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Atacama
A desert oasis village surrounded by salt flats, geysers, high-altitude lagoons and some of the world’s clearest night skies
A desert oasis village surrounded by salt flats, geysers, high-altitude lagoons and some of the world’s clearest night skies
One of the world’s highest geyser fields, at about 4,300m, best seen at sunrise when the columns of steam are tallest. Tours leave San Pedro around 4–5am.
It is well below freezing at dawn; bring warm layers.
Photo: Alexarje, CC0
Dusty streets of adobe buildings around a shady square and a whitewashed 17th-century church with a cactus-wood roof. Most tour agencies, hostels and restaurants are here.
Photo: Angelica1979, CC BY-SA 3.0
Laguna Miscanti and Miñiques, at over 4,000m, are deep blue lakes below volcanoes. Day tours often combine them with the Salar de Atacama and its flamingos at Laguna Chaxa.
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
The Atacama has some of the clearest, darkest skies on Earth. Stargazing tours with telescopes run most nights, and the ALMA observatory offers free weekend visits that must be booked in advance.
Avoid nights around the full moon for the best stars.
Photo: Carlos A. Durán/ESO, CC BY 4.0
Restaurants in San Pedro serve Chilean and Andean food, including llama meat, quinoa dishes and sopaipillas; try rica-rica, a local herb used in pisco sours and ice cream.
Prices are higher than elsewhere in Chile because supplies are brought in.
The nearest airport is Calama (CJC), with flights from Santiago; shuttle buses take about 1.5 hours to San Pedro. Long-distance buses also connect San Pedro with Calama and other cities.
Citizens of the EU, the UK, the US, Canada and many other countries can visit Chile visa-free for up to 90 days; a digital tourist card is issued on arrival. Check current rules for your nationality before you travel.
San Pedro is expensive by Chilean standards, and most sights require a tour or a rental car and an entry fee. Chile uses the peso (CLP). Card payment is widespread. Foreign tourists who pay for hotel rooms in US dollars or by foreign card can often avoid the 19% VAT (IVA); ask when booking.
Acclimatise, then go higher.
Explore the village, then watch sunset in the Valle de la Luna; join a stargazing tour at night.
Visit Laguna Chaxa’s flamingos and the altiplanic lagoons Miscanti and Miñiques.
Leave before dawn for the El Tatio geysers, then rest in the afternoon or float in Laguna Cejar.
Visit the Valle del Arcoíris or cycle to the Pukará de Quitor fortress.
Spend a day or two at San Pedro’s altitude before going above 4,000m.
Drink plenty of water; the air is extremely dry.
Days are warm and nights cold, especially at high altitude; bring layers.
UV levels are very high; use strong sunscreen and sunglasses.
Quick answers for planning time in Atacama.
Citizens of the EU, the UK, the US, Canada and many other countries do not need a visa for stays of up to 90 days.
Fly to Calama, then take a shuttle bus of about 1.5 hours.
About 2,400m; many excursions go above 4,000m.
Usually around 4 to 5am, to reach the geysers at sunrise.
Yes, it has some of the clearest skies on Earth, and nightly stargazing tours run from San Pedro.
Offline maps are essential in the desert, Patagonia and on Easter Island, where signal is limited.
Free
Spanish is the language, spoken fast and with local slang; English is limited outside tourist services.
Free
Planning a wider trip? Our Chile travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.