If you’re touring on a price range, there are a number of hostels in San Pedro de Atacama that provide reasonably priced lodging. Some in style choices embrace Hostal La Casona, Hostal Atacama, and Hostal El Descanso del Viajero. These hostels provide shared dorms and personal rooms, and so they often have frequent areas, equivalent to kitchens and residing rooms, the place you may socialize with different vacationers.
- Tenting: Should you want a extra outside expertise, there are a number of campsites in and round San Pedro de Atacama. Some in style choices embrace Tenting San Pedro de Atacama, Tenting La Duna, and Tenting El Molle. These campsites provide primary amenities, equivalent to bathrooms and showers, and they’re a great possibility for vacationers who wish to be near nature.
- Renting a trip house: If you’re touring with a gaggle or need extra space and privateness, you may take into account renting a trip house in San Pedro de Atacama. There are a number of choices obtainable, starting from residences to homes, and you will discover trip leases on web sites equivalent to Airbnb or Vrbo. Renting a trip house generally is a good possibility if you wish to have your individual kitchen and residing house, and it will also be extra economical if you’re touring with a gaggle.
Regardless of the place you select to remain in San Pedro de Atacama, it is very important ebook your lodging upfront, particularly in the course of the excessive season, which runs from November to March. The city can get very busy throughout this time, and it’s best to ebook your lodging as early as attainable to make sure that you might have a spot to remain. Additionally it is a good suggestion to analysis the situation of your lodging, as some locations could also be farther from the middle of the city or the primary vacationer points of interest.
