Atacama Itinerary 5 Days: Moon Valley, El Tatio, Lagoons and Piedras Rojas

Twenty minutes, free. From Calama airport it is 100 km, an hour and a quarter by car, to San Pedro. After check in, start at the Plaza de Armas: the 17th century church, whitewashed, has a ceiling of cactus wood tied with llama leather. Around the square you find the craft market and the start of Calle Caracoles.

An hour and a quarter, about CLP 6,000 paid at the gate, 3 km from the square and easy by bike. The 12th century stone fortress was the last Atacameño stronghold against the Spanish, who took it in 1540. Climb the trail to the lookout at the top, where a stone arch frames the Licancabur volcano, and come down before 6 pm to get the car.

One hour, free, 7 km from town on the road to Calama. The overhanging rock above the Cordillera de la Sal is where you watch the sun set over Valle de la Luna since the Mirador de Kari, inside the park, closed after an earthquake in May 2026. Arrive 40 minutes early and bring a jacket: the temperature drops fast once the sun is gone.

At night, if the moon is faint, join a stargazing tour, CLP 30,000 to 40,000: the Atacama sky is one of the clearest on Earth.

Two and a half hours, US$ 14 booked in advance on the official site, since tickets are tied to a date and time slot. Entry is by car only, 9 am to 5 pm, or by bike, 9 am to 11 am; not on foot. Arrive at opening, with low sun and fewer people, and drive the three open sectors: the Duna Mayor trail, the most famous lookout, the Tres Marías, rocks carved by the wind, and the old Victoria salt mine.

The park closes on some days for staff training, such as 6, 13, 20 and 27 October 2026: check the calendar before buying. Eating inside is not allowed.

An hour and a quarter, CLP 15,000, 18 km south of San Pedro. Swimming in Cejar is banned; you swim in Laguna Piedra next door, so salty that your body floats without effort. Bring a towel, flip flops and fresh water to rinse off, and do not dunk your head: the salt stings your eyes.

Half an hour, free, 9 km from Cejar. Two round pools of fresh water open up in the middle of the salt plain, so perfect they look man made. If you left Cejar covered in salt, this is where you rinse.

One hour, CLP 6,000, 2 km from the Ojos. The shallow lagoon on the salt crust reflects Licancabur and the Andes as the sun sets behind you, and the sky turns pink over the white flat. Drive back slowly to San Pedro: 25 km of unlit gravel road.

Forty five minutes, about CLP 13,700, open from 8 am. Leave San Pedro at 7.30 am: it is 60 km via Toconao. The boardwalk runs into the salt flat to the lagoon where three of the world’s six flamingo species feed, the Andean, the Chilean and James’s. Mornings are less windy and the water mirrors the birds.

An hour and a quarter, CLP 13,000 with Piedras Rojas on the same ticket, 95 km from Chaxa via the village of Socaire. The two deep blue lagoons sit at the foot of the volcanoes they are named after, ringed by golden bunchgrass. Walk slowly on the marked trail: the altitude hits from the first step, and leaving the path is forbidden.

One hour, same ticket as the lagoons, 20 km further along the road to Argentina. The reddish volcanic rocks, crusted with salt, stand against the turquoise lagoon of the Salar de Aguas Calientes. The afternoon wind is strong and cold: bring a hat and gloves even in summer. Eat a packed lunch from San Pedro before heading back.

Half an hour, free, on the way back, 38 km from San Pedro. The village is built of liparite, a white volcanic stone also sold carved on the square. The 1750 bell tower stands apart from the San Lucas church of 1744. If you have energy left, the Jerez gorge just behind has quince and fig orchards watered by the river.

Two hours, CLP 15,000 paid by card at the gate, open 6 am to 4 pm. Leave San Pedro at 4.30 am: it is 90 km and an hour and a half of climbing to 4,300 metres, and the geysers steam hardest between 5.30 and 7 am, when the air is freezing. Expect minus 5 to minus 10 degrees Celsius: coat, hat, gloves and coffee in a flask. Stay on the trails, the crust is thin over boiling water. The geothermal pool is closed, so save your swimsuit for Puritama.

Half an hour, free, 30 km from El Tatio on the way back. The herders’ village has a small white chapel with a thatched roof at the top of a stairway and stalls selling llama skewers and goat cheese empanadas. In the bofedal, the wetland by the road, you see llamas, vicuñas and flamingos.

Two and a half hours, CLP 38,000 booked in advance online, because there is no signal at the gate and cash is not accepted. They are 28 km from San Pedro on the same road as El Tatio, and the morning slot runs 9.30 am to 1.30 pm: perfect coming down from the geysers. Eight natural pools between 28 and 31 degrees Celsius are linked by a boardwalk at the bottom of the canyon. Only natural sunscreen is allowed. Free afternoon to rest.

Forty five minutes, CLP 5,000, 30 km north of San Pedro on the Río Grande road. Leave at 8 am with your luggage in the car. Hundreds of llamas, foxes, monkeys and human figures are carved into the reddish rocks, left by llama caravans that crossed the desert more than a thousand years ago.

An hour and a quarter, CLP 5,000, 4 km from the petroglyphs. The hills show layers of minerals in red, green, white and purple, and the morning light brings out the colours. From here it is two hours to Calama airport: return the car with two hours to spare before your afternoon flight.