Chile - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 411

Valle de la Muerte and Valle de la Luna,
both of which can be visited by bike,
these places are only accessible on a tour.

in corn leaves) for sale. Buses Atacama
and Buses Frontera each run twice-daily
bus services to Toconao from San Pedro.

Valle de la Muerte
The easiest attraction to cycle to - only
3km from San Pedro - is the Valle de
la Muerte , with its narrow gorges,
peculiar red rock formations and
150m-high sand dunes . It is also
a prime sandboarding destination,
with scores of enthusiasts whizzing down
the slopes in the early mornings and
late afternoons. The rest of the time an
exquisite silence reigns over the still sand
and rocks, and you can often enjoy the
views of the snow-peaked volcanoes in
the distance entirely undisturbed.

Salar de Atacama
The edge of Chile's largest salt flat, the
Salar de Atacama , lies 50km south of San
Pedro. It may disappoint those expecting
a sparkling white field, but still makes an
unforgettable spectacle: a jagged white
crust, resembling dead coral, created by
water flowing down from the mountains,
stretches as far as the eye can see. Several
shallow lakes dot the Salar, including
Laguna Chaxa , made bright by the
resident Andean, Chilean and James
flamingos, which spend up to fourteen
hours a day feeding on tiny saltwater
shrimp. Many excursions will also take in
Laguna Cejar (CH$2000) - where salt
content is so high that you can float on
the surface - and gleaming Laguna
Tebenquiche . Also look out for the two
Ojos del Salar (entry CH$2500) - two
small, and almost perfectly round,
cold-water pools set amid the arid plain.

Valle de la Luna
Most people come here at sundown with
one of a plethora of tour groups, but
the lunar landscape of Valle de la Luna
(Moon Valley; entry CH$2000), at the
heart of the Cordillera del Sal, is equally
impressive at sunrise, when the first rays
of sunlight turn the surrounding jagged
red peaks various shades of pink and
gold. Though the effect is even more
intense at sunset, at dawn there are far
fewer spectators, and after making your
way up the giant sand dune along a
marked trail, you can walk up the crest
of the dune for a better vantage point.
If cycling the 14km to the valley, go west
along Caracoles out of town, turn left at
the end and carry straight on; plenty of
water, sunscreen and a torch are essential.

4

El Tatio geysers
he El Tatio geysers , 90km north of town,
are a morning attraction, with tours
setting off at 4am in order to reach
them by sunrise, when the fumaroles
that spew steam and the jets of scalding
water that shoot up from the geysers are
at their most impressive. At dawn, there
is a surreal quality to the plateau: dark
shadowy figures move through the mist
and the sunlight glints on patches of
white ground frost. When walking
around, stick to marked paths, since
the ground crust can be very fragile
- breaking it might result in a plunge
into near-boiling water. The temperature
here, at the world's highest geothermal
field (4320m), is often below freezing,
so warm clothes are essential. A soak in
the nearby thermal pool is a must.

Toconao
Toconao , 38km from San Pedro, is a
small village nestled in an idyllic spot
surrounded by sandy hills, with houses
built entirely of volcanic liparita stone. A
cool stream runs through the valley and
the surrounding fertile soil supports lush
vegetation, including fig, pear and quince
trees, as well as a hallucinogenic type of
cactus. The site has been inhabited since
11,000 BC, and its present population of
around seven hundred villagers make
traditional crafts. It is possible to stay in
several rustic hospedajes here, and there
are delicious humitas (corn paste wrapped

Lagunas Miscanti and Miñiques
hese two altiplano lagoons (entry
CH$2500) lie 134km from town, at an
elevation of around 4200m. Visitors here
are left breathless not just by the altitude,
but also by the first sight of the huge