The most beautiful places in San Pedro de Atacama
What to see in San Pedro and surroundings
San Pedro is undoubtedly one of the most popular travel destinations in northern Chile. You will find a lot of beautiful and diverse places – canyons, deserts, salt plains, but also geysers or views of volcanoes. Let's see what you definitely visit here and not miss
Geiseres el Tatio
Highly laid geysers
Geiseres el Tatio (4270 m asl) is one of the biggest attractions in San Pedro de Atacama. It is the largest geyser field in the southern hemisphere. It will impress rather with large number of geysers (about eighty) rather than with eruption height. The geyser field itself is highly placed on the Altiplano and is surrounded by five thousand meters high volcanoes. continue reading
Atacama Desert
The driest desert in the world
The Atacama Desert is considered as the driest desert in the world. Atacama occupies the entire north of Chile and south of Peru. The most beautiful and a very accessible part of Atacama desert is seen near San Pedro de Atacama. Here are the bizarre red-colored cliffs and canyons. continue reading
Jerez Canyon
Green thread on Altiplano
Forty kilometers south of San Pedro de Atacama is the small, dusty town of Toconao, which serves as a starting point for exploring the interesting canyon Quebrada de Jerez. The stream flowing from Altiplana gave life in a differently arid area. At first, the mighty canyon is divided into a few small valleys after several kilometers. The scenery of red rocks around the canyon is very nice. It is a very pleasant walk with beautiful views of the canyon and its rocky surroundings. continue reading
Garganta del Diablo
Red rock gorge
The entire area of San Pedro de Atacama is full of interesting eroded rock formations and gorges. Six kilometers north of the city in the San Pedro Valley is the most famous – the Garganta del Diablo reminiscent of the Mars landscape. The oak-colored rocky ridges look like a small labyrinth. continue reading
Pucara de Quitor
Native American ruins near San Pedro
Pucara de Quitor is a remnant of an ancient Indian fortress (Pucara means fortress in the Quechua Indian language) just two and a half kilometers north of San Pedro de Atacama. To this day, only the remains of the terraces have been preserved here. From the highest point, however, there is a wonderful view not only of the picturesque valley of the San Pedro River, but also of the monumental volcano Licancabur on the horizon. continue reading
Laguna Chaxa
Lagoon with flamingos
In the central part of Salaru de Atacama (southeast of Toconao) you will find the protected area Reserva Nacional Los Flamencos. In the accessible part of this protected area, the Chaxa lagoon lies interesting in that there are flamingos. continue reading
Small church in Machuca
The most beautiful church around San Pedro de Atacama
Throughout this area of the Altiplano, on both sides of the Chilean-Bolivian border, you will find dozens of these picturesque churches. However, this one in Machuca is one of the most beautiful. Machuca (4,020 m above sea level) is a small Indian village on the Chilean side of the Altiplano. Due to the fact that it lies on the road to the famous geysers Tatio is relatively well accessible for tourists continue reading
Eyes of Salar
Unique lagoon on the Salar de Atacama
Ojos de Salar – the eyes of the salar, are unique lagoons, looking like flooded craters, located on the Salar de Atacama, about 30 kilometers south of San Pedro de Atacama. The easiest way to get here is on an organized trip continue reading
Cerro Toco
Base for a telescope
Relatively unknown, but even so interesting outlook volcano lies just outside of San Pedro de Atacama. From the summit you can see the whole range of another volcanoes lying already on the Bolivian side of Altiplano. continue reading
Laguna Tebinquinche
A typical lagoon on a salar
In the northern part of the Salar de Atacama you will find a relatively large lagoon Tebinquinche. The lagoon and its surroundings fall into the small protected area Santuario de la Naturaleza Laguna Tebinquinche. Its southern part is accessible. It is also possible to take a bath in the lagoon and find out how the water floats continue reading
San Pedro river
An oasis in the Atacam Desert
The San Pedro River originates on the western slopes of Tocorpuri Volcano (5,800 m above sea level) at an altitude of about 4,560 m above sea level, more than sixty kilometers north of San Pedro de Atacama under the name Rio Grande. Then her path leads through canyons, through areas full of eroded rock formations and multicolored ridges with remnants of ancient Indian pueblo to the vast oasis of San Pedro. After a few more tens of kilometers, he disappears forever in Salar de Atacama. continue reading
