You’re here. The driest place anywhere on this planet of ours. Look around. Brown desert stretches away from you in every direction, arid sand-dunes overflowing across the horizon. You’re in the Atacama desert. A ways down the highway the tiny town of San Pedro De Atacama swims into view. Looks like the set for a spaghetti western doesn’t it? Seems inhospitable doesn’t it? How wrong you are.

Why go?

Any traveler heading north along the gringo trail is sure to be told that the Atacama Desert is a ‘must-see’ on their journey. After spending a week there in 2014, I can confirm that my experiences in the desert were extraordinarily, and entirely unforgettable. Moreover, the oasis amidst the desert, this little oasis amidst the desert certainly lives up the hype, and is certainly worth your time (and money). Treated as a ‘stepping’stone’ for the multiple activities, sights and experiences around it, San Pedro is an ideal base for those wanting to experience the best of the Atacama Desert whilst retaining the comfort of a semi-sized town. The only real option for experiencing the Atacama lies in spending time in San Pedro, forget the lengthy commute in from Calama or Antofagasta - this little desert town is worthy of a stopover.

GETTING IN

Realistically, you have two options of getting in to San Pedro De Atacama. Bus or plane. A number of buses buses per day connect the town with Calama, operated by TurBus and KTUR. The trip takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes and costs $5 US. Other buses from TurBus travel to and from Antofagasta (4 hours, $9 US), Iquique, Arica (12 hours, $33 US), and Santiago (23 hours, $65 US dollars). If you are travelling from outside of Chile, three bus lines connect the town with Purmamarca, Jujui and Salta: Geminis, Andesmar, and Pullman Bus. The price for the trip seems to sit at around the $60 US and all of them leave from San Pedro three times per week. If you’d like to avoid the 23 hour trip north, you can also fly from Santiago to the nearest airport, El Loa in Calama (CJC). Three airlines serve it: LATAM, Sky Airline and JetSMART. Most flights connect Calama with Santiago but some also fly to Antofagasta and Iquique. A two-way ticket can be had for as little as $30 US, but also range as high as $150 US.

Getting around the Town and general information

San Pedro De Atacama is a foot pedestrians paradise, and pretty well any location in the town can be reached by foot. ‘Downtown’ San Pedro comprises twelve small blocks, and as you walk these dusty streets you’ll pass supermarkets, tour guides (more on that to come) and a wide range of restaurants and bars. While you will see lots of people suggesting that you hire a bike to get around town, ignore that advice - just walk - most of the streets are pedestrian only, and being caught riding a bike by the local police could net you a fine that could have been better spent on a Cerveza Cristal. When walking around the town be aware that you are at elevation here (approximately; 2400 m), so it’s easy to develop some slight symptoms of altitude sickness if you push it too hard.

Chile

The verynicetravels guide to Chile.

On the topic of your health and well-being, be aware of the huge spike to solar radiation that you’ll experience here, be sure to wear sunblock when leaving your hostel. I myself forgot to re-apply and returned after a half hour walk looking like a cherry tomato, much to my chagrin. Also be aware of the huge numbers of stray dogs wandering the town - most seem fairly friendly and well socialized, but the sight of a dog trailing you home at night might be enough to put some pep in your stride. A point: the town has only two or three ATM machines, and as every other website will tell you - these are liable to run out of cash, and will often refuse to spit out the desired denomination after you’ve made a selection. Best bet is to take out cash in Calama before arriving, or taking out cash in the early morning after the machines have been restocked.

WHERE TO SLEEP

San pedro, being a tourist hotspot, contains a huge variety of sleeping options, ranging from the luxury, to the affordable backpacker lodgings. My personal choice was the Aji Verde hostel - where a bunk cost as little as $15 US per night. The set-up here is simple, but distinctly desert themed - the hostel is set as if an encampment from the Wild West, with the dorm rooms encircling a large central common area with cacti and other desert plants dotting the walls. If that sounds a bit out of your comfort zone, opt for Hostal Ayni ($30 US per night) for a chilled out vibe or Hostel Candelaria ($25 US per night) for decent Wi-Fi and free breakfast. Looking to really save some money? Eden Atacameño has you covered, offering a bunk for as little as $10 US per night - watch out though, the rooms are notoriously cold at night. If you’re sick of hostels and are looking for some private space, why not try the Hotel Altiplanico, situation 10 minutes from downtown San Pedro, the hotel has excellent rooms with very good bathrooms, plenty of hot water and an outdoor swimming pool for those extra hot days in the desert.

What to do

I spent my week in San Pedro engaging in every tourist activity that I could book myself into. However, not every activity in this town is made equal.

