What to do in San Pedro de Atacama?
San Pedro de Atacama is the gate to visit one of the most incredible places in Chile and South America. The Atacama Desert offers many amazing attractions with unique excursions you can do during your visit.
The Tatyo Geysers & Puritama Hot Springs
Geysers del Tatio which is the name in spanish, is a unique geothermal field located in the Andes mountain range in Atacama area. The fumaroles of these geysers are the highest of the world located 4300 mts above sea level. The geysers are produced by the high temperatures of their watery craters and offer a unique spectacle of the Chilean desert.
Around the geysers you may see vicuñas, the world’s smallest camelids bearing the finest wool of this species. We suggest taking a tour and avoid going on your own due to the harsh road conditions. The geysers are located at a very high altitude, so it’s best to leave this visit until you have spent at least a couple of days in the desert.
On the way back to San Pedro, you can stop at Baños de Puritama, a hot spring oasis of well-built rock pools that descend through a gorge. They are about 60 kilometers from the Tatio geysers and 28 kilometers from San Pedro.
Moon & Mars Valley
The Moon Valley is located 15 km only from San Pedro, so you can visit in an excursion, or rent a car and go directly to visit this unique place. It`s a lunar landscape with incredible mountains streaked with pink. Valley of the Moon is one of the main highlights of the Atacama Desert. You. Here, Chilla and Culpeo foxes, thrushes, harriers, and other animal species abound.
The Mars Valley stands out with its majestic dunes among the spectacular rock formations of the Cordillera de la Sal mountain range.This valley, one of the Atacama Desert’s most interesting attractions, is the ideal place for adventure activitites in the sandy stretches of more than 100 meters. It`s a perfect place for sandboarding!
Atacama Salt Flat
With a surface area of 3000 km², the Atacama Salt Flat is the largest salt flat in Chile. The salt flat is home to 40% of the world’s lithium reserves and you have an incredible number of bird species living in the area, including the unique Pink Flamingo.
Tulor, Pucara de Quitor and the Archaeological Tour
There are some archaeological areas with importance such as Tulor town with more than 2800 years of antiquity. The archaeology without a doubt is a source important to know the old dimension of this oasis of Atacama, since when it began to be occupied by the man. Tulor is a village constructed directly on the argillaceous ground in the zone of water-drainage of the San Pedro river, which with the time was buried by the advance of the desert.
On the feet of imposing Licancabur volcano with more than 5.900 meters of height, the greater existing height of the town, history and modernity are joined. With an antiquity of 11mil years approximately, the culture of San Pedro de Atacama, received different influences in its evolution stage of the diverse American cultures, such as Tiwanaku, which was developed to the feet of the Titicaca lake of Bolivia, Inca, which extended his dominions from Peru to the central zone of Chile, the Aymara and finally the Spanish conquerors.
Pucará de Quitor, a 12th-century pre-Incan fort that clings to a steep slope can be visited during the same excursion. It takes about fifteen minutes to reach the top on foot.
Los Flamencos National Reserve
Los Flamentos National Reserve is a 70.000-hectare reserve, created in 1990 to protect wildlife species such as the Culpeo fox, vicuñas, pumas, and flora such as the Tamarugo and the Carob tree. It`s a great visit to do during your visit to San Pedro.
Toconao, Camar and Secaire
Visit the oasis cities of Toconao, Socaire and Camar, located only 38 km from San Pedro de Atacama. You will enjoy these small villages, to learn more about how locals live in the inhospitable desert of Atacama. Here you will find traditional crafts and woven fabrics made from sheep and camelid wool.
