San Pedro de Atacama

Prices in any of the laid back bars and restaurants fare well against Santiago's. Still, it's a fairly expensive location, as it's one of Chile's three most popular destinations, along with Torres del Paine and Easter Island. San Pedro vs. Uyuni As many people head for San Pedro to continue their travel into Bolivia doing the popular Salar de Uyuni tour, it is important to note that many sights found around San Pedro have similar equivalents on the Bolivian site. Hence, instead of paying twice, it is worth thinking about skipping some tours offered in San Pedro and saving the money. This is also what many travellers that did both countries agree with and recommend to other. In fact, the sights along the Salar de Uyuni tour are equally or even more beautiful and impressive than what can be found around San Pedro, e.g. 1) Geysers del Tatio: 2 hr from the border you will visit a smaller but much more versatile site with mud pools, loud steams and geysers, and shortly after that a nice warm thermal pool with magnificent views which easily tops the semi-warm thermal pool at the Geysers del Tatio. And you do not have to get up at 5, freeze your bottom off, and get hassled along the way due to the limited time. 2) Lagunas Altiplanicas: Already the first stop after the border at the Laguna Verde (or the Lagunas on the second day) and the Laguna Colorado at the end of the first day top this tour, with much more flamingos and more versatile views, not to mention the value of Salar de Uyuni over Laguna Chaxa.

By bus Several buses per day connect the town with Calama (see Calama#Get in for schedules), operated by TurBus, KTUR, Frontera del Norte, Atacama 2000, and Intertrans. The trip takes about 1½-2 hr, and costs 3,000-5,000 pesos. Other buses like TurBus travel also from Antofagasta (4 hr, 9,000 pesos), Iquique, Arica (12 hr, 22,000 pesos), and Santiago. It is best and cheaper to transfer in Calama, because it is easy to get there with regular national buses (because of the airport and the mine), and between Calama and San Pedro more frequent and cheaper regional buses operate. Also, buses connect San Pedro with Salta and San Salvador de Jujuy in Argentina. There are also regular buses from Uyuni, in Bolivia (30,000 pesos). But skipping the Salar de Uyuni Tour between the Chilean border and Uyuni for a simple bus is not recommended—it is one of the most impressive and most inexpensive tours you can do in South America. Nevertheless, cross border bus passes are available from Green Toad Bus which allow you to travel to San Pedro from Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia and the rest of Chile. Or just ask at the tourist information or one of the booking offices in town. By plane No airlines fly direct to San Pedro. The nearest commercial airport is Calama. Most flights are direct, and connect Calama with Santiago, but a few also fly to Antofagasta and Iquique. LATAM (has the most flights, and the best support, but isn't always the cheapest), Sky Airline (terrible website, better service than LATAM), PAL and JetSMART fly to Santiago from US$12 one way.

On foot and navigation Once in the town, nearly all points of interest, restaurants, services, are within walking distance, with the exception of a few outlying hotels. Downtown comprises twelve small blocks, between the streets Domingo Atienza and Toconao from west to east, and Licancabur and Caracoles north to south. This last street is the main one, a pedestrian zone. Outside of town you can even reach Valle de Marte on foot. Also, there are many hiking trails north and northwest of town. For reliable trails and GPS navigation in this desert region, consult OpenStreetMap, which is used by many mobile Apps like OsmAnd or Mapy.cz. Or just download the according GPX or KML files through Waymarked Trails for such trails on OpenStreetMap. (Note, you just need to change the OpenStreetMap relation ID to download the GPX or KML files through the same link.) By bicycle Bicycles can be rented in town: 3,000 pesos for 6 hr, 6,000 pesos full day. The rental usually includes warning vest, helmet, lamp, first aid kit, and pump. Bicycles can be a great and inexpensive way to explore the surroundings of San Pedro, like Valle de la Luna, Valle de Marte, Pukará de Quitor, Aldea de Tulor, and even Laguna Cejar (see below). Reliable tracks can be found with OpenStreetMap (see previous chapter). It is now illegal to ride a bike in the centre of San Pedro. If you look gringo enough, chances are the cops will let you slide — but it's advised not to try.

In the following the essential places to visit around San Pedro. The description takes emphasis on the tours offered from San Pedro, but the sights can also be visited without a tour. For the entrance fees of just the sites, see the table at the end of this chapter. To keep track of the changing prices, opening times and closures of certain sites, San Pedro tourism office keeps a list outside of its doors. Geysers del Tatio Directly after the geysers you will most likely visit the hot springs, which are not that hot and at 0 °C or most likely less, it requires some convincing to strip you cloths and to get into the water. On the way back, it's typical to find wild vicuñas, an endangered Andean camelid that's highly protected in Chile. They were rescued from the verge of extinction thirty years ago. Vicuñas in the area are accustomed to human presence, and will tolerate tourists coming to some twenty meters away-any more, and they're likely to flee. Be extremely respectful of the regulations, for many guides and drivers might even react in an aggressive manner if you bother the animals in any way. A common stop is the fording of the Putana river, a spectacle that for some even surpasses the geysers themselves. Many different bird species inhabit it, and it's perfectly possible to get very close to them-giant coots (fulica gigantea) are especially indolent. Winter has the most birds, with over ten different species cohabiting the place at peak migration, but temperatures are harsh.

