San Pedro de Atacama is a very popular tourist destination. Its permanent population as of 2005 was about 1.000.

San Pedro de Atacama is a pre-Inca village lost in the Atacama desert, northern Chile, which grew, over centuries, around an oasis. It is located east of Antofagasta, some 100 km (60 mi) southeast of Calama and the Chuquicamata copper mine, overlooking the Licancabur volcano.

It features a significant archeological museum, the Museo Arqueológico R. P. Gustavo Le Paige, with a large collection of mummies and other relics. Native ruins nearby now attract increasing numbers of tourists interested in learning about pre-Colombian cultures. Tourists also visit for other popular activities including sandboarding and star gazing, with the views of the stars from the Atacama unrivalled across the continent. The town lies at an average altitude of approximately 2,400m (7,900 ft) and visitors often experience mild altitude sickness such as dizzyness, lethargy and headaches.

The local climate is extremely dry, with daytime temperatures between 25-30°C (77-86°F) in summer and 18-25°C (64-77°F) in winter. Nighttime temperatures routinely drop below zero and can reach as low as -10°C (14°F) in winter.