San Pedro de Atacama is the Indian town in Chile's northern desert.
San Pedro de Atacama in northeastern Chile is an unusually indigenous village for the South American nation and has a steady stream of foreign visitors that arrive daily to soak in the strange landscapes surrounding it.
The town is made up of white adobe houses and walls and much of the native population still farms in communal groups called allyus. San Pedro’s Plaza de Armas and the 17th century Iglesia San Pedro are the most interesting sights within the village. It was once a Pre-Colombian trading stopover and later a stop on cattle drives from Argentina and to nitrate mines in the desert. Today it is the gringo capital of northern Chile.
What to see and do in San Pedro de Atacama:
Valle de la Luna -the valley of the moon, 12 km from San Pedro de Atacama by bus or bike, is the odd landscape that lures daily bus loads of backpackers every sun down. Volcanoes, sand dunes, and strange rock formations made by blowing wind and sand are eerily wondrous in the right light. El Valle is one of the most visited natural attractions in Northern Chile outside of Parque Nacional Lauca.
El Tatio Geysers- El Tatio, the world’s highest glacier field at 4300 m (14,108 ft) has more than 80 geysers that are great photo ops if nothing else. They are the third largest geyser field in the world and located about 95km north of San Pedro.
Museo Gustavo Le Paige - Belgian Jesuit priest and archeologist Gustavo Le Paige collected artifacts from the area during his life in northern Chile and the collection is unparallel. Ceramics and gold pieces from the Atacameño and the Incas ceramics, textiles, mummies, and skulls make up the fascinating collection that numbers in the hundreds of thousands. The museum is just north of the Plaza de Armas.
Laguna Chaxa - At sunset, shades of purple and red fill the horizon over this large lake that is a part of the Salar de Atacama, or salt flats. The lake is a breeding ground for several species of flamingos including James, Chilean, and Andean.
Atacama Hotels
There are numerous backpacker and budget hotels around San Pedro de Atacama, but the posh resorts are spectacular and worth a trip alone:
Explora’s Hotel de Larache (Ayllu de Larache, tel: 55-851-110) is set on an 17 hectare adobe allyu, or farming community and is absolutely breathtaking. Pools and water seem to be everywhere and all rooms have Jacuzzis. It is one of the world’s premier desert resorts and spas.
Katarpe (Atienza 441, tel: 55-851-946)is far more tranquilo and the design of the hotel incprporates adobe, stone and other local materials. It’s modern and cozy, but it is never hard to remind yourself of the natural environment that is all around you.
Atacama Restaurants
The two hotels mentioned above have the only world class dining options in town, but the trendy, contemporary vibes of the restaurants right in town are not to be missed.
Adobe (Caracoles 211, tel: 55-851-132)
Lively restaurant with good drink specials and set meals. Chilean and international foods make up the menu.
Cuna Restaurant (Tocopilla 359, tel: 55-851-999) Modern food is combined with age old Atacameño recipes.
Food Carts - Near the market and on various side streets there are a number of food stalls and stands serving Chilean dishes, sandwiches, and just about anything else.
Getting to San Pedro de Atacama: The village is located one hour southeast of Calama by bus.
