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Hi may name is Mauro and I am a local guide and with over ten years of experience organizing and doing tours in the Atacama Desert, my passion for photography drove me to explore different places in Chile until eventually I landed here. This is a place that feels little you travel back in time and I will be happy to share with you what I know about landscape and astrophotography in the driest desert in the world.
Before I moved to San Pedro in 2015, I work importing and exporting raw materials for an American company, but I was not happy with my life style, it felt very much like I was wasting my life. Eventually I realized I needed a drastic change and that’s when I decided to move to San Pedro in search of a new beginning, at the first I knew very little about the place and I started working as driver for a big hotel. Little by little I fall in love with the place, new job opportunities came up and after working for the big hotels as a Driver, Guide and Head of the Guides I decided In September 2018 to work for myself.
So here we are, recovering from the lack of tourist because of the Pandemic, and I am sure that with all the enthusiasm in the world, with all the experience I have and all the guide I have meet ………….. I am confident we have the best team.
Hey there, I'm Sebastián!
As many of you, for sure, I'm a nature lover, which is basically the main reason why I decided to live in such a place like the Atacama. I grew up in Santiago and graduated as a journalist, having the amazing opportunity of working for national television in a traveling show. But then, the city was no longer an option for what I consider quality of life, so I moved to the desert.
I started working as a tour guide in San Pedro by 2010, and ever since I've been feeling more and more charmed by these magical lands. It's really surprising you can always find something new in the quiet vastness around. And that's precisely what I intend to do. Take travelers to experience the real silence of earth, the immense magnificence of the Andes and that despite we're in a desert, there's always something new to discover.
When people ask me, "aren't you bored of doing this over and over", I reply "How could I?".
My experience in the area have made me conclude that the best way to properly get the Atacama essence, is to go around off the beaten path. So I organize my excursions trying to avoid crowds, by changing the "normal" departure timings or just simply going to different non traditional tours. That and the willingness to make out of my service the most customizable experience for travelers, are my main concerns as your future guide in 3k Private Tours!!
Environmental Policy
The Atacama Deserts is one has of the most static surfaces in the World, it is only eroded by wind and the rare showers that fall in some parts of the desert. This is why it is very important to respect this land, whatever mark is left behind it will stay there for a long time. We, at 3K Private Tours, are aware of this and all our guides follow the Leave No Trace Principles:
Leave No Trace
1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
3. Dispose Waste Properly
4. Leave What You Find
5. Minimize Campfire Impacts
6. Respect Wildlife
7. Be Kind to Other Visitors
One of our main priorities is to minimize our impact on the environment, when we travel by van we only do it on marked roads and we do the same when mountain biking and hiking. We ask our guests to do the same, and become familiar with these principles.
Great Location
San Pedro de Atacama, located in the middle of the Atacama Desert at 2438m of altitud, is a precordillera oasis village that was once a pre-Columbian meeting point on the trading route from the highlands to the coast. Now days, its popularity stems from its position in the heart of some of Chile’s most spectacular landscapes, an addictively relaxed atmosphere.
It’s here where we have our headquarters and it is from here where we will set out to enjoy your adventure, this is the best base from which to explore the many wonderful sites of the driest desert in world.
Best of all, at the end of every trip, there’s the comfort of a cold drink, a hot meal and a soft bed waiting in San Pedro.
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