San Pedro de Atacama is a small town of 2.500 inhabitants, located 2450 meters above the sea level. The village on the shore of the Atacama Salt field, had been founded in one of the oases of the “altiplano” (plateau), in the Atacama Region.
Some of highest summits of the Andes range, are located in this breathtaking landscape such as the Licancabur volcano ( 5.920 mts.).
San Pedro is considered to be the archaeological capital of Chile. According to archaeological data, about 11.000 years ago, the first agricultural settlers were living by the Loa river and in the oases of the Atacama desert.
As the fertile soil was scarce for cultivation, they started constructing terraces on the foot of the hills, which were artificially watered and fertilized with guano of the llamas.
The atacameños became the most developed pre-Columbian culture of Chile, and founders of the “San Pedro Culture”. Their artistic development was expressed through their ceramics, woodcarvings and metallurgy.
Nowadays, San Pedro is a cosmopolitan tourist center and gate door for several excursions. One of the musts for the visitor is the surrealistic landscape of the “Moon Valley”, where life can not exist due to the absence of humidity, which makes it one of the more inhospitable places of the planet.
Also known are The Geysers of Tatio located in the middle of an astonishing arid landscape of singular beauty. The Atacama Salt field, and the National Reserve the Flamingos are some of the main wild attractions offered by this wonderful region.
There are as well in the zone several archaeological vestiges of the Inca and Atacama cultures like the Pukara of Quitor and the Tulor Village; which is over 3.000 years old. An extensive network road and old routes connect indigenous communities of the plateau, such as Toconao, Caspana and Chiu- chiu. When crossing the fields of its cultures and admiring the traditional houses built out of mould bricks, visitors will feel transported to the past.
Excursions in San Pedro de Atacama
Av. Lynch Norte 880 - B La Reina Santiago. Chile Telephone: 562-2480036// 2662044// 7585147 Emergency telephone 24 HRS:
569-87225247 E-mail:contacto@werlingertravel.com
