Things to do in Atacama Desert

Meet your group at the meeting point and travel to Valle de la Luna, located 13 kilometers from San Pedro de Atacama. Explore the lunar-like landscape which will mesmerize you with its colorful geology. Discover interesting rock formations composed of natural minerals, including Las Tres Marías created by wind erosion over many decades. See other sights such as the Grand Dunes, the Salt Cave, the Amphitheater, and the Coyote Stone. At the end of the day, admire the sunset from an exceptional lookout point overlooking the valley. Enjoy a panoramic view of the rugged beauty of the Atacama desert, and see the beautiful colors of the sky as the sun gradually sets.

Be collected from your accommodation in San Pedro de Atacama around 6:30 AM. Your first stop, after an hour, will be at the Miscanti and Miñiques highland lagoons, located at 4,200 meters above sea level. In these lagoons, enjoy breakfast and admire the fauna and flora here.  The next visit is to the Salar de Talar, known as Piedras Rojas or purple stones. The beauty of this place will leave you speechless. Continue to your next stop at the Atacameño village of Socaire, where you can observe the terraces of cultivation and the village church. Then visit the Salar de Atacama, Chile's largest salt lake. Here are the national flamingo reserve and the Chaxa lagoon, which is home to three types of flamingos as well as other species. Return to San Pedro de Atacama around 5:00 PM. 

Meet your local host in the main street of San Pedro de Atacama to begin your experience. Heading towards the southeast of the desert taking the scenic route to the hidden lagoons of Baltinache. During the 1-hour drive, see all the rock and salt landscapes that make up the desert, and learn about why this area is believed to have been at the bottom of the ocean millions of years ago. At the entrance of the lagoons, make use of the locker room in case you want to change into your bathing suit. From there, walk to the beginning of the track where you can visit all 7 lagoons. Be stunned by the crystal clear waters of the lagoons and wonder how such a thing is possible in the middle of nowhere. If you wish to take a dip, you are permitted to swim in the first and last lagoons only, for conservation purposes. Due to the amount of salt that they have in the water, experience the sensation of floating like a cork. It is recommended that you start in the last lagoon so that you don't have to walk all the way there with salt on your body. After a few hours of free time, use the facilities again to shower. Then, enjoy the scenic ride back with the opportunity to catch the sun setting over the desert. Finally, arrive back in San Pedro de Atacama where your memorable tour concludes.

Enjoy two different views of the night sky during your tour. The first will be the Western vision, which studies the universe, the brightness of the stars, and their planets. You can observe, with a telescope, objects in the solar system, deep space, and constellations. Learn about the cosmos and its formation.  Then, go on an ethnic astronomical journey to understand how the ancient inhabitants of the Andes interpreted the universe, the milky way, and the night sky. Many centuries before the arrival of the Spaniards, in the indigenous settlements of America, many wise observers of the universe interpreted the objects of the night sky. In all the black spaces, they observed figures that gave them information about their daily life including animals, water, rivers, schedules, and life after death. 

Delight in 3 days of activities and discover the must-sees in the Atacama Desert, from San Pedro de Atacama. The natural attractions of Atacama, the driest and highest desert in the world, are scattered around San Pedro. Get ready to find conical volcanoes, blueish lagoons, steaming geysers, and rock formations that appear to be from another planet. Llamas, vicuñas, guanacos, foxes, and graceful flamingos can also be experienced in this unique wildlife environment. The 3-day pack will be a combination of the 4 tours below. The local partner will contact you before to coordinate the days on which you will attend each one. El Tatio Geysers Tour: Visit El Tatio Geysers to be mesmerized by the largest geothermal field in the southern hemisphere and the third-largest in the world. Ride through the Putana Valley, observe flora and fauna, and stop at a lagoon to see flamingos. Salt Flats Route Tour: Explore northeastern Chile’s natural wonders of the Atacama Salt Flats and a few lagoons, with breakfast included. End the day at the Tara Salt Flat and the volcano lookout. Vallecito Sunset Tour: Explore the Atacama Desert with a visit to Vallecito and stop by the famous magic bus to later on end your day watching an amazing sunset. Hidden Lagoons of Baltinache Tour: Visit the hidden lagoons of Baltinache or Seven Lagoons, one of the secret places of the Atacama Desert. This is a wonderful landscape, of which only the first and the last one can be used for bathing. Due to the high salt concentration they contain, you will experience the flotation effect like the Dead Sea.

Begin the day with early pickup from your hotel or accommodation via a comfortable, air-conditioned 4WD jeep. Be driven to the flight launch area and meet the hot air balloon team for a briefing on the flight and the balloon. Watch as the team mounts and inflates the baloon with hot air. Hop inside the basket and take off over the Atacama Desert between the Domeyco Cordillera and the Andes. Snap photos of the sunrise behind the Licancabur Volcano and enjoy a bird's eye view of sights like Moon Valley, Death Valley, the Atacama Lagoons, the Salt Mountain range, and Atacama desert. Enjoy flying over the mesmerizing landscapes of San Pedro de Atacama. After landing, partake in a breakfast based on quality products. Listen to the stories of the Atacama people and learn more about the region and its people while you eat and reflect on the ride.

