Frommer's South America by Nicholas Gill

Author:Nicholas Gill
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Published: 2010-06-01T16:00:00+00:00

6 The Desert North

The Desert North

San Pedro de Atacama

Quaint, unhurried, and built of adobe brick, San Pedro de Atacama sits in the driest desert in the world 1,674km (1,038 miles) north of Santiago, a region replete with bizarre land formations including giant sand dunes, jagged canyons, salt pillars, boiling geysers, and a smoking volcano. Better to call it a moonscape than a landscape. For adventure seekers, a wealth of activities is available to participate in, including hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding—or you can just sightsee with a tour van. Either way, the idea is to lose yourself in the landscape. This region was the principal center of the Atacamanian Indian culture, and relics such as Tulor, an ancient village estimated to have been built in 800 b.c., still survive. There’s also a superb archaeology museum that boasts hundreds of artifacts that have been well preserved by the desert’s arid climate. This is one of the top stargazing areas in the world; once you leave the village and are enveloped by a thick blanket of twinkling lights, you’d be forgiven for feeling that the galaxy was not so far, far away after all. The town has fomented somewhat of a bohemian ambience, but with the variety of activities and several outstanding lodging options, the region appeals to just about everyone. To visit the major sites here, you’ll need 3 or 4 days, a few more to see everything including the outlying villages or the Chuquicamata mine. Outside of the May to July season, rooms can book up as far as 6 months ahead of time, so plan ahead.

Important Info to Know Before Arriving in San Pedro

The altitude may slow you down at first, though few visitors are gravely affected by it. Don’t undertake any grand expeditions to extreme altitudes during your first 2 days in San Pedro. The town has a small medical clinic, but no hospital. Don’t drink tap water here, as the local supply contains trace amounts of arsenic. Bring a flashlight, too; the streets off the main drag are not lit and even a 2-block walk can be difficult to navigate.

Essentials

Getting There

Calama, a city of 120,000, is the gateway to San Pedro, 98 km (61 miles) to the west. The city depends on the mining industry, and like most boomtowns, it is ugly and hodgepodge, and reports of petty crime have soared here. Most travelers pass right through, although some spend the night only to see the Chuquicamata Copper Mine. The Indian ruins, Pukará de Lasana, and the colonial village, Chiu Chiu, are also close to Calama, although they can be visited on the way back to Calama from San Pedro via the Tatío Geysers on a very long day trip.

By Plane Calama’s Aeropuerto El Loa (airport code CJC; 55/361956) is served by LAN Airlines 600/526-2000; www.lan.com), and Sky Airline ( 600/600-2828; www.skyairline.cl). LAN has up to six daily flights from Santiago on weekdays and four on weekends; Sky has two daily flights. To get to

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