Just over 1000 miles north of Santiago, you will find San Pedro de Atacama a small desert town surrounded by some of the most otherworldly landscapes I have ever seen. From town you can easily visit salt flats, volcanos, geysers, alpine lakes and desert valleys that will make you question whether you have somehow been transported to another planet. With so much to see, there was no way we could experience the whole of the Atacama desert in just 3 days, but we certainly did our best to take in as much as we could during our long weekend in this magical place.
Getting there
The nearest airport is located just over an hour outside of San Pedro de Atacama, in the city of Calama. The flight to Calama from Santiago is about 2 hours, and there are many affordable, direct flights each day. We chose to rent a car so we could explore the valley at our own pace, but if you prefer not to drive there are plenty of transfer options and most hotels/hostels can help arrange this for you. The Calama airport is small, and the rental car lot is located directly outside of baggage claim. Within just a few minutes of grabbing our bags, we loaded up our car and were on our way.
After a quick pit stop at the grocery store (there are convenience stores in San Pedro, but you will find more variety and better prices in Calama, so if you have a car it’s not a bad idea to stock up on a few snacks and water), we headed out for San Pedro. Within a few minutes of departing Calama, you start to feel the enormity and remoteness of the landscape. Save for a few other cars traveling the one main highway we were on, there was almost nothing in sight in any direction.
We rolled into town just as the sun was setting, taking in some incredible views of the Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley) from the road.
Day 1: Biking in Valle de la Luna and swimming in the Puritama Hot Springs
Day 1 got off to a later start than planned as I made the dreaded AM/PM alarm mistake and woke up in a panic an hour after we had intended to get up. After eating a quick breakfast at our hotel, we walked to town in search of a bike rental company. We quickly realized that sleeping in may have been a blessing in disguise, as most of the rental companies don’t seem to open their doors until 9 or 10 AM. After wandering the empty streets for about 15 minutes, we found an open door and rented 2 old mountain bikes for a total 7,ooo CLP (about 10 USD).
Armed with a map and some tips from the fast talking (in spanish) shop owner, we headed for the Valle de la Luna. Riding at a leisurely pace, the park info center can be reached in about 30 minutes. Here we paid the 3000 CLP entry fee and received a more details map of the valley and it’s main attractions. There is one road that cuts through the rough, moon like terrain of the valley; an 11km out and back ride.
The first main attraction we reached were the Cavernas de Sal, a long winding series of salt caves that you can explore on foot. We locked our bikes up at the roadside bike rack, strapped on our headlamps and followed the path into the caves. The caves take about 30 minutes to explore, and the path through them starts out wide and sunny before leading you through some smaller caverns and back out again.
Our next stop was Duna Mayor, a huge sand dune that rises out of the landscape on the left side of the road. Here we locked up our bikes (or park the car) and hiked up a sand trail to the top of the dune. After stopping to take a few photos, we continued along a rocky ridge, which ended at an incredible lookout where we got incredible panoramic views of the valley.
After making the trek back down to our bikes we continued further along the road. While the path was generally flat, there are patches of hills, many of which are covered in a layer of loose dirt and sand. Let me tell you, biking up hill over sand is no joke. I like to think Matt and I are in pretty good shape, but there were a few stretches where we were huffing and puffing, using all our energy just to keep our bikes from slipping backwards. I wouldn’t say you need to be extremely fit to enjoy biking through the valley, but be prepared for a few tough sections and know that you may end up wanting to walk your bike up some of the sandy, uphill sections.
After the salt caves and the dune hike, I must admit that the final two attractions were a bit of a let down. We passed ruins of an old mining site, and then ended the ride at the Tres Marias/Tres Hermanas. I am no geologist, and I am sure these 3 uniquely formed rocks may be interesting for some, but compared to the rest of the beauty surrounding us, we found it less than impressive. The ride itself was very beautiful, but if you’re time constrained I would suggest turning back after Duna Mayor and either biking through the nearby Valle de la Muerte (Death Valley) or heading back to town and checking out one of the many other parks in the area.
After reaching the park’s end, we turned around to make the ride back through the valley and into town. Having made all our stops on the way out, we were able to simply enjoy the ride, and take in the vast rock formations and other worldly landscape that surrounded us.
We turned in our bikes exactly 6 hours after we had rented them, and made the 10 minute walk back to our hotel. There was still some daylight left, so we decided to try and squeeze in another activity before the sun went down. After some quick research, we set our sights on the Puritama Hot Springs.
Located about 30 km north of San Pedro, the Puritama Hot Springs consist of 8 pools formed as a geothermal spring flows downhill through a beautiful mountain canyon. The drive was about 30 minutes, climbing in altitude. When we reached the springs, we pulled off into a parking area, and then made our way down a long path that descended into the canyon. The entry fee is a bit pricy at 15,000 CLP (just over 20 USD) per person, but we found it to be well worth it for such a unique, relaxing experience.
