Piedras Rojas, Atacama Salt Flats & Altiplano Lakes Trip

Piedras Rojas, Atacama Salt Flats & Altiplano Lakes Trip

After picking you up from your hotel, we'll head deep into the Atacama desert, stopping for breakfast along the way.

Our first stop will be Toconao, an indigenous village characterized by traditional white adobe buildings. During our visit, you'll hear all about the history and traditions of the Toconao people. We'll also check out the Church of San Lucas and its bell tower, which date back to the 18th century and have been declared national monuments.

Afterward, if we have good weather, we'll go to the Chaxa Lagoon, offering a beautiful landscape that is divided into several water mirrors and where we'll be able to see flamingos. For about an hour, we'll hike along the Piedras Rojas trail. There we'll admire the impressive salt flat. We'll also have the opportunity to see the famous highland lakes of Miscanti and Miñiques, and their respective volcanoes. If we're lucky we'll be able to see endemic fauna such as vicuñas, foxes and flamingos.

At noon we'll stop for lunch to recharge our batteries. This lunch will take place en route or at a restaurant on the way back to San Pedro. The lunch en route includes a main course and a drink, while the restaurant menu consists of 2 dishes (you can choose one of them) and a drink. After lunch, we'll travel to the Piedras Rojas, one of the most beautiful spots in all of Chile. Here, the oxidation of iron in the altiplano rocks has created a surreal, scarlet-toned landscape that seems to belong to a different planet.

Here we'll also be able to appreciate the emerald waters of the lagoon of the Salar de Aguas Calientes, a beautiful spot that will win you over from the moment you first lay eyes on it. Finally, we'll return to San Pedro de Atacama and drop you off at a central point in the surrounding area. Arrival is scheduled for anywhere between 12-13 hours later.

Pickup

This activity includes pickup from hotels located within a radius of up to 10 kilometers from the center of San Pedro de Atacama. Depending on availability, we may be able to pick you up at hotels closer (maximum radius of 2 kilometers) or further away (maximum radius of 10 kilometers), so be sure you always indicate an accommodation located in the historic center of San Pedro. Please note that pick-ups in the nearby towns of Ayllus, Solor, Cucuter, and Toconao are not included.

If you are staying in other more remote places, we can pick you up from an alternative meeting point who's details you can see in your reservation voucher.

Changes in the itinerary

Please keep in mind that due to planning purposes, the order of visits in the itinerary might change.