Tulor is one of the oldest known archaeological sites in the Atacama Desert, a settlement of circular adobe rooms dating back some 2,500 years to around 800 BC. It was a village of the early Atacameño culture, situated near a lagunar area (now dry) that provided water and food. The site lies about 9 kilometres southwest of San Pedro and is easily combined with a visit to the Laguna Cejar salt lake.
What survives is a group of partially excavated stone and adobe structures — round rooms with walls still standing to a metre or more in height, connected by narrow passages. The architecture is strikingly different from what most visitors expect of pre-Columbian construction: no pyramids, no grand temples, just the practical circular rooms of a farming village. The guided tour, which is required, helps put the site in its historical context.
The site requires a guide and cannot be visited independently. Tours from San Pedro typically take half a day and are run by the local community. The closest salt lake, Laguna Cejar, where you can float in highly salinated water, is often included in the same excursion.