Atacama Desert Hiking Tour (6 DAYS)

Once you arrive to Calama Airport, you’ll take a 90 minutes transfer to San Pedro de Atacama and check in at your hotel.

At 4 Pm you’ll meet our guide and the rest of the group to start the first day of hiking in San Pedro de Atacama surroundings.
After lunch we’ll head toward the Salt Mountain Range, which forms a natural barrier between the Pacific Ocean and the Atacama Salt Flat. The hike starts at the Coyote rock, a strange rock formation and getting deep into the mountain range and it geologic forms. We’ll hike 2 hours by the Cari George, admiring beautiful views of Atacama.
Once we reach the end of Kari George we head to Moon Valley, a valley of statuesque, rocky formations. Salt emerges to the surface, covering the surface with a dry, whitish layer that gives the place a lunar aspect. We’ll visit the statues of salt called “Las Tres Marias“ , the salt mine, the salt caves and we will walk up by the sand dunes of the area until we reach the summit of the Big Dune. Here, you will see the whole valley at the sunset, while a spectacular change of colors happens in front of your eyes and enjoy a delicious cocktail.
Afterwards we return to San Pedro de Atacama by van and drop you off at your Hotel or in town.

After breakfast, we’ll get in the Vans and head towards the Death Valley or Valle de La Muerte to start today’s hike, observing a geological phenomenon of enormous mineral sculptures formed by wind and rain. We’ll hike by the Salt Mountain range and arrive to Las Cornizas, where you get to the highest point of the Death Valley and admire an amazing view of San Pedro River, Volcanoes and the Catarpe Valley.
Our hike will continue passing by and old tunnel that crosses the Mountain Range, reaching Catarpe valley.

At morning we’ll depart towards Salar de Atacama and enter the National Flamingo Reserve. This National Reserve is formed by a gigantic depression of more than 3.500 km2, located 2.300 masl. The Salar is the biggest salt field in Chile and its large quantities of salt make the surface white and rough. The dryness and altitude of the salt field allow an excellent panoramic view of the area. The bottom of the salt field is composed of an enormous lake, which receives water from Mountain Rivers and melting snow. As it has no runoff, several small lagoons have formed, where we can observe the three types of flamingos living in the area, the James, the Andean and the Chilean.
Afterwards, we’ll continue to Capur Salt, a relatively small catchment area of 121.8 km² with eleven inflows. On a total area of ​​27 square kilometers, there is seasonally changing open water from 0.07 to 6.15 km². The volume of water varies from 65,000 to two million cubic meters. The hike will last 4 hours and you’ll be able to see wild life like Rheas, Vicuñas, Flamingos and different kind of little birds.
Then, we will continue hiking to Aguas Calientes Salt Flat, limited to the west by the Caichinque volcanic complex, which formed the Medano hill. This last mountain is characterized by shades of grey and brown, contrasting with the sparkling white of the salt surface. Furthermore, its shores, colorful crop marginal lagoons, which in total add an area of ​​between 2 and 3 square kilometers.

The climate of the area is arid with an average annual rainfall of 150 mm 2 and an average temperature of 1 ° C on the surface of the Salar. The vegetation of the area is characterized by the presence of tussock grasses.
Afterward, we’ll head to Socaire village to take lunch and continue our way back to San Pedro

Today we'll set off very early and drive in the van towards Tatio geysers. We’ll reach the 4.350 masl and enjoy breakfast. Geysers are shaped by a series of fumaroles that erupts water and steam of volcanic origin. We will walk this spectacle at and then continue with a Hike around Copacoya Hill.
We’ll walk by old paths, surrounded by yaretas, a bush that Atacama people used for several proposes.  The hike last approximated 4 hrs and we’ll end the hike by enjoying a bath on a geyser bore.
Afterwards, we’ll continue to Guatin area, famous by it cactus and rock formations. We’ll hike for 90 minutes by a canyon formed by the Vilama River, characterized by its warm waters, being able to pass by a waterfall until reaching the oldest cactus on the area, The Grandfather!

/ Breakfast / Snack /

We’ll hike from Machuca village, located at 4000 masl, to Rio Grande village, famous for its terrace cultivation. Its location was strategic, as it was the forced passageway for caravans traveling between San Pedro de Atacama and Chiu-Chiu. Proofs of this are the surrounding archeological sites that show petroglyphs of the guanaco hunters during the pre-Hispanic period.
We'll walk along the valleys formed by Peñaril River and with the possibility to see the typical flora and fauna of the Altiplano, framed by breathtaking colors that emerge from rocky formations. Once we end the hike, we'll jump in the van and go to San Pedro de Atacama, dropping you off at your Hotel or in town.

After breakfast, you will have time to walk on town and buy some souvenirs for family or friends.
Depending on your departure flight, a transfer will pick you up at your hotel and take you to Calama airport.
/ Breakfast /