From exploring the Moon Valley to floating effortlessly inwards common salt pools, these are the best things to do inwards San Pedro de Atacama.
The Atacama Desert inwards Northern Republic of Chile is i of the most amazing places inwards South America.
Known for beingness the driest non-polar desert on Earth (Antarctica precisely beats it), yous could last forgiven for thinking it is a flat, sandy world devoid of whatever life.
This is merely non the case.
The landscape some the Atacama Desert is sensationally varied, alongside cone-shaped volcanoes dotting the horizon, rugged valleys eroded into the sandstone as well as captivating common salt lakes scattered similar jewels inwards the rough.
At its pump is the rustic hamlet of San Pedro de Atacama. With an eclectic mix of indigenous as well as modern cultures, San Pedro feels a lot to a greater extent than similar its neighbour, Bolivia, than it does Chile.
It is inwards this earthen hamlet where adventures into the Atacama Desert begin…
Things To Do In The Atacama Desert
There are dozens of amazing things to do inwards the Atacama Desert. Whether yous are into sightseeing or hiking, adventure activities or wildlife, you’ll never last brusque of places to see here.
We spent 10 days on an Atacama Desert route trip, living out of a camper van as well as exploring the best spots around.
A few days checking out the things to do inwards San Pedro de Atacama was to a greater extent than than enough, but it’s all the activities out inwards the desert that volition continue yous hither for longer.
Here is our listing of the absolute best things to do inwards the Atacama Desert.
Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley)
Just exterior of San Pedro de Atacama is the other-worldly Valle de la Luna, or Moon Valley inwards English. It is perchance the most visited, as well as widely known of the places to see inwards the Atacama Desert. And for goodness reason.
Walking, cycling or driving through the Moon Valley is similar beingness on, yous guessed it, the moon. This landscape is i of the primary reasons people see the Atacama Desert.
Being thence accessible to San Pedro de Atacama also agency it’s rattling pop alongside tourists, but don’t allow that set yous off from visiting.
From the 2nd yous acquire into the green yous acquire constituent of a huge adventure playground. As long every bit yous continue safe, you’re costless to climb over the dunes as well as ridges, crawl through caverns as well as hike to your heart’s content.
The viewpoints precisely exterior of town are also a keen spot to grab sunset. If yous don’t get got your ain wheels or don’t desire to rent a bicycle, yous tin bring together a tour, although nosotros recommend going independently.
Make certain yous laid aside at to the lowest degree 3-4 hours for proper exploration of this epic spot.
Entrance: 3000 CLP (USD$5), or 2500 CLP earlier midday.
Piedras Rojas
After the Moon Valley as well as the El Tatio Geysers, Piedras Rojas (or Red Rocks inwards English) is the following most pop thing to do inwards the Atacama Desert, as well as i time yous acquire at that topographic point you’ll consider why.
Water of the bluest coloring laps against large sandstone formations that glow cherry inwards the midday sun. The rocks get got been eroded over fourth dimension to last circular lumps across the landscape.
With snow-capped volcanos forming the backdrop, it’s tardily to consider why tour companies inwards town force this location thence hard.
It’s quite a movement from San Pedro de Atacama, heading towards the Argentine border, as well as alongside an height of over 4000m, it’s non ever possible to see inwards the wintertime time. In fact when nosotros tried to acquire at that topographic point the roads were closed due to snow.
Still if you’re at that topographic point inwards the correct fourth dimension of year, don’t missy a trip to Piedras Rojas.
Go Stargazing In The Atacama
The Atacama Desert is known for having the best stargazing opportunities inwards the world. The high height coupled alongside the depression density population agency there’s almost no low-cal pollution. This creates perfect conditions to consider the Milky Way.
You tin do what nosotros did, as well as merely military camp out inwards the desert as well as admire the stars at night, or sign upwardly for an Atacama Desert stargazing tour.
These tours acquire out San Pedro de Atacama inwards the evenings, as well as caput out to a remote location inwards the desert. The society volition supply low-cal snacks, drinks, as well as most of all a powerful telescope, thence that yous tin really written report the stars.
If yous desire to go a footstep farther consider doing a tour out to i of the observatories, which are opened upwardly to the public. Definitely depository fiscal establishment check out ALMA, the largest observatory ope to the world inwards the world.
Want to acquire how to accept amend photos on your travels? Check out our article on travel photography tips for beginners.
Float In Laguna Baltinache
Huge common salt plains tin last found all over the Atacama Desert, as well as these create interesting depth perception experiences (think most the classic photos that come upwardly out of Salar de Uyuni inwards Bolivia).
