We are a family of 4 with a hire Ute (pick up). We left SPDA at 4:30 am and followed the Google map to El Tatio. The road was dirt all the way but in very good condition and only a few patches of corrugations. You do need to be careful with some tight turns but we found everything was very well sign posted. Even though we had a 4x4 it is perfectly fine in a 2WD and there were lots of cars there. We arrived at 5:50am and had to wait until the staff opened the gates at 6:10am. After the usual check in and payment processes (cash and cards accepted) we headed another 2 km to the first parking lot. It was COLD - take every warm item of clothing you have as I am not kidding, even in December it was freezing. As the sun came up it got warmer quite quickly. The geysers were special and it is quite a big area. We didn’t find the smell bad - nothing compared to Rotorua in NZ! We spent 2 hours walking around taking photos as the sun came up. There are 2 car parks, both worth stopping at. The first park has much bigger water ponds and the second more steam. The swimming pool was closed and didn’t look like it would open anytime soon. We took breakfast and stopped at a nice lookout on the way back to eat and enjoy the view. The road back was stunning. We saw Vicuñas and Vizcachas. We stopped at lagoons full of flamingos and the canyon near Guatin where you can hike. We tried to stop at the village of Machuca but we weren’t allowed in. The man said it was too early (9am).

Tectonic instability in this region of South America brings with it experiences that are worlds away from rural Britain. The Andes - and beyond them just miles away here, Bolivia, are the backdrop to multiple boiling pots. They rage. They’re unpredictable. And they’re about 90 minutes from the sanctuary of Explora de Atacama in the Andean town of San Pedro de Atacama. And a perfect starting point for hiking at 4,300 metres the Volcan Blanco. Tough. Beautiful - literally. Memorable.

The geysers depend on the air being cold in order for the steam to vaporise. As we were there in the height of summer this meant leaving at five in the morning to drive some 40 miles along a difficult road, very twisty with a lot of traffic. This gave us about an hour and a half to fully appreciate the geysers before the sun became too warm. The Tatio geysers are 14,000 feet above sea level though surprisingly we did not see any instance of altitude sickness. It is certainly well worth a visit and in contrast the drive back down at leisure is wonderful with the opportunity to see beautiful scenery. Would thoroughly recommend the trip, particularly for anyone who has not seen geysers before.

Very early start approx 4am. It's because the "steam effect" disappears once the day warms up. Don't expect Iceland or Yellowstone sizes or effects but the overall view throughout the valley is quite effective.

I was initially hesitant to book this excursion, because I was not sure I was interested enough for a 4am wake up, but I'm so glad I did! It is early but you get to relax/sleep on the 1.5 hour ride to El Tatio. It was decently cold before the sun came up. I went with the company PukaRumi Travel and our guide Guilia was excellent!! We spent about an hour and a half at the geysers before taking a short drive for our breakfast spot. Breakfast was a great spread! for being roadside, I was pleasantly surprised we were offered scrambled eggs, and avocado along with fresh bread, coffee, fruits and baked goods. Options were provided too for gluten free guests. Cant beat a morning in the Andes! On the way back, we made a stop in Putana valley and got to see many birds in a wetland as well as many flamingos. Then it was a scenic drive back to San Pedro, where we arrived around noon - perfect for lunch and an afternoon nap.

First of all, gird yourself for the trip. Whether you drive yourself or take a tour bus, it's two hours of kidney crunching potholes and washboard dirt roads. Once you're there, it's spectacular. As tempting as it may be to avoid the pre-dawn rush, it really is better when the day is still cold and the sun is just coming up over the mountains. If it weren't so hard to get to, it would be overrun with tourists.

We arrived 20 minutes after sunrise, you do need the very early start for the drive. I'd prefer to have been there slightly earlier but it was fine for the spectacle ahead. From the car park steam rose from dozens of fissures, some only 30cm across, others pouring out steam from 20 metre wide bubbling pools. We then walked the paths between all the activity, initially with the guide providing information but then the final 40 minutes to yourself. It may seen a long time, 1hour 40 minutes watching geyser steam fissures but they were of every size from different angles. No large single bursts of water like Yellowstone or Iceland but a wonderful sight nonetheless.

I must say it was quite cool. I went around midday and they were still quite active. Maybe we should have gone in the morning but oh well. Be prepared for a 2h drive with very bumpy roads. Even if you don’t spend long the drive is an experience and you get to see the best views and loads of animals like lamas.

This is one of those instances where it's about the journey more than the destination. The geysers are cool, and there are a lot of them, for sure. You can get as close to them as you dare. But Old Faithful and the other Yellowstone geysers are more spectacular and much, much easier to get to. I'm sure the tour buses to El Tatio are nice, but I recommend renting a car yourself. First, there's the 2-3 hour drive in the middle of the night to get there by sunrise (which you should do). It's harrowing. Not in a "I'm going to die" way, but in a "we're in the middle of f#&$ing nowhere" way on mile after mile of washboard gravel road. The relief of arrival combined with the valley of geysers is a memorable experience. Then on the way back, in daylight, you pass native villages, lakes of flamingoes, and venting 20k ft volcanoes. Most of the time it's not hard to imagine you're on another planet. And then you're back in San Pedro in time for lunch.