DESTINATION OF THE MONTH: SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA

ABOUT CHILE

Chile is a long and narrow country, lying between the Cordillera de Los Andes and the Pacific Ocean in the southwest of South America, borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast and Argentina to the east. Chile is the seventh largest South American country, with a surface area of 756,096 square kilometers.

Chile has several geographical features, with territory in Polyneasia with Easter Island 3,700 km from the coast, the Antartic and Continental land. The surface of continental and insular Chile is roughly equivalent to more than twice the size of Germany, but distributed in a swath of 4,200 km long and 90 km at its narrowest point cut by hundreds of islands and fjords in its southern part. 

The capital and largest city with the largest population and jobs is Santiago. Santiago is the largest political, economic, cultural and industrial center of the country. With six millions inhabitants, it is the gateway to Chile and one of the most modern capitals in the continent.

San Pedro de Atacama, the wild starscape above the driest desert in the world.

San Pedro de Atacama is a small town located 1670km north from Santiago. Surrounded by some of the highest peaks of the Andes mountain range. This town is the entrance to the Atacama Desert, the driest desert in the world. Some people say that the high quantities of quarts and copper in the region gives their people positive energy and good vibes. 

Due to the breathtaking scenery that surrounds this area, San Pedro has become the starting center for tourism and excursions in the regions. Offers the most varied services for visitors such as: hotels, hostels, restaurants, tourist agencies, banks, handcrafts, call centers, Internet, hospital and police stations. 

The landscape is incredible, an oasis between sand dunes, canyons, geysers, volcanos, lagoons and salt flats. San Pedro de Atacama is now one of the three most visited places in Chile, together with the Torres del Paine National Park in Patagonia and the Easter Island. Its scenery is so strange that is main attractions are the geological formations of the Moon Valley or “Valle de Luna”.

In recent years this town has become one of the most visited by tourists, all of them attracted by the many activities tha can be done, you can explore the lunar landscapes of the area by hiking, biking, on horseback or go sandboarding in the thousands of desert dunes.

The main touristic sites are:

  • Iglesia San Pedro, 17th century adobe church.
  • Valle de Luna and Valle de la Muerte, geological sculptural forms, very similar to those of the lunar surface.
  • Geysers del Tatio, one of the largest deposits of geothermal energy worldwide with more than 80 geysers.
  • Salar de Atacama, the largest salt flat in Chile and one of the largest in the world.
  • Altiplanic lagoons.
  • Cejar Lagoon, famous for its high concentration of salt, allowing you to float. 

Visit Northern Chile, we assure you will have an experience that is out of this world!