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Introduction
 San Pedro de Atacama is located in the Antofagasta (II) Region of Chile, in the northern section of the Atacama Desert, the driest desert in the world. See the San Pedro Geography section for more information on the Atacama Desert. Calama is the local regional centre, and transport gateway, with its airport and bus terminals. Located 100km to the south east, across the Cordillera de Domeyko or Domeyko mountain range, lies the traditional town of San Pedro de Atacama, with approximately 2,000 inhabitants, the principal centre of the Atacameño or Likan Antay culture. Situated at the western foothills of the Cordillera de Los Andes, San Pedro lies at 22°55'S 68°12'W, and is 2,436 meters above sea level (masl), requiring visitors to sometimes take a couple of days upon arrival to acclimatise before travelling to higher altitudes. Dominating the local landscape is the Volcán Licancabur, rising to 5,916 masl to the east of the town. The crater is home to one of the world's highest lakes, complete with ceremonial Inca shrine. The Andes form a dramatic backdrop to the area, including Volcán Lascar, at 5,592 masl and one of most active in region. Historical records date from 1848, which the most recent major eruption April 1993 and lasting for 36hrs - the volcanoes 3rd greatest eruption. See the Chile Geography section for more information on the Cordillera de Los Andes. The air here is clear and dry giving in exceptionally clear visibility which can extend from end to end of the Salar de Atacama. Formed in the natural depression basin which originally extended between Andes and Domeyko mountain ranges, and which is now faulted and compressed forming the intermediate Cordillera de la Sal. During the summer months high pressure systems develop over the Altiplano, Spanish for high plain, together with intense daily convective activity in the form of frequent and violent late afternoon and evening thunderstorms over the Andes. In the Atacama region these high pressure systems can push westwards over the Andes, a phenomena known as the Altiplanic winter or invierno altiplanico. The main rivers, supported by rainfall and snow melt-water in the Andes highlands and emerging in the foothills, flow into the Salar from the north are the Rio Grande, into which the Rio Salado flows to become the Rio San Pedro, and the Rio Puritama which becomes the Rio Vilama. Both are now intercepted by the town of San Pedro and its water irrigation systems - water is a scarce resource and is shared by the community through a traditional system of allocation and irrigation channels. Many of the high basins in the altiplano have negative water balances, and therefore no out-flow to the sea. They act as interior, or endorheic, drainage basins, 'bolsóns', and accumulate broad salars or salt-flats from the evaporation of water - such as the Salar de Tara. The high altitude results in strong solar radiation and temperature extremes, which together with the high concentrations mineral salts, results in a uniquely adapted flora and fauna.Conservation
The Reserva Nacional Los Flamencos was established in 1990 to protect important alto-Andean flora and fauna, the reserve consists of seven discontinuous sectors located within the San Pedro de Atacama region. Each sector has a different type of geography, flora, fauna and hydrology. The sectors altogether make up 73,986 hectares.
1. Salar de Tara - Aguas Calientes (73,986 ha)2. Salar de Pujsa (5,702 ha) 3. Lagunas Miscanti-Miñiques (10,977 ha) 4. Valle de la Luna (5,467 ha) 5. Tambillo (6,013 ha) 6. Soncor (5,016 ha) 7. Laguna Agua de Quelana (4,135 ha) There are calls for the area to be declared a National Park to further protect the fragile nature of this environment. See the pages listed in the left hand menu margin for more information and links on San Pedro de Atacama.
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