Trip to San Pedro de Atacama
Many of us are excited to visit a new destination or return to one that left us marked to explore it with a different perspective, no matter what the reason, we always face the same dilemmas, where to start, when to go, what to do... etc. That's why this will interest you!
AS:
Currently there are all kinds of alternatives to get to San Pedro, you can buy flights in advance at Jetsmart (https://jetsmart.com/cl/es/), Sky (https://www.skyairline.com/chile) or Latam (https://www.latamairlines.com/cl/es ) keep in mind that there is no airport in San Pedro, so you will have to get to the one in the city of Calama called El Loa Calama Airport (CJC), from there you can hire a transfer to get to the town with companies like Transvip (https://www.transvip.cl/ ) or Transfer Pampa (https://www.transferpampa.cl/ ) both companies offer discounts for purchasing a round-trip ticket. We recommend booking in advance. The trip from the airport to San Pedro takes around 1:15 – 1:30 minutes
WHEN:
Coming to San Pedro is possible all year round, however there are factors that we must take into account to enjoy our trip to the fullest and at the same time not get unexpected surprises. Perhaps one of the most important are the lunar phases since it affects stargazing and we all know that the sky of San Pedro is one of the most beautiful in the world! If you want to enjoy a quality astronomical experience, we recommend that you keep in mind that between 5-6 days before and a couple of days after the full moon we do not carry out the tour, but you will find alternatives such as the Lunar Dinner where you can enjoy an evening wonderful and unique with observation of the brightest objects like the moon, but without the famous photos of the starry sky.
The climate is also one of the factors to take into account, since the temperatures in San Pedro are very extreme from one side to the other, if you come in autumn-winter you will be able to see the Tatio Geyser in its maximum expression of power, but you will be at -25ºC so come well covered. During this time it is possible to see the galactic center at night and generally the places are less saturated with people.
During spring – summer the temperatures are much more pleasant for everyone, so during these seasons we will be able to see a lot of local fauna with their small babies and a great abundance of migratory birds, including flamingos in most of the lagoons.
WHERE:
Although San Pedro is very small and there are many lodging alternatives, it is important to know that the further to the center you stay, the better it will be since you will be able to caracolear (walk along Caracoles Street) at any time, you will be close to restaurants, cafes and else. Now, these accommodations in the center are a little more expensive so any alternative in the surrounding area is good if you are in the following towns:
Avoid staying in Ayllus such as Cucuter, Coyo or Solor if you do not have a vehicle to get around, and most agencies do not pick up passengers outside the urban radius.
TO DO:
The million dollar question!! and the answer depends on how many days you come, the ideal or recommended is to come for at least 3 days, arriving on the first day before 12:00 in San Pedro and leaving on the third day after 3:00 p.m. If your trip is like this, we recommend you live the following experiences:
If you come for more than 3 days you can add experiences according to the days you have, generally we recommend:
Remember that at AtacamaTours we will always be available to help you plan your trip, so if you have questions, write to us and we will be happy to resolve them.
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