San Pedro de Atacama and Uyuni Salt Flats 7 Days

Overview

1. Day 01

   Calama Airport and San Pedro de Atacama

   Arrival at Calama Airport and transfer to your hotel in San Pedro de Atacama, the main gateway to the landscapes of the Atacama Desert.

   Accommodation: San Pedro de Atacama.

2. Day 02

   Hidden Lagoons of Baltinache and Desert Sunset

   Enjoy an afternoon among the saline lagoons of Baltinache, where the high salt concentration allows visitors to float naturally in the water. The experience ends with a memorable sunset in the Atacama Desert.

   Accommodation: San Pedro de Atacama.

3. Day 03

   El Tatio Geysers and Astrophotography Tour

   Discover the steam columns and geothermal activity of the El Tatio Geysers at sunrise, together with the wildlife and landscapes of the Chilean Altiplano. In the evening, enjoy an astrophotography experience with telescope observation and an introduction to Andean cosmology.

   Accommodation: San Pedro de Atacama.

4. Day 04

   Altiplano Lagoons, Dalí Desert and Red Lagoon

   Cross into Bolivia and explore the Eduardo Avaroa Reserve, home to colorful lagoons, volcanic scenery, hot springs, geysers and native Andean wildlife.

   Accommodation: Villamar.

5. Day 05

   Rock Valley, High-Altitude Lagoons and Andean Villages

   Travel through volcanic rock formations, remote Altiplano lagoons and traditional villages in southern Bolivia, surrounded by desert scenery and native wildlife.

   Accommodation: salt hotel.

6. Day 06

   Uyuni Salt Flats, Incahuasi Island and Train Cemetery

   Watch the sunrise over the Uyuni Salt Flats and visit its main attractions, including Incahuasi Island, the Salt Eyes, Colchani, the Salt Museum and the Train Cemetery.

   Accommodation: Villamar.

7. Day 07

   Hito Cajón Border and Return to San Pedro de Atacama

   Travel back toward the Bolivia–Chile border and continue to San Pedro de Atacama, where this journey through the desert and Altiplano comes to an end.

   Note: this programme requires a minimum of two passengers. The route and schedule may change depending on weather, road conditions and immigration procedures.

   Important: the original itinerary contains an inconsistency between Days 6 and 7. Day 6 lists an overnight stay in Villamar, while Day 7 begins in San Pedro de Quemez. The actual overnight location and departure point should be confirmed before publication.

Itinerary

• DAY 01Welcome to San Pedro de Atacama

  Transfer from Calama Airport to your hotel in San Pedro de Atacama.

• DAY 02Baltinache Hidden Lagoons

  Breakfast at the hotel.

  Free morning.

  We will begin our excursion at 14:00 from our office. The beautiful lagoons are located about 60 km away and are hidden in the middle of the driest desert in the world. During the tour, we will travel along the road that leads to the six magnificent lagoons that form an impressive landscape. However, only the first and the last lagoon can be used for swimming in salt water. These lagoons have the unique property of allowing us to float in the salty water, just like in the Dead Sea. Before arriving back in San Pedro de Atacama, we will witness the sunset in the desert, a truly remarkable spectacle.

  Overnight in San Pedro de Atacama.

• DAY 03Tatio Geysers Tour + Astrophotography Tour

  Tatio Geysers Tour

  During the excursion to the Tatio Geysers, we will depart early in the morning from San Pedro de Atacama heading towards the Altiplano, ascending through the hills and mountains of the majestic Andes. After a comfortable 1 hour and 30-minute drive, we will arrive at the geysers, a truly exceptional natural wonder with 80 active geysers located at an impressive altitude of 4,200 meters.

  In this breathtaking setting, we will enjoy a delicious and nutritious breakfast before beginning a guided exploration of the geothermal field, surrounded by a spectacular display of steam columns.

  On the way back to San Pedro de Atacama, we will stop at the Putana River, where we can admire and observe the native flora and fauna of the area.

  Finally, free time in San Pedro de Atacama.

