If you’ve ever dreamed of walking through landscapes that look more like Mars than Earth, the Atacama Desert is your gateway to the surreal. This high-altitude desert plateau is so otherworldly that NASA staged its simulations of Mars expeditions here. Stretching across a staggering 128,000 square kilometres, it takes up the entire northern third of Chile and is one of the largest and driest deserts on the planet. But while its scale is immense, you can explore some of its most spectacular and diverse landscapes from the town of San Pedro de Atacama.
San Pedro is a dusty little town that’s equal parts adobe oasis, cultural treasure, and a convenient base for visiting the Atacama Desert. So, whether you’re coming for the moonscapes, the flamingos, or one of only seven geyser fields in the world, San Pedro de Atacama is your starting point.
However, for a first-time visit, even this small corner of Atacama can feel both exciting and overwhelming. The altitude alone is enough to give you a headache (literally), not to mention the sheer variety of landscapes to explore. I put together this guide to help you make sense of it all – the lay of the land, things to see, how to get around, and things to know before you go into one of the driest places on Earth.
Getting Oriented Around San Pedro de Atacama
San Pedro de Atacama sits in one of the most striking and geologically complex landscapes in the world. Located at around 2,408 meters above sea level, this small oasis town is surrounded by a dramatic convergence of three mountain ranges, salt flats, and high-altitude desert, famed for being the driest non-polar desert in the world.
Let’s break down the major geographic features around San Pedro de Atacama to help you get oriented.
1. The Andes Mountains
To the east of San Pedro de Atacama, the Andean mountains mark the border with Bolivia and Argentina. The massive backbone of South America, the Andes rise from the plateau to up to 6,000 meters. You’ll see towering volcanoes like Licancabur (5,916 m) and Lascar (5,592 m), many of which are still active.
2. The Altiplano (Andean Plateau)
Within the Andean mountain range, the Altiplano is a high-altitude plateau that lies at 4,000–4,500 meters above sea level. It is characterised by windswept plains, colourful lagoons (such as Miscanti and Miñiques, the Red Rocks (Piedras Rojas)), and the El Tatio Geysers geothermal field.
3. The Domeyko Mountains
To the west of San Pedro de Atacama, the Domeyko Mountains mark the eastern border of the flat parts of the Atacama Desert. It is an ancient mountain range parallel to the Andes but lower in elevation and heavily eroded. This is where you’ll find the Rainbow Valley and several ancient petroglyph sites.
4. The Salt Mountains (Cordillera de la Sal)
Immediately to the west of San Pedro, the Salt Mountains rise between the town and the Domeyko Mountains. It is a small (2,500–2,700 meters) but rugged range made of sedimentary rock and salt, pushed upward by tectonic forces. These eroded, jagged formations are famous for their otherworldly textures and colours, especially at the Moon Valley (Valle de la Luna).
5. The Atacama Salt Flat (Salar de Atacama)
Immediately south of San Pedro de Atacama, Salar de Atacama is the largest salt flat in Chile, formed from an ancient inland lake, now stretching roughly 3,000 km² at an altitude of about 2,300 meters above sea level. It’s a vast, crusty plain of white salt with briny lagoons like Chaxa Lagoon (Laguna Chaxa), home to three species of flamingos, Ojos del Salar and Cejar Lagoons.
Planning for Altitude
Many of the most strikingly beautiful places around San Pedro, like the Tatio Geysers, the Red Rocks, and the altiplanic lagoons of Miscanti and Miñiques, are located on the high-altitude altiplano, sitting above 4,000 meters.
Up here, the air is thin, and altitude sickness can catch you off guard. To give your body time to adjust, I’d recommend spending at least a day at the lower altitudes before venturing into the highlands. Take it slow, stay hydrated, and explore lower-altitude spots like the Valley of the Moon, Rainbow Valley, and Laguna Chaxa first. Your lungs (and your legs) will thank you. I didn’t feel the altitude on the altiplano until I climbed a couple of small rocky hills to photograph viscachas and got a pounding headache for my efforts.