The water was perfectly clear, warm (though not hot), and a series of waterfalls that lead down from one pool to the next added a peaceful soundtrack to the experience. A raised wooden walkway leads you alongside the pools which descend down further into the canyon. The way the springs are tucked away in this narrow canyon, made them feel like our own secret desert oasis.
After relaxing in the springs for about an hour, the park was closing and it was time to head back to town. Not ready to call it a day yet, we headed back to the Valle de la Luna, this time driving to an overlook area near Coyote Rock, where we could watch the sun sink down overtop of the incredibly beautiful valley. Though just a few hours before, we had felt like we were melting under the desert sun in shorts and tank tops, the wind kicked up as the sun went down and we found ourselves shivering, even under a couple of layers. After sunset, we grabbed a quick bite to eat at our hotel restaurant, and called it a night.
Day 2: Laguna Chaxa, Laguna Miscanti, Pierdas Rojas & Stargazing
For our second full day, we decided to head into the mountains to take in some beautiful high altitude lakes. We loaded up our rental car, and headed out on Ruta 23.
Our first stop was Laguna Chaxa, located in the middle of a salt flat inside the National Reserve of the Flamingos. We followed the paved Ruta 23 for about 30 minutes, before turning off onto a dirt road which led us into the reserve and toward the Laguna. Here we once again paid a park entry fee (2500 CLP each), and then spent some time walking out onto the salt flat, taking in the large laguna and a flock of flamingos that were relaxing in the water.
Next, we headed back to Ruta 23, and set our sights on an area know as the Piedras Rojas or Red Rocks. Along the road, we ascended higher into the mountains, and the scenery completely changed. Volcanos dotted the horizon as we followed the road further and further from town, and small, dry bushes that spread across the dry dirt gave the valleys and hillsides the illusion of being painted yellow.
On the way up we passed several herds of vicuña, an animal similar to a llama or alpaca that is native to the high andean plains.
As we neared the Piedras Rojas, 23 turned from pavement to dirt. We had debated on whether to upgrade to a 4WD vehicle when planning the trip, but ultimately decided to take our chances with a standard car (at less than half the price of a jeep or truck). Things got a little bumpy, but Matt navigated us expertly across the rough terrain and we arrived with our tires full and our car in one piece.
While it’s a bit of a journey, I definitely recommend a stop at Piedras Rojas if time permits. Listed as Aguas Calientes II on some maps (and not at all on others), it was about 30-45 minutes past Laguna Miscanti (which appears on most of the road side signs). Despite the fact that it was very cold and windy (bring layers!), this was one of the most beautiful places I have seen. The contrast of dark gray, volcanic mountains, light green salty water and rust red rocks was unlike anything I have ever seen. We spent some time walking out over the rocks, and along the sandy beach that wraps around the lake. Finally, with our ears and noses starting to feel numb in the cold wind, we made our way back to the car.
Our last stop the day was to visit 2 high altitude lakes. Laguna Miscanti and Miñiques are 14,000 feet in elevation and surrounded by beautiful volcanoes and mountains. It was hard to process all the diverse beauty we had seen in such a short amount of time. It seemed like around every corner was a completely different, but equally appealing landscape.
After a quick bite to eat in town, we grabbed our camera and headed out of town to take in the night sky. The Atacama desert has one of the clearest skies in the world. Many tour companies offer guided stargazing tours, but after a long day of sightseeing, we opted to simply park the car on a quiet road and take it all in.
Day 3: Valle de la Muerte
Our third and final day in the desert was really only half a day as our flight home from Calama left at 6PM and we needed to check out of our hotel by 1PM. Luckily, there was still plenty to see and we made the most of the hours we had left.
After a failed attempt to hike to the Quebrada del Diablo (Devils Ravine), which ended up being much further from the road than we anticipated, we headed to the Valle de la Muerte (Death Valley), where even more other worldly beauty awaited. As we drove our car down the curvy dirt road and into the valley, I couldn’t help but feel like I had been transported to the surface of Mars. Huge peaks made of salt and red clay jutted out from the ground in all directions, and as we made our way further, huge sand dunes appeared.
At the end of the road, we saw a group of sand boarders, who were making the trek back up the dune for another run. Unfortunately, we ran out of time to do this ourselves, but I would definitely add it to my list of things to do if we get to make a return trip. Everything in the valley was just so massive. Between the expansive night sky and the crazy landscapes, this trip definitely gave us a good reminder of just how small we really are and how amazing this planet we live on truly is.
After hiking around the valley a bit, it was time to head for the airport. While there was certainly more we could have done, we were more than satisfied with our 3 day adventure in the desert.
Next up on our travel agenda is a trip south to the Patagonia lake district. I am still in awe of the sheer diversity of landscapes in this country, and I can’t wait to explore another one!