(Published: 4/24/2017)
After visiting Torres Del Paine National Park in Patagonia, we headed south to a much warmer area Chile’s – the Atacama Desert. We flew into Santiago and again rented a car to drive to San Pedro de Atacama. This little village serves as the hub for tourists to explore all the wonders this place has to offer.
It turned out that we were quite lucky with the timing of our visit. In Patagonia we had met some people who had visited Atacama before coming to Torres Del Paine National Park. They told us that they had massive rain showers the entire time they were there. It must have been so bad that parts of roads were washed away and that they could not explore much of what the area has to offer.
When we arrived we could not see any effects of the rain (at first). The sun was shining and it was nice and warm (a nice change to what we had before). This little town fits in nicely with the surrounding desert area with clay-colored, low buildings and dirt roads. It’s pretty charming and has a relaxed vibe to it despite the hoards of tourists.
Getting Around
Again, it proved right to have our own rental car. It was convenient to visit the places we wanted at the time we wanted. However, if you don’t have a car, you also have the option to book tours with the many agencies in town. It might get a bit expensive though if you plan on seeing several things. You can also rent bikes but I personally wouldn’t recommend that. Distances are pretty far and riding your bike through the glaring sun (and maybe even through a sand storm) for a good amount of time doesn’t sound like fun to me.
What To Bring
Bring a jacket or sweater and long pants etc. for evenings in the village. You might not believe it but it gets pretty chilly after the sun sets. Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen! And don’t forget to apply it. The weather is dry and it might not feel very hot at times but the sun is definitely getting to you.
Activities
Here’s a list of the things we explored:
- Valle De La Luna: A must-see. Gorgeous dunes, salt landscapes and colors. I’ve never seen anything like that before. I was in awe of the beautiful scenery and there’s where I said that this was the most beautiful place on earth I’d ever seen so far.
- Valle De La Muerte: You can walk through the valley to get to the outlook. We didn’t make it to the end. But you can also sandboard here. We saw quite a few people carrying or biking with their boards to get to the end with the sand dunes.
- Laguna Chaxa: In the midst of a vast area consisting of impressive salt flats there’s a lake with flamingos. You can wander around the area and also learn about the flats and the wildlife there.
- Hiking in Cactus Valley (Los Cardones Ravine): Here, we hiked along a river and ancient, giant cactuses. It was one of my favorite things we did there. You get to climb over interesting rock formations along a river and sometimes try to not fall into the water. You also can rest in the shade or refresh in the water whenever you want. It can be dangerous if you’re not careful and you shouldn’t do the hike alone. It’s more of a local spot and you won’t meet too many folks along the way.
- Pucará De Quitor: An archeological site with a fortress where you can hike to the top and have a great overview.
- Cemetery in San Pedro De Atacama: A colorful and peaceful place on the outskirts of the village.
There’s many more things you can do or discover such as visiting geysers, bathing in hot springs, sandboarding or hiking up a volcano. I would say that Valle De La Luna is a must. And then just go and explore what you really want to see.
Restaurants/Food
We had bought a few snacks in Santiago that we brought to San Pedro de Atacama. These were mostly for us to snack on while out and about during the day. It wouldn’t have been necessary though. There are plenty of little delis and grocery shops in the village. There’s also a small farmer’s market a little outside of the village center. Here you can by cheap and fresh produce. Though I think it’s only held on certain days of the week. You would have to ask the locals.
We had breakfast included at our hotel. For dinner we usually went to a rather unpretentious place called Estrella Negra. It was all vegan, very reasonably priced and the food was really good. They also had yummy green juice. We ate at other, fancier restaurants at one or two occasions but always went back to Estrella Negra. All in all, there’s many nice restaurants and coffee shops in the village, most of them on the expensive side however.
General Tips
If you know of any rainfalls in the recent past, you should make sure the destinations you want to visit are open to the public.We had a few spots that were closed because they or the roads leading to the sight got damaged during the heavy rains two weeks prior. Especially if you’re driving further away you should make sure beforehand. Ask tourist information in town, at your hotel or locals.
The same is with hot springs. They’re pretty popular and sometimes close when it gets too full. Save your time by finding out what is the best time to visit a hot spring so that you can be certain to get in and enjoy what you came for.
Sometimes it can be a bit tricky to find a destination because there are not always proper signs. In order to avoid frustration and wasting time on the road, it’s best to gather as much information (by asking in your hotel or locals) about where you want to go beforehand. This is especially helpful for destinations that are farther and and/or not as popular. When you’re already on the road and can’t find something, again, ask locals or tour bus drivers if you can flag them down.
Check out the previous part of our Chile trip to Patagonia here.
Have you ever visited Chile? What places did you visit there?