Hire Bikes: Coyote bikes in the middle of town has you covered here. Rent yourself a bike in the morning, and plan a route to the Valle de La Luna. Pack sunblock, water and some food. The easiest route to Valle de la Luna is to take the highway west out of town and follow the signs. There should only be one major hill on the way, and once inside the Valley, you can explore the ancient rock formations and trackways at your leisure. When I rode out there I saw a sum total of 3 other people in the park the whole day, which gave me the chance to roam about on foot and by bike amidst the windswept valley. Ride as deep or as shallow into the valley as you like - just remember to start riding back to town well before sunset.
Sand-boarding: While we’re on the topic of Valle De La Luna, if you traverse far enough into the valley, you’re going to end up at some fairly imposing sand-dunes. While riding a bike with a snowboard attached all the way into the valley might be excessive, there are a range of tour operators that will drive you back out into the valley and provide snowboards that you can use to skim down the massive dunes. Book in with Sandboard San Pedro or Real Sandboard for a full-day experience. Both tours will drive you out to the dunes, deck you out with a board and supply you with water whilst you coast down the dunes. Word of warning, always wax the bottom of the board for some extra speed, and always lean back - the physics that govern snowboarding are barely a memory here, the way down can often be ungainly and difficult. Finally, keep in mind that there are no lifts here, so every time you ride down the dune, you’ll have to trek all the way back up in snowboard boots - the going is tough, with the shifting sand and burning sun conspiring against you the whole way. However, for the glory ride back down, that trial as absolutely worthwhile.
Salt Flats and geysers tour: This is an absolute must when in town, and all reputable tour operators will offer two or three options for seeing the various salt flats, geysers, lagoons and Altiplano region around San Pedro. For the most varied experience, try and find a tour that will include Laguna Cejar, a massive saltwater lake where no effort is required to remain afloat (due to the salt), the Gesyers el Tatio (try and arrive at sunrrise for the best photos,) and the Sal Flats of Altiplanica - be sure to wear sunglasses when on the saltflats - the glare at sunrise or sunset can be harsh to say the least. For some additional options for locations on the tour, Toconao, known for its church and bell-tower; Laguna Chaxa, a national reservation which three species of flamingos inhabit year-round; Miscanti and Miñiques lagoons and Socaire, a tiny hamlet that lives from selling lunch to tourists will be of interest. When shopping around for a reputable tour operator, be sure to walk the streets of San Pedro and inquire at every tourist operator - prices will vary depending on the outfit and on the quality of the experience. My pick of the lot is either Cosmo Andina or Whipala - whilst not the cheapest, the experience offered by both were fantastic on any tours outside of the town.
Valle de La Muerte: Correctly named, Valle De La Marte (Mars Valley), the so-called ‘Valley of Death’ is a must see for any backpacker in the Atacama region. Your best bet to see the otherworldly landscaped (hence the name) is to book in for a tour from San Pedro. Any reputable tour will commence after midday, and will comprise a tour through some salt caves, cover a view of the far ranging canyons about the valley and end for a gorgeous sunset over far-ranging dunes. If you’re looking for a new ‘golden-hour’ photo to spice up your look, you can go no further than getting the right profile shot here.
Astronomy: Due to its location, and sheer distance from any major city, San Pedro provides a perfect location for stargazing and astronomy (note; not astrology.) There are a number of reputable astronomy tour companies offering star gazing classes, astronomical tours and other ‘astro-related” activities from the centre of town. While I myself took no great pleasure in the vast beauty of our solar system, I’m sure that others passing through San pedro will find this activity to be enjoyable. For your best bet for an astronomical experience, wander about the main square of town haggling with tour operators - don’t pay more than $30 US for a tour. My pick of the lot was with Atacama Desert Stargazing, whom can be booked through their website.

EATING

As Always when in South America, most restaraunts in San pedro will have an unadvertised menu, which is considerably cheaper than the menu provided to you by the waiters. Ask for the menu del dia, for a set course for a cheaper fare. If you have cash to burn, try out Paacha-Konna located within the Kimal Hotel, it’s widely considered the best gustatory experience in town. For a cheaper feed, try out Café Adobe, Blanco, La Estaka, and La Casona - all serve respectable meals for a fairly respectable price. The pick of the litter for cheep gfeed can be found at the far end of Av. Caracoles, Al Paso. Open until 2 am most nights, this restaraunt will provide a range of cheap meals straight off the grill - a perfect blanket for the cold desert nights. For a local experience, check out Inti-Sol - the place will be crowded with locals - don’t miss the spaghetti and mushrooms or the menu del dia.

Looking for more information about travel in Chile? Click here for our guide to visiting!

DRINKING

Do you remember the town in the film ‘Footloose’, Bohmont? The place that banned dancing? In a case of life imitating art, San Pedro De Atacama has mimicked the great film and has banned dancing in a bid to curb the partying and general ‘fun’ that tourists had been having prior to 2010. When I was told about this extraordinary measure, my oppositional streak emerged, and I of course danced in every establishment that I could find. However, in an extraordinary turn of events, I witnessed the local police attend two separate venues across two separate nights whilst I was out with friends. Not only did they ‘kill’ the dancefloor, they also fined the proprietors for allowing the patrons to dance and revel. Extraordinary. However, despite the apparent ban on nighttime ‘fun’ in town, the backpacker has a range of options when it comes to drinking. Due to laws passed at the same time as the ‘Footloose clause’ (my words, not official local policy), and pub selling alcohol can only legally do so when the patron has bought food - so expect to be served various ‘dummy meals’ when ordering a beer whilst here. For my pick of the best bar in town, check out Chelacabur (Caracoles 212) for a warm, inviting vibe. Alternately, you should also visit Mal de Puna (Licancabur 154) for a pisco-sour or Cervecería St. Peter (Toconao 479) for a beer brewed from local ingredients.

The Desert Parties

Feeling bleak after the last point? Never fear, enterprising locals have figured out a means of circumventing the local ban on dancing and revelry. ‘Clandestinos’, or, ‘illegal-desert-parties’, have sprung up as a regular occurrence within San Pedro. These generally take the form of a hidden party held at a locals house or public space, beginning when the restaurants and bars close (around 11 pm), and continuing until the generators run out, or the police turn up. While this sounds like a horrible clandestine activity to engage in, the desert-parties that I attended whilst in town were generally well organized, fun, and very, very lively. My personal pick form my time in town occurred at a location called, ‘The Butchers House,’ which was as grisly looking as the name implies. These parties however, are an invite only occurrence - your best bet for attending one lies in hanging out at Café Adobe, Café Export, and 6º Grado at around 10-11 pm most nights - be aware that these parties involve a cover charge, and you’ll need to pay for drinks there, no B.Y.O unfortunately. However, for an experience that most backpackers will miss out on, these parties are hugely fun, relatively stress-free, and very, very memorable (or not, as the case may be).

Featured