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San Pedro Expedition
Atacama Desert, Northern Chile
The Atacama Desert of Chile is a sparsely populated virtually rainless
plateau, running from the Pacific Ocean to the Andes Mountains.
The landscape is so desolate it is sometimes
described as "moon like". In the heart of this desert is the village of San Pedro, at an altitude
of 7,000 feet and surrounded by a green oasis. Many years ago it was
considered the center of a Paleolithic civilization that built
impressive rock fortresses on steep mountains encircling the valley.
With narrow streets and a church constructed in 1577, San Pedro is a
step back into the Spanish colonial times and even earlier at the Father
Le Paige Museum which chronicles man for 10,000 years. You will discover the 11th century desert and be connected with an ancient culture and their spirits. The magic of
Atacama, with the purest sky in the world, will leave an everlasting trail in your soul.
IT-CHRT19A
Rates include 3 nights in hotel, 8 nights camping, all meals,
wine and spirits with dinner, 10 riding days
12 days/ 11 nights 2,450
-- based on CHP 1.225.000 Dates 2008 :
08/17-08/28
11/09-11/20
availability & reservation
Meeting: San Pedro Airport: Calama
Transfer: included from Calama
Level:
Intermediate+
Tack:
Chilean
Saddles
Horses:
Criollos
Pace: Moderate with canters and gallops
Min/Max: 2-6 riders Minimum Age:
15 years Maximum Weight: 85 kg Note: Guides speak limited English; all camping equipment is
provided.
A support vehicle transports the camp.
Itinerary
Day 1: Pick up in Calama and transfer to San Pedro de
Atacama. Dinner in restaurant and overnight at local hotel.
DAY 2 : SAN PEDRO-GUATIN
We meet the horses and ride to Vilama Oasis and
up the Vilama river bed. We deviate up East, by
a valley full of pingo-pingo bushes. We have the
Andes mountains in front of us. A valley
appears, Guatin, small oasis where alfalfa
grows, and where 3 people live, whith a big
troop of goats. Around, lots of cactus grow on
the hills. We camp near the Puritama river,
where you even can have a bath.
DAY 3 :
GUATIN - VALLE ARENOSO
We ride down in direction of the Gatchi
mountains to join the small canyon of Calar,
where the Vilama river is, and where the
shepherds built a "house" ( local "estancia").
Bath possibility. We cross Vilama river and
arrive to the Petroglyphs Corral, archeological
resting shepherds corral where some figures in
the stone are drawn. We ride down to the plain
by a small track and camp in a sandy valley on
the foot of the cliff.
DAY 4 :
VALLE ARENOSO - RIO SALADO
We visit Quitor Pukara, which is a
pre-Inca fortress, conquered by the Spanish, at
the entrance of San Pedro river valley. We ride
up the contrasted (green and reddish) river
canyon. We deviate into a narrow canyon, the
Devil's Throat, which goes zigzagging inside
salt Chain. We go up by a canyon, and down by
another to arrive to Catarpe Oasis, on San Pedro
River. We continue north and cross the
Cuchaorache Oasis. Further, we reach our camping
place, near the Rio Salado. You will be able to
see and admire one of the most important rock
art places of the region.
DAY 5 : RIO SALADO - SAN PEDRO
After a big esplanade where the sight to
the Andes Mountains is beautiful, we take a
canyon leading us to Coca Stone, ceremonial
stone of local Indians traveling between ocean
and mountains. Some rock art there. Their trail
was used a lot of years after (end of 19th,
beginning of 20th century) by cattle and their
local "cow boys". We will follow their tracks
which lead us up to a cliff. We go to San Pedro
all along the border of that cliff, from where
you can see all San Pedro plain, Salt Flat,
Andes, down to the Salt Chain crests. The view
is really amazing. We go down to the plain by
the dunes and the Death Valley canyon. Dinner in
a San Pedro restaurant and night in a B&B.
DAY 6 : Free morning to visit the
village.
Lunch in a San Pedro restaurant.
In the afternoon, by horse from
SAN PEDRO to BETER
We visit the Solor Oasis, where local people
grow alfalfa, corn and also some fruits. We
cross the desert south and visit the Beter
Village ruins, dating back to colonial
times and almost all covered by dunes. Like a
savanna landscape. We camp near the village.
DAY 7-8 : BETER - CEJAR
We continue south, where the landscape is flat,
and where the ground crackles under our feet :
the Salt Flat. We ride first to Tebinquinche
Lakes. Two sweet water eyes and a blue salted
lake. It is a very solitary landscape. Then, we
join Céjar Lake, turquoise, surrounded by golden
herbs. We camp there. Wonderful sunset on the
Andes mountains. Sometimes some flamingoes fly
over the lakes, specially in the morning.
DAY 9-10:
CEJAR – VALLEY DEL TIEMPO
We go back to the fertil oasis to visit
the archeological site of the Hamlet of Tulor.
It is the living place of the first sedentary
Indians, dating back to 800 before Christ to 500
after. Then, we go to the foot of Salt Chain, to
Chulacao caves, where there are ancient copper
mines. We camp in another canyon, on the foot of
Salt Chain : Valle del Tiempo.
DAY 11 : VALLE DEL TIEMPO - VALLE DE LA
LUNA - SAN PEDRO
We begin the day by riding up a big dune
which will lead us to the Salt Chain hart and
its small canyons. We cross along a big valley,
Quebrada de Kari dominated by a huge cliff, and
loose ourselves in lots of small canyons. We
arrive by surprise to the very known Moon
Valley, with its original geological forms. We
ride up a big dune to be able to have a general
view on this Moon Valley. We come back to San
Pedro by a big plain in front of the Andes
Mountains and by the main oasis of San Pedro.
Dinner in a restaurant and night in a B&B.
DAY 12 : Transfer to Calama airport after
breakfast.
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