An Expert Guide To San Pedro De Atacama, Chile

San Pedro de Atacama is a small town in northern Chile and the best access point to the Atacama Desert, one of the most unique places on earth and certainly one of the nicest places to visit in Chile. I have been there twice – the last time, on a trip with my friend last February.

Located close to the border with Bolivia and Argentina, and pushing all the way into Peru, Atacama is known to be one of the driest places on earth (it has an average rainfall of around 2 cm per year).

Rainfall doesn’t happen every year (it did this year, when I was there), and some places have never recorded rainfall at all! But when it does, the effects are outstanding (just check this post to see what I mean), though the village itself gets all muddy.

Despite being so dry, the Atacama Desert features an incredible biodiversity. You will find a great variety of flora and fauna, interesting rock formations, and colorful lagoons.

If you are traveling to Chile, you really should make it a point to go to San Pedro de Atacama.

In this post, I highlight the best things to do in San Pedro de Atacama and share some practical information that will help you plan your trip.

Best Things To Do In San Pedro De Atacama

Look at the stars

Since it is at a high elevation (San Pedro de Atacama is at 2,400 meters—7,874 feet—above sea level), the air is dry, clouds hardly ever appear in the sky, and very few people live in the region (and so there is hardly any light pollution), this is one of the world’s best location for star gazing. 

I was able to go stargazing the first time I visited, but not the last time as the tour was cancelled as the sky was covered in clouds.

What you have to do in order to look at the stars is just get out of San Pedro de Atacama. If you have a car, you can easily go star gazing on your own. But of course, if you want something more structured, a guided tour is a better option.

I recommend this San Pedro de Atacama: Etno-Astronomical Experience. You’ll be treated to astronomical equipment to make your experience all the more enjoyable. Make sure to book in advance, as the tour is often sold out, and keep in mind it won’t run if it’s overcast.

Visit Valle de la Luna

Visiting Valle de la Luna is one of the unmissable things to do in San Pedro de Atacama. A quick drive from San Pedro, you will find impressive rock and sand formations of varying colors, often covered in white because of the salt minerals left by drying lakes.

This area of Chile is famous for its beautiful sunsets, with skies that dramatically change color to become first orange and then all shades of pink. There are also gorgeous sand dunes, some of which can be climbed for stunning views.

If you have your own car, it is fairly easy to get to the Moon Valley. Alternatively, you can join a convenient guided tour, which usually also includes Mars Valley (also known as Death Valley). Most tours will include a stop for drinks and aperitifs too.

My friend and I took this San Pedro de Atacama: Valle de Luna Sunset Tour. You’ll visit the Valley of the Moons, several viewpoints, go to the Salt Caves, the sculptures at Tres Marias, and climb the Gran Dune. You will also enjoy a cocktail with a gorgeous view.

And Valle de la Muerte

The name of this place is actually a bit confusing. Most people in San Pedro de Atacama call it Valle de la Muerte—Death Valley. But when you get to the area, you will see signs referring to it as Marte, which means Mars (hence its other name, Mars Valley).

I guess it’s easy to confuse the two names, as there is much assonance between Marte and Muerte. Anyway, they are the same place.

Valle de la Muerte is one of the most beautiful places you can hope to see in this part of the world. It’s literally 5 minutes outside of town, and the sights are just incredible – it is surrounded by volcanoes! 

Tours to Death Valley depart regularly from town. You can go horse riding or even sandboarding there (more about that below).

If you want a complete change of landscape, go to the Huasco Valley on the southern edge of the Atacama Desert. This is thought to be “the garden of the Atacama,” and thanks to its favorable climate, it’s become famous for its production of wine and olive oil. It’s home to the Diaguita people, one of the indigenous groups living in Chile.

Take your chances at sandboarding

Sandboarding is one of the most fun things to do in San Pedro de Atacama. Honestly, it is an exhilarating activity, even if you have no idea how to stand up on the board—which was very much my case.

Two daily expeditions leave from town – one in the morning and one in the afternoon – to take you to Valle de la Muerte, where your guide, who’s obviously also a champion at sand boarding, will give you all the necessary training for you to go down the dunes.

It’s quite a workout because every time you get down, you have to walk up the dune carrying your board—yet it is so worth it.

By the end of it, you are covered in sand (I think it took me a few days and multiple showers to get rid of it finally).

I did this sandboarding tour in Valle de la Muerte and enjoyed it. There are two departures – at 8:00 am and at 4:00 pm. I recommend joining the morning tour as the heat picks up quite a bit in the afternoon.

