The northern town of San Pedro de Atacama is Chile’s answer to Santa Fe. With its burning afternoons, cooling adobe houses, friendly strays running around town, rose-red sunsets on the ever present Andean mountain range in the backdrop of town, the starry night skies, the creative scene – with art installations popping up everywhere throughout town – and dusty roads it’s hard to resist the desert charm of this pueblo.
Time for some geography. San Pedro lies in the high Atacama desert, the driest non-polar desert on earth. The desert spans across parts of four Andean countries – Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, and northern Chile. Many people come here because there are tons of activities to do in the surrounding desert area; floating in the salty Laguna Cejar, watching the sunset over Valle de la Muerte or Valle de la Luna (stay tuned for that one), visiting the geysers of Tatio, the altiplano lakes of Miscanti and Miñiques, thermal pools or sand boarding. Ugh, so much to choose from!
Don’t be surprised if you end up longer than expected in here.
Although the town is packed with tour operators because of that reason, San Pedro knows how to keep its laid-back vibe. Don’t be surprised if you end up longer than expected in here. It happened to me; I stayed six days, although I was only counting on two.
Try to get up early for a day; see the beams of light slowly waking up the entire village and stretch your way out to the outskirts, just to see to realise how magnificent it is waking up in the desert.
Here’s where to find that desert town! ↓
