San Pedro de Atacama

Come here for the desert, not for a traditional city break. San Pedro itself is a small desert town, but it’s the gateway to some of the most incredible landscapes in northern Chile. The variety surprised me most — the colors, mountains, salt flats, wildlife, lagoons and volcanic landscapes make different parts of the region feel like completely different worlds.

Getting there: I flew to Santiago, then on to Calama, the closest major airport. From Calama Airport I took a shared van transfer to San Pedro for about $15 USD. I didn’t need to pre-book — several companies at the airport offer transportation to San Pedro.

How I explored: I used organized excursions, which made it easy to reach remote lagoons, salt flats and geothermal areas without renting a car. Some excursion days are long, so plan for early mornings, changing temperatures and plenty of time on the road.

Day 1 — Arrive in the desert. Fly into Calama, transfer to San Pedro, settle in and explore town. Dinner at Estrella Negra. Keep it easy: San Pedro is already at a significant elevation, so use this day to acclimate and hydrate.

Day 2 — Rainbow Valley + Valle de la Luna. Asociación Indígena Turi Hualca, Rainbow Valley’s colorful mineral-rich landscapes, the otherworldly scenery of Valle de la Luna, and incredible views at Mirador de Kari / Piedra del Coyote.

Day 3 — Flamingos, lagoons + stars. Laguna Chaxa, Miscanti Lagoon and Salar de Talar, then dinner at Adobe and an astronomy experience beneath the enormous Atacama night sky.

Day 4 — El Tatio + desert lagoons. An early start for steam rising from El Tatio’s geothermal field surrounded by the Andes, then Flamingos Lagoon, Laguna Piedra, Ojos del Salar and Laguna Tebinquinche.

Day 5 — Last morning + return to Santiago. A slower final morning in San Pedro before the transfer back to Calama — welcome downtime after several packed excursion days.

Where I stayed: El Refugio La Casa de Don Tomas — a pretty property and a good base for exploring. My room didn’t have air conditioning, which isn’t unusual here, so check amenities if AC matters to you.

Vegetarian food 🌱: San Pedro was one of the more challenging destinations I’ve visited for vegetarian food. I ate at Estrella Negra and Adobe. For me, this destination was much more about the landscapes than the food. VeggieTravelGirl Tip: bring backup snacks for long excursion days and don’t assume every tour stop will have a substantial vegetarian meal.

Staying connected: I used an eSIM and stayed connected through this remote region. Download anything important for offline use before excursions — Google Maps, hotel information, tour confirmations and transportation details.

How long to stay: 4–5 days. Four days covers several major excursions; five gives breathing room, which I appreciated because some days are long and start very early. It’s especially good for travelers who love nature, dramatic landscapes, photography, stargazing, adventure, wildlife and flamingos — but it wouldn’t be my first pick for a food-focused vacation.

Final thoughts ✨ There are destinations that are beautiful, and then there are places that almost don’t feel real. The Atacama was the latter for me. You come here because this tiny desert town gives you access to an extraordinary corner of the world. The desert is the magic — if you love places that make you stop and think, “How is this real?”, put the Atacama Desert on your list.