Top Things To Do In The Atacama Desert – The Driest Desert On Earth

Red car driving in moonlike landscape towards the great wall of Valle De La Luna in the Atacama desert, Chile

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The North of Chile is home to the driest desert on earth, the Atacama Desert or Desierto de Atacama. With its many unique things to see and do and the quaint adobe desert town San Pedro de Atacama the famous Chilean region draws in desert lovers from all over the world. Including us – over and over again. In this Atacama Desert Travel Guide we give our tips on the most amazing and best things to do in the Atacama Desert and where to stay in San Pedro de Atacama, as well as tours to take to explore the driest desert on earth.

ATACAMA DESERT TRAVEL GUIDE

Table Of Contents

Adobe Desert Town San Pedro De Atacama
How To Get To The Atacama Desert
Unique Things To Do In The Atacama Desert
Where To Stay in San Pedro De Atacama
- Desert Style Luxury Hotels
- Airbnbs In San Pedro de Atacama

Piscoandbier watching colorful sunset on hill top over Valle de la Luna in the Atacama desert

ADOBE DESERT TOWN SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA

Adobe style desert house at Caracoles in San Pedro de Atacama

Adobe style house front of La Casona restaurant in desert town San Pedro de Atacama

San Pedro is the main town of the Atacama desert and the place to be and stay. From here you can book various tours or go on your own journeys. Along the main street “Caracoles” you will find plenty of tour providers that offer tours of all sorts. Half-day or full-day tours of the surrounding area. Or even multiple days all the way to the Salar de Uyuni salt flat in Bolivia. Make sure you book plenty of time ahead since the demand is high.

But also San Pedro de Atacama on its own is a destination in itself. With its adobe buildings and its cute streets that house many little shops and amazing restaurants – oftentimes with live music even – you will have a great time just exploring the town alone.

HOW TO GET TO THE ATACAMA DESERT

Getting to San Pedro de Atacama is easy. If you are already in Chile you can fly into Calama, which is a city about an hour away from San Pedro. From there you can rent a car, or take a shuttle which will bring you directly to your hotel in the town of San Pedro de Atacama. We have done both options on separate trips. It just depends on your schedule and what you are planning to do.

UNIQUE THINGS TO DO IN THE ATACAMA DESERT

VALLE DE LA LUNA – MOON VALLEY

Magical sunset over sand dunes in Chile's Atacama desert

As the name already gives away, the rocky and sandy landscape makes you feel as if you were on the moon. Especially the famous rock wall in Valle de La Luna looks out of this world and makes up for a great photo spot.

The best time to visit is in the evening hours before sunset when the sun is low and creates a nice contrast over the rock formations.

Dunes in a moonlike landscape at Valle de la Luna in the Atacama desert, Chile

For the actual sunset, walk up the famous sand dune and you will be rewarded with a majestic colorful sky as the sun disappears over the moonlike landscape.

With GetYourGuide you can book the sunset tour to Valle de la Luna online.

LAGUNA CHAXA – LOS FLAMENCOS NATIONAL RESERVE

Colorful mirror like reflection of volcano and flamingo on Laguna Chaxa lagoon of Atacama desert

One of the most picturesque places in the Atacama desert. It doesn’t get more pretty than watching flamingos eating shrimp in front of a volcano and that all doubled with an even prettier mirror effect!

Bring lots of water and sunscreen as it gets really hot during the day and there is no shade around besides the small information center. This, is recommended for all Atacama activities during the day.

Book a day tour to Laguna Chaxa online.

Reflection of flamingo in Laguna Chaxa with volcano in background.

Mirror reflection of flamingo eating in lagoon in Atacama desert

TERMAS DE PURITAMA HOT SPRINGS

Piscoandbier admiring the natural hot spring waterfall at Termas de Puritama

With all the dryness of the Atacama desert you are in for a treat at the Termas de Puritama Hot Springs. Located down in a canyon you will find lush greens and natural pools along a volcanic river. Check out our post on the Puritama hot springs here.

Reserve a transport to Termas de Puritama online.

LAGUNA ESCONDIDA DE BALTINACHE

View of Laguna Baltinache blue mineral pool

One of the most unique activities in the Atacama desert. Lagunas Escondidas de Baltinache are 7 turquoise lagoons so rich in salt that you will float. Only two lagoons are open for swimming though.

It is recommended to take a tour to the lagoons, because it’s about an hour drive (one way) and 50 out of 60km are on a gravel road. If you have a good SUV it is totally doable though. Just be prepared for the 120km drive and that it’s gonna get bumpy.

As everywhere in the Atacama desert, you should bring plenty of water and sun protection. And don’t forget your bathing suit!

Book a tour to Lagunas Escondidas de Baltinache online.

EL TATIO GEYSERS & THERMAL BATH

OFF-ROAD ROADTRIP TOUR TO SALAR DE UYUNI IN BOLIVIA

Piscoandbier couple sitting and kissing on roof of 4x4 off-road tour car in middle of Bolivia's Uyuni salt flats.

With the Atacama desert being in the North of Chile you are very close to Bolivia and the town of San Pedro is only about an hour away from the Chilean-Bolivian border. Besides taking tours exploring the Atacama desert, there are also tours leaving San Pedro to the Uyuni salt flats in Bolivia. You can decide between 3 days/ 2 nights or 4 days/ 3 nights roundtrip tours starting and ending in Chile or one-way tours ending in Uyuni, Bolivia. It’s a pretty good adventure. You go off-road through the Bolivian Andes, pass hot springs, picturesque landscapes, lamas and end up in the world’s biggest mirror, the Uyuni salt flats.

WHERE TO STAY IN SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA

There are a lot of hotels and hostels in San Pedro, pretty much for every wallet. So if you are a backpacker or luxury traveler or in between, you will find a nice desert style stay.

Caracoles is the main street in San Pedro de Atacama. If you don’t want to walk much and stay close, you should look for a hotel around the Caracoles area. Otherwise there are also very nice hotels a little bit further out of town. Some conveniently offer their guests bicycles to rent. Especially luxury hotels like Tierra Atacama Hotel & Spa, Alto Atacama Desert Lodge & Spa, Casa Atacama and Awasi Atacama – Relais & Chateaux are more secluded.

AMAZING DESERT STYLE LUXURY HOTELS IN SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA

Tierra Atacama Hotel & Spa

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Alto Atacama Desert Lodge & Spa

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Casa Atacama

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Awasi Atacama – Relais & Chateaux

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Hotel Cumbres San Pedro de Atacama

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Explora Atacama – All Inclusive

Pastel colored sunset view of volcano Licancabur through window from Lackuntur hotel in San Pedro de Atacama — Sunset view from Hostal Lackuntur of San Pedro de Atacama and Licancabur volcano

Sunset view from our hotel (Hostal Lackuntur) of San Pedro de Atacama and Licancabur volcano. A great and affordable place to stay with pool and this amazing view. Hostal Lackuntur is just a short walk to the center of San Pedro. We also loved the hammocks and the communal kitchen to prepare some snacks.

Another hotel we stayed in, which is closer to the center and main street Caracoles, is Hotel La Cochera (currently closed due to COVID). It has a really nice property with pool and areas to relax.