San Pedro de Atacama

The Iglesia de San Pedro, dating from the 17th century, is supposedly the second oldest church in the country. It has been heavily restored and the tower was added in 1964. The roof is made of cactus; inside, the statues of Mary and Joseph have fluorescent light halos. Nearby, on the shady Plaza, is the Casa Incaica, the oldest building in San Pedro.

The Pukará de Quitor, 3 km north of San Pedro along the river, US$4, is a pre-Inca fortress that was restored in 1981 and covers 2.5 ha on a hillside on the west bank of the river. It was stormed by the Spanish under Pedro de Valdivia, 1000 defenders being overcome by 30 horsemen who vaulted the walls. The road to Quitor involves fording the river several times, until the pukará comes into view on the hill on the left-hand side of the valley. There is a new plaza here, built as a homage to the indigenous people of the region and set amid thorn trees. The road continues along the valley of the Río San Pedro as the canyon climbs further into the Atacama, passing a couple of small farmsteads sheltered by pepper trees where sheep graze in the desert sun. A further 4 km up the river, there are ruins at Catarpe, which was the Inca administrative centre for this region. The ruins are on top of a hill on the east side of the valley, and are difficult to find without a guide; horseback tours are offered in San Pedro.

There’s another archaeological site 12 km southwest of San Pedro at Tulor, US$4, where parts of a village (dated 500-800 BC) have been excavated. The road is ripio, and fine for 4WD vehicles. You can sleep in two reconstructed huts or take a tour, US$10. Nearby are the ruins of a 17th-century Spanish-style village, abandoned in the 18th century because of the lack of water.