The Atacama Desert in northern Chile is one of the driest places on Earth, with salt flats, geysers, lagoons and some of the world’s clearest night skies. The adobe village of San Pedro de Atacama is the base, with hostels and guesthouses alongside luxury lodges.
Finding cheap rooms in Atacama Desert is easier when you know where to look. We compare live hotel rates across the top booking sites and point you to the neighborhoods where hotels are cheap but the location is still great.
Rooms come in more shapes than hotels — in Atacama Desert you can also compare apartments with kitchens, vacation rentals for families, B&Bs and budget hostels in one search.
San Pedro de Atacama is the base for Atacama Desert tours, reached by road from the airport at Calama.
The main street area, walkable to tour agencies and restaurants, with many budget stays.
Quieter ayllus (rural hamlets) around town, with lodges and guesthouses.
The mining city with the airport — practical for a late arrival, with chain hotels.
Zoom and pan the map to compare hotel prices by neighborhood; rates come live from the booking sites.
The desert is dry year-round. Spring and autumn are comfortable; nights are cold, especially in winter. Rates rise over Christmas, New Year and Chilean holidays.
Hostels and guesthouses in San Pedro de Atacama are the best value; book ahead in peak holidays.
Fly to Calama, then take a shuttle or bus to San Pedro, roughly an hour and a half away.
San Pedro sits at high altitude and some tours go higher, so take it easy for the first day or two.