Did you know that there is an amazing desert where the surface seems to be from another planet? Yes! and it is in Chile. Welcome to the Atacama Desert.

The region boasts impressive geological formations and has provided scientists with a wealth of research opportunities. Although the natural conditions of the place are the most inhospitable in the world, Atacama is a little wild desert where the locals take care to provide any service and help tourists during their stay. 

 

In San Pedro de Atacama you will enjoy the most impressive sunsets and learn about meteorites and Inca culture / Photo: Cecilia Passimor

 

If you are thinking of traveling to the Atacama Desert, here are all the tips to plan an unforgettable trip in the high season.

 

1- The best time to travel

Deciding the ideal time to travel to San Pedro de Atacama is key to fully enjoying your visit to one of the most incredible places in Chile. For that, it is very important that you take into account: 

Rainy season: Although rainfall is minimal, half of the annual average occurs in the month of January. But don't worry, the rains come in the form of isolated storms that last only a short time.

Dry season: The months from April to October are the driest months of the year, with average rainfall between 0mm and 2mm. In reality, the climate is dry all year round.

As for temperatures, although it may seem curious to you, traveling to San Pedro de Atacama will not be as oppressive in summer as you imagine, in fact, the climate is so dry that you can hardly feel the heat. Besides, being under the shade is a great relief.

 

The Atacama Desert is considered the "driest non-polar desert on Earth" / Photo: Luis Valiente 

 

2- Exchange Houses 

We recommend you to exchange your foreign currency in the city of Santiago, since there you will get a much more favorable value for your dollars/foreign currency than in town.

 

3- San Pedro de Atacama is considered a safe town

There is nothing better than feeling safe in a place, right? In San Pedro de Atacama you can walk around at night without excessive precautions (beyond the basic ones, of course) and the locals are willing to help any disoriented traveler or tourist who has just arrived in town. 

Travel tip: In the Atacama Desert there are activities for the whole family, from visits to altiplano lagoons, desert trekking, salt flats and walks through landscapes that look like something out of a movie.

 

4- In San Pedro you will find all kinds of lodging

From camping sites to 5-star hotels, here you will find accommodations for all tastes and budgets. Keep in mind that the tourist demand there is very high. Anyway, tourism is clearly the main economic activity of the town and the infrastructure to receive travelers is well prepared.

 

5- Rent a car

You can get to San Pedro de Atacama in your own car or you can rent one in other cities, such as Santiago. If you are interested in visiting other towns and destinations along the way, this option is perfect for you. 

Keep in mind that the trip from Santiago to San Pedro takes 18 hours, so it will be necessary to stop along the way to sleep and rest, to continue with the adventure.

 

6- The gastronomic offer is very varied

Due to a large number of foreigners, there are numerous restaurants of both national and international cuisine. Most of these are concentrated in the main street and Caracoles street.

 

Throughout the area, you will find plenty of local products such as painted ceramics, basketry, weaving, wood carving and bronze and copper work, typical of the area / Photo: Cécilio Baez   

 

7- What you should not miss in your travel backpack

  • A good sunblock lotion
  • A hat
  • Comfortable clothes
  • Parka - Windbreaker
  • Sunglasses with UV filter
  • Water to keep you hydrated.
  • Trekking shoes

 

Travel tip: Although not all excursions require physical activity, it is advisable to bring hiking shoes because the roads are sandy, dirt and volcanic rocks.

 

8- For photography lovers

San Pedro de Atacama has the best panoramic landscapes in northern Chile. The sunset in the Moon Valley, the sunrise in the Tatio Geysers, the landscapes of the Atacama Salt Flat and its lagoons full of flamingos that come to its waters to feed. Here you will have landscapes that you will hardly find anywhere else in the world, in the middle of the driest desert in the world.

Sleeping under the Atacama sky, enjoying landscapes so spectacular that they seem unreal or simply experiencing its incredible sunsets, are things that any traveler should experience at least once in a lifetime. 

 

The Atacama Desert has very little light pollution, making it the perfect place to enjoy romantic astronomical tourism / Photo: Simon Dubreuil

 

If you are planning to travel to the Atacama Desert in Chile, keep in mind to keep up to date with all COVID-19 updated protocols, both security recommendations and requirements for entry to the country may change frequently. For more information click here

 

 

By: Nathaly Bosch, social communicator by profession and curious traveler by choice. Spanish editor for Daytours4u.