San Pedro de Atacama, Travel Day

We were originally scheduled to take a bus over the Andes from Salta to SPdA (Chile) but after experiencing four nights of torrential brief rains, washed out roads and a change to a less reputable bus company that left at midnight, we decided to fly instead. That required last minute arrangements for 3 flights and 8 hours (still a few hours less than the bus ride) - Salta to Buenos Aires to Santiago to Calama. We arrived in Calama at night, seeing only the formidably bright lights of numerous copper mines as we taxied the 1-1/2 hours to SPdA.

San Pedro is a small town set on a high arid plateau (alt 7950 feet) in the middle of nowhere. It may have been settled as early as 500 A.D. by the Atacamenos, the indigenous people. Now it is a center for astronomical research, a laid back town that has a hippie-ish atmosphere, and a Mecca for desert tourism.

Our hotel, the Terrantai Lodge, was welcoming and friendly, comfortable and had a great shower. The fountain outside our room trickled merrily and the breakfasts and happy hours were terrific. Right in the center of town, behind a hidden door, it felt like an oasis yet close to everything.Read more