This huge concentration of common salt also has some other cool trial though. The lagoons as well as ponds some the Atacama Desert are thence salty yous tin float effortlessly inwards them.
The most pop house to see is Laguna Cejar, but nosotros decided to see the newly-discovered Laguna Baltinache, which is located downward a long, dirt route off the primary highway betwixt San Pedro de Atacama as well as Calama.
For 5000 CLP (USD$8.35) yous tin swim inwards the salty pools, as well as the feeling of having one-half your trunk out of the H2O is quite surreal. Laguna Baltinache also has rattling few visitors, thence it’s similar visiting the Dead Sea without whatever people.
The $8.35 also includes shower facilities, which is a must to acquire all the common salt off of your skin.
If yous prefer to see Laguna Cejar yous won’t regret it, every bit it’s beautiful, but it’ll cost yous 3 times the cost as well as you’ll get got to percentage the experience alongside dozens of people.
El Tatio Geysers
The most pop house to see inwards the Atacama Desert, exterior of San Pedro, is the El Tatio Geysers.
Located a few hours northward from San Pedro de Atacama, at an height of 4300m, the geysers are constantly shooting jets of H2O as well as clouds of steam into the air inwards spectacular visual displays.
The terrain is similar beingness on some other planet, precisely similar yous would await inwards the Atacama Desert, as well as alongside the eery atmosphere of the geysers adding to the landscape it’s a rattling unique place.
The best fourth dimension to see the geysers is for sunrise, when the golden low-cal allows yous to really consider the H2O rising up, as well as capture fantabulous pictures.
If yous don’t desire to movement all the way out at that topographic point yous tin organise a tour to El Tatio geysers from San Pedro de Atacama.
We didn’t acquire to see the geysers due to heavy snow, but fifty-fifty the movement out to at that topographic point was good worth it.
Visit Salar de Tara
Salar de Tara is Chile’s respond to the famous Salar de Uyuni common salt flats across the border inwards Bolivia, as well as it is pretty amazing.
Huge, salt-encrusted fields are spread out for kilometres, alongside a sparse layer of H2O sitting on top. This creates perfect reflections alongside the heaven as well as views that stretch for miles.
Being completely apartment every bit good allows yous to play some alongside some cool optical illusions, past times positioning people as well as objects at long distances apart, as well as having i or the other aspect enormous or small.
Salar de Tara is a few hours eastward of San Pedro de Atacama, as well as tin last visited every bit constituent of a tour or alongside your ain transport.
This is some other house nosotros missed due to heavy snow, as well as nosotros were distressing nosotros didn’t acquire the peril to visit.
Chacabuco Nitrate Village
Not all of the best things to do inwards the Atacama Desert are most nature. For a really unique experience caput out to the hamlet of Chacabuco, betwixt Calama as well as Antofagasta.
This abandoned town popped upwardly inwards 1924 when the following nitrate mine was established. The town rapidly grew inwards size to household the workers as well as their families, as well as kept on developing until the mine was all of a precipitous unopen downward inwards the 30s, thank yous to the creation of synthetic nitrate.
These days yous tin still see Chacabuco, as well as it is similar stepping into a ghost town. Houses, schools, offices as well as factories were left to collapse into themselves, creating an eery atmosphere.
The centre foursquare still has a gazebo, green benches as well as a playground, as well as the local theater tin last explored (with the transcend degree beingness turned into a museum).
When nosotros arrived nosotros were excitedly waved inwards without paying a fee, yet nosotros suspect that at that topographic point is meant to last a ticket purchased to explore Chacabuco.
It is good worth visiting for the atmosphere alone, as well as if yous similar taking photographs, it is i of the most interesting places inwards the Atacama Desert.
Find The Flamingos At Laguna Chaxa
One of the Atacama Desert’s most wonderful creatures is the pinkish flamingos that tin last found at a few of the lakes some the place.
Every yr the flamingos flock to the lakes to feed as well as breed inwards the desert. The best location to consider them upwardly close, as well as inwards huge numbers, is Laguna Chaxa.
Located most an lx minutes from San Pedro de Atacama, Laguna Chaxa is a huge common salt lake surrounded past times footpaths as well as boardwalks. It also has an information centre as well as bath facilities.
The walking trails are mellow, although they may acquire dingy after rain, as well as it gets yous to some wonderful vistas.