  Astrophotography Tour (duration: 2h 30 min)

  8:00 pm:

  Our journey begins with pickup from our office, from where we travel comfortably to the activity site, located 10 km away. Once there, you will enjoy our Astrophotography Tour in an area with minimal light pollution, perfect for stargazing. The tour consists of three stages, including a talk about Andean cosmology. You will also have the opportunity to observe planets through a telescope, revealing details not visible to the naked eye. Finally, you will be able to take a memorable photo with the starry sky as a backdrop, creating an unforgettable memory of this experience.

  *The schedule may vary depending on the season and weather conditions. It is very important to reconfirm the day before the tour.*

• DAY 04San Pedro de Atacama – White & Green Lagoons & Red Lagoon – Villa Mar Village

  We will begin our journey to the Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia from San Pedro de Atacama, with hotel pick-up at 06:30 am. We will then board a minibus to head to the border between Chile and Bolivia. Upon arrival at the border, we will complete immigration procedures for both countries. After crossing Bolivian immigration, we will change vehicles to a 4x4 jeep with capacity for 6 passengers. Now, our journey to the Uyuni Salt Flats can begin.

  The tour starts by entering the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve, a protected and highly visited area in Bolivia, located at an altitude of 4,300 meters above sea level.

  During the first day, you will enjoy stunning views of the Altiplano, along with the region’s wildlife, characterized by species adapted to the extreme conditions of the area, some of which are endangered. The most common birds are Andean, Chilean, and James’s flamingos that inhabit the lagoons, as well as vicuñas, foxes, and vizcachas. Other attractions include lagoons or mirror-like water surfaces, the Dalí Desert, hot springs, and the Sol de Mañana geysers.

  We continue our journey to Laguna Colorada, a breeding site for more than 30,000 flamingos. Its most remarkable feature is how the lagoon changes to a pink color depending on the wind, due to thousands of tiny algae organisms. Afterwards, we transfer to our lodge for overnight stay.

  Overnight in the village of Villamar.

• DAY 05Villamar Village – Rock Valley – Andean Flora and Fauna – Salt Hostel

  Breakfast at the hotel.

  On the fifth day of our journey, we will visit the Stone City, a valley of volcanic rocks expelled from the Andes mountain range. Here you will find unique formations such as the World Cup and the Camel.

  Afterwards, we will visit high-altitude lagoons such as Vinto Lagoon and Katal Lagoon (also known as Black Lagoon). Then we will go to the Inca Canyon, where we can observe the abundant Andean flora and fauna, such as llamas, vicuñas, vizcachas, rheas, and foxes. We will then explore Bolivian Andean villages, and in Julaca we will enjoy some craft beers at the train station.

  Finally, we will end the day at the Salt Hostel, where we will spend the night in double and triple rooms.

  Overnight at the Salt Hostel.

• DAY 06Salt Hostel – Uyuni Salt Flats – Incahuasi Island – Final Uyuni

  Breakfast at the hotel.

  On the sixth day, we will witness the impressive sunrise over the Uyuni Salt Flats, a 12,000 km² salt flat located in southwestern Bolivia, at an altitude of 3,650 meters above sea level in the Andes Mountains. It is one of the most important lithium reserves in the world.

  Then we will head to Incahuasi Island, the Salt Museum, the Salt Eyes, the salt mines, the town of Colchani, and the Train Cemetery. We will have a break (1 to 2 hours) in Uyuni to explore the city before returning to Villamar.

  On the way, we will pass through the Andean towns of San Cristóbal, Culpina K, and Villa Alota before arriving in Villamar, where we will spend the night.

  Overnight in Villamar Village.

• DAY 07San Pedro de Quemes – Hito Cajón – San Pedro de Atacama.

  Breakfast at the hotel.

  On the seventh day, we begin our journey to the Hito Cajón border (a four-hour trip). Upon arrival, we will go through immigration procedures (Bolivia–Chile) and then change to a minibus for our return trip to San Pedro de Atacama. The tour concludes around 2:00 PM.

  Important: Tour times will be reconfirmed at the destination.

  A minimum of 2 passengers is required to operate this program.

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