This unforgettable tour will take you to the most beautiful salt lakes in the North of Chile. Immerse into the fascinating world of the highlands and surround yourself with the impressive landscapes of the Altiplano and the Atacama Desert.
During this tour, we will visit the salt lakes Surire, Huasco and Atacama, where you can observe flocks of flamingos and other typical fauna and flora of the region. The colors and vastness of the sceneries in San Pedro and the Chilean highland are truly mesmerizing and captivate every visitor.
We start from your hotel towards the Market Asoagro (typical fruit and vegetable market), then continue to the Azapa Valley where we observe various geoglyphs. Afterwards we visit the archaeological mueseum of Azapa, then cross the fertile Lluta Valley and pass the village of Poconchile. You will see the candelabra cactuses, the fort Pukara of Copaquilla, have lunch in Zapahuira and after visiting the village of Socoroma we finally get to Putre (3.500m).
Early 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 to the Vicuña National Reserve, passing the villages of Ancuta and Guallatire; appreciating the volcano Guallatire. We arrive at the Salt Lake Surire (4,200 m) around noon where you can enjoy small hikes, photographies and panoramic views. Picknick at the Thermal Baths of Polloquere, then we cross the National Park Volcano Isluga, pass the lagoon Arabilla, the villages Enquelga and Isluga and finally arrive in Colchane at the end of the day.
We leave Colchane to the South to get to the Atacama Desert. We will observe the volcano Cariquima (5.390m over sea level) and then get to the Salt Lake Husco. This natural graben is surrounded by volcanoes and is located at an altitue of 3.700m over sea level. We move on furter south, following the Occidental Cordillera. The route will lead us to the Salt Lake Coposa (3.703m over sea level). In the afternoon we start descending to arrive in Pica, a small oasis full of oranges, lemons and guayaba.
We leave Pica to visit the geoglyphs “Pintados” that contain more than 400 figures in 66 panels representing humans, animals, birds and abstract paintings. From there we move on through the National Reserve of the Pampa of Tamarugal to later on get to the small oasis of Quillagua close to the river Loa. Here we will have lunch, then we cross the desert and make our way to San Pedro de 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 16:00 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: 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.
We leave San Pedro around noon to visit the biggest mine in the world, Chuquicamata. After a tour of about 2 hours we will realice the transfer to the airport of Calama.
Day 1. Arica – Socoroma – Putre
We start from your hotel towards the Market Asoagro (typical fruit and vegetable market), then continue to the Azapa Valley where we observe various geoglyphs. Afterwards we visit the archaeological mueseum of Azapa, then cross the fertile Lluta Valley and pass the village of Poconchile. You will see the candelabra cactuses, the fort Pukara of Copaquilla, have lunch in Zapahuira and after visiting the village of Socoroma we finally get to Putre (3.500m).
Day 2. Putre – National Park Lauca – Lake Chungara – Putre
Early 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 3. Putre – Salt Lake Surire – National Park Isluga – Colchane
Departure from Putre to the Vicuña National Reserve, passing the villages of Ancuta and Guallatire; appreciating the volcano Guallatire. We arrive at the Salt Lake Surire (4,200 m) around noon where you can enjoy small hikes, photographies and panoramic views. Picknick at the Thermal Baths of Polloquere, then we cross the National Park Volcano Isluga, pass the lagoon Arabilla, the villages Enquelga and Isluga and finally arrive in Colchane at the end of the day.
Day 4. Colchane – Salt Lake Husco – Salt Lake Coposa – Pica
We leave Colchane to the South to get to the Atacama Desert. We will observe the volcano Cariquima (5.390m over sea level) and then get to the Salt Lake Husco. This natural graben is surrounded by volcanoes and is located at an altitue of 3.700m over sea level. We move on furter south, following the Occidental Cordillera. The route will lead us to the Salt Lake Coposa (3.703m over sea level). In the afternoon we start descending to arrive in Pica, a small oasis full of oranges, lemons and guayaba.
Day 5. Pica – Atacama Desert – San Pedro de Atacama
We leave Pica to visit the geoglyphs “Pintados” that contain more than 400 figures in 66 panels representing humans, animals, birds and abstract paintings. From there we move on through the National Reserve of the Pampa of Tamarugal to later on get to the small oasis of Quillagua close to the river Loa. Here we will have lunch, then we cross the desert and make our way to San Pedro de Atacama.
Day 6. 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 16:00 hrs.
Day 7. San Pedro de Atacama – Tatio Geyser – Moon Valley
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: 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 8. San Pedro de Atacama – Mine of Chuquicamata – Airport of Calama
We leave San Pedro around noon to visit the biggest mine in the world, Chuquicamata. After a tour of about 2 hours we will realice the transfer to the airport of Calama.
