Discover some of the highlights of Northern Chile on this tour. Travel along the mountain range of the Andes and explore the unique Moon Valley, the beautiful lagoons of Miscanti and Meñiques, the mysterious Lagoon Cejar and many more fascinating landscapes in and around San Pedro de Atacama.
On small hikes and scenic routes, you can explore the mountains, lakes, national parks and volcanoes of the region. The tour includes visits of the National Park Lauca, the Lago Chungará, the Cotacotani Lagoons, the National Reserve Las Vicuñas, the Salt Lake Surire, Parinacota, Putre and much more.
Arrival at the airport of Calama, transfer to San Pedro de Atacama, acommodation in the hotel.
Afternoon: Moon Valley
Departure from the hotel at 16:00 hrs to enjoy a panoramic view over the Cordillera of the Andes, the Great Salt Lake of the Atacama, the Oasis of San Pedro and the Cordillera of the Salt. We move on to visit the Death Valley (also called Mars Valley), exploring its labyrinths and canyons on an easy hike of about 35 minutes. After a stop at the Salt Caves, where you can appreciate the heart of salt, gypsum and clay, we continue to the Moon Valley, visiting the Amphitheater, the Three Marias and finishing the day with an impressive view over the Andes.
Departure at 08:00 am. We leave San Pedro de Atacama to go south and cross the graben of the Salt Lake of the Atacama to visit the village of Toconao with its colonial church and the old fruit gardens. From there we move on to the Great Salt Lake of the Atacama, the third biggest in the world and the one with the highest Lithium production on earth. Also we visit the Lagoon Chaxa, part of the Flamingo National Reserve. The excursion continues to the village of Socaire, located at an altitude of 3.250m over sea level and at a distance of 89km of San Pedro. It is a prehispanic village characterized by cultivated terraces and its beautiful church. Nowadays it is well known for the typical food of the Atacama. We move on to the Highland lagoons Miscanti and Meñiques, located over 3.500m over sea level and surrounded by the mountains of the Andes. It is one of the few places where you can find the Horned Tagua, among many other species of birds and mammals like the Andean Fox and the Vicuña. Return to San Pedro, arrival around 16:30 hrs.
Departure at 04:00 am northwards. We cross the hills and mountains of the Cordillera of the Andes to get to the Tatio Geysers after about 1,5 hours. They are located 89km from San Pedro at an altitude of 4.230m over sea level. The geothermic field consists of more than 80 active geysers of different magnitudes and has to be visited very early for in the morning the water shoots with more intensity. This is due to the high differece between water temperature and atmospheric temperature at sunrise which causes condensation of the steam. In Summer the atmospheric temperature reaches about - 6ºC and in Winter it can reach -20 ºC. You will get time to visit different geysers and steam columns and also to take a bath in the natural thermal pool. We will have breakfast at the geysers, then we return to San Pedro passing the village of Machuca. Arrival approximately at 12:00 hrs in San Pedro.
Afternoon: Lagoon Cejar
We leave San Pedro around 16:00 hrs. At 30km south of the town you can find surprisng lagoons located in the Salt Lake of the Atacama. First of all we will visit the Lagoon Cejar, a lagoon of Green color and a White shore due to the high amount of salt in the water. This high concentration of salt allows you to flow easily just like in the Dead Sea. You will have the time to enjoy a bath, then we return to San Pedro de Atacama.
Departure at 08:00 am. We will cross the Atacama Desert, the driest desert in the world, where you can appreciate its beauty and all its magnitude. Then we visit the geoglyphs "Pintados“, one of the most important archaeological patrimonies in the region. This beautiful demonstration of the ancient art consists of more than 400 figures arranged in thematic groups or panels. Finally we arrive in the village of Pica.
We leave Pica in the morning to visit the nitrate mines of Santa Laura and Humberstone, declared National Monument. Here you can discover the past and all the prosperity of the nitrate export and discover the beautiful architecture of the church, the hotel and the theater. We continue from these ghost towns to the village of Huara, then we move on to the hill Unitas to appreciate the beautiful geoglyph of the Atacama Giant. It is 86m high and one of the biggest figures ever realized. Little by little we start ascending, surrounded by a landscape full of geological contrasts and colors. Finally we arrive in Colchane, border village located at 212km of Iquique and at an altitude of 3.730m over sea level. Dinner and acommodation.
Leaving Colchane we pass the altiplanic towns Enquelga and Isluga, then we continue to the Lagoon Arabilla. We cross the National Park Isluga and enter the Vicuña National Reserve, stop at the Salt Lake Surire and enjoy a bath at the Thermal Baths of Polloquere (Picknick). Observation of Flamingos. Then we move on to the village of Guallatire and get a beautiful panoramic view of the active vulcano with its two steam columns. Stop in Ancuta, arrival in Putre and acommodation in the hotel.
In the morning we depart from Putre towards the National Park Lauca. We realize a small hike at Las Cuevas („The Caves“), appreciating the beautiful landscapes, then we visit the viewpoints of Chucuyo and the Lagoons of Cotacotani, continuing the journey to Lake Chungará. Here we observe the volcanoes Payachatas, visit the village of Parinacota with its adorable colonial church and finish our tour at the Thermal Baths of Jurasi. After a relaxing bath, we return to the village of Putre.
Departure from Putre, we pass the village of Socoroma, lunch in Zapahuira. We visit the fort of Copaquilla, the candelabra cactuses and stop in Pocochile before we continue through the fertile valleys of Lluta and Azapa to get to Arica.
