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Jan 6, 2024 · How to plan a trip Chile's Atacama Desert, including where to stay, what to do, and the best time to visit.
- Otherworldly Landscapes. It’s no surprise that the stunning landscapes are the main reason why Patagonia is worth visiting. After all, the region boasts diverse and dramatic scenery unlike anywhere else in the world.
- The World’s Most Impressive Glacier. One of the biggest attractions in Patagonia is the striking Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentina’s Los Glaciares National Park.
- Epic Hiking & Trekking. If Patagonia is know for one activity above all else, it’s hiking. With some of the most wild and scenic terrain in the whole world, and pristine national parks like Torres del Paine and Los Glaciares National Park, it really is a hiker’s paradise.
- The Carretera Austral. If you enjoy road trips, then the Carretera Austral is one of the best reasons to visit Patagonia. Not only is this the most scenic drive in South America, but it’s also one of the top road trips in the world.
- Why You Should Hire A Car and Go Self-Guided Around The Atacama Desert
- Another Option For Exploring San Pedro de Atacama
- Top Things to Do in San Pedro de Atacama and The Atacama Desert
- Useful Information About Visiting The Atacama Desert
- Other Inspiration For Places to Visit in Chile
Although most backpackers in San Pedro de Atacama march the streets looking for the best deals on the Atacama Desert tours being offered along the high street, one of the easiest (and most affordable) means of visiting the region’s main sites is by renting a vehicle. We found that having our own wheels made access to the region’s top attractions ch...
While I always try and outline how you can explore destinations without taking a tour, if you want a truly unique experience of San Pedro de Atacama and surroundings, I would highly recommend Travolution’s Authentic desert life in San Pedro de Atacama tour. Over four days, you visit many of the region’s top sights, including El Tatio Geysers, Valle...
1. Visit Piedras Rojas (Red Rocks) and Salar de Talar, Ruta 23
This was actually one of our final day-trips and definitely my highlight from this list of things to do in the Atacama Desert. Surrounded by a ring of volcanoes, Las Piedras Rojas(Red Rocks) are an expanse of red-hued rocks that look like a set of huge natural cobblestones. You can walk on top of this weird natural formation while watching the gentle lapping of the neighbouring saline lake and the blinding white of the Salar de Talar, a much smaller and cleaner salt flat than you will have se...
2. See the Atacama Desert from the skies
There’s nothing quite like getting a bird’s-eye view of a place and when I visited San Pedro de Atacama for the second time in August 2017, I joined a tour by Balloons Over Atacamato do just that. After being picked up in the dawn, we drove out to the Salar de Atacama and watched as our stead (a vast red balloon) was prepared for the flight, before jumping in and lifting up into the skies for utterly sensational views. On the tour, you spend anything from 30 minutes to one hour 30 minutes in...
3. Visit Laguna Miscanti and Laguna Miñiques
Located only a short distance from Piedras Rojas and the Salar de Talar are two gleaming lagoons, Miscanti and Miñiques. Salt-rimmed and flanked on all sides by gently undulating rusty coloured hills and rough, sun-baked shrubs, these lakes are perhaps the most beautiful in the whole of the Atacama Desert. It is a true introduction to the barren landscapes of the Andean altiplanobut the combination of motionless water and the brightest blue sky you will have even seen more than make up for th...
Alternative things to do in San Pedro de Atacama
We also visited the following places on our tour of the Atacama Desert: 1. El Tatio Geysers:the highest geothermal field in the world and home to a series of impressive geysers that are most beautiful at dawn. 2. Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley):red rocks weathered by the desert sands to look like what I imagine the surface of Mars appears. Again, most magical at dawn or dusk. 3. Valle de la Muerte (Death Valley):A short distance from Valle de la Luna, these sand dunes are a great spot for sand...
Where to stay in San Pedro de Atacama
Accommodation in San Pedro de Atacama is very expensive, even by Chilean standards. Remember that, as in most of South America, there are a lot more hostels on the ground than you’ll find on the internet, so be prepared to take a wander around looking for accommodation that you might otherwise have missed. Following my visits to San Pedro de Atacama, the following places are my top picks.
Transportation to and from San Pedro de Atacama
From San Pedro de Atacama, buses leave for Salta, Argentina (11 hours). These generally only depart in the morning and as this is a popular crossing for backpackers, it’s recommended to book a couple of days in advance. From nearby Calama (one hour’s drive from San Pedro), you can find buses to Bolivia (eight hours) (again only leaving in the morning and not necessarily every day) as well as buses to Santiago (24 hours). Flights from Calama de Santiago can often be only a little bit more expe...
While there are plenty of adventure travel destinations in Chile, and particularly in the north of Chile, no trip here would be complete without heading to the far south and Patagonia– a true adventure playground for travellers! From the ultimate Chilean road trip along the Carretera Austral to penguin colonies and wild Patagonian scenery, there’s ...
Sep 30, 2024 · WHY VISIT PATAGONIA AND THE CARRETERA AUSTRAL CHILE? There are so many reasons why you might want to visit Chile and Patagonia but here are just a few that might convince you to finally book that trip.
Sep 21, 2024 · The best circuit truly depends on why you want to visit Machu Picchu. If you’re there as part of a very quick trip, and simply want to get that incredible view, then circuit 1 is for you. If you’re wanting a more rounded trip - exploring the entire site and taking in the history - then circuit 2 is a must.
Nov 22, 2023 · Where (and why!) should you drive to in Patagonia? As someone who’s driven sections of the famed Southern Highway, aka the Carretera Austral and gone beyond-the-beaten trail on some increasingly dodgy roads in Chilean Tierra del Fuego, the question you should really be asking yourself is why shouldn’t you drive in Patagonia?
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Oct 5, 2024 · Dive into the logistics of a road trip along Patagonia's Carretera Austral, home to the region's best hiking & national parks, with this 8,000-word guide.
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