Watch out in San Pedro de Atacama!



For the long weekend we travelled to San Pedro de Atacama, one popular tourist attractions of Chile. We have been waiting for this trip so much. Whoever local we spoke to, highly recommended us the place and told us winkling "watch out in San Pedro de Atacama!” 





When I read about the region it mentioned two ancient cultures: the costal line and the upper desert area. San Pedro was the center of the desert culture already 1100 years ago. I was wondering how those people found a place in the desert and even settled there: they had no satellites nor GPS to spot out a small oasis 5 hours bus-ride away from the coast.

Main street of San Pedro dA.

The town is laying on a plain at a 2500 meter altitude surrounded by snowy mountains and volcanoes. It is a sparkling, little village with small huts and narrow, sandy roads. Behind every second door hides a souvenir shop or tour agency. It reminded one of my colleagues to Goa in India.

Snow and sand - view from the hostel
 
Main Square and the volcano behind

 
What can one do in San Pedro de Atacama?
  • Walk on the little streets and wonder around. 
Streets of SPdA.
Llama and master

People coming from everywhere

  • Sit outside on the central square and sip coffee watching the snowy mountains in the background. 
Coffee on the main square
  • Check out the Artesian Village for hand made crafts. 
  • Get to know San Pedro’s history along with some mummies in the town museum. 
  • Have tasty dishes in shady restaurants.



Tips:

  • The desert is extremely dry and the sun burns after sunrise. Be prepared to have water, body lotion and sun lotion with you all the time.

  • So the sun burns after sunrise, but until then it is cold. Have warm clothes, hat and gloves if you would like to be outside in dark.

  • There is a rumor that if you ask for the "los glandestinos" (out of law) - and if you are lucky - you get the address of hidden, out-of-law parties.

  • San Pedro is a great place to find hand made crafts. Please bargain!

  • We found a guy, who sold his hand-made jewelery on the main square made of copper (metal of the region) and stones (also from the region). Unique and nice ones. If you find him there, he will prepare you as many and design as you wish for. We bought hell lot of earrings from him.
Handicraft guy working on earrings

About Tiny Girl With Big Bag

Hobby writer and autodidact photographer whose passion is to travel and get to know new people and cultures. She has been on 4 continents and 30 countries, and the outcome is this travel blog where she shares travel stories, thoughts, tips and photography always through a subjective eye.

Follow her @ Twitter | Facebook | Google+

No comments:

Post a Comment