Welcome to San Pedro de Atacama, an extraordinary oasis nestled in the world's driest desert. Thismagical destination captivates active travelers with its otherworldly landscapes, spanning from vast,blinding-white salt flats and shimmeringturquoise lagoons to dramatic, wind-sculpted clay canyons andvolcanic peaks. Exploring this raw, high-altitude wilderness by bike and on foot allows you to truly connectwith the silent rhythm and mystic energy of the desert.

Atacama Bike Hike Tour Highlights

• Explore the hidden corners of the driest desert in the world

• Star-gazing experience 

• Atacama Salt Flat and endemic fauna and flora

• Savor Chilean cuisine and taste the best local wines 

• Cacti Valley, Guatín ancient settlement and Puritama hot springs

• Third largest Geothermal field in the world: Tatio Geysers

• Cultural experience and special encounter with the Likan Antai indigenous community

• High plateau Andean Villages: Caspana, Chiu Chiu, Pre-Columbian fortresses and settlements

Before we kick off our bike and hike tour in the Atacama Desert, you should take a day or two to adjust to local time and recover from your travels, and allow for any flight or luggage delays. You should fly into Calama airport (CJC).

In Chile, domestic flights are operated by 3 local airline companies: Latam, Sky Airline and JetSmart.

Official Airport Transfer

The official shuttle company at Calama's Airport is called TransVip.

They are the only authorized shuttle company at the airport, and their staff wears a green and orange uniform.

By contract with the airport, they must have available transport based in the domestic flights arriving every day.

They have a counter at the airport, on the ground floor next to the car rental companies.

They offer regular shuttles to San Pedro de Atacama at $12.000 pesos (USD $17 per person), and they need a minimum of 4 people.

If they don't have the 4 minimum passengers, or if you want to have a private shuttle, with the same company you can do it at $75.000 (USD $100 per vehicle).

You don’t need reservations and you can pay in Credit Card or Cash. The ATM is on ground floor.

All their shuttle services will drop you off at the hotel or address you are staying in San Pedro de Atacama. 

Driving time is approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes.

For the pre-night stay, we recommend staying at Hotel La Casa de Don Tomás in San Pedro de Atacama, which is well-located with lots of restaurants and other facilities just a short walk away.

Suggested Hotels

• La Casa de Don Tomas Hotel
• Desertica Hotel

Your adventure begins with a scenic transfer from Calama Airport across the desert expanse to San Pedro. Once settled at hotel, gear up for an immersive bike ride through the ancestral ayllus (ancient agricultural hamlets) surrounding San Pedro village, pedaling past traditional mud-brick walls and fields. Later, journey into the iconic Moon Valley to marvel at its surreal salt crusts and sharp clay ridges, wrapping up with an authentic Atacameño food tasting as the sun dips below the horizon.

• Altimetry: Between 2,440 m and 2,550 m (8,366 ft) with gentle, rolling terrain.

• Accommodation: Hotel Casa de Don Tomás

• Bike distance: 19,2 km / 11,9 miles

• Meals included: Welcome Dinner at a local San Pedro restaurant.

Pedal straight from the hotel toward the boundless Atacama Salt Flat. You will ride between the surreallandscapes of Chaxa, Cejar, and Tebenquinche lagoons, where deepblue waters contrast sharply withwhite salt crusts, and wild flamingos gather. Enjoy a refreshing outdoor appetizer amidst this stark beautybefore cycling back for a brief rest(lunch not included). In the afternoon, hike through the rugged GuatínValley—surrounded by towering, centuries-old cacti—and conclude with a rejuvenating soak in thethermal pools of Puritama

• .Altimetry:Morning cycling descends slightly into the salt flat basin at 2,300 m (7,545 ft).Afternoon hike involves a steady altitude gain, starting at Guatín at 3,200 m (10,500 ft) andclimbing to the Puritama Hot Springs at 3,500 m (11,480 ft).

• Bike distance:57,6 km / 35.79 miles

• Hiking distance:4,8 km / 2,98 miles

• Meals included:Breakfast &Outdoor Appetizer

• Accommodation:Hotel Casade Don Tomás

An early morning private transfer takes you up into the Andes mountain range to witness the powerful boiling steam columns of the El Tatio Geysers, where you will enjoy breakfast on-site. Next, move to the picturesque high-Andean village of Machuca. From here, kick off a thrilling, scenic downhill bike ride back toward the hotel, stopping along the route for a delightful picnic lunch surrounded by volcanic vistas. Tonight, look up at the pristine desert skies during a profound stargazing session rooted in ancient Likan Antai (Atacameño) cosmovision.

• Altimetry: Peak altitude of the trip at El Tatio Geysers reaching 4,320 m (14,173 ft). The cycling section begins in Machuca at 4,000 m (13,123 ft) and features a long, exhilarating descent back to San Pedro de Atacama at ,2440 m (8,000 ft).

• Bike distance: 45,1 km / 28,2 miles

• Accommodation: Hotel Casa de Don Tomás

• Meals included: Breakfast & Picnic Lunch

Dedicate your entire day to an epic bike journey starting from the remote, traditional village of Río Grande. You will pedal through spectacular, ever-changing geological formations to reach the breathtaking Rainbow Valley. The landscape here is a natural masterpiece, named after the striking layers of red, green, ochre, and white minerals painted across the canyon walls. Celebrate the final miles of your expedition with a memorable farewell dinner at a top restaurant in San Pedro.

• Altimetry: The ride begins in the mountain cleft of Río Grande at 3,260 m (10,695 ft), navigating undulating terrain through the canyon blocks, and rounds out at the Rainbow Valley at approximately 3,500 m (11,480 ft) before returning.

• Bike distance: 78,8 km / 48,96 miles

• Accommodation: Hotel Casa de Don Tomás

• Meals included: Breakfast & Farewell Dinner

Savor your final morning in the desert oasis. Depending on your flight itinerary, a private transfer will pick you up from Hotel Casa de Don Tomás and drive you back to the Calama Airport for your departure home, concluding an unforgettable journey of active exploration.

• Meals included: Breakfast