Los Flamencos National Reserve
One thing to keep in mind when planning your visit to the Atacama Desert is that most sites you’ll visit around San Pedro de Atacama are all part of Los Flamencos National Reserve. What most people don’t realise is that it’s not one big park. Instead, it’s a patchwork of seven separate areas, each protecting a different slice of this otherworldly landscape.
And the reserve is co-managed by local Atacameño communities. They oversee visitor access, determine opening and closing times, and monitor visitors to make sure everyone stays on designated paths and respects the fragile landscape that their communities have helped protect for generations.
One peculiar thing about how the sites are managed is that, at certain times of the day, access to some locations is limited to organised tour groups. So, if you are visiting independently, check with your accommodation staff whether the site you wish to visit can be accessed at a given time.
Another thing to keep in mind is that while the roads are public, you are technically not allowed to get out of the car outside of designated parks and viewpoints. If the rangers spot you, they will ask you to return to your car.
Best Things to Do in the Atacama Desert
Now, to the good stuff. The best way to experience the Atacama Desert is to visit at least one site in each of its diverse environments, watch or photograph the night sky, and see some of the Atacama Desert’s unique wildlife. Here are my favourite things to see and do in the Atacama Desert.
Visit Red Rocks (Piedras Rojas) and Altiplano Lagoons
The Red Rocks (Piedras Rojas), along with the nearby Miscanti and Miñiques lagoons, are among the most photogenic spots near San Pedro de Atacama, so it’s no surprise they get crowded. The best way to enjoy them in peace is to arrive early. Since Red Rocks are about 150 km away (a 1 hr 45 min drive), that means leaving San Pedro around 7 am, or closer to 6 am if you’re on a tour.
These sites sit high on the altiplano at around 4,200 meters, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself breathing a little harder as you gain altitude. As you drive towards the altiplano, you’ll leave the desert behind and enter the Puna ecosystem, where you start seeing herds of vicuñas, an occasional rhea, and, if you’re lucky, viscachas basking on the rocks at the Red Rocks car park.
The beauty of Red Rocks is in the stunning contrast between the rust-red rocks (thanks to iron oxidation), the blue-green water of the lagoon, and the white salt crust. Meanwhile, behind you, Meniquez volcano towers 5,900 meters above sea level. If you arrive early in the morning, you’ll love the silence and the serene atmosphere here.
Ironically, while this area is part of the Salt Flat of Hot Waters, the water in the lagoon is far from hot. Given the altitude and the chilly climate, it can be downright freezing at Red Rocks early in the morning. I visited at the end of autumn, and parts of the lagoon were locked in ice.
From Red Rocks, it’s an easy 45-minute drive to the Miscanti and Miñiques lagoons, and the scenery just keeps getting better – rolling hills framed by the towering volcanoes and the vast, empty altiplano stretching so far in every direction that you forget you are in the middle of the Andean mountain range.
Laguna Miscanti is the larger of the two. A deep blue pool at the foot of the massive Cerro Miscanti volcano. Just beyond it, separated by an ancient lava flow from the nearby Miñiques volcano, is the smaller Laguna Miñiques. You would’ve seen the southern face of Miñiques volcano at Red Rocks, and here you are looking at its northern face.
The whole area feels incredibly peaceful. We were lucky to see several large flocks of vicuñas at these lagoons, including several adorable baby vicuñas.
This tour to Red Rocks and Altiplano lagoons also includes a visit to Chaxa Lagoon to see the flamingos. This makes for one of the best days out from San Pedro de Atacama.
See Flamingos at Chaxa Lagoon (Laguna Chaxa)
I’ve been looking forward to seeing flamingos at Laguna Chaxa throughout my entire Chilean trip. I missed them in Patagonia and on Chiloé Island, so this was my last chance to see them.
Laguna Chaxa is part of the Salar de Atacama, Chile’s largest salt flat, sitting at about 2,300 meters above sea level, which also makes it a good place to visit in Atacama while you are acclimatising to the altitude.
You explore Chaxa Lagoon by following the 400-meter Interpretation trail that meanders between two sections of a lagoon that, at most times of day, is teeming with flamingos. And the best part is that there are three different species of flamingos living in Chaxa Lagoon!
Here is the easy way to tell the three species apart. For a more detailed explanation, see my guide to watching flamingos in Chaxa Lagoon.
