June 1st 2015

After the 36 hour bus ride from Uyuni back to San Pedro de Atacama I needed a few days of rest and relaxation, which I got in San Pedro Backpackers, spending the days relaxing with new friends and exploring the town in the evening.  Checking out Barros Restaurant and Quitor Restaurant and some other hot spots in the little town.  I also met someone you’ll see a decent amount of in the following blog entries. Mirela, a super cool person from Bosnia/ Germany who joined me on this tour of Death Valley and MoonValley just outside the town.

The tour runs from 2:45 to about 7 o’clock and costs 10,000 CLP (20 CAD)when booked through San Pedro Backpackers.  The guides usually speak some decent level of English and it’s a highly worth while half day excursion.

We’re picked up from our hostel at around 2:45 and pile into the minibus alongside Claudia another german who is joining us on the tour, then it’s driving time.  The van isn’t bad and tour with friends is always more fun than tours alone, so before long we’re pulling up along side some beautiful brown rock formations near moon valley and getting out to explore.

Our friendly guide leads us through the unique rock formations and explaining some of the geographical features of the area to us before leading us through a narrow underground passage between the massive otherworldly rocks.

Eventually we come out of the near complete darkness and the tunnel widens, eventually allowing us to climb up higher on the rocks and keep walking.  The views are impressive and the jagged rough hewn rocks give plenty of grips for actually climbing up higher.

We eventually come to a plateau looking down on our minibus and the valley below and I decide it’s time for another titanic shot, Mirela, somehow not visibly embarrassed agrees to take the picture for me.

We then descend back down and find another cliff where we pass a moment of silence listening to the rock shift and move in complete silence before returning to the van, making a quick bathroom stop and moving on to our next stop and the longest hike on the tour, The Cordillera de la Sal.

We walk up along the mountains and snap a few photos with the moon like backdrop before the mildly strenuous climb up to a ridge where everything gets truly amazing. Mirela has to keep covered from the sun, which leads to some interesting style choices and head accessories on the walk.

Up on the ridge the view is dizzying no matter where you look.Below is the strange white lunar landscape of moon valley, up ahead in the distance beyond the ridge are the majestic andes mountains including several snow capped volcanoes, and behind us more cliffs and rocks define the landscape looking like a cross between Mars and the Moon.

We wander along the narrow raised ridge ahead of the rest of the group, eventually our tour guide gets up just as I’m asking Mirela for more Titanic photos.  She hands him the camera and decides she needs to be a part of those photos, making me shake my head in amazement. I’ve taken a lot of these embarrassing photos, had a lot of different people take them for me, but never has someone said, ooh I need to be a part of this. Kudos Mirela,  Kudos.

These photos done we head out along the ridge towards the volcano, marvelling at the ridiculous views that surround us.  It’s hard not to take to many photos in a place like this, and I fail miserably at controlling my shutter finger.

Eventually our time here is up and we hike back down through the surreal hills climbing back into the bus and driving to our next stop, The Three Maria’s.

The Three Maria’s are three natural rock formations also known as Los Vigilantes (the Watchers)  which seem to show the virgin mother in various different poses.  At first glance this place is less impressive than the others, but there is a special energy to the air her undoubtedly.  Sadly, a few years back, one of the three Maria’s was destroyed by a tourist climbing up onto them for a photo.  Sometimes we really are a scourge and it’s a reminder that there are some rules which should be respected.

After a few minutes sitting there and thinking, also looking at the T-rex shaped rock off to the side we climb back into the car and head towards death valley for yet another amazing vista.

Death Valley is also the place to go if you want to Sandboard outside of San Pedro, there’s tons of tours available from town, but if your comfortable on your own you can also rent the boards in town and bike or walk out to the valley and do it yourself.  A cheaper and in some ways better alternative.  I’m not much for skiing and snow boarding and despite being tempted, I’ve decided not to go sand boarding.

Still though, Death Valley is  another beautiful look out on the Andes Mountains, and yet another utterly unique landscape below us.  The growing shadows wreak havoc with the pictures but we still manage some good ones laughing and enjoying ourselves as we edge out along narrow ledges on the cliffs for better photos and a little adrenalin to wake us up.

Before long were back in the mini bus, time the only thing always in short supply on tours, and then we’re bouncing up and down over the rough desert terrain, heading to another part of Moon Valley to watch the sunset.

Here it’s crowded, so many tourist agencies all come to the same place to watch the sun fade behind the desert mountains, making this otherworldly place look even more bizarre as the mosaic of oranges and reds colours the desert sand.  The sun starts to fade and we pose for more photos, tempted to stand in line for the most impressive place, a long point of rock extending out over the desert valley, but choosing instead to go explore some less crowded places.

As the sun becomes a sparkling orange diamond equal with the horizon, Mirela points behind me and I spin around for the real attraction.  The rising moon.  It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

See what I mean?  We watch the giant full moon climb above the mars like mountains in wide eyed awe, before eventually posing for some more pictures which to this day remain some of my favourite from this trip.  From eating the moon to more joint titanic shots, it was a great time.

As the moon gets higher and smaller in the sky we’re gradually left more and more alone as the vans pack up and leave.  Even our group is heading back to the car but Mirela and I can’t help but notice the most popular photo spot is suddenly empty, and their might be just enough light left for some cool photos.  We make a run for it and snap a few final photos to cap the day perfectly.

The tour drops us back in the centre of town and we head back to the hostel very happy with an amazing day. We spend the night heading out into town with Anna, another amazing girl from Germany, and TJ a friendly guy from the northwestern united states.

The next day we’re all too tired to do much of anything, but In san Pedro an amazing sight is never far away, and as the sun starts to set Anna,  Mirela and I muster up the energy to wander out past the outskirts of town to once again watch the moon rise over the mountains.  It’s not as spectacular a view point, but we are out there alone and for that it’s a lot better.

The moon once again is spectacular, and the company’s good, and of course the price is right.  So if you’re in San Pedro on a budget its pretty easy to enjoy, just go hiking through the surreal landscapes and enjoy yourself.

In the end Anna and Mirela prove to cool to say goodbye to, so, since their both headed to Valparaiso and I’ve got nothing but time, I decide to head back south with them, which you’ll read all about in the coming blog entries.