✈️【Transportation Section】
We departed from Chicago and took Delta via Atlanta, arriving in Santiago in the morning. There were many people queuing for entry, but the line moved quite quickly; just showing the US visa was enough. Each person is given a small slip of paper, which is recommended to be kept with the passport as it will be needed for hotel stays.
Our itinerary had the first stop at the desert, with a separately booked LATAM morning flight to Calama. From the international terminal in Santiago, you need to go outside and walk a bit to reach the domestic terminal.
Calama airport is very small, with only three destinations visible (later, we decided to go to La Serena to avoid backtracking). The base for the Atacama Desert is the town of San Pedro. At the airport, it’s suggested not to pay attention to touts and instead find the Transvip counter. A shuttle bus takes about 80-90 minutes and can drop you right at your hotel, costing 15,000 CLP per person one way. If you have a return time set, you can buy a round-trip ticket.
The town is small and can be navigated on foot. For those who want to freely explore the surroundings, bicycles or 4×4 vehicles can also be rented in the town.
🏠【Accommodation Section】
This time we stayed at Terrantai Lodge, which has an excellent location, just a few steps away from the main street of the town. The hotel rooms are a bit small, but they provide heating at night, and the common areas are beautifully decorated. There are also free tea and wine tasting every day. Overall, it is highly recommended.
There are accommodations of all kinds in the town. If budget is not a concern, you can experience Awasi or Explora. Nayara Alto is also a good option. We previously looked at Our Habitas, which seemed nice, but we didn’t choose it because the online description did not mention heating.
🌄【Sightseeing Section】
On the main street of San Pedro, Caracoles, there are many travel agencies. You can first take a look around, compare prices, and then make a choice. It seems that the further away from the town center, the cheaper. These travel agencies generally do not operate tours themselves but rather gather people, so in the end, a tour may include people from different agencies. The travel agency owner also mentioned that a large number of people came for filming before, which was quite spectacular.
The most popular activities in the desert are four: stargazing, geysers, volcanic lakes, and flamingos. Since we couldn’t get up early, we only went to the first two, and the experience was fantastic. There are also multi-day tours to Uyuni, Bolivia, but it’s said that the accommodation conditions on the way are quite basic.
We also inquired about a one-day round trip by private car to the Bolivian border area, and the travel agency quoted $280, excluding the cost of the visa on arrival (which is over $100 per person), so it wasn’t very cost-effective, and we didn’t go.
🍱【Cuisine Section】
In the heart of the town, Adobe restaurant stands out as a must-visit, offering a delightful culinary experience. Just a short stroll away, the bar ChelaCabur beckons with its vibrant and inviting atmosphere, perfect for unwinding after a long day. For a more relaxed setting, settling into a cozy café near the picturesque town square is an absolute treat, where you can savor a cup of coffee and soak in the charming ambiance.
