Atacama salt flats
This is the largest of Chile's salt deposits and the second largest in South America, after Uyuni (Bolivia); its surface area is 3,000 hectares and lies in a hollow that receives the waters of the San Pedro river, as well as those of numerous streams that channel water from the Cordillera.
The flats, 2,305 meters above sea level, consist of an endless wrinkled white sheet of salt, stained by desert sand, under which lies a great lake that emerges as a series of pools containing a varied wildlife, especially the beautiful pink flamingoes, one of the three flamingo species whose habitat is the high Cordillera.
The flats are located 40 kilometers south of San Pedro de Atacama and 10 kilometers west of the village of Toconao.

Chaxa Lagoon
Is one of the most important lakes in the Great Salt Flats of Atacama. It is surrounded by a rich flora that has adapted to the desert climate, including the salt-loving grama grass. As regards fauna, there are many pink flamingoes, seagulls and chorlos de la puna (curlews), among others.
The salty-surfaced lake is considered a nature reserve and center of nest-building by the Corporación Nacional Forestal (CONAF). It is 45 kilometers from San Pedro de Atacama and 7 to the southwest of Toconao.

Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon)
Is a spectacular geological landscape, with small, sharp-crested hills and a topography resembling the surface of the moon. Within the valley, there is a kind of natural Coliseum or amphitheater 500 meters in diameter.
The complicated geography of the valley - that contains no form of animal or vegetable life - is attributed to changes in the Earth's surface and wind action. It was declared a Nature Sanctuary in 1982, and is found at the northern tip of the Cordillera de la Sal, at 2,550 meters above sea level and at 15 kilometers from San Pedro de Atacama.

Licancabur Volcano
Volcano (5,916 meters above sea level) an imposing snowcapped massif, forming part of the volcano chain marking the frontier between Chile and Bolivia. It forms a part of the Andes Cordillera and, according to some experts, may have been considered sacred by the ancient Atacama peoples, due to which religious ceremonies and rites may have taken place here.
One can climb to its summit after a 2 or 3-day ascent, with a stopover at the base camp (at 4,300 m) or the intermediate camp (at 4,700 m). The most advisable time for an "assault on the summit" is from August to December. The daring few can enjoy a stupendous view of San Pedro de Atacama, Laguna Blanca and Laguna Verde (on the Bolivian side). It is located 30 kilometers east of San Pedro de Atacama.

Lascar Volcano
This is an active volcano located near San Pedro de Atacama and at 5,154 meters above sea level. The climb to its summit is fairly easy, although a short period of acclimatizing is always necessary. During the ascent you will see a 300 meter deep and 750 meter diameter crater.

Jerez Canyon
Some of the attractions of this canyon fed by the waters of the Rio Toconao are natural pools, rocky walls with some prehistoric engravings on them, fruit orchards that appear from nowhere, and the silent presence of llamas, alpacas and vicuñas. It is 38 kilometers south of San Pedro de Atacama.

Tatio Geysers
This is a spectacular geothermal field at 4,320 meters altitude, whose fissures emit dense columns of steam at temperatures reaching 85 °Celsius. At daybreak, when air temperatures go below zero Celsius, the landscape becomes weirder still, and the steam jets reach up to 7 meters height. The phenomenon is caused by the magma from Tatio volcano superheating the waters of a frozen underground stream.
In this area there are hot springs where one can take relaxing dips. Tatio is about 100 kilometers from San Pedro de Atacama, 120 kilometers east of Calama and 40 from Caspana.

Miscanti and Miñiques
These are two beautiful sheets of water on the slopes of the Miscanti (5,622 meters altitude) and Miñiques (5,910 meters altitude) mountains, in one of the seven areas of the National Reserve of the Flamingoes. This area is one of beautiful landscapes, including volcanoes, mountains and a large number of parinas, flamingoes, taguas cornudas and chorlos de la puna, among other avian species. In the vegetation, the most abundant plants are yareta and paja brava. It is located 11 kilometers southeast of San Pedro de Atacama.

LejIa Lagoon
This is an emerald-green salt water lake. Its surface area is 8 square kilometers, and it occupies a desert basin. In early summer, flocks of flamingoes, ducks, taguas and Andean seagulls, among others mill around it. It is almost 100 kilometers from San Pedro de Atacama.

Alberto Terrazas Oasis (ex Pozo 3)
This is a heavenly campsite whose major attraction is a relaxing warm pool. The 23° Celsius waters flow in constantly from a 200 meter-depth well drilled in 1965 by the Corporacion de Fomento de la Produccin (Corfo). From the pool, the water flows on and is used for the irrigation of surrounding farmland. The well was bought by Alberto Terrazas, a mining engineer who built the pool and the campsite around it. It is 3 kilometers east of San Pedro de Atacama