Exploring San Pedro by bicycle can be an authentic and less stressful way to travelling. Valle de la Luna (in off season you can visit the for free and there are , at only one the ticket needs to be shown, use OpenStreetMap), Valle de Marte (cycling right at the Cordillera de la Sal sign before entrance is free), Pukará de Quitor, Aldea de Tulor, and even Laguna Cejar can also explored on a bicycle instead with a tour. Other destinations, such as Piedra de la Coca, Catarpe, Garganta del Diablo, and Quebrada de Tambores can even be accessed only on a bicycle (or rented car), as they're not part of the regular tours. If you're planning to go there, then, by all means have a proper map—see #Get around. If you do a full day tour, pick up the bicycle the night before, leave early before it gets hot and return it in the afternoon. Bring lots of water. Biking on the dirt roads here is safe, cars drive slowly past you, and the scenery is stunning. Be prepared to bike hard and get out of the sun before late afternoon. Hiking north of San Pedro and even into Valle the Marte (which is the closest sight from the town) or Pukará de Quitor can be a great alternative to discover the hills and views of the region. Just check out OpenStreetMap, which has many trails marked. Canyon trekking near along the Cañón de Guatin is an impressive experience with great skies during the night for excellent star gazing. Heading north for about 5 km from Guatín, the canyon gets deeper and deeper. And just 45 min south along the canyon from the village, great places for camping can be found.

Money San Pedro is an expensive town. So, you will need cash. There are four places with ATMs in town: Banco Estado, in front of the museum, Banco BCI (Caracoles-Vilama streets intersection, close to the plaza), Atacama Connection (they have two offices; the one with the ATM is on the intersection of Caracoles and Calama streets), and a last one at the western end of Caracoles, which only accepts international Visas. As of Mar 2018, withdrawals of 280,000 pesos were possible at Banco Estado. However, on Sunday evenings money at BancoEstado and BCI can run out, even in off-season. So, make sure you head for the ATM early enough. If an ATM refuses to give you money due to supply shortage, you might try with a different amount. For instance, if you wanted 35,000 pesos, round it down to 30,000, or even 20,000 pesos, and withdraw money twice (or a higher amount, which actually makes more sense). However, considering the fee you pay with withdrawals such small amounts should generally be avoided. Despite rumors to the contrary, exchange rates in town are decent. Try Toconao Road south of Caracoles Road. The dollar's very appreciated, and you can routinely get better rates there than in banks. Be mindful, though, that one-dollar and damaged bills won't be accepted. The euro rates are terrible, though, while other currencies' can be found somewhere in the middle. Again, they only accept larger euro bills, and only in mint condition. This is also the best place to get Bolivianos for your Uyuni tour.

Most restaurants have a set meal, called Menú. This is, almost always, the cheapest and best alternative, wherever you go. Only lower-end locales do not carry this. Chain restaurants can be found on the main street, Caracoles, and are very popular. Budget The carritos, at the northernmost end of the handicraft market (away from the main square), are your cheapest option. These are decent, though a bit unsanitary. Mid-range Splurge

Rules Due to local regulations, no business selling alcohol may open beyond 23:30 on weekdays and Sundays or 02:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. This applies to both restaurants and liquor shops. So, if you're planning to drink the night away, be sure to stock up beforehand! There are a couple of illegal places to buy alcohol later at night, but the prices are outrageous. While no discos or actual pubs can be found in San Pedro, the closest to the latter are Café Adobe, Café Export, and 6º Grado. Sometimes, illegal parties (called "clandestinos" or "fiestas clandestinas") are thrown in the houses of locals, empty lots, and even Valle de Marte. To find out if and where the action will take place, your best bet is to hang out at any of the aforementioned places. Usually, even the waiters can tell you whatever clandestinos will be open that night. They usually start at the time the restaurants close. Drinks in them are expensive, though! And of course, you're barred from bringing your own booze, as the parties are thrown for profit. If you decide to go, be prepared for hordes of drunk locals, frosty outside air, and unreliable conditions-power almost always comes from a gas-run generator, and drinks are brought beforehand by the organizing people; both are susceptible to running out, which normally kills the party. Also, the cops might rear their ugly heads, which can bring the event to a premature end. There are also legal parties, thrown by the City Hall or other organizations, called informally "mambos".

Camping There is a huge desert around, which is especially convenient if you go around by car or on foot. Just make sure you got really warm cloths and sleeping bag, temperatures can easily be around 0 °C. Lodging Be careful of giving your credit card details over the phone to "guarantee" a reservation. The hostel situation in San Pedro is vibrant with new places popping up all the time. You are best off checking online reservation websites for best deal and price.

