Steam columns
At dawn.
Diego Delso — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Diego Delso — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Alexarje — CC0 · Diego Delso — CC BY-SA 4.0
A vast field of erupting hot springs high in the Andes, at about 4,320 metres, the third-largest geyser field in the world and the largest in the southern hemisphere. Dozens of white steam columns rise from it, pools boil and vents bubble between colourful mineral crusts. The spectacle peaks at dawn, when hot water meets freezing air, so the steam columns thicken and climb high, coloured by the first sun rays. Tours therefore leave San Pedro around four in the morning, and visitors eat breakfast amid the steam after arrival. On the way you pass wetlands where vicuñas and birds graze, and the small village of Machuca with its adobe houses. Walk among the geysers only on marked paths, as the ground is thin and the water scalding. The cold at dawn is bitter, often far below freezing, so bring winter clothes and gloves. The altitude around San Pedro is high, so drink plenty of water, move slowly and avoid the highest spots on your first day.
At dawn.
Colourful crusts.
Adobe houses.
The Andes, about 90 km north of San Pedro de Atacama
The steam columns are tallest and clearest when hot water meets freezing dawn air, so tours leave around 4 a.m.