San Pedro de Atacama

San Pedro lies in the middle of the Atacama desert 100 km away from the next big town, Calama. With just over 4,000 inhabitants, it offers 30+ places to stay and a similar number of tour agencies. Some people think that San Pedro is far too touristy and commercial. It may be so in high season, but at the moment, which is fairly quiet, it is just perfect. At least, we love it. It is actually nice to meet other travelers, and there is so much to see!!!

After the first night in the first hostel we found - where we didn’t sleep for the cold – we got ourselves a lovely little room in Hostal Sonchek. This is central and very secure, with some 12 rooms along a courtyard with all possible facilities we can dream of: well-equipped kitchen, basin to wash clothes, lines where to hang them, garden with chairs and tables, plenty of shelving and hooks in the bedroom and in the toilets, and a table-tennis table!! Once I spotted the table tennis I had made up my mind, while the girl showing me the place could not understand why I did not want to continue the viewing any more. > > We are going to spend some 4-6 days here, so it is vital that we have a good place where to rest between one excursion and the other.
There are a lot of places around where you do not find a single hook where to hang your stuff. Do these people have an idea of what tourists need when they stay in a room out of a suitcase or rucksack?? Obviously not, which means they also do not have a clue about what their guests need in general. It can be truly infuriating. So this Sonchek place has got it all in place, we give it a 4 stars if anybody needs a recommendation for a hostel here.

We have been round to the famous and recommendable museum already – very nice and rich in desert mummies and ancient skulls – and booked the 4 compulsory tours to Valle della Luna, the Lagunas, the Tatio Geysers and the Tara Salts, the last of which is not quite confirmed yet. While booking this last one we discovered that Rachel, co-passenger back on the Exodus truck, is in town!! Because when you book you need to leave your hotel and room number, we were able to trace her down and pay her a surprise visit last night. That was really funny.

NOTA ITALIANA SUGLI APPENDINI NELLE CAMERE IN AFFITTO
Solidarizzo con mio papa´, che si infuriava per il fatto che i bungalow del campeggio non avevano sufficienti ´chiodi´alle pareti. Qui di posti cosi ce ne sono a bizzeffe e io soffro con la stessa intensita´!!! Se continua senza chiodi potrei anche cominciare a fare una crociata personale agli appendini!!!

Our room at Hostal Sonchek

The famous San Pedro de Atacama church

Hermosa mujer Atacameña at the museum - famous beautiful mummy retrieved from the desert with full hair and skin

Mummy in a jar