Guide to San Pedro de Atacama
The driest place on the planet, the Atacama Desert, sees just four inches of rain… every millennium. The desert is over 600 miles from southern Peru to Chile’s Central Pacific coast, and it is somewhere in the middle of all of this that you will visit perhaps the most famous town (there are nowhere to be aliases). It is a small town called San Pedro.
Today, tourism really took off, both professionally and fraudulently (a great economic boost for Atacamanias, but of course not a genuine representation of desert life). Anyway, there is a certain charm in the dusty streets where dogs roam freely, and people slowly wind the side streets.
The town itself is very attractive and deserves at least a day of travel time, but here it is the surrounding area that really attracts tourists in the middle of the driest places on the planet. El Tachio Geyser (the third largest in the world), Sarah de Atacama (the third largest salt flat in the world), Moon Valley, Death Valley, Cactus Valley, Milkway… Diverse is modest.
Visit San Pedro
Time required: 3-5 days
When to go: All year round
budget: 30-60 $ 1 day
Going away from here: You can go to Bolivian Salt Salt Flat (or from here). Alternatively, if you are continuing your trip in Chile, you can take a bus to Calama (1.5 hours) and take a flight from there. Buses are available at a variety of other Chilean destinations, including Antofagasta, La Serena and Santiago.
Things to do at San Pedro de Atacama
Sarama
For around $25-30, you can see the third largest salt flat in the world. It’s not as impressive as the ones found in Uyuni, Bolivia, but it’s still worth seeing (and you can see flamingos!!!).
Tatio Geiser
The Tatio Geyser is the third largest in the world, and is certainly a must-see in town. But you need to go up early! Tours begin around 4am to 5am as geysers are most active in the mornings. Pay between $35-80 for the tour, depending on whether you want to add hot springs or add a visit to a nearby village to the tour.
Moon Valley
Whether you’re hiring a rental bike or going on a tour bus for around $15-20, you’ll have to make a day trip to Moon Valley. Very close to the town and offers the best sunsets in town.
horse riding
As this is a popular activity in the desert, there are plenty of tour operators offering horse riding. To avoid regret, pay a little extra and book your tour with our Tool Tour. The tour and horse quality is undoubtedly worth a few dollars.
Star’s gaze
If you are visiting during the full moon, you don’t have much chance to stare at the stars (which was true for me), but if you are visiting other times, you can’t miss the chance to visually see one of the clearest skyscrapers in the world.
Atacamani trinket
Of course, due to tourist prices, San Pedro is full of Atamani trinkets and treasures. Remember that you give back to the community and your money is being spent well!
San Pedro Church
San Pedro also has Iglesia San Pedro, the second oldest church in Chile. The bright white church dates back to 1640 and is a true testimony to what we “do” in the desert. The church is made primarily of cactus wood and tied with llama leather – impressive!
Where to stay, eat and drink
I stayed at the comprehensive Explora Atacama Lodge, including indoor rates, three meals per day, snacks, drinks, professional guides, round-trip to and from Calama Airport, evening education lectures on astrology, flora, fauna and more.
If you’re on a budget, there are hostels that are available on a distance and cheap hotels. Dorm beds start at $20 per night (I still swear for hotel reservations). It may be surprising that San Pedro is not cheap, but once you take a look, you will notice that it is not close to these prices as tourism is really taking off here.
Chilean food is known wisely, especially compared to neighboring Peru and Argentina. But surprisingly, the food options in San Pedro are fantastic! There are also vegetarian/vegan restaurants in town. This is rare in South America!
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