Located 89 kms from the city of San Pedro de Atacama and surrounded by an astonishing scenery of arid beauty, Tatio Geysers are a volcanic geothermal field, where water and steam columns spring up violently from deep under the ground. Set at a height of 4.000 mts msl (16.800 ft), these are the highest geysers in the world
Tatio Geysers reach their peak of activity between 5:30 am and 7:30 am, when water columns reach up to 10 meters (32.8 ft). This is why you must get up really early if you want to enjoy a good spectacle. Bear in mind that at that time the temperatures are extremely low, reaching up to -20°C so do not forget to wear thick, warm clothes
When it gets warmer you can bathe in the thermal pools near the geysers and visit the town of Machucha to relax for a while, go to the restroom, and enjoy a delicious llama kebab.
Despite the beauty and uniqueness of this location, it is important to remember that the altitude of this place (4200 mts/13.800 ft) can cause physical discomfort, headaches, and nausea. Because of this, excursions to Tatio Geysers are not recommended for pregnant women, little children, and people with high blood pressure.
Gastronomy
Within San Pedro de Atacama, there is a great variety of places to taste, like the typical Atacama food, pizzas to the stone or even different vegetarian option that use the vegetables and more typical vegetables of the zone.
How to get there:
Santiago-Calama: by airplane, bus or car. From Calama to the geysers take the road to Chiuchiu (Northeast). After passing this town keep going east and at the detour to Aiquina take the the right. After 74 km. (46.25 mi) from Calama, to your left you will see the detour towards the geysers which are approximately 14 km (8.75 mi) away. There is no public transportation to
Recommendations
We recommend you that you schedule your flight to Calama to arrive in the morning so you are able to participate in the scheduled activities without affecting the itinerary.
This place has a desertic weather and it’s also some meters above sea levels, which means that throughout the year there is a very large temperature oscillation between day and night. The average annual temperature is between 14° C and 3 ° C.
Many of the excursions and tours that are done include visiting places that are in the Chilean plateau, 3,500 above sea levels. This means that people may experience altitude sickness. It is important that people drink lots of water so they keep their body well hydrated. People shouldn’t make sudden or harsh movements, and let their body get used to the heights and the altitude.
There are few ATMs in San Pedro de Atacama. You have to consider that the demand for these ATMs is high, so they don’t always have money. We advise you to bring some cash with you.
Stores in rural areas are open all day, but they close between 13.00 and 15.00. We advise you to carry local currency (Chilean pesos), since it isn’t possible to pay with debit or credit cards in kiosks and rural stores.
Do not throw garbage on the beaches, parks or streets. To take care of our environment is everyone's responsibility. Avoid fines by following the rules.
Tatio Geysers map
Come and discover Tatio Geysers
Tatio Geysers travel packages
Come and discover Tatio Geysers with our best tour packages