Trips to Chile

The North of Chile lodges one of the most barren deserts of the world, the desert of Atacama, considered a place of privilege for the development of the astronomical observation due to its pure skies and I am transparent.

Archaeologically speaking, the area of San Pedro is from extreme interest. The history of the zone goes back to 11,000 years a.C., date to which the human vestiges older correspond than they have been. An example of the historical and archaeological wealth of the place is the Village of Tulor, of 3,000 years of antiquity. Most of the ruins are covered by the sand of the desert and it calculates that only a 4% of the constructions have been excavated.

The atacameños were the original and founding town of the call “Culture San Pedro”, settling down in the hole of the Loa river and in all the oases of the desert of Atacama.

San Pedro de Atacama: Located to 2450m of altitude, on the feet of the Mountain range of The $andes it is the front door to the Desert of Atacama. To depend on the tourist activity and to be the departure point of varied excursions by the region, this charming town offers manifolds services to its visitors: inns, restaurants, Internet, tourism agencies.
One is in one of the so many oases that must their origin to rains that the “Bolivian winter” in the desert produces. It turns out incredible to see, in the middle of the dryness of the desert, the ebullient vegetation formed by chañares, carob trees and peppers.

The center of the culture is considered atacameña with its strength or Pukará, located in Quitor. His first inhabitants developed an influenced agricultural life, apparently, by the town will aymará; in 1425 he was conquered by the Incas who installed their administrative center and of government in Catarpe.

Later, San Pedro de Atacama happened to integrate Hispanic history with the passage of Diego de Almagro in 1536 and Pedro de Valdivia in 1540. The historians mention that on its first trip, Valdivia founded the town by its proximity with the river San Pedro that granted abundant grass, water to him and, generally, earth apt for the culture.

In the fields they are continued applying the same used methods of culture does thousands of years. Their harvests are a miracle that the atacameños are thankful to the Pachamama (Mother Earth) through festivals and religious ceremonies that constitute a true cultural patrimony of the north of Chile.

To cross the culture fields and to observe the constructed houses of traditional design in adobe, while she is witness of the calm rate of life of his inhabitants is, inevitably, a trip in the time.

Archaeological museum R.P. Gustavo Him Paige:
The history of this singular museum goes back to the arrival to Chile of the priest Jesuit R.P. Gustavo Him Paige, of origin Belgian, that in 1955 took root in San Pedro de Atacama beginning its pastoral work at the same time as the study of the past atacameño.
The Father Him Paige crossed the prehistoric cemeteries, the líticos factories and the places inhabited by the culture atacameña, and collected archaeological material of incalculable value.

In 1957 he inaugurated in his parochial house the first museum, that contained numerous preHispanic pieces (ceramic, líticos, textile, metals) and momias atacameñas.

Licancabur volcano:
In front of San Pedro and to only 40 km of distance, this majestic volcano of 5916m of height is raised. Its name means “hill of the town” and was venerated by the Incas who, in their ceremonies, left offerings in the crater of the summit. Still it is possible to see the incaicos ruins of altars and campings.

Salar de Atacama:
From San Pedro, in South direction, it is arrived of the impressive Salar de Atacama. It is the deposit greater karst of Chile and the greater lithium deposit of the world. Its surface, rough white and, hide a great brackish lake. Its size is of 300,000 hectares. The dry air of the zone gives to the atmosphere a great visibility.

Valley of the Moon:
To 13 km of San Pedro de Atacama, in the Mountain range of the Salt. It is a small depression of ground karst, 500 meters of diameter. Its geologic origin is the one of an emerged lake: the layers that were horizontal, today are in favor vertical you fold of them of the terrestrial crust. Thus formation from stone, petrified salt and sand arose strange, that give to the landscape an extraordinary similarity with the lunar surface. The time and the wind have carved enormous figures of great beauty like “the three Marias”, or a natural coliseo of great dimensions.

It is a magical place in which it is possible to listen to “the sound of silence” in moving surroundings. It is forced to be present at a dusk in the Valley of the Moon since the landscape changes of color as the sun is hidden.
Declared Sanctuary of the Nature, it comprises of the National Reserve the Flamenco ones.

Géisers of the Tatio:
To 95 km of San Pedro de Atacama. They are in the Mountain range of the $andes, to 4200m of altitude. One is a geothermal field caused by the proximity of Tatio Volcano and its great geologic activity. To early hours in the morning they arise, by the high temperatures of its watery craters, impressive fumarolas of steam - violent boiling aqueous vapor spurts that leave the depths of the Earth.

They concentrate great amount of mineral salts that soften much the land. The hot mud causes that he is dangerous to approach them; he is indispensable to visit the place with a guide, otherwise the risk is run of falling and of burning themselves. An authentic spectacle turns out to see the colorful one that they acquire to the dawn these steam columns that reach, sometimes, the six meters.

Recommendations: To take to clothes windbreak, mineral water very, protective lot and also bathing suit and towel to bathe in thermal wells.