Days 1-2 – Arrival in San Pedro de Atacama & excursion to Valley of the Moon
Your Atacama trip begins in San Pedro de Atacama, in the heart of the desert. The town lies on the edge of the Salar de Atacama, a dazzlingly white salt lake with the snow-capped Licanacabur volcano in the background. San Pedro is a pleasant little town, once you’ve settled in to your guesthouse take a look around the town. There are several good restaurants to choose from.
This morning is free for you to spend as you please. You could go skiing, desert-style on a sandboard. In the afternoon you’ll head into the Atacama Desert with a small group. You’ll stop off at some of the most scenic points before arriving at the Valle de la Luna, a surreal lunar-like landscape. Enjoy an amazing sunset colouring the valley red, purple, green and blue as the moon slowly rises in the sky.
Day 3 – Departure from San Pedro de Atacama
After breakfast you’ll be ready to head onwards to your next destination.
Accommodation
For this bite-sized trip we offer the following options
Upgrade to our In Style accommodation
For this bite-sized trip we have an alternative option available for your accommodation. Our In-Style version is something a bit more special or unique but still with lots of local flavour! If you would like to upgrade your accommodation for this bite-size trip select our In Style option below.
Atacama - Tatio Geysers trip
To see El Tatio erupt, the world’s highest geyser, you’ll need to leave before dawn at 4am. When you arrive at the Tatio geysers, around 7am, it’s still freezing cold, so you’ll need to wrap up warm. After a small breakfast you’ll go for a walk through the field of bubbling mud pools and steaming pools. There are a couple of thermal pools where you can wallow in the hot water, so if you fancy an al fresco swim, don’t forget your swimming gear. If you’d like to add this excursion we’ll also book an extra night in San Pedro as part of your Atacama tour.
Atacama - Sandboarding
For something more adventurous, grab a sandboard and glide down the red dunes of Valle de la Muerte on a sandboarding tour. Accompanied by an expert guide, you’ll learn the basics and spend the morning or afternoon cruising down the dunes and taking in the incredible views.
Atacama - Star Gazing
The desert sky is well worth looking up for, known as one of the best places on earth to spot stars. Alongside a local guide who knows this area like the back of their hand, you will take a peek through a telescope and learn all about the constellations, planets and galaxies. You will feel as if you’re standing in the middle of the Milky Way.