San Pedro de Atacama

 

San Pedro de Atacama

 

Open road from Calama to San Pedro.

San Pedro de Atacama

Town in Chile

 

 

San Pedro de Atacama is a Chilean town and commune in El Loa Province, Antofagasta Region. It is located east of Antofagasta, some 106 km (60 mi) southeast of Calama and the Chuquicamata copper mine, overlooking the Licancabur volcano. It features a significant archeological museum, the R. P. Gustavo Le Paige Archaeological Museum, with a large collection of relics and artifacts from the region. Native ruins nearby attract increasing numbers of tourists interested in learning about pre-Columbian cultures.

 

The town lies at an average of 8,000 feet (2,400 m), thus visitors often experience mild altitude sickness such as dizziness, lethargy and headaches.

History

San Pedro de Atacama grew, over centuries, around an oasis in the Puna de Atacama, an arid high plateau. Its first inhabitants were the Atacameños, who developed basketworks and ceramic pottery crafts that can be now be appreciated by tourists in the several souvenir shops as typical products of San Pedro de Atacama.

It was part of Bolivia since independence from Spain until Chile claimed ownership during the War of the Pacific. During that war, the Battle of Río Grande was fought in the surroundings.

 

The Atacama Desert is located in the northern half of Chile between the Pacific Ocean, to the west, and the Andes Mountains, to the east. This 1,000-mile strip of desert, is the highest non-polar desert plateau in the world. (Antarctica is the driest place on earth if you are wondering) 

 

 

The Atacama Desert is the driest place of the world. Some parts of the Atacama Desert have never received rain.

 

 

 

The Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley)

The Valle de la Luna is a unique landscape that is located just 13 km (8 miles) outside of San Pedro de Atacama. It is called the Moon Valley because of its similarity to the surface of the moon but it really looks more like the surface of Mars with its red rocks and red dunes.

 

Hike Duna Mayor

The valley is a great place  for  Hiking Duna Mayor , overlooking high dunes and out-of-this-world rock formations.

 

 

Mirador Lickan-Antai

There are several miradors to watch the sunset in Valle de La Luna.  The extraordinary views from Mirador Lickan Antai. 

 

 Las Tres Marias Valle de La Luna

the Salar de Atacama  at Las Tres Marías, the famous rock formations of the Atacama Desert. The salt flat of the Atacama Desert , a  dry desert (some places only see rain every 100 years!) 

 

Sunset from Mirador de Kari Piedra del Coyote

San Pedro de Atacama,s  sunset

from Mirador de Kari Piedra del Coyote. Located outside Valle de La Luna  in the Atacama Desert.

 

The sun creating shadows and depth on the rocky valley floor as the high mountains twinkle with color surrounding the vast desert.

 

 El Tatio geysers

The El Tatio geysers are  the highest geothermal area in the world.  The El Tatio Geysers are about a two-hour drive from San Pedro de Atacama. 

The geysers are most active at dawn when the water is at its hottest (and air at its coldest), and they produce steam and hot water that can reach temperatures of up to 100°C.

 

 Geysers of Yellowstone, are the third largest geothermal areas on earth. The  Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone

 

 

Altiplanico Lakes 4300 metresLagunas Miscanti and Miñiques

The high-altitude lakes (The Lagunas Altiplanicas) of Miscanti and Miñiques,. an elevation of over 4000 meters (13,000 feet)  from the picturesque lakes of Miscanti and Miniques.

The still deep blue waters are striking and it is shocking to be standing at 4000 meters with the two high volcanoes towering overhead.

 

The Volcano  was higher than Mount Kilimanjaro. The two volcanoes that frame the lagoons are (5,622 meters (18,445 ft)) and Cerro Miñiques (5,910 meters (19,390 ft))

 

Spy on Vicuñas

The lagoons are connected by a trail of rocks and you’ll be able to see wild vicunas roaming the landscape.