Internet access-at least 5 or 6 Internet cafés (called "cibercafé") can be found around downtown, and charge competitive rates for use. However, the town seems to be rather poorly linked to the national network, and past experience has shown that the connection speeds are often frustrating. One exception is Apacheta, located right by the Plaza de Armas. They have decent equipment, and offer a variety of services, such as transferring pictures to DVD, bike rental, and book exchange. Telephone-there are a number of "locutorios", places sporting phone booths, that offer decent prices for calls home and abroad. Ask for the fare beforehand, in any case. Also, there are public pay-phones in the plaza and aduana (customs), but they're often out of order. Mail-called "Correos de Chile", and not "Posta" (that's a medical facility), their office is located in Le Paige street, very close to the museum and the plaza. There's also a courier service, Chilexpress, that has an office in Caracoles street, to westernmost end of it. Don't expect any mail to be delivered swiftly, though, since San Pedro is quite isolated from the country's main communications line. Sending a letter or package to Santiago, for instance, takes at least three days.

You can rest assured that there's virtually no violent crime in San Pedro. However, the theft of bicycles and cars happens every once in a while, so take the normal precautions in that regard. Despite being poorly lit at night, the town is safe to walk around at all times-use your common sense if you see something suspicious. You might hear locals say that the only danger in town are stray dogs (leading even to the nickname "San Perro de Atacama"; perro means dog in Spanish), and this is true. San Pedro boasts a huge population of them; most are friendly and harmless, but a few will attempt to bite passing cyclists. Cases of rape aren't unheard of, but most of these happen at parties, with heavily intoxicated females as the victims. In any case, they're rare.

Altitude First of all, always remember that the altitude of San Pedro de Atacama is above sea level. Some of the tourist attractions are well above . Therefore, if you have any kind of heart or lung problems, consult with your physician before booking a trip. If you get AMS (acute mountain sickness), expect no cure, except heading to lower ground. The symptoms are fairly easy to recognize: dizziness, nausea, headaches, shortness of breath. The best way to ameliorate the condition is to throw up first (seriously), then take an infusion of chachacoma, a local plant that also works quite well to ease headaches. The drink stinks, but actually has only a mild, bitter taste. A packet of chachacoma leaves costs one dollar, and can be found at the handicrafts market at the plaza. An alternative are coca leaves, but remember that you have to drink tea or chew on them at least four times a day, two days before going up! Also, the way to chew them is to put them inside your cheek, and letting them get wet with saliva, not actually biting them! This will release their juice all at once, which is terribly bitter. Solar radiation The sun in San Pedro can often emit dangerous levels of UV rays! Especially in summer, using sunblock, sunglasses, a wide-brimmed hat, and long sleeves is essential. In winter, the radiation levels are more tolerable, and you can actually sunbathe. In summer, however, don't attempt it at all! Especially if your skin's white. The bare minimum SPF for sunblock lotion is 45, 60 and upwards being much better.

Calama – As of April 2022, the timetable according to the sign at the bus terminal (incl. bus company) was the following: {| class="wikitable" |+ !Monday to Friday !Saturday !Sunday |- |07:10 (Araksaya) | | |- |07:30 (Frontera) |07:30 (Araksaya, Frontera) |07:30 (Araksaya, Frontera) |- |07:50 (Atacama) |07:50 (Atacama) |07:50 (Atacama) |- |08:10 (Araksaya) |08:30 (Araksaya) |08:30 (Araksaya) |- |08:30 (Amanecer) |09:00 (Amanecer) | |- |09:30 (Atacama) |09:30 (Atacama) | |- |10:00 (Frontera, Atacama) |10:00 (Frontera) | |- |11:20 (Frontera) |11:20 (Frontera) |11:20 (Frontera) |- |12:00 (Atacama) |12:00 (Atacama) | |- |12:30 (Frontera) |12:30 (Frontera) |12:30 (Frontera) |- | |13:30 (?) |13:30 (?) |- |14:00 (Pullman [Antofa]) |14:00 (Pullman) |14:00 (Pullman) |- |14:30 (Amanecer) |14:30 (Amanecer) |14:30 (Amanecer) |- |16:30 (Frontera) |16:30 (Frontera) |16:00 (Frontera) |- | | |16:30 (Araksaya) |- |17:40 (Atacama) |17:40 (Atacama) |17:40 (Atacama) |- |18:00 (Frontera) |18:00 (Frontera) |18:00 (Frontera) |- | | |19:30 (Frontera) |} Toconao – As of April 2022, the timetable was the following: {| class="wikitable" |+ !Monday to Saturday !Sunday |- | |11:30 (Araksaya) |- |12:40 (Amanecer) | |- |14:40 (Atacama) | |- |18:00 (Amanecer) |18:00 (Amanecer) |- |18:30 (Araksaya) | |- |19:00 (Araksaya) | |- |19:20 (Atacama) |19:20 (Atacama) |} Argentina – The most common way of traveling are three bus lines: Geminis, Andesmar, and Pullman Bus. The prices float around 30,000 pesos, and all of them leave from San Pedro three times per week.