Day 4: San Pedro de Atacama
Breakfast at the hotel. Tatio Geysers and Machuca (regular half-day tour). Today, visit the impressive fumaroles of the Tatio geysers. "Tatio" in the language of the indigenous people who once inhabited these slopes means "Crying Old Man." The geysers are located at an altitude of over 4000 meters above sea level. Hot water fountains appear at sunrise from 06:00 to 07:00. The trip starts early in the morning to witness the sunrise in one of the most important geothermal fields in the world: the Tatio Geysers. There are over 70 fumaroles, from which jets of steam emerge, forming pools of boiling water. The most amazing part of the day is the sunrise, the contrast between the bright blue sky and the clean steam of the geysers. In the center of this impressive natural landscape next to the Andes, enjoy a refreshing breakfast to warm up, as the temperature in the mornings is -2 °C below zero. Then visit a rural pool, where you can enjoy a bath in the Cordillera's hot springs. On the way back to San Pedro de Atacama, observe the beauty of the landscape, its valleys, local flora and fauna, highlighting charismatic vicuñas and viscachas. Afterward, stop in Machuca, an Atacama village consisting of a couple of houses made of adobe, straw, and cactus wood, where its inhabitants engage in tourism and offer products from Andean craftsmen and typical cuisine, such as llama meat, sopaipillas, and empanadas. Also, visit the beautiful church of San Santiago, the patron saint of the town, and a small bofedal, where flamingos, ducks, and other birds live. Included: entrance fee to Tatio geysers, group transfer to Calama, and flight to Santiago.