Heading North: San Pedro de Atacama

Just after takeoff from Santiago. Sunrise over the Andes

On April 23 we finally squeezed the last segment out of our LAN award ticket that carried us all over Chile.  The final flight was from Santiago to Antofagasta in the north.  It was a pleasant early morning flight on a cute little Airbus A318 (first time on that aircraft for me).  Service was the usual drink and snackbox affair and arrival into Antofagasta was a little ahead of schedule.

Desolation

We bought tickets for a shared taxivan to the center and were dropped off at Antofagasta’s bus terminal a short while later.  We had tickets to take us from Antofagasta to San Pedro de Atacama high in the Chilean Altiplano.  The drive took us across some spectacularly desolate landscape.

The last stretch of road into San Pedro de Atacama.

San Pedro de Atacama is a nice little desert town that thrives off tourism.  We stayed at Hostal Sonchek, run by a Slovenia/Chilean couple.  Like most of the buildings in San Pedro, our hostal was built of adobe and had a great open air courtyard in the middle.  We stayed a total of five nights and saw some amazing things out in the desert.  Stay tuned!

Santiago to San Pedro de Atacama

Just after takeoff from Santiago. Sunrise over the Andes	Sandy cliffs on final into Antofagasta	The humorously short A320 variant…the A318	Predeparture snack. Pancho con ketchup, mustaza y palta (avocado)	Quite a nice bus terminal in Antofagasta	Those are some big tires! Mining is big in this area.
Desolation	The ruins of some town.	The last stretch of road into San Pedro de Atacama.	Courtyard at Hostal Sonchek	Courtyard at Hostal Sonchek	Documenting San Pedro de Atacama
		Enjoying a delicious mote in San Pedro