← Itaú Maratón de Santiago·3 nights

San Pedro de Atacama: Desert Days After the Marathon

Three nights in a desert oasis town at altitude, with gentle first-day options and a transfer from Calama.

Duration3 nights
TransitFlight from Santiago to Calama, then about 1.5 hours by road
DepartsSantiago Airport (SCL)

After the Maratón de Santiago: San Pedro de Atacama

The Route: Santiago (SCL) → Calama (CJC) → San Pedro de Atacama → Calama → Santiago Logistics: A domestic flight of around two hours, then a transfer of about 100 km by road. Marathon Month: May Duration: 3 nights

Santiago (SCL) ──(about 2 hrs by air)──> Calama (CJC) ──(about 1.5 hrs by road)──> San Pedro de Atacama
                                                                                          │
                                         Santiago (SCL) ◄──(Calama, flight)◄────────────┘

The Maratón de Santiago finishes near sea level in the capital. San Pedro de Atacama sits at about 2,400 m in one of the driest deserts in the world, and a flight there is a common way to extend a Chile trip. The altitude makes the first day sensitive, and so the plan is slow.

May in the Atacama: autumn in the south, and the desert nights are close to freezing. Days are dry, sunny and mild. Sunsets come early. Bring warm layers and sun protection. The desert is open all year.

Nights One to Three: San Pedro de Atacama

Flights from Santiago to Calama take around two hours. From Calama airport, a prebooked transfer to San Pedro takes about an hour and a half and costs less shared than private. Book the transfer in advance and ask the hotel to arrange it, since taxis at the airport are not metered and fares need agreeing before you set off.

San Pedro is a low adobe town centred on a small plaza, with unpaved streets and a church. It is flat. The town can be crossed on foot in 15 minutes, though the ground is sandy and dusty. Take the first afternoon easy because of the altitude: rest, drink water and walk the town.

The Valle de la Luna at sunset is a short drive from town and has lookouts with minimal walking. Tours collect from hotels in the afternoon. Park entry is separate and tour companies quote it on their sites. The Laguna Cejar and its salt lagoons allow a float in the dense water, and are a good second-day option. Avoid the pre-dawn trip to the El Tatio geysers at over 4,000 m, as the altitude, early start and freezing temperatures are a poor combination with tired legs. Tours are booked in town, and prices vary, so check several operators.

Where to stay. Hotel Cumbres San Pedro de Atacama has swimming pools and sits about 400 m from the town church. Explora Atacama is an all-inclusive hotel about a 15-minute walk or five-minute drive from the centre; ask what the rate includes, because excursions may be extra. Rates are high, so book ahead.

Where to eat. Restaurants cluster around Caracoles street, the main pedestrian strip. Ckunna appears on several local restaurant lists. Menus change by season, so check opening hours in May, as some places close on quiet nights.

Getting Home

Return by transfer to Calama (CJC), allowing about three hours before a domestic flight. From Santiago, connect to your international flight at SCL, allowing at least three hours between flights. Domestic and international terminals are linked at SCL, but delays happen.