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All-Inclusive Experience

8 days / 7 nights

Atacama Complete

The most comprehensive way to experience the Atacama. Over eight days, this itinerary covers every essential landscape (geysers, salt flats, canyons, lagoons, lunar valleys) plus deeper explorations that most trips miss: the remote Salar de Tara, the Andean village of Machuca, the archaeological route of Tulor, horseback riding at sunset, and three stargazing evenings including a visit to a professional observatory. The pace allows proper altitude acclimatization and genuine moments of desert solitude.

Route:
Calama → San Pedro de Atacama → Valle de la Luna → Salar de Atacama → Altiplanic Lagoons → El Tatio → Machuca → Guatin Canyon → Salar de Tara → Observatory
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Main Attractions

Valle de la Luna
Surreal salt formations, dune ridges and one of Chile's most photographed sunsets over the desert.
El Tatio Geysers
One of the world's highest geothermal fields, best visited at sunrise from 4,300 meters.
Salar de Atacama & Flamingo Lagoons
Chile's largest salt flat and the Chaxa Lagoon, home to three species of Andean flamingos.
Atacama Night Sky
The clearest skies in the southern hemisphere, home to the world's most advanced observatories.
Altiplanic Lagoons & Piedras Rojas
Deep blue lagoons framed by perfect volcanoes, with red rock landscapes above 4,000 meters.
Salar de Tara
A remote high-altitude salt basin surrounded by rock spires and volcanoes above 5,000 meters.

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The most complete Atacama journey: every landscape from geysers to salt flats, three stargazing nights, horseback riding, and time to truly feel the desert.
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Daily Itinerary

Pre-Arrival in Santiago (Optional / Not Included)

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All international and domestic flights route through Santiago. While this itinerary officially begins upon arrival in Calama, we are happy to assist with any pre-arrival logistics in Santiago, including private transfers, city tours, vineyard experiences, or overnight stays.
These services are optional and arranged upon request.

Day 1 – Arrival in the Atacama & First Encounter with the Desert

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Activity:
Arrival, scenic transfer & gentle acclimatization

Description:
Private reception at Calama Airport and scenic transfer across the desert to San Pedro de Atacama, a small adobe village that will be your base for the week. Time to settle in, adjust to the altitude of 2,400 meters and enjoy a relaxed walk through the village's dusty streets, historic church and artisan corners. As the sun sets, the first stars begin to appear over the Andean skyline, an early hint of what is to come.

Overnight:
Boutique lodge in San Pedro de Atacama.

Day 2 – Valle de la Luna & Valle de la Muerte at Sunset

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Activity:
Half-day desert exploration & sunset viewpoint

Description:
A relaxed morning to continue acclimatizing before heading into the Cordillera de la Sal, a range of salt-carved mountains just west of San Pedro. Explore the surreal formations of Valle de la Luna and Valle de la Muerte, walking through salt caves, dune ridges and eroded canyons shaped by millennia of wind and time. As the day fades, take in one of Chile's most photographed sunsets from a private viewpoint, watching the desert shift from gold to crimson to deep violet.

Overnight:
Boutique lodge in San Pedro de Atacama.

Day 3 – Salar de Atacama, Toconao & Flamingo Lagoons

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Activity:
Salt flat exploration, Andean village & wildlife observation

Description:
Head south to explore the vast Salar de Atacama, Chile's largest salt flat, with a stop in Toconao, a traditional Atacameño village built from carved volcanic stone. Continue into the Los Flamencos National Reserve to visit the Chaxa Lagoon, home to three species of Andean flamingos feeding in shallow, mirror-like pools framed by distant volcanoes. A day of quiet immersion in one of the most photogenic corners of the desert.

Overnight:
Boutique lodge in San Pedro de Atacama.

