There are also volcanoes, including the Aguas Calientes, Acamarachi and the Lincancabur.
you could watch geysers.
The white steam columns are most powerful between 6 and 7 a.m., so get an early start.
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While youre there, keep an eye out for local wildlife foraging for breakfast.
See one of the rarest birds in the world.
And more wildlife.
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See a massive salt lake.
Beneath all that salt the largest deposit in all of Chile lies a massive salt lake.
Its the driest place on Earth.
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Few plants flourish here.
Thats no surprise considering the extremity of the landscape, with sandy deserts, craggy peaks and active volcanoes.
With temperatures ranging from 71F by day to 28F at night, only cactuses and hardy grasses can survive.
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Book a tour in San Pedro.
Most of these offer similar tours, but be sure to do your research to find what works best.
The landscapes seem lunar and Martian.
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Youll feel transported to another planet, not unlike the Martian rovers tested byNASAand theEuropean Space Agencyhere.
The stargazing is excellent.
you’ve got the option to stargaze with experts.
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The desert features in The Motorcycle Diaries.
When it rains, the desert blooms.
Over 200 species of flowers grow here.
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you’ve got the option to tour abandoned mining sites.
Today their haunted remains are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
White gold caused a war.
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The war had long-term consequences.
Diplomatic relations with Chile soured, then were ultimately severed in March 1978.
In recent years, Bolivian presidents have vied for sovereign access to the sea.
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James Bond was here.
The Antofagasta region in the Atacama Desert portrayed Bonds vengeful mood in the 2008 film Quantum of Solace.
The Cerra Paranal, which houses the ESO Very Large Telescope, served as the setting.
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More movies have been filmed here.
Many westerns and South American documentaries have also been shot here.
The 33 were trapped here.
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The worlds oldest mummies are buried here.
According to The Archaeological Institute of America, the oldest of these dates all the way to 5,000 B.C.
The deserts aridity preserved them.
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