Around San Pedro de Atacama

Despite its diminutive size, the village of San Pedro de Atacama, a desert oasis of adobe homes set around an attractive square, features on many people’s itineraries when they head for Chile. Reached by bus from nearby Calama, a two-hour flight from the capital Santiago, San Pedro is perfectly placed as a base from which to explore the picturesque scenery of Los Flamencos National Reserve. Tourists can explore lagoons framed by snow-capped volcanoes high in the altiplano, wander across salt pans or see dawn break at the atmospheric El Tatio geyser field. Despite a growing number of visitors, if choose your operator carefully it’s still possible to have a magical experience. I chose Desert Adventure: the guiding was excellent and the tours unrushed. Here are some of my favourite photos from the trip.

Laguna Miscanti with Cerro Miscanti in the background

Vicuña graze the altiplano in family groups

Salar Aguas Calientes – all the colours of the Caribbean but none of the heat!

Salar Aguas Calientes – almost like a watercolour

Flamingo spotting at Laguna Chaxa

Llama feeding in the village of Toconao

Valle de la Luna

Sunset at Valle de la Luna

Sunrise at El Tatio geyser field

Atmospheric El Tatio

The rustic church at the village of Macucha, famed for its delicious anticuchos de llama

One of the dogs that gives the village its nickname – San Perro de Atacama