Day 4 – Altiplanic Lagoons: Miscanti, Miñiques & Piedras Rojas

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Activity:
Full-day high-altitude expedition

Description:
A full day at altitude exploring the Andean plateau above 4,000 meters. Reach the deep blue Miscanti and Miñiques lagoons, framed by perfectly conical volcanoes, and continue to Piedras Rojas, a striking landscape of red rock formations rising above a turquoise salt lagoon. Along the way, encounter vicuñas, viscachas and small altiplanic villages that reveal the quiet rhythm of life at the roof of the desert. Lunch is served in a traditional highland setting before returning to San Pedro in the late afternoon.

Overnight:
Boutique lodge in San Pedro de Atacama.

Day 5 – Sunrise at El Tatio & Machuca Village

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Activity:
Sunrise geothermal field, Andean village & hot springs

Description:
Very early departure to reach the El Tatio Geysers at dawn, one of the highest geothermal fields on Earth at 4,300 meters. Watch columns of steam rise against snow-capped volcanoes in the freezing morning air, an unforgettable spectacle unique to the Andes. On the return, stop in Machuca, a tiny Andean village of adobe houses and llama herders, before descending to the Puritama Hot Springs, a chain of natural thermal pools hidden in a desert canyon. The perfect afternoon of rest after a demanding morning.

Overnight:
Boutique lodge in San Pedro de Atacama.

Day 6 – Guatin Canyon, Archaeological Route & Sunset Horseback Ride

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Activity:
Canyon trek, pre-Inca heritage & horseback exploration

Description:
A slower day exploring the cultural and natural layers around San Pedro. Begin with a gentle trek through the Guatin Canyon, a lush ravine of cactus, hot springs and volcanic rock cut by the Puritama River. In the afternoon, follow the archaeological route through the ruins of Tulor, one of the oldest settlements in northern Chile, and the pre-Inca fortress of Pukará de Quitor, perched above the Catarpe Valley. As the sun begins to set, saddle up for a private horseback ride across dune ridges and salt flats, closing the day with warm colors over the Andes.

Overnight:
Boutique lodge in San Pedro de Atacama.

Day 7 – Salar de Tara Expedition & Professional Observatory Visit

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Activity:
Remote high-altitude expedition & astronomical observation

Description:
A full-day expedition to the Salar de Tara, one of the Atacama's most remote and surreal corners. Cross the Andean plateau to reach a vast salt basin surrounded by rock spires known as the Monjes de la Pacana, framed by volcanoes rising above 5,000 meters. This is a landscape of absolute silence, home to flamingos, vicuñas and lagoons of impossible blue. Return to San Pedro in the late afternoon and, after dinner, visit a professional astronomical observatory for a guided session under the clearest skies in the southern hemisphere — the perfect closing to the journey.

Overnight:
Boutique lodge in San Pedro de Atacama.

Day 8 – Departure

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Activity:
Transfer & onward travel

Description:
Private transfer to Calama Airport for onward travel.
End of a complete journey through the Atacama, blending landscape, altitude, culture and the extraordinary silence of the world's driest desert.

Still have questions? Email us at contact@chileundiscovered.com

Your Stays Along the Journey

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Included in Your Experience

Included

  • Private transfers from Calama airport
  • 7 nights boutique accommodation in San Pedro de Atacama
  • All excursions with private bilingual guide
  • Valle de la Luna and Valle de la Muerte
  • Salar de Atacama, Toconao and flamingo lagoons
  • Altiplanic Lagoons (Miscanti and Miñiques)
  • Sunrise El Tatio Geysers with Machuca village visit
  • Puritama Hot Springs
  • Guatin Canyon trek
  • Full-day Salar de Tara expedition
  • Archaeological route: Tulor ruins and Pukará de Quitor
  • Sunset horseback ride
  • Three stargazing sessions including professional observatory visit
  • All meals and selected Chilean wines

Not Included

  • Flights to/from Calama
  • Travel insurance
  • Personal expenses and gratuities

Start Planning Your Journey

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