IN the north of
Chile lies the most barren spot on Earth but, even here, descendants of ancient
nomads live a simple, tranquil existence sustained by myth and tradition.
San Pedro owes its popularity to its proximity to some of
the Atacama’s most striking features. Base yourself in this comact town and
enjoy a bewildering array of tours of the surrounding desert.
# Outside a Sand Pedro de Atacama ice-cream parlour
LAN connects Calama with the Chilean capital Santiago, to
which it flies from the UK via Madrid in partnership with Iberia and BA. Air
France, Delta and KLM also fly to Santiago from the UK with one stop. San Pedro
de Atacama is a 2½-hour drive from Calama.
Car rental firms operate from Calma airport (budget.com) or there are regular buses to San
Pedro from
Calama (turbus.cl). Many agencies and hostels in San Pedro rent out mountain bikes.
Calama (turbus.cl). Many agencies and hostels in San Pedro rent out mountain bikes.
Guidance Step to Your
Trip
Accommodation in Sand Pedro de Atacama often comes at a
premium – one cheaper options is Hostal Sonchek, which has pleasant
rooms arranged around an adobe-walled courtyard, a couple of blocks from the
main square, the Plaza de Armas.
Las Delicias de
Carmen is a family-run bakery and café right next door to Hostal Sonchek. Dishes here include
pizzas baked in a brick oven, beef escalopes, empanadas filled with cheese,
tomato, and basil, and apple pie. Breakfast is also good here (Calle Calama
370b).
# el tatio geysers
Most tours to El Tatio geysers – 45 miles from Sand Pedro
and more than a mile higher, at 4,300m – arrive at dawn when the rising sun and cold air show
the vapours at their best. You can also take a dip in some of the thermal pools.
# talabre
San Pedro’s RP
Gustavo Le Paige Archaeological Museum displays ceramics, texstiles,
jewellery and shamanic paraphernalia from ancient Atacameno villages (Gustavo
Le Paige 380). Atacameno rock art can be spotted in sites around town, including
Talabre.
The surreal rock formations of the Valle de La Luna (valley
of the moon) and the less visited Valle de La Muerte (Valley of Death)
are found just outside Sand Pedro. Vivid colours make sunset the most popular
time to visit, but some come at dawn.
Adobe is a lively
café-restaurant on Sand Pedro’s main street, Caracoles, with rock-art-style
décor and a central fire pit. Dishes include mushroom quinoa risotto and lomo a lo pobre-steak with chips, onions
and a fried egg. Pop in for a glass of Pisco Sour (cafedobe.cl).
Wooden walkways connect eight thermal pools at Termas de Puritama, around 20 miles
from San Pedro. With a constant temperature of 33.5ᵒC, the mineral-rich waters are
reputed to boost everything fro mcirculation to skin health (termasdepuritama.cl).
Alto Atacama Desert
Lodge & Spa is a low-impact resort in a tranquil spot surrounded by
landscaped gardens, two miles from the town plaza. Rooms are decorated with
Andean weavings and local crafts, there are six pools and even some resident
alpacas (altoatacama.com).
Rising from a hillside behind Alto Atacama, Pukara de Quitor is a crumbling 12thcentury
fortress with waves of defensive enclosures that served as one of the last
bastions against Pedro de Valdivia’s advancing Spanish forces. It’s worth a
visit for the desert views alone.
Your inspiring riding : Lonely Planet’s Chile & Easter
Island for more details or visit Chile’s official tourism site chile.travel/en
and for booking hotel visit too hoteltraveling.com/sg