Depending on the twenty-four lx minutes stream yous may consider hundreds of the pinkish birds feeding inwards the lakes, or yous may consider none. The twenty-four lx minutes stream nosotros went at that topographic point was only a couple, but it was still cool to grab a glimpse of them.
Make certain you’re inwards Laguna Chaxa for sunset too, every bit the views are absolutely spectacular.
Wander Around The Death Valley
Close to San Pedro de Atacama is the Valle de la Muerte, or Death Valley. This sprawling environment, which is precisely northward of the Moon Valley, has rugged as well as weathered formations, as well as some huge sand dunes.
Also going past times the cry of Mars Valley, this is a pop spot for people to go sand boarding downward the dunes. You tin rent a board from San Pedro de Atacama, or bring together a tour.
We drove our campervan in, parked it upwardly at the base of operations of a huge dune as well as started hiking. Climbing to the transcend of the loma gives a sensational see over the whole valley.
Make certain you’re careful crawling some every bit the sand tin give way quite easily, but it’s a keen house to explore.
Be inspired to move to other parts of the province alongside our epic photos of Chile essay.
Visit The Pukara de Quitor (Quito Fort)
Just exterior of San Pedro de Atacama is i of the region’s most fascinating man-made attractions – the Pukara de Quitor.
This pre-Incan fortress dates dorsum over 700 years, as well as the stacked stones perched on shale as well as sandy hills are a lot of fun to explore.
There’s non much shade, thence create certain yous go early on inwards the forenoon or belatedly inwards the afternoon to avoid the unbearable summertime heat.
You tin acquire at that topographic point past times heading northward along the Rio San Pedro from town for a few kilometres. It’s a dusty road, thence last prepared if walking or cycling.
Walk Around The Village Of San Pedro de Atacama
One of the best things to do inwards San Pedro de Atacama is of course of written report walk some the beautiful niggling town.
If you’ve been travelling through the residual of Republic of Chile or Argentina prior to your trip to the Atacama Desert you’ll last blown away at precisely how unlike this mud-brick as well as dirt route hamlet is compared to other parts of the country.
It’s similar stepping dorsum a few hundred years. You’ll notice livestock wandering the streets, vendors selling handmade souvenirs as well as stores as well as rattling niggling electricity as well as wifi.
One of the highlights is the gorgeous church building close the primary square. It used to last painted white, which contrasted strongly against the residual of the town, but a few years agone the locals stripped the pigment away as well as left it alongside its original, mud style.
You tin easily pass an lx minutes or ii happily wandering some the labyrinth streets, stopping into gift stores as well as cafes.
Want a keen introduction to the city? Sign upwardly for the costless walking tours that encounter inwards the primary foursquare every day.
Visit The Oasis At Valle de Jere
When you’re heading to the towns of Tocanao as well as Socaire create certain yous halt off at the beautiful as well as lush Valle de Jere.
Contrasting the cherry sandstone similar an oasis inwards the middle of the desert, this lovely valley offers suspension from the common scenery i expects inwards the Atacama Desert.
There’s a modest entrance fee of a few dollars, as well as thence you’re costless to walk along the modest creek that cuts through the gorge, or climb high for amazing vistas.
The light-green trees as well as shrubs give some much-appreciated shade, thence if yous get got fourth dimension convey some luncheon as well as relax inwards this odd spot close San Pedro de Atacama.
Take Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Trip To Tocanao
38km due south of San Pedro is the cool, old, western-style hamlet of Tocanao.
Famed for its church building as well as bell tower dating dorsum to 1750, Tocanao is a sleepy house that ordinarily acts every bit a stopover for people taking trips to other to a greater extent than pop places inwards the Atacama Desert.
Unlike most of the Atacama Desert, the H2O found some Tocanao is quite pure, pregnant it has developed every bit an fantabulous agricultural hub as well as somewhat of an oasis.
If you’re driving through town create certain yous halt off to go for a brusque walk. You’ll also notice a few places to consume traditional Atacaman meals if you’re feeling hungry.
Drive Out To Rio Grande
Even though the modest hamlet of Rio Grande is quite out of the way (unless you’re visiting the Rainbow Mountains as well as the nearby petroglyphs), it was really i of our favourite places to see inwards the Atacama Desert.
The movement solitary is spectacular, alongside the route hugging the border of steep mountains as well as winding valleys, as well as i time yous acquire inwards in Rio Grande it’s impossible non to autumn inwards dear alongside its charm.
This traditional, mud brick hamlet has dirt streets, tiny shop fronts, a rattling unique church building as well as tonnes of friendly locals.
