San Pedro de Atacama is a popular tourist destination. There are various activities for adventurers in the San Pedro de Atacama area: trekking, climbing, archaeological sightings,
amateur astronomy, exploration tours in natural landscapes and even sand boarding in the desert. Because of its altitude, a brief period of acclimatization may be required.
Sights in town In the town are some cultural and scientific sites: •
R. P. Gustavo Le Paige Archaeological Museum, displaying ceramics and pottery crafts from the first inhabitants of the area. •
Church of San Pedro de Atacama a National Monument, built with
adobe, a building material used in the colonial times. • Meteorite Museum displays and explains meteorites of various compositions, from various celestial sources, some of which an international collaboration has gathered in the large, infrequently disturbed collection area of the Atacama.
Outlying sights •
Chaxas Lagoon, part of
Los Flamencos National Reserve in the Salar de Atacama, inhabited by pink
flamingos. •
El Tatio, a geyser field with over 80 active geysers. •
Llano de Chajnantor Observatory, a
radio-telescope site, home of "ALMA", the
Atacama Large Millimeter Array. •
Laguna Miscanti (Miscanti Lagoon) and
Laguna Miñiques (Miñiques Lagoon), two neighboring altiplanic lagoons at the altitude of 4,200 m (13,500 ft). •
Licancabur, a notable volcano near San Pedro de Atacama. •
Pukará de Quitor (Fort Quitor). A fortification built by the
Atacameño people in the 12th century. •
Puritama Hot Springs •
Salar de Atacama, a giant salt flat (3,000 km2 / 1,864.11 mi2) in the middle of the desert. •
Valle de la Luna ("Valley of the Moon"), a moon-like landscape with ruins of old Chilean salt mines, and worker huts. •
Valle de la Muerte (Death Valley): a valley where gigantic dunes and rocks abound.
Holidays and festivals in San Pedro de Atacama The festivals includes typical dances, masses in the street and a little parade through the main street of San Pedro de Atacama. • June 28 - Saint Peter • June 29 - Saint Paul • Feb 2 - Virgin de la Candelaria ==Image gallery==