San Pedro de Atacama
When I first stepped off the bus in San Pedro de Atacama, the authenticity of this enchanting desert town was immediately evident.
Given its location in Chile's far north, the settlement of some 1,000 is perhaps an unlikely stop on the tourist trail, as to the west the first view is only of dunes and vast rock fields in one of the driest deserts in the world, the Atacama.
But when I looked to the sky and then East, I was awestruck by a volcano 6,000 meters (almost 20,000 feet) high, towering over a rustic adobe church tower, and it immediately became obvious why San Pedro has become the destination it is.
According to the National Tourism Service (Sernatur), San Pedro de Atacama's Region III is the third most popular tourist destination in Chile, even topping Santiago. Dirt streets divide adobe buildings in the small town, but all along there are tour agencies, restaurants, shops and hotels - ample evidence of the area's popularity. The high seasons are December to February and July to August.
The wondrous outdoors surrounding San Pedro is what draws people from far and wide - the Valley of the Moon, the Tatio Geysers and Lake Chaxa are among the most popular, and tours (US$8 to 20 per person) - which you must take unless you have a car- take just one to two days. And a little further north, across the border into Bolivia, the huge Uyuni salt flat is another top attraction.
Beginning in the late afternoon, the nearby Valley of the Moon tour passes through numerous geological wonders that will make you feel like you're on another planet. After stops at a cylindrical depression, 200 meters deep, and Mars Valley, the tour finally arrives at Valley of the Moon. The landscape bears such a striking resemblance to the moon that NASA conducted studies there in the 1970s. Before heading back at around 9 p.m., an excursion through caverns completes the surreal experience.
The Tatio Geyser tour leaves at 4 a.m. When the sun finally rises, the sight of steam spewing from the high desert Altiplano is well worth the sacrifice, not to mention the Andes mountains, illuminated from behind, and, hopefully, a herd of galloping vicuñas.
At over 4,000 meters, the landscape is unique, the air is very cold, and the visitor is awarded with a dip in hot springs in a verdant canyon at tour's end.
Lake Chaxa and its magical flamingos are yet another must- see. Also nearby are Inca ruins accessible on foot or bike. A grocery store on Caracoles Street rents bikes and has maps, as do some tour agencies, and the ruins can be reached within an hour. Past the ruins, the road leads to a dry riverbed that canyons through a sandstone ridge, making for a full day of adventure on your mountain bike.
Our band of travelers found sanctuary from the toils of adventure tourism at Casa Piedra, a restaurant also located on Caracoles Street. A three-course meal with wine is just US$5 - the vegetarian crepes were great. The service and smile of our waitress, Rosanna, kept us loyal, as did the 2-for-1 pisco sour promotion, 7 to 9 p.m. The outdoor patio complete with fire makes for an excellent atmosphere to get to know other travelers from around the world, who come to enjoy an area that remains authentic despite its recent boom.
For lodging in San Pedro, Casa Corvatch is recommended (Calle Antofagasta, 851 101) and the cozy Residencial La Florida is a basic budget choice at US$7 (Calle Tocopilla, 851021). For more upscale accommodations including a pool and 24-hour electricity, the best choice is La Casa de Don Tomas (rooms start at US$50, 851055, www.rdc.cl/dontomas). One notable tour company is Atacama Desert Expeditions (851140, www.adex.cl). The tourist office in the bus station on Calle Licanbur (55-851084) has lots of information on tours and sites.
Given its location in Chile's far north, the settlement of some 1,000 is perhaps an unlikely stop on the tourist trail, as to the west the first view is only of dunes and vast rock fields in one of the driest deserts in the world, the Atacama.
But when I looked to the sky and then East, I was awestruck by a volcano 6,000 meters (almost 20,000 feet) high, towering over a rustic adobe church tower, and it immediately became obvious why San Pedro has become the destination it is.
According to the National Tourism Service (Sernatur), San Pedro de Atacama's Region III is the third most popular tourist destination in Chile, even topping Santiago. Dirt streets divide adobe buildings in the small town, but all along there are tour agencies, restaurants, shops and hotels - ample evidence of the area's popularity. The high seasons are December to February and July to August.
The wondrous outdoors surrounding San Pedro is what draws people from far and wide - the Valley of the Moon, the Tatio Geysers and Lake Chaxa are among the most popular, and tours (US$8 to 20 per person) - which you must take unless you have a car- take just one to two days. And a little further north, across the border into Bolivia, the huge Uyuni salt flat is another top attraction.
Beginning in the late afternoon, the nearby Valley of the Moon tour passes through numerous geological wonders that will make you feel like you're on another planet. After stops at a cylindrical depression, 200 meters deep, and Mars Valley, the tour finally arrives at Valley of the Moon. The landscape bears such a striking resemblance to the moon that NASA conducted studies there in the 1970s. Before heading back at around 9 p.m., an excursion through caverns completes the surreal experience.
The Tatio Geyser tour leaves at 4 a.m. When the sun finally rises, the sight of steam spewing from the high desert Altiplano is well worth the sacrifice, not to mention the Andes mountains, illuminated from behind, and, hopefully, a herd of galloping vicuñas.
At over 4,000 meters, the landscape is unique, the air is very cold, and the visitor is awarded with a dip in hot springs in a verdant canyon at tour's end.
Lake Chaxa and its magical flamingos are yet another must- see. Also nearby are Inca ruins accessible on foot or bike. A grocery store on Caracoles Street rents bikes and has maps, as do some tour agencies, and the ruins can be reached within an hour. Past the ruins, the road leads to a dry riverbed that canyons through a sandstone ridge, making for a full day of adventure on your mountain bike.
Our band of travelers found sanctuary from the toils of adventure tourism at Casa Piedra, a restaurant also located on Caracoles Street. A three-course meal with wine is just US$5 - the vegetarian crepes were great. The service and smile of our waitress, Rosanna, kept us loyal, as did the 2-for-1 pisco sour promotion, 7 to 9 p.m. The outdoor patio complete with fire makes for an excellent atmosphere to get to know other travelers from around the world, who come to enjoy an area that remains authentic despite its recent boom.
For lodging in San Pedro, Casa Corvatch is recommended (Calle Antofagasta, 851 101) and the cozy Residencial La Florida is a basic budget choice at US$7 (Calle Tocopilla, 851021). For more upscale accommodations including a pool and 24-hour electricity, the best choice is La Casa de Don Tomas (rooms start at US$50, 851055, www.rdc.cl/dontomas). One notable tour company is Atacama Desert Expeditions (851140, www.adex.cl). The tourist office in the bus station on Calle Licanbur (55-851084) has lots of information on tours and sites.
Labels: atacama, san-pedro-de-atacama
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