El Tatio - the most bubbling place of Southern Hemisphere

If you decide to visit El Tatio, prepare for views that feel like they’re from another planet. Literally, the area is studied as one of the most similar landscapes to the early stages of Mars and Earth. Being there is like moving 4 billion years back in time, except you still have your smartphone in hand to videocall your grandma and show her these wonders.

Remember that the nature here is as harsh as the landscape. The geysers are most active between 5:30 and 7:30 am, so you’ll have to wake up very early to arrive on time. At this hour, temperatures can drop to around -20°C (this spot experiences daily temperature amplitudes of up to 40°C! While day can be relatively warm, the nights are freezing), so bring a warm jacket. Worse than the cold will be altitude though. El Tatio is located 4,320 meters above sea level. That means visiting it can cause altitude sickness, making you feel dizzy, giving you headaches, or even causing vomiting.

To feel better avoid a heavy breakfast, but make sure to eat something, drink plenty of water, taking small sips regularly (emptying a whole bottle at once won’t help much). Take breaks on the way up to allow your body to adjust to the altitude. Finally, remember that you’ll get tired more easily at this altitude, so save your energy. You can also try chewing coca leaves, a traditional Andean method to help balance body pressure. Just don’t take them home with you. While coca leaves are legal in the Andean region, they are illegal in most parts of the world. Even though they’re not addictive or harmful, many people associate them with only one thing: cocaine.

The whole trip from San Pedro de Atacama, with the stops to adapt to the altitude and maybe lunch on the way, should take 6-8 hours. Around 12.00 or 13.00 you should be back in your hotel.
There are no buses or public transport to the geysers, so you have only two options how to get in there: you can rent a car or participate in organized trip with some tour company. Trip in a mini bus, with the breakfast included should cost you around 35 000 CLP, which is, in the moment of writing this article, 37,80 USD (270 STEEM). Additionally you will have to pay the entrance fee - 15 000 CLP (16,20 USD or 115 STEEM), 5000 CLP for indigenous people from the region (5,40 USD or 39 STEEM). While renting the car, the only fee would be for the entrance.

For more information, visit the website of El Tatio

_{All photos in my publications belong to me, unless marked differently}

10% of income goes to @steem-atlas