Day #1
Flight from Santiago to Calama. Transfer to hotel in San Pedro de Atacama (1.5-hour drive).
The town of San Pedro de Atacama is an oasis in the desert situated at an altitude of 7,900 feet (2,407 meters) above sea level and has a population of approximately 5,000. The town is encircled by active and inactive volcanoes, salt flats and many other extraordinary, natural geological phenomena. There are a variety of restaurants and handicraft markets. San Pedro de Atacama has been the home of the “Atacameños” (indigenous people of the Atacama region) for millennia, with a rich anthropological history dating back as far as 10,000 years ago.
You will have the day to adjust to the altitude and explore the town at your leisure.
Day #2
9:00 a.m. Geology of the Atacama Tour: Ckari Gorge, Moon Valley, Petroglyphs, and Rainbow Valley. Duration: 8 hours
We drive up the Salt Mountain Range. Its landscape makes you feel as though you are traveling to another geological time.
We will stop at a lookout point over the Ckari Gorge where you will have a panoramic view of the Atacama basin. From here you will have the option to go on a 5.3 kilometer (3 mile) hike down a dune and through a narrow gorge and several salt caves. After about 2 hours of hiking we will take the vehicle through Moon Valley. The salt that covers it gives it a lunar appearance. If you opt not to take the hike, we will continue on in the vehicle directly to Moon Valley.
We then drive to the Domeyko Mountain Range where we visit the archaeological site of Yerbas Buenas. Here, the ancient Atacameños speak to us through the petroglyphs they carved into walls of rock.
We end with a visit to Rainbow Valley, where the mountains are red, different shades of green, white, and brown. Add to it a bright blue sky and the glistening salt on the ground and this becomes one of the most beautiful attractions in the Atacama region. We will have lunch outdoors admiring the amazing landscape.
Estimated return to hotel: 5:00 p.m.
8:00 p.m. Evening Observatory Tour and Stargazing (subject to weather and moon phases). Duration: 2 hours
We will visit Alarkapin Observatory to enjoy the Atacama night sky, one of the most impressive in the world, even through the naked eye. The two-hour experience begins with an astronomy talk in a specially-equipped room, followed by stargazing of constellations and planets, and then observation through a variety of small and large telescopes.
Note: If this activity is cancelled due to weather conditions or moon phases, you will be issued a cash refund in the amount of $25.000 Chilean pesos per person.
Day #3
9:00 a.m. Tour to the Altiplanic (High-Plateau) Lakes of Miscanti & Miñiques and Chaxa Lagoon in the Atacama Salt Flat. Duration: 8 hours
Today, we journey deep into the “Altiplano” (high plateau) towards the border with Argentina. We will head south of San Pedro de Atacama. On the way, we will see the base camp of the A.L.M.A. astronomical observatory, which contains the largest radio telescope in the world. We then cross the Tambillo Reserve, a tamarugo tree forest planted in the 1960s.
We will stop in the village of Toconao, where we will see San Lucas Church and bell tower, a national monument. Then, we will discover a labyrinth of gardens in the middle of the desert.
We continue the journey crossing the Tropic of Capricorn and passing through the town of Socaire that stands out for its millenarial cultivation terraces.
We then will stop for photos at the jewels of the mountain range, two beautiful lakes: Miscanti and Miñiques.
Note: If the access to Miscanti & Miñiques Lakes is closed (see note #5 below), we will visit Talar Salt Flat and Tuyajto Lagoon further up into the plateau as an alternative.
Afterwards, we will have lunch at a restaurant run by the local indigenous peoples in the town of Socaire.
On our return to San Pedro, we will go into the Atacama Salt Flat. We will stop at Chaxa Lagoon, part of the Los Flamencos National Reserve. It is a spectacularly beautiful setting where you can appreciate a lagoon divided into several lakes, where salt crusts are especially abundant and where diverse communities of flamingos inhabit.
Note: If access to Chaxa Lagoon is closed (see note #5 below), we will visit Tebinquinche Lagoon further into the Atacama Salt Flat as an alternative.
Estimated return to hotel: 5:00 p.m.
Day #4
6:00 a.m. Tour to El Tatio Geysers. Duration: 6 hours
We travel north directly to the El Tatio Geysers. El Tatio has over 80 active geysers, making it the largest geyser field in the Southern Hemisphere and the third largest in the world. Its geysers erupt to an average height of 75 centimeters, with the highest eruption observed being around 6 meters. Water boils at a temperature near 85°C (185°F). There is also a thermal hot spring pool located near the geysers, in which you can bathe, that is open to all visitors, subject to space limitations.
Note: The geysers are situated at 4,320 meters (14,173 feet) above sea level. This is the highest point of the entire trip. We visit the geysers on the final day allowing your body to adjust to the altitude in San Pedro de Atacama and the surrounding area. Considering the extreme altitude of this particular tour to the geysers, older persons, pregnant women, infants, and those who suffer from high blood pressure or who have general health problems should consult their doctor before going on this trip. We recommend going to bed early and not drinking alcohol the night before this tour.
On the way back, we will enjoy vast and varied landscapes. We also will witness the ancient activities of the inhabitants of the plateau; the sulfur mining, the gathering of the “llareta” (a native plant), and the raising of llamas. We pass the Putana wetlands, brimming with animal life, including vicuña, and a variety of birds and flamingos. We will then see the tiny village of Machuca with an ancestral church. On the descent, we will have a panoramic view of the Atacama Salt Flats.
Upon returning to the hotel, you will have time to have lunch before the afternoon tour.
2:00 p.m. Tour to Cejar Lagoon (Bathing). Duration: 3 hours
We will head towards the south of San Pedro de Atacama until we reach the entrance to Cejar Lagoon in the Atacama Salt Flat, where you will have the opportunity to go bathing. There are facilities to change into your bathing suits. Due to the amount of salt that they have, you will experience the flotation effect like the Dead Sea in the Middle East.
Estimated return to hotel: 5:00 p.m. (depending how much time you spend bathing in the lagoons)
Day #5
Transfer to Calama Airport for flight to Santiago
Please note:
(1) The order of sites visited may vary.
(2) If you are prone to motion or altitude sickness, we recommend that you take preventive medication for these ailments prior to departing on this tour.
(3) Although this is a private tour with your own vehicle and guide, there may be other visitors joining you at the various sites.
(4) During the Chilean summer vacation months of January and February, the region is particularly crowded. Your guide will try to avoid the crowds as much as possible.
(5) The Chilean Government has handed over management of the different attractions visited during this tour to the local indigenous communities. However, when conflict arises between these communities and the government, the indigenous communities may close the sites as a form of protest and with little or no notice. This situation is beyond our control and we will do our best to find alternative sites to achieve a similar experience.