Chilean flamingo is all pink (the adult individuals that is). They also have light yellow eyes. So, if the flamingo you are looking at does not have black feathers (at the tips of its folded wings), it’s a Chilean flamingo. If it does, check its eyes: if the eyes are yellow, it is an immature Chilean flamingo. If the eyes are black, it is one of the two other species.
Andean Flamingo is the largest and most abundant in the Atacama Salt Flat. A quick way to distinguish it from the James flamingo is by its yellow legs.
James’ flamingo is the smallest and least abundant of the three species found in the Chaxa lagoon. You are most likely to see it in winter when the high-altitude lagoons freeze and the birds migrate to lower altitudes. It is distinguished from the Andean flamingo by its red legs and a red triangle running between the top of its bill and the corners of its eyes. Its demure size is another giveaway, but it may not be as useful if there are many juvenile flamingos present in the lagoon.
To get to Chaxa Lagoon, navigate to “Laguna Chaxa Park” along B-373. You can also visit Chaxa Lagoon as part of an organised tour, usually combined with the Red Rocks and Altiplano lagoons tour (see previous section), as they are in the same direction from San Pedro de Atacama.
Experience the Night Sky
The Atacama Desert has some of the most spectacular night skies in the world. The altitude and dry air combine to create ideal conditions for stargazing and astrophotography. Not surprisingly, many of the world’s observatories are located in the mountain ranges around San Pedro de Atacama.
There are two ways to experience the night sky in Atacama, depending on your interests.
If you are a keen photographer dreaming of capturing the Milky Way in all its glory, Mauro Cueva’s original Astro tour is for you. I took Mauro’s tour, and it was fantastic. We visited several locations around San Pedro de Atacama, and Mauro gave plenty of tips. Plus, he is a fun company.
You don’t need to be an accomplished Astro photographer (I’m not!), but you do need appropriate gear (i.e., a sturdy tripod, a wide-angle lens, and a camera that can be set to manual exposure mode).
If you are not interested in photography, you can take a stargazing group tour and spend the evening looking through a telescope, listening to stories of how indigenous people interpreted the stars, and have your own photo taken with the Milky Way in the background.
Spot Desert Wildlife
Atacama is a highly unique and ecologically distinct ecoregion, and as you explore the desert, you’ll have a unique chance to see some of its wild inhabitants uniquely adapted to life in this harsh landscape. The flamingos of Chaxa Lagoon are only the beginning!
At the higher altitudes, particularly on the altiplano, you’ll see herds of vicuñas, relatives of guanacos and their domesticated cousins, the llamas. You might see a herd or two of domestic llamas grazing in the hills as well.
You might also spot a guanaco at lower altitudes (under 3,500 meters), but they are less common than I expected. I’ve only seen one in five days of exploring the desert.
Tip: If you can’t tell your llamas from alpacas from vicuñas and guanacos, read my guide to telling these four camelids apart.
Other denizens of the desert you might come across are viscachas. They look like something between a rabbit and a rodent. You’ll see them sunning on the rocks, particularly in the first rays of the sun. There was a colony of these adorable rodents at the Red Rocks car park when we visited. These are Southern viscachas, distinguished from their Plains viscacha cousins by their long rabbit-like ears.
If you are lucky, you might also spot an Andean fox, or Culpeo. It is the second largest canid (member of the dog family) in South America after the Maned wolf. A good place to see habituated foxes is around the Tatio Geyser visitor centre. Keep in mind that while the foxes may approach you of their own accord, they are wild animals, so give them some space.
I didn’t see as many birds as you would during the summer months, but I did find a few. A Black-hooded sierra finch in the barren Valley of the Moon, an occasional Rhea strutting in the hills, and lots of Andean geese, coots, ducks and teals in the wetlands around Tatio Geysers.
If you enjoy seeing wildlife, I highly recommend booking a half-day wildlife photo safari with Juan of Onsafari Atacama.
See the Earth Breath at Tatio Geysers (El Tatio)
Visiting the Tatio geyser field is an experience like no other. Imagine standing in the pre-dawn darkness at 4,320 meters above sea level, wrapped in your winter woollies, as plumes of steam billow from countless fumaroles into the icy morning air.
