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An oasis town of narrow streets and adobe houses, San Pedro de Atacama is an excellent base for desert trips.

Set at an altitude of 2,400 metres between the desert and the high Altiplano, this town has been an important settlement since pre-Hispanic times, as it was a stop between the trading communities of the coast and the mountains. It then became an important rest stop for traders during the nitrate era, before its present incarnation as a friendly base for travellers.

Landscape

The Atacama Desert itself, in which San Pedro is located, has been described as a 'perfect' desert as there are areas of it where no rainfall has ever been recorded. It is a strange landscape that stretches over 1,200 km, a surreal and barren region of volcanoes, salt flats, cacti, moon-like valleys, geysers and remote villages.

Archaeological history

There is also a rich archaeological history here, this region was located on traditional trade routes and has thus seen various ancient empires rise and fall. The arid climatic conditions have perfectly preserved a number of archaeological artefacts, ranging from petroglyphs to seven thousand year old mummies.

Also preserved in the desert are a number of eerie ghost towns, dating from the 19th century nitrate boom.