Day 1. Airport of Calama – San Pedro de Atacama
Arrival at the airport of Calama, transfer to San Pedro de Atacama, acommodation in the hotel.
Afternoon: Moon Valley
Departure from the hotel at 16:00 hrs to enjoy a panoramic view over the Cordillera of the Andes, the Great Salt Lake of the Atacama, the Oasis of San Pedro and the Cordillera of the Salt. We move on to visit the Death Valley (also called Mars Valley), exploring its labyrinths and canyons on an easy hike of about 35 minutes. After a stop at the Salt Caves, where you can appreciate the heart of salt, gypsum and clay, we continue to the Moon Valley, visiting the Amphitheater, the Three Marias and finishing the day with an impressive view over the Andes.
Day 2. Highland Lagoons – Salt Lake Atacama
Departure at 08:00 am. We leave San Pedro de Atacama to go south and cross the graben of the Salt Lake of the Atacama to visit the village of Toconao with its colonial church and the old fruit gardens. From there we move on to the Great Salt Lake of the Atacama, the third biggest in the world and the one with the highest Lithium production on earth. Also we visit the Lagoon Chaxa, part of the Flamingo National Reserve. The excursion continues to the village of Socaire, located at an altitude of 3.250m over sea level and at a distance of 89km of San Pedro. It is a prehispanic village characterized by cultivated terraces and its beautiful church. Nowadays it is well known for the typical food of the Atacama. We move on to the Highland lagoons Miscanti and Meñiques, located over 3.500m over sea level and surrounded by the mountains of the Andes. It is one of the few places where you can find the Horned Tagua, among many other species of birds and mammals like the Andean Fox and the Vicuña. Return to San Pedro, arrival around 16:30 hrs.
Day 3. Tatio Geyser – Lagoon Cejar
Departure at 04:00 am northwards. We cross the hills and mountains of the Cordillera of the Andes to get to the Tatio Geysers after about 1,5 hours. They are located 89km from San Pedro at an altitude of 4.230m over sea level. The geothermic field consists of more than 80 active geysers of different magnitudes and has to be visited very early for in the morning the water shoots with more intensity. This is due to the high differece between water temperature and atmospheric temperature at sunrise which causes condensation of the steam. In Summer the atmospheric temperature reaches about - 6ºC and in Winter it can reach -20 ºC. You will get time to visit different geysers and steam columns and also to take a bath in the natural thermal pool. We will have breakfast at the geysers, then we return to San Pedro passing the village of Machuca. Arrival approximately at 12:00 hrs in San Pedro.
Afternoon: Lagoon Cejar
We leave San Pedro around 16:00 hrs. At 30km south of the town you can find surprisng lagoons located in the Salt Lake of the Atacama. First of all we will visit the Lagoon Cejar, a lagoon of Green color and a White shore due to the high amount of salt in the water. This high concentration of salt allows you to flow easily just like in the Dead Sea. You will have the time to enjoy a bath, then we return to San Pedro de Atacama.
Day 4. San Pedro de Atacama – Geoglyphs Pintados – Pica
Departure at 08:00 am. We will cross the Atacama Desert, the driest desert in the world, where you can appreciate its beauty and all its magnitude. Then we visit the geoglyphs "Pintados“, one of the most important archaeological patrimonies in the region. This beautiful demonstration of the ancient art consists of more than 400 figures arranged in thematic groups or panels. Finally we arrive in the village of Pica.
Day 5. Pica – Atacama Giant – Colchane
We leave Pica in the morning to visit the nitrate mines of Santa Laura and Humberstone, declared National Monument. Here you can discover the past and all the prosperity of the nitrate export and discover the beautiful architecture of the church, the hotel and the theater. We continue from these ghost towns to the village of Huara, then we move on to the hill Unitas to appreciate the beautiful geoglyph of the Atacama Giant. It is 86m high and one of the biggest figures ever realized. Little by little we start ascending, surrounded by a landscape full of geological contrasts and colors. Finally we arrive in Colchane, border village located at 212km of Iquique and at an altitude of 3.730m over sea level. Dinner and acommodation.
Day 6. Colchane – National Park Isluga – Salt Lake Surire – Putre
Leaving Colchane we pass the altiplanic towns Enquelga and Isluga, then we continue to the Lagoon Arabilla. We cross the National Park Isluga and enter the Vicuña National Reserve, stop at the Salt Lake Surire and enjoy a bath at the Thermal Baths of Polloquere (Picknick). Observation of Flamingos. Then we move on to the village of Guallatire and get a beautiful panoramic view of the active vulcano with its two steam columns. Stop in Ancuta, arrival in Putre and acommodation in the hotel.
Day 7. Putre – National Park Lauca – Lake Chungara – Putre
In the morning we depart from Putre towards the National Park Lauca. We realize a small hike at Las Cuevas („The Caves“), appreciating the beautiful landscapes, then we visit the viewpoints of Chucuyo and the Lagoons of Cotacotani, continuing the journey to Lake Chungará. Here we observe the volcanoes Payachatas, visit the village of Parinacota with its adorable colonial church and finish our tour at the Thermal Baths of Jurasi. After a relaxing bath, we return to the village of Putre.
Day 8. Putre – Arica
Departure from Putre, we pass the village of Socoroma, lunch in Zapahuira. We visit the fort of Copaquilla, the candelabra cactuses and stop in Pocochile before we continue through the fertile valleys of Lluta and Azapa to get to Arica.