The dry ground some Rio Grande is quite fertile as well as yous tin notice paddocks of grain, fruit as well as vegetables beingness tended butting against the rugged terrain.
There’s non a lot to do inwards town, but it’s good worth driving to the cease of the route precisely to depository fiscal establishment check it out as well as relish its atmosphere.
Find The Church At Socaire
The high-altitude town of Socaire (3500m) is correct on the border of the Atacama Salar as well as the concluding hamlet of size earlier yous caput to the Argentine border.
Surrounded past times snow-capped peaks inwards wintertime as well as habitation to a lovely niggling church, Socaire is some other charming town inwards the Atacama Desert.
This is a keen house to purchase some souvenirs, every bit many of the locals create authentic handicrafts as well as sell them for decent prices.
If you’re ok alongside the height it tin last worth spending the black inwards Socaire as well as role it every bit a launching pad for all the best things to do inwards the area.
Learn About Ancient History At The Yerbas Buenas Petroglyphs
The petroglyphs at Yerbas Buenas are some other representative of fantabulous things to do inwards San Pedro de Atacama that get got to a greater extent than to do alongside history as well as humanity than epic scenery.
Found on the route to Rio Grande, Yerbas Buenas is a fascinating anthropological site covered alongside ancient carvings of local species as well as people.
Reports vary inwards their age, alongside some maxim they are over 10’000 years old, patch others claim only 2500 years old, but no affair when they were created they are still amazing to see.
You pay your entrance to the green ranger, as well as thence walk some the site. You’ll notice the petroglyphs carved into the rocks some a primal formation, as well as also inwards the side of a cliff a brusque walk away.
This is a house that really deserves to get got a guide, every bit an practiced gives the stone fine art to a greater extent than context as well as meaning, but at that topographic point are still modern paints on nearby rocks to demonstrate yous what yous are meant to last looking at.
Have Lunch In Machuca
Machuca is thence modest the give-and-take ‘village’ is beingness overly generous to its size. More of a collection of sh4cks operating every bit a carry stop, as well as some modest houses unopen past times the keep them, Machuca is found on the way to El Tatio Geysers.
Still that doesn’t hateful it’s non worth stopping at, every bit the quaint, walled church building testifies to its importance inwards this remote location.
If you’re on a tour betwixt San Pedro de Atacama as well as El Tatio Geysers yous may cease upwardly stopping inwards Machuca for lunch.
Expect to notice alpaca on the menu, every bit good every bit chicken as well as duck, all barbecued on coal cookers.
Fly In Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Hot Air Balloon Over The Atacama Desert
One of the best times to consider the Atacama Desert is at sunrise, as well as luckily i activity allows yous to do this from high inwards a higher house the earth.
While non every bit good known every bit hot air ballooning inwards Cappadocia, flight inwards a higher house the Atacama Desert is still i of the best things to do inwards San Pedro de Atacama.
You’ll last picked upwardly from town as well as driven out to the launch site. Just earlier the Sun goes upwardly the balloons drift majestically into the air, giving views over the entire desert as well as valleys.
It’s surreal to last floating along every bit the twenty-four lx minutes stream begins, completely still as well as mesmerised past times the landscape’s beauty. Even if you’re afraid of heights, it’s good worth doing.
The cost is some USD$300, and includes transport, a bilingual guide as well as your balloon ride. We didn’t do it, but Atacama Ballooning seems similar the society to go with.
Enjoy The Mountain Views
Ultimately i of the best things to do inwards San Pedro de Atacama is merely to kicking dorsum as well as relish the epic mount views.
Unlike other deserts yous may get got visited, the Atacama is non a vast, apartment field, but rather punctuated alongside snow-capped mountains as well as cone-shaped volcanos as well as scarred alongside gorges as well as valleys.
Head out inwards the forenoon or belatedly afternoon, notice a beautiful lake to chill out at, as well as accept inwards some of the best views inwards all of Chile.
How To Travel In The Atacama Desert – Campervan Toad Trip
By far the funnest, most independent as well as budget way to move the Atacama Desert is to rent a campervan. This gives yous the liberty to go where yous want, when yous desire without the involve for signing upwardly for expensive tours inwards San Pedro de Atacama.
Besides having your ain wheels, beingness inwards a campervan also agency yous tin military camp precisely most anywhere exterior of the major tourist attractions for free.
Throw inwards a basic kitchen, as well as yous tin create all your ain nutrient every bit yous go. Another cost saver!
So how do yous notice the best campervan rental inwards San Pedro de Atacama? We personally recommend Soulvans.