Go to the Rainbow Valley

Another really cool place you can visit from San Pedro de Atacama is the Rainbow Valley or Valle del Arcoíris in Spanish. It’s actually one of the least visited places in the area, but an interesting one. Its coloring will remind you of the Rainbow Mountain in Peru perhaps.

As the name recalls, this is an extremely colorful place. You will see multiple rock formations in various shades of green and red, as well as white, along the hills through which the Río Grande cuts.

During your trip, you can also visit the Petroglyphs of Hierbas Buenas, which show images of guanacos, foxes, and humans.

If you have your own car (it’s best if it’s four-wheel drive), getting to the Petroglyphs of Hierbas Buenas and from there to Rainbow Valley isn’t hard—the signs are quite clear.

For the most hassle-free experience, I recommend this Rainbow Valley Tour. The tour leaves early in the morning and first explores Rainbow Valley, where you’ll hike and learn all about the unique geological formations. Afterward, the tour also visits petroglyphs and learns about the Andean prehispanic civilization.

Go to El Tatio Geyser and Machuca Village

At 4,320 meters (14,173 feet) above sea level and with the incredible backdrop of the Andes, El Tatio Geysers certainly is one of the best day trips from San Pedro de Atacama.

The geysers are located 89 km (55.3 miles) from San Pedro de Atacama and close to the small town of Machucha (more about it in a bit), and they are the highest geysers in the world.

You will find a series of fumaroles. The geysers are most active between 5:30 am and 7:30 am, when water columns shoot up to 10 meters – 32.8 feet. There are also small mud pools that literally bubble, and hot springs in the area too.

Most tours that go to El Tatio also stop in Machuca village afterwards. It really is a tiny village. Nothing more than a few houses where people who used to work in the nearby mines still live, following a traditional lifestyle, and some cats and dogs roaming around.

There’s also a church you can walk up to. Depending on what time you arrive, you may also get some street food – empanadas or grilled alpaca meat.

Getting to El Tatio Geysers independently if you don’t have a car can be a hassle. The best thing to do in this case is to book a guided tour. My friend and I joined this San Pedro de Atacama: El Tatio Geysers Tour, which also goes to Putana Valley. The tour also includes roundtrip transportation, breakfast, a stop at Machuca Village and a guide who’ll explain all about the magnificent El Tatio Geysers.

Visit the Salar de Talar and Piedras Rojas

One of the lesser-known places to visit in San Pedro de Atacama is the Salar de Talar. Talar Salt Flat is located 4,300 meters (14,000 feet) above sea level in the Los Flamencos National Reserve – the spot marks the border between Chile, Argentina and Bolivia.

This is a great place for bird watching. You can see various kinds of pink flamingos here, among various bird species. Other species that can be spotted include the vicuna, Andean fox, Tawny Tuco-Tuco, and Andean geese.

Taking a day trip to this salar is certainly one of the best things to do in San Pedro de Atacama. However, you will be better off taking a guided tour as the roads can be a bit tricky, and the distances are long. You’ll need to leave very early.

Most tours also stop at Las Piedras Rojas (“Red Rocks”), one of the most visually striking landscapes in northern Chile’s Atacama Desert. The area is known for its rust-colored rock formations set against white salt flats and turquoise lagoons. It really is a paradise for photographers.

When my friend and I visited, we took this Piedras Rojas, Altiplanics Lagoons, and Salar Full-Day Tour that left before dawn. Our first stop was the village of Toconao, where we had breakfast. The tour also stops at the Miñique and Miscanti Lagoons, the Salar de Talar and the flamingo reserve at Chaxa Lagoon.

Go to Toconao

About 38 km (23.6 miles) south of San Pedro de Atacama, the village of Toconao is an interesting place to visit if you have some extra time. The entire village, where no more than 1,000 people live, is built with volcanic stone (toco means stone in the local language).

There is the nice San Lucas church with a separate bell tower that dates from 1750. You will also find a few shops in case you want to buy a souvenir – typical stuff includes alpaca sweaters, volcanic stone sculptures etc. When my friend and I visited, it was still night – we stopped there on our way to Piedras Rojas. The village appeared incredibly quiet at that time.

You can go to Toconao independently or on a guided tour. My friend and I visited as part of this Piedras Rojas, Altiplanics Lagoons, and Salar Full-Day Tour, which stopped in the main square so we could have breakfast.