The geysers are most active at dawn, which means you need to be there by 6 a.m., and that means a painfully early start. I visited at the end of May, and to make it on time, I had to crawl out of bed at 4 a.m. and brace for the 90-kilometre drive from San Pedro de Atacama. When we arrived just before sunrise, the temperature was a bone-chilling minus 10°C. Even layered in thermals, gloves, and a beanie, I couldn’t feel my fingers.
You almost forget the cold when you find yourself surrounded by a geothermal wonderland: bubbling pools, spitting cones, crusty mineral deposits, mollusc-shaped formations, waterfall-like surfaces, and tiny terraces built up by centuries of mineral-rich flow. At times, it feels like you are walking through the set of a science fiction film; other times, it is like you are sitting inside an active volcano.
Once the sun is fully up, swing by the visitor centre. You might be lucky enough to spot the local Andean fox, who has taken to hanging around the area.
A word of caution: only attempt the drive to Tatio geyser field yourself if you are not daunted by driving in pitch black on dangerously windy roads with massive drops, some rough sections, and a small river crossing. If this is not your idea of fun, join an organised tour from San Pedro de Atacama.
Visit Rainbow Valley (Valle del Arcoiris)
Tucked away in the ancient Domeyko Mountains, which are an even older range than the Andes, Rainbow Valley is one of the most underrated sites in the Atacama Desert. While the Valley of the Moon is marketed as an absolute ‘must-see’, the Rainbow Valley flies under the tourist radar. The perk, of course, is that it doesn’t get as crowded as the more popular attractions.
Where the Valley of the Moon is all about outlandish shapes, Rainbow Valley throws in some wild colours. Lying just 90 kilometres from San Pedro de Atacama, this surreal valley lives up to its name with hills and cliffs streaked in vivid reds, greens, yellows, and purples. These alien hues are the result of complex geological upheavals that mixed and melded over 250 different minerals into a weathered mountain range.
You’ll follow a short 1.5-kilometre walking trail, first walking through narrow canyons and dry riverbeds, then emerging into the open valley fringed by ochre-tinged badlands formations, a massive hill of green rock, towering formations sculpted by elements into surreal shapes and a massive striped wall – a dramatic cross-section of tilted rock layers where each colour reveals a different mineral origin and moment in geologic time. For more details and images of this incredible landscape, check out my guide to Visiting the Rainbow Valley and Yerbas Buenas Petroglyphs.
If you visit in the morning, you might just have the valley to yourself, as we did. You can also visit Rainbow Valley on an organised half-day tour that includes a visit to the nearby Yerbas Buenas ancient petroglyphs site.
Explore Yerbas Buenas Petroglyphs
Another place that often flies under the tourist radar, overshadowed by the Atacama’s dramatic lagoons, geysers, and volcanoes, is the Yerbas Buenas petroglyphs. Just a 15-minute drive from Rainbow Valley, this remarkable site is tucked into the remnants of a dry canyon, where ancient volcanic rocks are etched with hundreds of carvings left by the region’s early inhabitants.
For thousands of years, Yerbas Buenas has been a resting place for herders, traders, and travellers, drawn here by the rare combination of shade, shelter, and water of the Salado River. Over time, they left behind thousands of petroglyphs of llamas or guanacos, foxes, flamingos, and a few mysterious human shapes. Whether these carvings were a kind of accounting system, spiritual messages, or simply something to pass the time is still up for debate.
There’s a marked path that loops through the site, taking you past clusters of petroglyph-covered boulders and into a shallow shelter cave. There is some signage (not much) to help you make sense of what you are looking at. As you walk along exploring the petroglyphs, you might spot some brightly coloured lizards sunning on the rocks and some black Chilean beetles.
But here’s the part not everyone knows about: there’s a second site just a few hundred meters away, and it feels like you’ve stumbled on a secret. There are no signs or formal trails, just a faint path leading across the open ground to the base of a rocky hillside. This is where you’ll find the “Shaman Site,” a cluster of carvings tucked a little higher up the slope. Among the llamas, you’ll find human figures believed to represent ancient shamans. And to my absolute delight, I also found what looks unmistakably like an Andean cat carved into the stone – one of the rarest and most elusive wild cats in the world.
