Travel Guide of San Pedro de Atacama in Chile by Influencers and Travelers

San Pedro de Atacama is a Chilean town and commune in El Loa Province, Antofagasta Region. It is located east of Antofagasta, some 106 km southeast of Calama and the Chuquicamata copper mine, overlooking the Licancabur volcano.

The Best Things to Do and Visit in San Pedro de Atacama

TRAVELERS TOP 9 :

1 - Mirador de Kari - Piedra del Coyote

   6 km away
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2 - The three Marias Valley of the Moon

   12 km away
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3 - Stargazing | San Pedro de Atacama

Experience a magical night under a clear sky! Explore the universe with telescopes, enjoy beautiful astrophotography and savor tasty snacks. Dream among the stars!

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4 - Valle de la Luna

   13 km away

El Valle de la Luna is located 13 kilometres west of San Pedro de Atacama, to the north of Chile in the Cordillera de la Sal, in the Atacama desert. It has various stone and sand formations which have been carved by wind and water. It has an impressive range of color and texture, looking somewhat similar to the surface of the moon. There are also dry lakes where the composition of salt makes a white covering layer of the area. It presents diverse saline outcrops which appear like man-made sculptures. There are also a great variety of caverns.

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5 - Ruta 23

   24 km away
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6 - Sightseeing | San Pedro de Atacama

Visit this beautiful and colorful valley in the middle of the Atacama Desert and learn more about its magical history. Immerse yourself in its ancestral energies and its stunning surroundings.

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7 - Laguna Tebinquiche

   26 km away
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8 - Valle del Arcoiris

   30 km away
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9 - Laguna Chaxa

   47 km away
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Pictures and Stories of San Pedro de Atacama from Influencers

20 pictures of San Pedro de Atacama from Hailey Kean, Marcus Dall Col, Amy Rollo and other travelers

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Why should you visit San Pedro de Atacama ?

Travel to San Pedro de Atacama if you like:

  ⛰️ Highland     ️🏜️ Badlands     🏘️ Town     🛣️ Road trip     ️🏜️ Desert     ❄️ Tundra  

How to visit San Pedro de Atacama ?

To get to San Pedro de Atacama, the nearest airport is El Loa International Airport (CJC) in Calama, Chile. From there, you can take a 1.5-hour bus ride or rent a car to reach San Pedro. Alternatively, you can take a bus from major Chilean cities like Santiago or Antofagasta.

It is essential to book some tours in advance, especially during the high season (December to February). Some popular tours that may require booking include the El Tatio Geysers, Valle de la Luna, and the Atacama Salt Flats. Additionally, make sure to book accommodations in advance as the town has limited lodging options.

The costs of traveling to San Pedro de Atacama can vary depending on your preferences. Tours can range from $30 to $100, while accommodations can range from $15 per night in a hostel to over $250 per night in a luxury hotel. Meals can cost between $5 and $25, depending on the restaurant.

Some of the best things to do in San Pedro de Atacama include:
1. Exploring Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley) for its surreal landscapes and sand dunes.
2. Watching the sunrise at El Tatio Geysers, the highest geothermal field in the world.
3. Stargazing in the Atacama Desert, known for its clear skies and minimal light pollution.
4. Visiting the Atacama Salt Flats and watching flamingos at Laguna Chaxa.
5. Exploring the ancient ruins of Pukará de Quitor and learning about the indigenous Atacameño culture.

For dining, consider these options:
1. La Estaka, offering Chilean and international cuisine with a cozy atmosphere.
2. Adobe, a popular restaurant serving a variety of pasta, meat dishes, and pizza in an adobe building.
3. Baltinache, a small but charming restaurant offering fusion cuisine with an emphasis on local ingredients.

Consider these accommodations during your stay:
1. Hostal Rural, a budget-friendly option with private and shared rooms, and a lovely garden area.
2. Terrantai Lodge, a mid-range hotel located in the heart of San Pedro, offering comfortable rooms and a peaceful atmosphere.
3. Tierra Atacama Hotel & Spa, a luxury option with stunning views, a spa, and all-inclusive packages that include meals and excursions.

Off the beaten path:
One unique travel experience in San Pedro de Atacama is the opportunity to bathe in the Puritama Hot Springs, located 30 kilometers from San Pedro. These geothermal pools are tucked away in a canyon, offering a soothing and relaxing experience amid the arid desert landscape. Make sure to bring your swimsuit and a towel, and enjoy the therapeutic waters while surrounded by the natural beauty of the Atacama Desert.

