San Pedro de Atacama

The Chilean oasis village of San Pedro de Atacama (at an altitude of 2,430 metres) is located in the basin of the Salar de Atacama, on the high plateau of the Puna de Atacama, some 250 kilometres from Antofagasta, in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. The Tropic of Capricorn passes a few dozen kilometres south of the village, which is dominated by the Licancabur volcano (5,916 metres altitude) and the volcano Sairecabur (5,971 metres altitude).

San Pedro de Atacama existed a long time before the Inca era, it was occupied by the Atacama people who developed an advanced civilization producing distinctive ceramics and basketry. This village of less than 5,000 inhabitants is the touristic centre of the north of Chile and the common starting point for expeditions to the Andes, the Salar de Atacama, the geysers of El Tatio, the Valley of the Moon, etc.