Head a little deeper into the mountains from here, and you’ll come across the “Puma” site. Tough, personally, I think the animals look more like foxes. Beyond this, you’ll find even more llama carvings, a few flamingos, and a fun, narrow stretch of ochre-colored canyon that eventually pops out onto the B-207 road. You’ll need to retrace your steps to get back to the car park, but the sense of discovery makes it feel like you’ve wandered into a forgotten corner of Atacama history.
The petroglyphs are easy to visit independently from San Pedro. Or you can opt for an organised half-day tour that combines Rainbow Valley and Yerbas Buenas petroglyphs (see previous section). Although the tours don’t visit the Shaman site.
Valley of the Moon (Valle de la Luna)
I left the Valley of the Moon for last because your experience of this site depends entirely on how you visit it. Whether the organised tour is worth it, decide for yourself.
Located just a 10-minute drive from San Pedro de Atacama, the Valley of the Moon is a rugged depression surrounded by the sharp ridges of the Salt Mountains against the distant background of the enormous volcanos of the Andes.
It is a parched landscape of narrow canyons, jagged ridges, and massive sand dunes. It reminded me of the Breakaways Reserve in the Australian Outback, where one of the Riddick movies was filmed. It’s the same kind of bizarre, almost alien landscape.
If you visit the Valley of the Moon in your own rental car (more on this below), you could do the full Valley of the Moon circuit. There are six viewpoints altogether, five of which are grouped together: Duna Mayor, the Amphitheatre, Achaches Lookout, Las Tres Marias, and Mina Victoria. The sixth, Ckari Lookout, is in the opposite direction to the other five.
Once you are done, you can also visit the nearby Magic Bus – a rusted-out, graffiti-covered bus sitting in the middle of an alien landscape.
You can also visit the valley on an organized tour. Most tours head there in the late afternoon and only stop at one of the viewpoints, which gets packed as all the groups converge at the same time. You’ll only spend about an hour in the park, walking to the viewpoint and spending 10-15 minutes at the top.
Another thing to keep in mind is that while the tour might be advertised as a sunset tour, you won’t be watching the sunset in the Valley of the Moon. The park closes about an hour before sunset. You’ll be taken to one of the lookouts outside the park to watch the sunset, and the view is not as picturesque as you might imagine – you’ll be looking down at the formations from the top of the ridge.
This tour offers at least two viewpoints in the Valley of the Moon, but I haven’t personally experienced it.
Renting a Car VS Organised Tours from San Pedro de Atacama
If you’re trying to decide between renting a car or joining organised tours from San Pedro de Atacama, it really comes down to whether you are travelling solo or as a group and how much you’re willing to spend.
I was lucky to spend two days in the Atacama with a group of friends with a rental car and another two days on my own, joining organised tours. There are benefits and drawbacks to both options.
Renting a car, obviously, gives you the freedom to explore at your own pace and, importantly, in your own time, so you can catch sunrises and sunsets or photograph the jaw-dropping night sky for as long as you wish. But it gets pricey.
To access most sites comfortably and safely, especially the altiplano lagoons and geysers, you’ll need a decent-sized car with high clearance (don’t get a sedan!). The car can cost you close to $100 per day, including fuel and potential extras. Another thing to consider is that driving in the Atacama means navigating some rough and remote roads with minimal signage and very patchy mobile reception.
In short, if you are travelling as a group with competent drivers and navigators, renting a car is the best way to go. But if you are travelling solo and don’t have much experience driving in remote locations, organised tours might be a better option. The one exception is the Valley of the Moon, where having your own car makes a huge difference.
I took several organised tours from San Pedro de Atacama and, for the most part, really enjoyed them. The biggest perk, beyond not having to worry about logistics or driving at the crack of dawn, is how much you learn along the way. The stories and details shared by a good guide can be just as mind-blowing as the scenery itself. It adds a whole new layer to the experience that you might miss if you’re exploring entirely on your own.
The obvious limitation, of course, is that you can’t take any detours. In my case, I would have loved to have had more time to photograph the animals you see along the way. But you can always book specialised tours to match your interests, like I did, with Astrophotography and Wildlife safari tours.
