Valle de la Luna is the Atacama's most famous close-to-town landscape, a wind-carved pocket of the Cordillera de la Sal about 13 kilometres west of San Pedro de Atacama. The name is obvious once you arrive: pale salt crust, red-brown ridges, dunes, dry ravines, and a silence that makes the place feel less like a valley than a set from another planet.
It is also popular, because it is spectacular and easy to reach. The usual circuit takes in the Tres Marias, the Duna Mayor, salt caves, and viewpoints across the Anfiteatro. Sunset is the classic time, when the Andes go violet and the salt range throws long shadows across the desert.
Do not underestimate the heat or the dryness just because the excursion is short. There is almost no shade, the ground reflects glare, and the best views often involve walking uphill through sand. Bring water, sunglasses, and a layer for the quick temperature drop after sunset.