Green Toad Bus Chile Bus Passes

Travel by Bus or Jeep to San Pedro de Atacama

From San Pedro de Atacama our bus passes can access Bolivia via the Uyuni salt flats, Argentina via Salta, and ofcourse the rest of Chile. San Pedro is a great destination in its own right! The desert here is truly all encompassing, and the town is located in one of the driest places on earth.

San Pedro is a relaxing, albeit dusty outpost where the stars seem to perform a unique dance through the night which dazzles the whole sky.  The town is located at the foothills of the Andean cordillera, which reaches 6,100 meters high in this area. The Volcano Licancabur (5,916 meters above sea level) is adjacent to the village, only 40 kilometers away. The name means village hill, and it was venerated by the Incas, who carried out ceremonies and left offerings within the crater at its summit. 

Visit the Valley of the Moon, a spectacular rift in the desert rock creating caves of sodium crystals and formations of interstellar comparison. As its name indicates, the form (created by the erosion of salt mountains) and colors of the rocks give the landscape a lunar appeal.   The valley is best seen at sunset, when the light varies the colors of the volcanoes and almost all tours include watching the sunset from the valley, you shouldn't miss it. The valley is only 15 Km's from town and many backpackers hire a bike to see them, but be aware there are some steep hills to overcome and the heat here can be dangerous, so try to go when its cooler and take plenty of water.

Another interesting place to visit while in the area is the the Geysers of El Tatio. The geological activity of the area gives birth daily to these Geysers wich can reach up to 4 meters high. To observe the geysers at full, the best time of the day to get there is at dawn, but you need to take a tour as it is some distant away through harsh desert. While in the are you have should have time for a dip in the thermal waters near the geysers and to vist the thermal river of Puritama found within a deep rocky canyon; here you will also find old cultivation terraces and ancient ruins.

But the reason many backpackers come to San Pedro de Atacama is to visit the Uyuni Salt Falts on their way to Bolivia. The trip from San Pedro to Uyuni offers the opportunity to emmerse yourself into the unique natural environment of the Salt Flats, a journey like nothing you have ever experienced before and it is truly one of the greatest attractions of South America! The Green Toad Bus offers backpacker trips and bus passes so you can have the chance to see them for your self! If coming from Bolivia you access the Salt Flats and San Pedro de Atacama via the Bolivian town of Uyuni. Click here to see our Uyuni page and read more about the Salt Flats, and our bus passes departing from the Bolivian side: Uyuni Bus Passes!

Backpack to San Pedro de Atacama by bus with a Green Toad Bus Pass!