For the past one hundred centuries, the San Pedro area has been an
epicenter of human activity. The relative abundance of local fauna and
flora has created fitting living conditions for the first inhabitants of
our continent, despite the fact that it is such an inhospitable region.
The Licanantay, Aymara and eventually Inca cultures left their
traces as evidenced by the vast quantity and variety of archeo-
logical remains in San Pedro. Fortresses like the Pucara of Quitor
and the ancient settlement of Tulor are just a few of the literally
hundreds of sites left by the original people.
The driest desert in the world has not been an obstacle for the
flourishing of these complex cultures and their unique social
traits. The most important culture of the area were the Licanan-
tay, direct descendants of the first hunter gatherers that arrived
to this area approximately 11.000 years ago.
This region of the Atacama Desert chronicles a history that com-
bines the struggle for survival, the adaptation to environment and
the comprehension of natural cycles.
This, coupled with an interaction with the elements developed a vision
of the Cosmos that is deeply based on the amalgam of these factors.
Atacama lives through its people, and our mission is to understand
their perspective, to embrace their essence and to tell their stories.
Life
Atacama Overview
The Northern skies of Chile are famous for being some of the clear-
est in the World. The combination of an extremely dry climate, high
altitude and the distance from any source of environmental pollu-
tion makes them a perfect and clear window into the Universe.
The Atacama Desert has been an important center for astronomic
investigation since the opening of the Las Campanas – Du Pont ob-
servatory near La Serena in 1977.
Other research centers in the area are Paranal, close to Antofagasta
and an upcoming project that will include the construction of the
world’s largest observatory; A.L.M.A (Atacama Large Millimeter Ar-
ray) that begins operating in 2012. Once completed, A.L.M.A will have
10 times more spatial resolution than the Hubble space telescope.
A.L.M.A.’s complement is Cornell Caltech Telescope, another large
project that will be constructed in the Chajnator mountain and it
will be focused on the process of galaxy formation.
The experience of viewing the Atacama skies is truly impressive,
visible even with the naked eye. Man has always been fascinated
by the majesty and depth of outer space and Atacama is the
perfect place to witness and ponder the structure of our local
and distant universe.
Rooms
Hotel
Alto Atacama’s pools blend the luxury of water in the desert and
the tranquility of being removed from the rest of the world.
The six outdoor pools overlook the beautiful Catarpe Valley and
its red mountains. Stones from the surrounding desert form a
wall of privacy for each of the pools. The sense of being deeply
renewed by the cleansing water as you gaze out into the desert
is a unique experience.
We treat water with respect and responsibility due to its rarity
in this environment. All our water is purified and maintaining it
as such is our priority. We also maximize its use to reduce our
impact on the environment.
An outdoor bar and dining room in our pool area gives our guest
the choice of enjoying a leisurely lunch by the water, or simply a
chilled glass of Chilean white wine as the sun warms your body.
Puri Spa
Hotel
Despite the fact that we are in the driest of all deserts, water
from glacial snow is what makes San Pedro de Atacama an Oasis,
and it makes our Spa a strongly revitalizing experience. Water,
expert hands and aromatic scents are the tools for invigorating
your body and spirit after a day of exploring the desert.
We invite you to relax, enjoy, and to recharge your body and mind
in a peace- filled spa where the natural elements of the land work
their own magic.
Spa options include Finnish Sauna, Turkish bath, Scottish showers,
indoor & outdoor hot tubs, among others.
Treat yourself
Deserts are some of the most static surfaces in the World, eroded
only by wind and the rare showers that fall in some parts of the
desert. Therefore it is of absolute importance to be respectful
with this terrain. Whatever mark is left behind will stay here for
a long period of time. At Alto Atacama Hotel we are aware of this
and we train our guides with the Leave No Trace principles:
Ideal for the first days in the desert, to help with the acclima-
tization process, our Van trips will introduce you to the beauty
and magnitude of Atacama. We will visit high mountain lakes and
witness the Andes in full display of power; the Tatio geysers, the
highest and third largest geothermal field in the world.
And, as in all of Alto Atacama’s excursions we are in no rush.
Take all the pictures that you want, talk to the curious children
that approach us in every town, walk through the local markets,
make moments last.
Excursions
Excursion