Chile - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 407

specializing in tasty panrilladas and German-style meat-
and-vegetable dishes. Roast pork and mashed potato
CH$6,200.
Mercado Central Matta, between Maipú and Uribe.
Besides fresh produce, the market's eateries cook up
fishy delights for a reasonable price. El Sureño comes
recommended. Grilled fish CH$2800.
Raconto Arturo Prat 645. Very popular restaurant offering
good steaks, pizzas, sandwiches and ice creams. Lasagne
CH$3990.

Destinations Antofagasta (6 daily; 3hr); Arica (5 daily;
9hr); Iquique (5 daily; 7hr); Santiago (8 daily; 22hr); San
Pedro de Atacama (every 30min; 1hr 30min).

ACCOMMODATION
Hostal Claris Loa Avenida Granaderos 1631 T 55
2311939. Clean but dark rooms, most with TV, set around
a centr al patio and catering largely to mineworkers.
Doubles CH$16,000
Residencial Toño Vivar 1970 T 55 2341185. Secure and
spacious rooms wit h cable TV. The walls are thin so it can
get noisy. Doubles CH$23,000

CALAMA
The busy city of CALAMA , at the heart
of the Atacama copper mining industry,
is a convenient transportation hub and
an almost inevitable stop for travellers
heading to San Pedro de Atacama.

EATING
Café del Sol Abaroa 1688. A. Delightful little tearoom
with a laidback feel: a perfect spot for recovering after
a long bus journey, with coffee, cake and sandwiches.
Large latte CH$1100.
Restaurant Palador Vivar con Sotomayor. A carnivore's
paradise in quite a plush setting. Offers an excellent three-
course lunch and drink deal (CH$4900).

WHAT TO SEE AND DO
Calama may lack the natural marvels of
San Pedro de Atacama, but it does boast
the giant Chuquicamata copper mine.
State copper company Codelco offers free
tours, including views of the kilometre-
deep open pit and the now abandoned
company town. Bilingual English and
Spanish tours leave from Calama at 1pm
and last approximately two hours (book
in advance; call T 55 2322122 or email
E

4

SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA AND
AROUND
SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA , a little oasis
town of single-storey adobe houses and
unpaved streets, is situated 75km east
of Calama, the nearest city. No other
northern destination can compete with
the sheer number of natural attractions
in the surrounding area: the stunning
altiplano scenery draws scores of travellers
year-round, while volcanoes, sand dunes,
geysers and lagoons will keep any nature
lover busy.
One of the oldest settlements in Chile,
San Pedro was originally a stop on
a pre-Columbian trade route between
the highland and coastal communities;
in 1547, the Spanish established their
first mission here and subjugated the
locals. The town later became an
important rest stop for cattle drives
from Salta, Argentina, when the nitrate
industry took off in Chile and fresh meat
was needed for the workers.
Despite being somewhat crowded
during the peak season, San Pedro retains
a friendly and relaxed vibe, and has
an excellent assortment of budget
accommodation and facilities for visitors,
as well as the widest range of cuisine
north of Santiago.

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ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
By plane Aeropuerto El Loa ( T 55 2342348) is 6km south
of the city. Transfer Licancabur ( T 55 2543426) will take
you from the airport direct to San Pedro (CH$12,000 one-
way). To get into Calama, a taxi (around CH$5000) is the
only option.
Destinations Antofagasta (3 daily; 45min); Santiago
(16 daily; 2hr 5min).
By bus There is no central bus terminal - Turbus and
Pullman arrive at separate terminals - and bus companies
are either clustered near the train station to the east of
the city centre, or lie to the north of it. The lack of a central
terminal makes bus travel in Calama slightly chaotic. All
major cities are covered by Tur Bus (tickets at Granderos
4219), and Pullman, who have their own terminal at
Granaderos 3048, out of town. Buses Atacama 2000
(Antofagasta 2088; T 55 2316664) run to San Pedro de
Atacama and to Ollagüe (4 weekly; 3hr) on the Bolivian
border, from where it's possible to get an ongoing
connection to Uyuni. Géminis, at Antofagasta 2239 ( T 55
2892043), have Tues, Fri and Sun morning departures for
Salta and Jujuy between them.