Explore Natural Wonders on an Atacama Tour

San Pedro de Atacama is a small village in the north of Chile that is perfectly situated among many surrounding natural wonders which beckon adventurous travelers from across the globe. The arid desert has a number of sights that can be accessed by organized tours, and in some cases, by mountain bikes.

Daily tours leave early in the morning in order to get a glimpse of the magnificent spewing geysers of El Tatio, located some 50 miles away from San Pedro. Renowned for being among the highest in the world, the geysers leave visitors in awe as they spring up thousands of colors and magnificent images each morning.

Laguna Verde (Green Lagoon) is a 10 square mile body of water, located approximately 40 miles from San Pedro and is particularly known for its emerald mirror-like properties as it reflects the magnificent Licancabur Volcano in its waters. This unique color is due to a high concentration of magnesium in the lagoon, and makes for quite a sight for tourists, as it did for civilizations of old, who considered this a sacred place.

Located in Reserva Nacional Los Flamencos, the salt lake of Atacama sets a superb scene for any traveler as it combines its reflecting waters with the sprawling white salt flats that surround it, creating a surreal landscape. Scattered across this tranquil environment are Atacama’s exotic inhabitants – the pink flamingos. With a few clouds in the sky, and particularly as the sun sets, the salt lake creates quite a contrast against the arid desert that surrounds it.

The Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon) creates a surreal landscape at dusk, as the winds of time have carved its valleys and rocks beyond recognition. Accessible by bus or mountain bike, this unique valley shares few similarities with any other Earthly landscape.

This guide to exploring natural wonders on an Atacama tour was written by a Chile travel expert at Chile For Less, specialists in Chile vacations.