Meet your guide in San Pedro de Atacama and head towards the Moon Valley, locally known as Valle de la Luna. It is around 10 kilometers away from San Pedro de Atacama and has been declared a natural sanctuary as part of the Los Flamencos National Reserve within the Salt Mountain range.  On this tour, see the beautiful and awe-inspiring place, which has multiple colorful formations creating a geological spectacle similar to the surface of the moon. You will also visit the Tres Marias statues, explore the salt cave, and climb the Gran Duna (Great Dune) to admire a beautiful panorama as the sun sets and the colors in the sky change. Return to San Pedro de Atacama after seeing this nature spectacle and creating unforgettable memories.

Feel the wind on your face while going to places no other tourists go on this guided buggy tour in the Atacama Desert. Drive-up thrilling trails with your expert local guide, and be entertained and informed by their extensive knowledge of the area. Begin your tour with pickup from your accommodation in San Pedro de Atacama. From there, drive to the local partner's headquarters with your guide. Once there, listen to a safety lecture and suit up in a helmet, gloves, and glasses. Have a look at a map to understand where the activity will place and find out the itinerary through the desert, the salt mountain range, and two archeological sites. Then, let the fun begin: Set off on your approximately 50-kilometer (31-mile) buggy adventure through the Atacama Desert. Tackle a variety of terrains like riverbed crossings, steep mountain climbs, and beautiful sand dunes. Make the most of the opportunity to take pictures of pristine Atacama with no other tourists in tow. During the tour, there will be 3 different main stops along the way to share information and take pictures. At the end of the buggy tour, you'll return to the headquarters before being dropped off at your accommodation.

Visit the magnificent geothermal field of the Geysers del Tatio and see the beautiful wildlife around the Putana River on this half-day trip leaving from San Pedro de Atacama. Enjoy a hike in the wilderness and enjoy a panoramic view of Machuca in the early morning. Depart from San Pedro de Atacama at 5 am, and travel until 6:45 to reach the geothermal fields, where the temperature is below zero. Hike around the geothermal fields, and observe the impressive columns of steam from the geysers. See fumaroles, hundreds of pools of boiling water, and high peaks surrounding the field as you take in all of the natural beauty of the area around dawn. Stop after the hike with the group to have a breakfast of tea, coffee, milk, juice, a sandwich, and some chocolate before leaving on the hike. Visit the town of Machuca on the return hike, and see the houses in the town, still traditionally built in the ancestral style of the townspeople. After exploring the town of Machuca, return to San Pedro de Atacama to enjoy the rest of your day.

Day 1: Transfer from Calama Airport to your San Pedro de Atacama Hotel Day 2: RED STONES, HIGH PLANE LAGOONS AND SALT FLAT OF ATACAMA We will visit the Laguna Chaxa, with its flamingos in the Salar de Atacama. We can also enjoy the wonderful Altiplanic, Miscanti and little fingers We will be able to get closer to the local culture in the highland town of Socaire. We will observe the Salar de Atacama from above, and we will enjoy beautiful landscapes and broken. In turn, we will hallucinate with the impressive Red Stones. Day 3 AM: Tour Geiser del Tatio (altitude of 4,300 meters) After driving through the night, you will arrive at this spectacular sector of the Altiplano at approximately 6:45AM, normally the temperature at this time is below zero. You will begin your day by enjoying breakfast before a guided hike by the geothermal field. There you will be able to observe the impressive columns of steam (geisers), fumaroles, hundreds of pools of boiling water, and high peaks. In this sector you can see parts of the typical Andean fauna such as Vizcachas and Vicuñas. You will then move to the sector of the thermal pools with 40º water, where guests can take a rejuvenating swim. You will then begin the return to San Pedro, through the impressive landscape of the Andes mountain range. During this route you will also be able to see the Tocorpuri and Licancacabur volcanos. You will eventually arrive in San Pedro at approximately 12:00PM, where you will have free time before meeting in the office at 3:50PM. From here you will travel directly to the Salar de Atacama, where your first stop will be Laguna Cejar, a turquoise lagoon in which you can bathe. Due to this lake's great salinity, you will even be able to float on the water. Later, you will visit the eyes of the Salar, before your tour ends at the Tebinquiche Lagoon, where you will enjoy a beautiful sunset with an aperitif. You will eventually return to San Pedro de Atacama. Day 3: Pm. Moon Valley After beginning your tour, you will travel to the famous Valley of the Moon, located approximately 10 kilometers away from San Pedro de Atacama and declared a sanctuary of nature. Here you will discover a place with beautiful shapes and colors where you can walk and observe a geological show with sculptural forms, similar to the lunar surface. You can visit the salt statues "Las Tres Marías", as well as the salt caverns. You will then go up to the great dune at sunset to admire this beautiful panorama in all its splendor. Day 4: Transfer Hotel San Pedro de Atacama to Calama Airport On the final day of your tour you will be transferred to Calama Airport, or another centrally located part of Calama. The itinerary of the excursions can be modified, to be able to carry out all the excursions based on your stay in San Pedro