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faq.title
faq.subtitle San Pedro de Atacama
Fly to Calama Airport (CJC) from Santiago (2h). Then bus/taxi to San Pedro (1h, 50000 pesos taxi or 5000 bus)
March-May and Sep-Nov (shoulder season). Mild weather, fewer tourists. June-Aug is cold but excellent stargazing. Dec-Feb is hot with occasional rain
Valle de la Luna (sunset, 35000-50000). El Tatio geysers (04:00 start, 55000-70000). Laguna Cejar (35000). Piedras Rojas (100000-130000). Night stargazing tours (25000-40000)
San Pedro is at 2400m. Some tours reach 4500m. Take a day to acclimatize, drink lots of water, avoid alcohol initially. Coca tea helps
4-5 days is ideal for main tours and acclimatization. 3 days minimum if time is limited. 7+ days for deep exploration and distant tours
Travel Tips
Useful tips for visiting San Pedro de Atacama
Drink 3-4 liters of water daily - the extreme dryness causes dehydration fast. Always carry a refillable bottle
Book early morning tours like El Tatio geysers the evening before - they start at 04:00 and fill up fast
Bring SPF 50+ sunscreen, sunglasses, and hat - solar radiation is extreme at this altitude
Bring Chilean pesos cash - many small shops and tour operators do not accept cards
Dress in layers - temperatures vary from 0°C in early morning to 25°C at midday
Book stargazing with a real observatory (SPACE, Alarkapin) for quality telescopes, not just naked-eye viewing
Reviews
Questions & Answers
Weather
Average temperature by month
Now
17°
17°33%17 м/с
Today26°9°
26°9°Tomorrow25°8°
25°8°Fri24°9°
24°9°Sat24°9°
24°9°Sun23°11°
23°11°Mon23°10°
23°10°Tue25°8°
25°8°24°
10°Jan
24°
10°Feb
23°
8°Mar
21°
5°Apr
18°
2°May
16°
0°Jun
17°
0°Jul
19°
1°Aug
20°
3°Sep
22°
5°Oct
23°
7°Nov
24°
9°Dec
location.transport.title
location.transport.subtitle
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location.transport.bus
2500 $~2.7 $
Bus Calama — San Pedro de Atacama: ~2,500 CLP (~3 USD, 1h 45min). NO local transport in San Pedro — walking town. All desert attractions — tour or rental car only
location.transport.taxi
3000 $~3.3 $
Taxi in San Pedro: 3,000-5,000 CLP (~4-7 USD). Taxi from Calama Airport: 20,000-25,000 CLP (~25-35 USD, 1 hour). Very few taxis — book via hotel. No taxis in desert — tours only
| location.transport.title | location.transport.price | location.transport.app | location.transport.note |
|---|---|---|---|
location.transport.bus | 2500 $ ~2.7 $ | — | Bus Calama — San Pedro de Atacama: ~2,500 CLP (~3 USD, 1h 45min). NO local transport in San Pedro — walking town. All desert attractions — tour or rental car only |
location.transport.taxi | 3000 $ ~3.3 $ | — | Taxi in San Pedro: 3,000-5,000 CLP (~4-7 USD). Taxi from Calama Airport: 20,000-25,000 CLP (~25-35 USD, 1 hour). Very few taxis — book via hotel. No taxis in desert — tours only |
Daily Budget
Prices
Cost of food, accommodation and services
Cafes & Restaurants
Lunch
8000 - 15000 CLP$
~11500 $
Restaurant dinner
35000 - 60000 CLP$
~47500 $
Breakfast
6000 - 10000 CLP$
~8000 $
Street Food
Local dish
4000 - 6000 CLP$
~5000 $
Drinks
Coffee
2500 - 4000 CLP$
~3250 $
Beer in bar
4000 - 6000 CLP$
~5000 $
Local beer
2000 - 3000 CLP$
~2500 $
Imported beer
4000 - 6000 CLP$
~5000 $
Wine bottle
6000 - 20000 CLP$
~13000 $
Fast Food
Big Mac
7000 - 8000 CLP$
~7500 $
Groceries
Water 1.5L
1000 - 1500 CLP$
~1250 $
Cigarettes
6000 - 7500 CLP$
~6750 $
Weekly groceries
60000 - 90000 CLP$
~75000 $
Prices are approximate and may vary by season and area.
Accommodation
Hotels and rental prices
Hostel dorm
15000 - 25000 CLP$ / night
~20000 $
Hostel private room
35000 - 55000 CLP$ / night
~45000 $
Guesthouse
45000 - 70000 CLP$ / night
~57500 $
Hotel 2★
40000 - 60000 CLP$ / night
~50000 $
Hotel 3★
70000 - 110000 CLP$ / night
~90000 $
Hotel 4★
120000 - 200000 CLP$ / night
~160000 $
Hotel 5★
250000 - 500000 CLP$ / night
~375000 $
Boutique hotel
150000 - 280000 CLP$ / night
~215000 $
Prices are approximate. Book in advance during high season.
location.payment.title
location.payment.subtitle
location.payment.accepted_cards
VisaMastercard
location.payment.atms
limited
location.payment.cash
Cash is essential! Limited ATMs in town (one from BancoEstado). Bring enough pesos. Some shops accept dollars at poor rates
location.payment.currency_exchange
Chilean Peso (CLP). ~900 per USD. Only one ATM (BancoEstado). Bring cash from Calama or Santiago. Credit cards very limited
location.payment.tipping
10%
10% in restaurants. Tip tour guides 2000-5000 pesos per person depending on satisfaction
What to see
Attractions and points of interest
