AtacamaSan Pedro

San Pedro de Atacama is one of the driest places on the planet — under 15 mm of rain a year — and can be visited at any time of year. The Apr–Nov period is the most recommended: stable skies, pleasant warmth by day and moderate cold at night.

The austral winter (Jun–Aug) offers maximum stability and exceptional visibility — ideal for stargazing — but nights drop to 0–5°C and call for heavy warm clothing.

The summer (Dec–Mar) is the only caveat: the Altiplanic Winter (or Bolivian Winter) brings humidity from the Amazon to the Altiplano. It doesn't rain in San Pedro, but storm clouds build on the horizon at dusk and can cover the night sky — especially in Jan–Feb. The high-altitude roads to Géiseres del Tatio (P5), Salar de Atacama (P6) and the Salt Flats Route (P7) are more prone to mud.

The Atacama is the best place in the world for astronomical observation: 2,438 m of altitude, humidity below 10%, more than 300 clear nights a year and a horizon free of light pollution in every direction. The Milky Way projected as a solid band, Magellanic Clouds visible to the naked eye and thousands of stars — no wonder the region is home to ALMA, the VLT and soon the ELT. The galactic center sits at the zenith in Jun–Jul (visible from Mar to Oct); combined with a new moon in those months it is the peak of the experience — the calendar marks these windows with 🌌. In the other windows, the absolute darkness already guarantees a spectacle most people have never seen.