San Pedro de Atacama is in the northern part of the Atacama Desert, which is the driest in the world. It is surrounded by 3 mountain chains that block the humid winds from passing to the area.

To the East you find the Andes Mountain Range (Andes Cordillera) formed by a great number of volcanoes that reach heights that surpass 5,000 meters above sea level. The Licancabur, Lascar, and Puritana volcanoes stand out, causing volcanic activity that is reflected in geysers and springs.  A high plateau with small lakes and wetlands (known as bofedales) is formed at an altitude of 4,000.  

To the West you find the Domeyko Mountain Range, with an average altitude of 3,300 meters, where the Quimal hill stands out (4,300 meters above sea level). On that same side you can see the Salt Mountain Range (2,300 meters above sea level), formed by folds from the Earths core and molded by erosion caused by wind and water.

To the South you find Salar de Atacama, the greatest salt deposit in Chile, where 40% of the world's lithium reserves can be found. This salar is a large salt-water lake, with a white rough crust of salt and sediments of neighboring mountains that have been carried by the wind.