North Chile Travelers Recommend

Three days in San Pedro de Atacama give you chance to explore the surrounding desert in a myriad of ways; see geysers, lunar landscapes, flamingos. You’ll also be able to soak up the town’s atmosphere and learn about its history. Here’s how.

Day 1: Head to Another Planet

San Pedro de Atacama is best-known as a base for adventures wanting to discover the surrounding desert, but the town itself offers plenty to see and do. Spend the morning exploring the historic center; tick off the centuries-old adobe church in the Plaza de Armas, the roof of which is made partially of dried cactus, and the R.P. Gustavo Le Paige Archaeological Museum, which exhibits more than 1,000 artefacts collected by a Belgian priest.

In the afternoon, take a trip to the Valley of the Moon (Valle de la Luna), where lunar landscapes have been shaped by wind and water over millions of years. Tours from San Pedro de Atacama typically also visit Valle de la Muerte (Death Valley) and are timed to coincide with sunset over the desert.

Day 2: Geysers, Hot Springs, and the Stars

Begin your second day bright and early with a pre-dawn tour of El Tatio, one of the biggest geothermal fields in the world. The trip north from San Pedro de Atacama takes around two hours, so letting someone else drive allows you to catch up on sleep in the vehicle. Watch the sunrise as dozens of steaming geysers burst into the air, then take a dip in a geothermal pool. Tours from San Pedro de Atacama typically include breakfast and some also add on a visit to the village of Machuca, where you’ll see grazing llamas and have chance sample goat’s cheese empanadas.

Spend your afternoon soaking in the thermal pools of Puritana Natural Springs; tours tend to include hotel transfers and admission tickets. In the evening, discover why the Atacama Desert is one of the world’s best places for stargazing on a night tour of South America’s largest astronomical observatory. 

Day 3: Salt Flats and Flamingos

Your third day begins with another early start, but it’s more than worth it to see the Atacama Salt Flats, one of the largest salt flats in the world. Highlights of typical full-day tours include seeing flocks of brightly colored flamingos at Chaxa Lagoon, part of Los Flamencos National Park, and exploring the high-altitude lakes of Miscanti and Miñique, which are framed by bright-white mineral deposits and yellow pampa grass. Tours tend to also visit the village of Socaire, where a traditional Chilean lunch made with regional produce is often included, and Toconao, where you can admire a 18th-century whitewashed church, see buildings made from volcanic stone, and browse craft shops for treasures made from alpaca wool and volcanic rock.

With two days in San Pedro de Atacama, you’ll be able to take several trips to surrounding attractions and see natural phenomenon that the desert town is famed for. Here’s how to make the most of 48 hours.

Day 1: Geysers and Lunar Landscapes

**Morning:**Seeing El Tatio, one of the world’s largest geyser fields, at its best requires a very early start, so book a tour with hotel pickup and catch up on sleep during the journey here. The spectacle of watching steam shoot into the air during sunrise is worth it.

**Afternoon:**In the mid-afternoon, after having a stroll around the town, head into the desert on a tour of Moon Valley and Death Valley. The lunar landscape—shaped by wind and water over millions of years—is most striking around sunset, when the sand glows a burning red.

**Night:**See a different kind of lunar landscape on a stargazing tour. Visit the biggest astronomical observatory in South America and see the moon’s craters, planets, and stars through state-of-the-art telescopes in the company of an astronomer. Atacama is one of the best places in the world to go stargazing. 

Day 2: Rainbows and Hot Springs

**Morning:**Kick off your second day with a trip to Rainbow Valley, so named for its red, beige, green, and white tones, which are created by clays, minerals, and salts. Tours typically  guide you around its mineral-rich hills and reveal prehistoric rock art.

**Afternoon:**After a couple of days of adventure, take some time out to relax. Head out on a tour to Puritana Natural Springs where you can soak in eight thermal pools that are naturally heated to a temperature of 92°F (33.5°C).

**Night:**The nightlife in San Pedro de Atacama is muted to say the least, and it’s no wonder given the early-morning departure time of most tours. Nevertheless, there’s a popular bar called Chelacabur on Caracoles Boulevard. There, you can toast your trip and then find a bite to eat at one of the nearby restaurants.

Surrounded by salt flats, volcanoes, and steaming geysers, San Pedro de Atacama is a jumping off point for adventure in northern Chile. Modern infrastructure means that you can easily enjoy its best attractions in a single day. Here’s how to do it.

Morning: El Tatio Geysers

Start with a pre-dawn departure for El Tatio, one of the biggest geothermal fields in the world. Watch the sunrise over the desert and see more than 80 steaming geysers shoot into the air. Afterward, take a dip in a geothermal pool. Guided tours from San Pedro de Atacama typically include hotel transfers, as well as breakfast; some add on a stop at the provincial village of Machuca. If you’re averse to an early start, opt for a tour to Puritana Natural Springs and spend the morning bathing in the rejuvenating waters of a natural thermal bath.

Afternoon: Moon Valley

Morning tours to El Tatio typically get back to town around lunchtime so grab a bite to eat from an eatery on Caracoles Boulevard before visiting the adobe church on Plaza de Armas. Afterwards, embark on a tour to the Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley) to see a lunar landscape that’s been shaped by wind and water over millions of years. These tours typically continue on to the Valle de la Muerte (Death Valley), the driest desert in the world, and are timed so that you can watch the sun cast its glow over the landscape.

Night: Desert Stargazing

In the evening, take advantage of your desert location by doing a spot of stargazing—the Atacama Desert has some of the clearest night skies on earth. Most tours from San Pedro de Atacama take you to the biggest astronomical observatory in South America, where you can gaze at the stars in the company of an astronomer. Through a state-of-the-art telescope, you’ll be able to see planets invisible to the naked eye and the crater-covered surface of the moon. 

Back in town, toast your day in San Pedro de Atacama with a drink; Chelacabur Bar on Caracoles is a travelers’ favorite.

A long history of human population, which predates the arrival of the Spaniards, and the preserving qualities of the region’s dry desert conditions mean that the area surrounding San Pedro de Atacama is rich in archaeological treasures. Here are some suggestions for how to explore San Pedro de Atacama’s best archaeological sites.

RP Gustavo Le Paige Archaeological Museum

A short stroll from the Plaza de San Pedro de Atacama, the RP Gustavo Le Paige Archaeological Museum is named for its founder, a Belgian priest who established the museum in 1963. Through displays of everything from gold masks to hallucinogenic substances, the museum explains the presence of the different indigenous peoples in the area throughout time.

Pukara de Quitor

Two miles (3.2 kilometers) north of San Pedro de Atacama, indigenous Atacamans built the stone fortress of Pukara de Quitor around 700 years ago to protect themselves from potential invaders. It is a designated Chilean National Monument and offers a great view of the surrounding area.

Tulor

Nearly 6 miles (9 kilometers) from San Pedro de Atacama, the sprawling ancient village complex of Tulor dates from between AD 800 and 500 BC. The complex covers an area of 55,972 square feet (5,200 square meters) and is characterized by its circular walls made out of clay.

Archaeology-focused half-day guided tours from San Pedro de Atacama typically visit both Pukara de Quitor and Tulor, and often include an additional stop, such as the Church of San Pedro de Atacama, a national monument built from adobe and cactus wood.