Visit the many lagoons

One of the best attractions near San Pedro is Los Flamencos National Reserve. This is where the Moon Valley and the Salar de Atacama (Atacama salt flats) are located, and there are several beautiful lagoons where you can admire pink flamingoes and other birds, including the Andean condor.

You have many options of tours that take you around the Atacama Desert and the many lagoons. I have selected the best ones:

Below is a short recap of the various lagoons you can visit.

Laguna Miscanti and Laguna Miñiques

These are the most famous lagoons in the Atacama region, and for that reason also the most crowded with tourists. They are nestled at 4,200 meters (almost 13,800 feet) and they’re known for their deep blue waters, striking silence (minus the tourists), and stunning scenery.

The two lagoons are separated by a narrow ridge. Here you’ll likely spot wildlife like vicuñas and Andean foxes along the way. It can be very cold and windy, depending on the time of day you visit. so make sure to dress in layers.

Chaxa Lagoon

Chaxa Lagoon is one of the best places in Chile to see flamingos in the wild, not to mention the third largest salt flat in the world. The shallow, salty water of this lagoon attracts three species of flamingos—Andean, Chilean, and James’s—along with other birdlife like avocets and sandpipers.

When we visited, we loved seeing the surrounding salt crust and the many volcanoes in the distance that create a surreal backdrop. Sunset would be an ideal time to visit, but most tours go there early in the morning, which is also a great time to spot flamingos. There are viewing platforms that let you get close without disturbing the wildlife.

Tebinquinche Lagoon

This is a serene salt flat lagoon located just south of San Pedro de Atacama. What you’ll love here are the mirror-like reflections of the Andes and surrounding volcanoes. Unlike other lagoons in the region, you won’t get to see much wildlife here. Most people visit to enjoy the stillness and the stunning light.

Keep in mind that the site closes at 5:30 pm, which means you no longer get to enjoy sunset and the orange and pink glow of the sky anymore. But it’s still a nice place. There’s a boardwalk around the lagoon that makes it easy to explore.

Cejar Lagoon

Cejar Lagoon is a saltwater lagoon in the Atacama Desert, one of the closest to San Pedro de Atacama – just about 30 minutes drive. Its high salt concentration—guides will say it is higher than the Dead Sea, but it actually isn’t—made it a prime spot for swimming in the region.

However, deterioration due to the use of sunblock and lotions was damaging the lagoon, where people can no longer swim now.

Not far from it there’s Laguna Piedra, where you can still swim. The location is stunning. It’s completely surrounded by volcanoes and the light is incredible. When you swim, remember not to put your head in the water as it’s very salty and it will irritate your mouth and eyes.

Baltinache Lagoon

Baltinache is not as famous at the other lagoons I have mentioned, but it is beautiful and worth visiting. It is a series of seven saltwater pools tucked away in the Atacama Desert, about an hour from San Pedro de Atacama.

Here the intense turquoise color of the water contrasts sharply with the surrounding white salt crust and dry desert landscape.

Swimming is no longer allowed here, in order to protect the delicate environment.

Enjoy an afternoon at Termas de Puritama

If you are looking for a truly relaxing time, then one of the best things to do in San Pedro de Atacama is spend a few hours at the Termas de Puritama, beautiful natural, incredibly clear hot natural pools. The name of the hot springs literally means hot water – puri means water in the local language, and tama means hot.

The pools here have a temperature that varies from 25° to 30° Celsius (between 77° and 87°F), making them quite pleasant on a hot day. The water of the eight pools have the power to relieve rheumatism and arthritis thanks to the high concentration of sodium sulfate.

There is a fee to pay to visit, which includes access to the changing rooms, lockers and bathrooms. I recommend visiting in the middle of the day, as the water isn’t nearly as hot as that of regular hot springs, meaning it can get quite cold as soon as the sun starts going down.

The Termas the Puritama are 28 km (17.4 miles) from San Pedro de Atacama. The easiest way to get there is to drive. If you don’t have your own car you can join this Puritama Hotsprings guided tour. It includes the entrance fee and roundtrip transportation.

Do a buggy or ATV tour in the desert

If you want a bit of an adrenaline rush, I recomend an ATV or a buggy tour in the desert.

Exploring with a buggy is a great way to experience this part of the country, as you will be traveling through a variety of terrains, admiring beautiful mountain peaks and volcanoes, and learning about local wildlife at the same time.

The even better news is that it’s yet to become a popular activity, so you won’t have to share the place with many other tourists.

