About Atacama Desert
San Pedro de Atacama is beautifully located in the Atacama Desert, the driest desert in the world. The surrounding area consists of barren moonscapes, vast salt flats, strange rock formations, multi-coloured lakes and geysers. Excursions to these areas are the main attractions when visiting San Pedro, although you can also just relax around your hotel swimming pool, enjoying the views of the 5,900-metre high Licancabur volcano.
The area is also the most important archaeological site in mainland Chile and was home to several pre-Columbian cultures, with ruins visible in the surrounding desert. The town has been inhabited since the 15th century.
San Pedro itself is a pretty town of narrow streets and adobe houses with an attractive main square. It has become a centre for tourism, with people coming to visit the beautiful desert are, and there are many restaurants and bars.
Atacama Desert Highlights
The Valley of the Moon
The Valley of the Moon is quite close to San Pedro, and is a beautiful evening excursion. The landscape is made up of mountains, valleys, sand dunes and rock formations, and the colours change from golds to reds as the sun sets. Visitors can walk up the sand dunes to enjoy the best views.
The Atacama Salt Lake
The Atacama Salt Lake is formed by water flowing down from the mountains evaporating, leaving salt crystals on the desert floor. The giant chunks of salt extend into the distance, creating a beautiful landscape as the earth and sky merge. The best time to visit is sunset, with beautiful colours, and flamingos silhouetted against the sky.
The El Tatio Geysers
The El Tatio Geysers are the largest geyser field in the southern hemisphere, and at 4,300 metres above sea level, some of the highest in the world. The geysers are best seen in the early morning light, when the water and steam jets create an incredible sight. However, this involves a very early start at 4am from San Pedro, as the geysers are a 90-minute bumpy drive away. There are also vicuñas in the area.
The Sky at Night
Northern Chile is one of the best places in the world for star gazing due to the climatic conditions, and the Atacama Large Millimetre Array (ALMA) is currently being constructed close to San Pedro, jointly by Europe, Japan, North America and Chile. When completed, this will be one of the most powerful radio telescopes in the world. The Atacama Desert is cloudless for almost all the year, and although you cannot visit the ALMA site, there are some amateur astronomy tours in the desert around San Pedro, which can be booked locally. On these, visitors can view the galaxies through reasonably powerful optical telescopes. It gets very cold at night, so bring warm clothes!
Archaeological Sites
There are several interesting archaeological sites close to San Pedro. Tulor, dating from about 800BC, is the earliest example of habitation in area, with circular adobe structures visible. Pukara de Quitor is a partially restored 12th century fortress, set above the San Pedro River. It was used in the defence of the area from attacking Spanish forces in 1540.