If you’re a desert fan, or just want to see quite possibly the coolest (forgive the irony) place in Chile, take a jaunt to San Pedro de Atacama, a dusty little town in what feels like the middle of nowhere, yet boasts friendly, artsy, and proud people who will show you a lifetime of adventure. The best way to get to San Pedro is to catch a shuttle ride from Calama – takes about an hour and costs roughly 12,000 CLP (Chilean pesos) per person, or the bus, which is 1,500 CLP. If you take a shuttle, they will drop you off directly at your hotel.
San Pedro became the place where Don met his newest friend, Lazaro the Llama! Made out of Alpaca and Llama wool, Lazaro joined the gang in style.
There are a few places to stay in San Pedro, but we recommend Lodge Andino Terrantai. It’s posited perfectly right behind the main plaza of the town and has a stylish, modern feel. The hotel is like a maze – it’s a 200-year old colonial house with high ceilings, gorgeous stone walls, a small pool, and tucked-in alcoves with outdoor furniture to relax in.
The town is easy and fun to explore – there are numerous talented artists who own small shops sprinkled throughout San Pedro. Be sure to check out Feria Artesenal, a cute art gallery just off the plaza. Inside are different artists selling their goods – you’ll find clothes, jewelry, soaps, and all kinds of unique Chilean items. Keep in mind, they are often marked up from smaller, neighboring villages, but they are beautiful nonetheless. Also check out Artesania Souvenir – this shop has beautiful crocheted purses, blankets, and aprons, along with traditional souvenirs and postcards.
Despite the town’s rugged simplicity, there are a fair share of excellent restaurants worth checking out. The one you shouldn’t miss is Baltinache, which offers dishes made with native ingredients served in a really beautiful style in a cute atmosphere. The outside is little to look at – seated a couple blocks out of the main area of town at Domingo Atienza 2A, the restaurant looks like another brown building in a sea of dirt. Don’t be fooled though – the inside is charming and colorful, with an open-plan kitchen and intimate seating. Reservations are highly recommended. If you’re feeling adventurous, try a coca cocktail – made with leaves of the coca plant, the leaves are used to produce cocaine and are illegal in the United States. So, enjoy your coca cocktail in Chile, just don’t bring it home with you.
Another fun place is Casa Piedra located at Caracoles 225 – its charm lies mainly in the huge outdoor fireplace roaring while you eat, and a patio-style seating where you can stare up at the beautiful Chilean sky. It has a very different atmosphere than Baltinache; it has more of a bar feel and is much louder. But, the food is good with a number of classic dishes. If you’re lucky, you might get treated to some live music.
San Pedro is intoxicating to an extrovert – you’ll meet a ton of friendly people, friendly dogs, and friendly atmospheres. Poke your head in the Church of San Pedro de Atacama – a gorgeous, but simple, Catholic Church constructed during the Spanish colonial period. It has recently seen some additional fortifying construction, and is an easy and free way to experience some of San Pedro’s history, culture, and faith. Check out a Sunday service if you can – we were lucky enough to experience a service during Chile’s Independence Day; numerous important religious figureheads were present, as well as many elementary schools in the area that featured children dancing, reciting Chilean poems, and singing Chilean songs.
The best way to see the Atacama desert is through a tour company. We highly recommend Cosmo Andino, a small, but very experienced tour guide company with a variety of fun and adventurous Atacama desert trips. Find it at Calle Caracoles, corner Tocopilla. We went on three separate tours with them – all which we would recommend – the Flamencos National Reserve, the Salar de Tara tour, and the Tatio (geysers) tour.
Los Flamencos National Reserve is a nature reserve of roughly 290 square miles located on the Central Andean ecoregion and includes the Miscanti and Miñiques Lagoons, at the foothills of the Cerro Miscanti and the Miñiques Volcano. The reserve was created in 1990 and covers seven different areas with different geography, flowers, and wildlife. The tour will take you to the Atacama Salt Flat, roughly 6 miles south and east of San Pedro. This is one of the largest salt flats in the world, dotted with beautiful pink flamingos of all kinds of breeds, including the James Flamingo, Andean Flamingo, and the Chilean Flamingo.
The tour will take you through Socaire, a tiny village town about 60 miles southeast of San Pedro de Atacama. The village boasts beautiful views of the Salar de Atacama. The tour will give you a detailed history of the town, some of it’s early origins, and give you a tour of the local church.
The tour will take you on a beautiful drive through the Atacama desert – keep your eyes out for vicuñas, one of two wild South American Camelids (like a llama). You’ll be treated to gorgeous views of the Andes as well, and will get a chance for a photo-op at the Tropic of Capricorn, where it intersects with the highway.
Don’t forget to thank your awesome drivers and guides. Here’s Don, with Pablo. Pablo was friendly, knowledgeable, and safe. He treated us to an amazing and memorable trip and we were really grateful for his experience. Gracias, Pablo!
Andy and Dad got the opportunity to take the Salar de Tara tour as well (I stayed behind and relaxed).
We also got an opportunity to go on the El Tatio tour. El Tatio is a legally protected geyser field located in the Andes Mountains. It’s loaded with geysers, hot springs, flowing water, mud pools and mineral deposits. The geyser field is a major tourist site and is administered by the local Atacameno people. The geysers bubble up and emit large clouds of hot white steam -it’s almost eerie and feels as if you’re on another planet. The tour was educational and beautiful. Bring water and warm clothes and don’t forget a swimsuit – the tour ends with a dip in the natural hot spring.
By far, the neatest of the expeditions was the Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley). The tour consisted of guided walks through the Cordillera de la Sal, a vast expansion of eroding salts, sand dunes, canyons, mountains, and minerals. The tour ends with a breathtaking sunset that cameras just couldn’t do justice.
Roughly eight miles east of San Pedro, the valley earned its name due to it’s resemblance of the moon, with all of its stunning colors, different sand and stone formations, and saline outcrops. It is part of the Los Flamecos National Reserve and contains some of the driest land on the planet – there are areas of Valle de la Lune that haven’t seen rain in hundreds of years. It was declared a nature sanctuary in 1982. The tour was amazing – we learned all about the landscape, its formation, and its early history. We took beautiful and relaxing walks and drives through the canyons and hills, stopping on to hop on or off the bus.
The sunset was truly the best part.
It was on this trip to the Valle de la Luna that Don met his bff, Emmanuel. Emmanuel was our guide for the duration of the tour, and he was awesome. He was kind, funny, adventurous, and clearly loved his job and meeting people. At one point, he started running down a sand dune, exclaiming loudly “FOLLOW ME!” He took an immediate liking to Don, and the two became forever friends. Thanks, Emmanuel for such a great trip!
Stay tuned for Don and Lazaro’s upcoming Chilean adventures in Patagonia and Easter Island! Happy Chilean travels!