You obviously need a guided tour for this. I recommend this San Pedro de la Atacama: Guided Buggy Tour Through the Desert. You’ll also visit two archeological sites during the tour.

Hot air balloon ride

If you have the budget for it, consider a hot air balloon ride when in the Atacama region.

Tours start before sunrise. The idea is that you will be catching that from the sky—and trust me, it is quite a show. You will be up in the sky for anything between 30 and 90 minutes—it really all depends on the wind conditions. Prepare for it to be cold.

The good news is that there almost no chances of rain in Atacama, so there are very few chances that the tour gets canceled due to bad weather!

Once up, the views are simply breathtaking. You can see Volcano Licancabur (which has an elevation of 5,916 meters/19,409 feet), as well as the rest of the region. 

Hot air balloon rides aren’t cheap, but they’re totally worth it. You can book your San Pedro de Atacama Sunrise Hot Air Baloon Ride in advance and enjoy one of the most scenic and memorable experiences in all of Chile.

The most adventurous and fit ones can also hike Licancabur Volcano, on the border between Chile and Bolivia, either from the base camp located at 4,300 meters (14,107 feet) above sea level or from the one at 4,700 meters (15,420 feet). Its crater has the highest lagoon in the world.

Spend an afternoon in San Pedro de Atacama

San Pedro de Atacama is a cute little town, pleasant to walk around (if only a bit dusty, or muddy after the rain). The main street, Caracoles, is a series of bars, restaurants and souvenir or gear shops.

The main square is home to the church, which dates from the 17th century but apparently has even older colonial foundations. It’s a pretty building with whitewashed adobe walls, a wooden ceiling made from cactus wood, and a simple bell tower. It’s a national monument since 1951.

The square is also home of a few artisans’ stalls and some cafés where you can sit in the shade to sip a delicious mint lemonade.

Check out the Museo del Meteorito

The Museo del Meteorito is one of the most unique attractions in San Pedro de Atacama. It’s a small yet fascinating museum dedicated to meteorites and their impact on our understanding of the solar system.

Located just a short walk from the town center, the museum is housed in a dome-like structure made to resemble a crater. Inside, you’ll find dozens of real meteorites found in the Atacama Desert.

The museum does a great job of making the science accessible, with clear explanations about the origins, classifications, and composition of meteorites. There’s even a hands-on section where you can touch actual fragments from space.

It takes about 30 to 45 minutes to visit if you get an audio-guide, which is available in several languages.

Explore the Salar de Uyuni

Lots of people in San Pedro de Atacama join a multi-day tour of the Salar de Uyuni, or Uyuni Salt Flats, in Bolivia. I actually did it the other way around the first time I was in San Pedro, and joined a tour from Uyuni that dropped me off in San Pedro.

The Uyuni Salt Flats is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful places on earth. It’s the world’s largest salt flat, with salt rock a few meters thick. It also has the largest reserve of lithium in the world, close to zero vegetation other than cacti (there is a cacti island you can visit during the tour), and even less animal life (just pink flamingoes).

Scattered around the area, there are several lagoons – the White, the Green, and the Red. Their names obviously refer to the colors! Another lagoon is the Laguna Hedionda, literally “Stinking Lake” – I guess you can figure out how it got its name.

The salt flats are surrounded by beautiful Andean Peaks and volcanoes, which gives them an even more eerie appearance.

You need a guided tour to see Uyuni, and you must make sure you pick a great one.It’s a high-altitude desert that’s not easy to explore.

You can book several tours online: they all have very flexible cancellation policies. Make sure to also read reviews from other travelers. You want to make sure the jeep you will be on is a good one!

For the ultimate, multi-day adventure, this Uyuni Salt Flats from San Pedro de Atacama 3-Day Tour is the best-reviewed one online. It’s a small group tour (4 people max per car) and includes all meals, accommodation and transportation.

Practical Guide To San Pedro de Atacama

When to visit San Pedro de Atacama

You can visit the Atacama Desert at any time, but the best time to visit is between December and March. Both times I visited, I went in February. At that time of year, the temperatures are a bit milder during the day and cooler but not cold during the night, making it truly pleasant.

How long to stay in San Pedro de Atacama

I recommend spending at least four days in San Pedro de Atacama. That’s how long I stayed when I visited the first time, and how long my friend and I stayed during my latest trip to Chile. Our days were packed with activities.

