San Pedro de Atacama emerges as a fascinating destination that captivates with its natural beauty and rich cultural heritage. It is a place where the past and present intertwine in a unique experience that leaves a lasting impression on all its visitors.
As a portal that opens towards the Desert and the Atacama highlands, this is how the town of San Pedro de Atacama can be described. An environment that received its first inhabitants more than 11.000 years ago and that simply has no equal in the rest of the Chilean territory. Those who have visited it have even described it as an extraterrestrial landscape, similar to those that have been shown for a long time in the cinema.
How to get to San Pedro de Atacama? To get to San Pedro de Atacama, you must first arrive at the city of Calama, which has an airport called El Loa, where you can rent a MITTA car and travel almost 100 km by land to San Pedro in a comfortable and safe way.
If this is your first trip to San Pedro de Atacama, in this note we will tell you some information about places that you cannot miss and tips to keep in mind. Keep reading!
What to do in San Pedro de Atacama?
Start in San Pedro de Atacama
San Pedro de Atacama, declared a Typical Zone in 1980, is an excellent place to start a tour of the Atacama plateau. Here you can find everything that a traveler may require in his adventure, from hotel service and different types of accommodation, bicycle rental, cafes, restaurants, stores and ATMs.
San Pedro is a truly unique place, with narrow streets, continuous facades and stone and adobe buildings that have been declared Historical Monuments, resisting the passage of time. One of them is the Church of San Pedro de Atacama, built in 1557, located in the main square.
You will also find artisan fairs with typical products from the area, gift shops, cafes and spaces where you can enjoy highland cuisine developed almost entirely in solar ovens and with local ingredients, such as quinoa, llama meat, pataca or rabbit, among others. .
Reserva National Los Flamencos
Created in 1990, its objective is the protection of endangered flora and fauna, such as culpeo foxes, vicuñas, pumas, tamarugos and carob trees. The Los Flamencos National Reserve has more than 70 thousand hectares that are divided into several sectors, where different landscapes and attractions can be found.
Some amazing landscapes of the Los Flamencos National Reserve are the Salar de Atacama and the Valle de la Luna. In the latter, the erosion of the Cordillera de la Sal, salt caves and incredible figures eroded by the wind can be seen.
Tours and excursions to the Reserve are offered from San Pedro de Atacama, although you can also get there in your own vehicle. It can be visited throughout the year and depending on the conditions, hiking can be practiced in all sectors of the reserve. The place has a park ranger guide and information on trails and observation points.
Tourism in San Pedro de Atacama: Some travel tips
San Pedro de Atacama is a town that, although it has everything you need to make your trip comfortable and you can move to different destinations, it is important to consider the experience of other travelers. Here are some of their tips:
- Up early. The distances in general are long and if you sign up for an excursion or tour, they usually start very early to take advantage of the hours before sunset, when the temperature drops quite a bit. Additionally, several places, such as the Valley of the Moon, close early.
- always carry cash, as there are places and tourist accesses that do not accept cards. In San Pedro there are ATMs, but they are few and are usually in high demand, so it is good to withdraw at once so as not to run out of cash.
- Some people recommend traveling in winter, because the flow of people is less and it is possible to walk without traffic jams or trouble. That being so, it is important to confirm that the place you want to visit is open, as some close in this season, especially because of the snow.
- Buy tickets in advance online, either for tourist places or to hire excursions and tours. This way you avoid waiting in line or moving in a hurry from one point to another.
Car rental in San Pedro de Atacama
If you want to travel at your own pace, safely and comfortably, MITTA Rent a Car has a wide range of vehicles and services available for your trip to San Pedro de Atacama. You can quote and reserve on our website, and then pick up the vehicle at the MITTA branches in Calama. With MITTA make your trip to San Pedro unforgettable.
