The Unearthly San Pedro
Driving out to the Salar De Atacama, a travel companion of mine was busily prattling away, daring me to pay attention to him and not to the surreal landscapes buzzing past. I politely nodded – agreeing to what I couldn't say – and nonchalantly turned back to the colors. San Pedro is a place that demands quiet devotion and rewards silent reverence.
Where to begin in detailing the justified hyperbole?
Perhaps El Taito – the highest geyser field in the world at 4300 metres. Watching dawn arrive in azure waves over perfectly-coned volcanoes, side-stepping geysers firing clouds of steam that dance and fade into the cold, blue and emerging sky and listening to the agitated earth burble and gurble, think dozens of restless teapots, is a treasurable experience.
Valle de la Luna? Named after its similarities to our moon, the jagged valley transforms itself as the sun sets. After climbing a steep sand-dune, visitors sit and wait for the show to commence. In the horizon, stand a ring of volcanoes, part of the Cordillera de la Sal. As the sun wanes and waves good-bye, the scene explodes into a collage of intense purples and reds. The volcanoes ware a beautifully quilted sweater of a dizzying array of colors. The sky is electric.
There is more to see and experience here than any proposed itinerary could handle. Pick a few select spots and enjoy the magic. Only on your tip-toes.