While the town itself is fairly small, it’s a great base to explore the surrounding region. You can visit places such as the Atacama Desert and the Reserva Nacional Los Flamencos. You can go on a sunrise tour to El Tatio Geysers, visit Laguna Chaxa to see flamingos, float in the salty waters of Laguna Cejar, and watch the sunset at Laguna Tebinquinche or in the Moon Valley.

With four days, you’ll also have enough time for a day trip to the Salar de Tara, and another day to visit the Altiplanic Lagoons and Piedras Rojas. Finally, you will have higher chances of a clear sky for a stargazing tour.

How to get to San Pedro de Atacama

Despite being a very small town, San Pedro de Atacama is well connected to other places in South America. Below are the various options to get there:

From Santiago de Chile

If you are traveling from Santiago de Chile, you will have two options:

BY PLANE: There are regular direct flights with several airlines from Santiago to Calama. Flights can be cheap if you book in advance. Once in Calama, get a taxi or Uber to town to catch the cheap bus to San Pedro de Atacama. Otherwise, there are many convenient (more expensive) shuttles that depart regularly directly from the airport. Either way, it takes one hour.

BY BUS: This is how I traveled from Santiago to Calama the first time I visited, and it’s a long and rather boring journey, not necessarily cheaper than a flight. There are daily buses from Santiago to Calama. The journey lasts about 22 hours on comfortable buses with recliner seats and an entertainment system. From Calama, it is another hour by bus to reach San Pedro.

From Bolivia

Several companies cover the route from Uyuni to Calama, and there are various daily departures. The ride takes between 10 and 11 hours. However, most people cross the border on guided multi-day trips across the Uyuni Salt Flats.

From Argentina

Andesmar runs one daily bus from Salta, Argentina, to San Pedro de Atacama. The ride lasts about 11 hours.

How to get around in San Pedro de Atacama

If you want to explore the beautiful places in Atacama, you have the option of joining the many guided tours that leave daily from town (and most of the time include pick up from your accommodation). I have recommended a tour for all the best destinations mentioned in this post.

However, if you’d rather be independent and are traveling with a group of people, you may want to consider renting a car. For that, I recommend Discover Cars. I’ve used them on several international trips. I rented a car in Argentina, explored Costa Rica with a rental car, and did a Mexico road trip, to name a few instances.

There are definitely many advantages to renting a car. Independence, flexibility, and the opportunity to discover more hidden gems are just a few of them.

Where to stay in San Pedro de Atacama

You will find a good range of accommodation options in San Pedro de Atacama – from boutique hotels to hostels suitable for budget travelers. I have selected the best ones:

• Hostal Montepardo is where I stayed on my latest trip. It’s a 10 minutes walk from the center of San Pedro, and has nice comfortable rooms and gorgeous common areas around the inner courtyard. The staff is very kind.
• Planeta Atacama Lodge has beautiful, spacious rooms decorated in traditional local style. It is located 20 minutes from the center of town, but the bonus is the magnificent views.
• Hotel Desertica has nice, big rooms surrounded by a well-kept garden in an idyllic setting. It’s a bit out of town.
• La Casa del Pueblo Hostal is conveniently located in the center of town. The rooms are small but perfectly equipped. You can pick among those with private or shared bathrooms.

Where to eat and drink in San Pedro de Atacama

There’s a good choice of restaurants and bars in San Pedro de Atacama, many of them along the main road in the center (Caracoles) and just nearby. You will find something for most budgets but of course quality comes at a price.

We tried a few, and these are the ones we liked the most:

• Emporio Andino is a fantastic brunch spot at one of the two ends of Caracoles. It has lots of vegetarian and vegan options (with vegan cheese), a great selection of coffees and juices too.
• Adobe is one of the most popular restaurants in San Pedro de Atacama. It offers several international dishes and a lot of Chilean staples.
• La Casona is a massive place on Caracoles where you’ll find all the traditional fare, as well as some more elaborate dishes and delicious salads. Service is very friendly.
• Karavan Restobar has really good cocktails (and happy hour), quality live music and a nice variety of food, including some Asian fusion dishes if you fancy something that’s a bit more elaborate. Service can be a bit slow.
• La Picada del Indio is off Caracoles. It has good food (more or less the same fare you’ll find at many other places) at very reasonable prices.

Other useful information

San Pedro de Atacama is a safe little town. However, I still recommend getting good travel insurance for your trip. HeyMondo has some excellent insurance options. Check out the prices here.

Further Readings

Make sure to read my other posts about Chile:

• The Best Things To Do In Valparaiso

Pin It For Later!