Toconao
An oasis village built from white volcanic tuff, where the freestanding bell tower and the orchard gorge are common stops on the way to the high-altitude lakes.
Toconao lies about 38 kilometers south of San Pedro. Most of its houses are built from white Lipari volcanic stone (tuff) quarried locally. The bell tower of the Church of San Lucas on the central square was built in 1750 and is a national historic monument. Next to the village, the Quebrada de Jerez gorge has a stream and orchards of quince and fig trees, and you can walk among them. The village has craft shops and small restaurants. Entry to the village is free, but there is a small fee to enter the gorge. It is often combined with Chaxa Lake and the high-altitude lakes on the same day trip.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- ALMA Observatory
- Laguna Chaxa
- Ojos del Salar
- Laguna Cejar
- Laguna Tebinquinche
- Aldea de Tulor
- San Pedro de Atacama
- Church of San Pedro de Atacama