Best Time to Visit Atacama
The high season in Atacama is from December to February. I would go to great lengths to avoid crowds when I travel, and where possible, I always opt for the shoulder seasons, which in Atacama are spring (September to November) and fall (March to May).
I visited Atacama at the end of May, which is early winter in the desert. San Pedro was buzzing and alive but not crowded. Daytime temperature was in the low to mid-20s. Mornings were brisk, especially on the altiplano, but nothing you couldn’t prepare for with sufficient layers.
Tatio Geyser was the only place that was truly cold. In the pre-dawn darkness, which is when you want to arrive at the geyser field, it was about minus 10 degrees. Of course, as soon as the sun was up, it warmed up a lot.
May, June, and July are also the best months for watching and photographing the night sky in Atacama, as the sky is clearest during these months. Animals are also easier to spot as they tend to be active throughout the day since it’s not murderously hot. And seeing the Altiplano lagoons frozen was a particularly surreal experience.
How to Get to San Pedro de Atacama
The easiest way to get to San Pedro de Atacama town is to fly to Calama (check flight schedule), a mining town located an hour and a half’s drive from San Pedro.
If you are flying from Santiago, sit on the right side of the plane. Not only will you have spectacular views of the Andes leaving Santiago, but you’ll also see some of the otherworldly Atacama landscapes on approach to Calama.
The most economical way to get from Calama Airport to San Pedro de Atacama is with Transfer Pampa, the official partner of Calama Airport. The round trip will cost you 26,000 pesos (about $26). The drive takes about 1.5 hours.
Where to stay in San Pedro de Atacama
I stayed at Ckoi Atacama, which I booked using frequent flyer points, and I absolutely loved this quaint, comfortable lodge. The rooms are spacious and decorated in a charming local style, and the grounds feel open and peaceful. But the real perks are the outdoor swimming pool and the adorable llamas that live in a paddock right next to it – such a fun and unexpected touch.
The lodge is tucked away at the end of San Pedro’s main street, Caracoles, so while it’s just a five-minute walk to shops and restaurants, it is quiet and relaxed, just what you need after a long day of exploring the desert.
The restaurant serves a mean tuna tataki, and Emporio Andino – San Pedro’s best empanada shop is just up the street.
Phone Reception in San Pedro de Atacama
Phone reception in the Atacama is patchy at best. You’ll get a decent signal in San Pedro de Atacama, but once you head out across the salt flats or into the high-altitude altiplano, coverage drops off quickly—or disappears altogether.
Movistar seems to offer the best coverage in the Atacama region. I used a Nomad eSIM in Chile, which connects to multiple networks. In Patagonia, it mostly tapped into Entel, but in the Atacama, it consistently favoured Movistar, which proved to be the most reliable option.
Final Thoughts
This was a lot of information to digest! I hope this guide to visiting the Atacama Desert gave you a good idea of how to explore this striking corner of the world from San Pedro de Atacama. Ultimately, whichever way you visit, whichever sites you pick and however long you spend in the desert will make for a spectacular trip. The Atacama Desert is unique and striking enough to blow your mind regardless of the choices you make (as long as you don’t head to the altiplano straight off the plane).
But if you are a planner and someone who values getting the most out of your trip, I hope this guide answered most of the questions you had. If not, share your questions in the comments below.
More on Exploring Chile
- Rainbow Valley Atacama Desert: The Most Underrated Landscape in Northern Chile
- Where to See Atacama Desert Wildlife around San Pedro de Atacama
- Complete Guide to Exploring the Atacama Desert Around San Pedro de Atacama
- Walking Through Chilote Mythology: A Self-Guided Tour of Castro, Chiloe
- Discovering the Wild Side of Chiloe Island in Tepuhueico Park
- Guide to Planning Your Patagonia Puma Quest in Torres Del Paine National Park
- Discovering Chilean Patagonia in Winter: Torres del Paine in May
- Llama vs Alpaca vs Vicuña vs Guanaco: How to Tell Them Apart
- 11 Stunning South American Wild Cats and Where to See Them
- Looking for Pumas in Chile Without a Guide