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San Pedro de Atacama

The Chilean village of San Pedro de Atacama is located in the heart of one of the driest deserts in the world - Atacama.

Tourists from all over the world are attracted by the archaeological area of Tulor, in whose territory many unique artifacts have been discovered. And San Pedro de Atacama is one of the few places in the country where you can try real peppers. It grows here in arid conditions, which makes it incredibly sharp. The architecture of the village has its flavor - all the buildings are built in the same style. As a rule, they are adobe clay houses. To explore the area, it is best to rent a bicycle. The main attraction of the village is the church of San Pedro, built in the 17th century. You can find many souvenir stores and handmade objects on the main street of Caracol. You should pay special attention to the picturesque environment. For example, the geysers of El Tatio, the lagoons of the Altiplano, the Valley of the Moon, and the Atacama Salt Flat.

Discover the Atacama Desert

Considered as the aridest of the planet, because of its location in altitude in the Andes Cordillera, where the thermal amplitude is important (25 to 30 degrees during the day against 0 degrees at night), it hides, in reality, other particularities. The natural border between Chile and its neighbors Bolivia, Argentina, and Peru, this desert is spectacular. The journey begins most often at the doors of the village of San Pedro de Atacama, at 2500 meters of altitude. This village shelters in a maze of dirt streets, a magnificent church of the XVIIth century.
On foot, on horseback, or by mountain bike, the adventure continues to the salt lakes, with their changing colors. The famous Salar de Atacama is the largest salt desert in the country and the third-largest in the world. The silhouette of the pink flamingos in the only shadow that can be seen on these expanses of salt and water.
Among the other natural landscapes, the Miscanti and Miniques lagoons with their emerald green colors, the geysers of El Tatio but also the volcanoes still inactivity. A desert that reserves many surprises and which has nothing monotonous. It is not for nothing that it is qualified as one of the most beautiful and surprising in the world.

Discover the Giant of Atacama

This immense anthropomorphic geoglyph is located on the side of the Sierra Unida, 15 km in the northeast of the Chilean city of Huara in a full desert of Atacama.
Contrary to the immense images of Nazca in Peru, this sympathetic giant of a length of 90m, is visible on the ground if one posts in a few hundred meters of the foot of the hill.
To whom do we owe this human representation, to what was used it? Many questions and hypotheses have been raised. The most convincing leads us to believe that it would be about an indigenous authority, topped by an ornament and hidden behind a mask of feline.

His real name is the "Giant of Tarapacá" and he represents a civilizing god that came from the Titicaca Lake, civilizing the populations that he met until the Pacific coast.
Perhaps these drawings served as landmarks for the caravans on their way through the desert.
Being part of a set of 21 geoglyphs on the hillside, the giant of Atacama is endangered by tourists. Other geoglyphs are found in the province of Iquique, in Santa Rosa, and on the Cerro Pintados, some 390 drawings grouped in 60 series

Frequently Asked Questions by Travelers planning a trip to San Pedro de Atacama

What to do in San Pedro de Atacama ?

Here is our list of the best things to do in San Pedro de Atacama :

• Los Flamencos National Reserve.
• Photographic tour in the Salar de Tara.
• Atacama Salt Flat: 
• Cejar Lagoon and Hidden Lagoons of Baltinache.
• Andean villages: Toconao, Socaire and Machuca.
• Mars Valley,

When is the best period to travel to San Pedro de Atacama?

The best months to have good weather in San Pedro de Atacama (Atacama Desert) are January, February, March, April, September, October, November, and December.

   Where to Stay in San Pedro de Atacama

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Discover more travel spots to explore around San Pedro de Atacama

  ️🏜️ Desert spots     ️🏜️ Badlands spots     🌲 Ecoregion spots     🛣️ Road trip spots     ❄️ Tundra spots     ⛰️ Highland spots     🌲 Nature reserve spots     Panorama spots     🏞️ Lake spots     ⛰️ Mountain bike spots     🏘️ Town spots     🏖️ Beach spots     🌲 Plain spots     🏞️ Reservoir spots     🌋 Extinct volcano spots     Extreme sport spots     🌋 Stratovolcano spots     🏰 Historic site spots  

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