Soulvans is a novel concern run past times a Chilean human being as well as his High German wife, as well as is based out of Santiago. They get got a whole collection of awesome, budget campers that yous tin rent inwards Punta Arenas, Santiago or San Pedro de Atacama, as well as they come upwardly alongside everything yous could involve for a perfect route trip.
What makes Soulvans fifty-fifty amend than their major challenger (cough…Wicked) is that at that topographic point vans aren’t covered inwards offensive graffiti, as well as the maintenance is taken much to a greater extent than seriously. They are also a Chilean company, pregnant yous are supporting the locals here.
You tin pick upwardly a campervan inwards San Pedro de Atacama, or whatever of the other locations. We loved our campervan route trip inwards the Atacama Desert alongside Soulvans, as well as definitely recommend them. Make certain yous tell them that NOMADasaurus sent you!
Camping San Pedro de Atacama
If yous dear a chip of adventure, as well as similar to continue your costs down, as well as thence camping ground inwards San Pedro de Atacama is the best option.
If you’ve gone ahead as well as rented your campervan as well as thence depository fiscal establishment check out the amazing app, iOverlander. This is a user-updated app that allows yous to notice places to military camp as well as laid upwardly your RV all over South America.
If yous don’t get got a campervan as well as instead get got a tent, as well as thence the best thing to do is hike or hitchhike a chip out of town as well as notice a riverbank or tree to military camp following to.
Free camping ground inwards Republic of Chile is a chip of a greyness area, but the full general consensus is every bit long every bit yous aren’t disturbing anyone, as well as thence yous should last fine.
Save a dollar as well as notice the best places to rest ever past times camping ground San Pedro de Atacama!
Where To Stay In San Pedro de Atacama
San Pedro de Atacama has a whole attain of accommodation options, from budget hostels to mid-range guesthouses, correct upwardly to i of the absolute best luxury resorts yous tin imagine.
Best Hostels In San Pedro de Atacama
If yous are looking for a dainty hostel, nosotros recommend looking upwardly the options on HostelWorld. There’s plenty of great, basic options on at that topographic point as well as are saltation to continue your budget down.
Hostal Rural is the issue i hostel inwards town for backpackers looking to socialise, as well as they offering costless breakfast, costless wifi as well as keen places to chill out during the estrus of the day.
For the best midrange hotel inwards San Pedro de Atacama, yous should definitely depository fiscal establishment check out the Ckoi Atacama Lodge. This house is beautiful, alongside a great, repose location close downtown as well as a dainty breakfast. The vogue as well as pattern is also rattling unique, as well as you’ll at i time autumn inwards dear alongside this house similar nosotros did.
Best Luxury Hotel In San Pedro de Atacama – Hotel Cumbres
For Alesha’s birthday nosotros parked upwardly the campervan as well as headed to the best luxury hotel inwards San Pedro de Atacama, the Hotel Cumbres San Pedro. This house is on some other degree when it comes to luxury.
The restaurant, bar as well as entrance hall surface area is massive, alongside beautiful indigenous fine art scattered some the house as well as comfortable couches to lounge on.
The grounds are enormous, tastefully done to correspond inwards alongside the surrounding landscape alongside a issue of pools to relish when the estrus gets likewise unbearable.
At the dorsum of the holding is also a stargazing area, where a local astronomer holds nightly talks.
Our room was incredible, alongside the biggest bed nosotros get got ever seen, a huge sitting individual patio as well as an outdoor pelting shower. Amazing!
The nutrient was also out of this world. We enjoyed a huge luncheon inwards the eating house alongside traditional local ingredients, all downed alongside delicious pisco sours. Afterwards nosotros were thence total nosotros couldn’t fifty-fifty consume dinner.
Our stat at Hotel Cumbres San Pedro de Atacama was merely wonderful, as well as a perfect house to celebrate Alesha’s birthday inwards town.
It’s a niggling chip out of town, but the hotel offers costless transfers.
Book your accommodation at Cumbres Hotel through TripAdvisor
That’s it for our listing of the best things to do inwards San Pedro de Atacama! There’s a lot of amazing activities as well as scenery some the place, as well as nosotros promise nosotros could give yous some inspiration.
Have yous been to Northern Chile? If thence allow us know what your favourite things to do inwards the Atacama Desert are inwards the comments below.
Our campervan was provided to us past times Soulvans, as well as our accommodation at Cumbres Hotel was made inwards partnership alongside their brand. All thoughts, opinions as well as sleepless nights spent staring at the Galaxy are, every bit always, our own.
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