San Pedro de Atacama streets unite mysticism of the ancient cultures of Altiplano with modern tourism.

102 km from Calama, San Pedro de Atacama is a indigenous groups land that develop agriculture and tourism. At mian square stands the ancient church dating from 1774, is revealing its inhabitants customs: cactus wood, adobe and algarrobo beams tied with leather. Nearby is the Gustavo Le Paige Archaeological Museum, where impresses its mummies and objects that reveal the richness of San Pedro's cultures.

In San Pedro de Atacama are a lot craft shops, where you can buy textiles, jewelry and herbs.

Departing from San Pedro to the southeast is Toconao town, the Salar de Atacama and Chaxa lagoon, home of flamingos and other Altiplano birds.

There are places that are best explored at dusk, as Valle de la Luna or Valle de la Muerte, because in that instant offer beautiful shadows and changing colors, ideal for photography. From San Pedro, can be reached by bicycle.

All these sites form part of Los Flamengos National Reserve, which in its nearly 74,000 hectares divided into seven sectors. There are tours to visit all.

Returning back from some of these natural settings, San Pedro de Atacama awaits you with a good range of pubs and restaurants with excellent gastronomy.

How to get there

By Plane. From Santiago to Calama (2 hours). There are no direct flights to San Pedro de Atacama. Transfers service, taxis and jeeps or vans rental at airport.

By Bus. From Calama to San Pedro de Atacama, bus service from terminals in different city places:

• In Granaderos street, northwest.
• In Balmaceda street, just opposite the railway station.

By Car. From Calama, on 23 route toward east (102 km), paved road in good condition.

From Santiago to Calama on 5 Norte route until it splits at Carmen Alto, take 25 route to northeast (1574 km).

Activities and attractions

Because its enormous size, Los Flamengos National Reserve was divided in seven sectors as a way to understand their different scenarios, each one with particular characteristics:

 

• At sector 1, between Jama and Sico border passes to Argentina, are Salar de Tara and Aguas Calientes.
• At south lies sector 2 and Salar Pujsa.
• Sector 3 is dominated by Miscanti and Miniques lagoons, nearby Socaire town.
• The most visited is sector 4, that corresponds Salar de Atacama's northern half.
• At southern half of Salar de Atacama are located sector 5 and Peine town.
• Sector 6 is territory of Valle de la Luna and its neighbors, Valle de la Muerte, Cordillera de la Sal and Tulor archaeological site.
• Finally, sector 7, called "Tambillo" is where is located San Pedro de Atacama.

Strange rock formations and dunes of the Valle de la Luna, the changing colors of Valle de la Muerte and Cordillera de la Sal is ideal to take the best postcards at day and watch the stars at night. Both valleys are located 2 km from San Pedro de Atacama, and can be reached by bicycle. In San Pedro there are agencies that organize tours for about five hours. Some include trekking or sandboarding on dunes.

A 38 km from San Pedro de Atacama, Toconao is a town of typical colonial architecture, but with details that make it unique. Here the material preferred is volcanic rock, which also serve for handicrafts manufacture, is the material that was made its church, built in 1744, and San Lucas steeple, 1750.

At surrounding area are perfect cone of Lascar volcano and Salar de Atacama. Further south, Socaire, more than 3,000 meters above sea level, famous for its cuisine and alpaca wool tissues.

Called San Francisco de Chiu Chiu, this town located 30 km from Calama and at 2525 meters of altitude is famous for its San Francisco church, the oldest in Chile and was raised with Atacama techniques.

With over three thousand km2, Salar de Atacama is a captive show. It is home of Andean birds and has a large reserve of lithium, but in reality is one of the greatest wonders of Atacama Desert.

As part of Los Flamengos National Reserve, many travelers come here in search of flamingos and other birds that nest and feed in their "eyes water" as Chaxa lagoon. The three species that inhabit are Andean, Chilean and James flamingos.

Very early wake up craters of El Tatio, geothermal field that attracts hundreds of visitors throughout year, although located at 4,200 meters altitude. The best time of fumaroles is between 6:00 and 7:00 am, which is why need to leave San Pedro de Atacama near 5:00. But the wonder of  landscape does not end there; as dawn breaks, leaving vicunas, vizcachas, ostriches and other birds.

The area also has hotsprings. In El Tatio there are pools of water at suitable temperatures and at Puritama hotsprings, surrounded by greenery and with comfortable wooden walkways that connect various pools.