Welcome to San Pedro de Atacama, an extraordinary oasis nestled in the driest non-polar desert on Earth. Flanked by the dramatic, towering peaks of the Andes Mountains and vast salt flats, this region is a playground for high-altitude adventurers. Its surreal terrains—ranging from jagged clay canyons and steaming geyser fields to therapeutic thermal rivers—offer a raw, Martian landscape that begs to be explored on foot.

This curated 5-day hiking program is made for active and intrepid travelers who wish to witness unearthly geological wonders and immerse themselves deeply into the ancient Likan Antai culture.

Atacama Hiking Tour Highlights

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

• Atacama Salt Flat and endemic fauna and flora

• Cacti Valley, Guatín ancient settlement and Puritama hot springs

• Third largest Geothermal field in the world: Tatio Geysers and Copa Coya Hill

• Savor Chilean cuisine and taste the best local wines

• Toco Hill ancient Volcano

• Pre-Columbian Machuca Village

Before we kick off our hiking 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 journey begins with a private transfer picking you up from the Calama Airport (CJC) and driving across the sweeping desert plains toward the legendary oasis town of San Pedro de Atacama. After checking into your base camp for the entire expedition, the charming and comfortable Hotel Casa de Don Tomás, you will have time to settle in and adapt to the initial altitude. In the evening, enjoy a warm and festive welcome dinner at a restaurant located in the historic center of San Pedro. Here, you will meet your expert local guiding staff, review the trekking route, and toast to the high-desert adventure ahead.

-          Accommodation: Hotel Casa de Don Tomás

-          Meals: Welcome Dinner

* Morning hike — Mars Valley (Valle de Marte): We kick off our first hike starting from the Catarpe Tunnel. We will thread through steep clay labyrinth structures and dramatic red sandstone rock formations that give this valley its extraterrestrial name. Along the trail, we halt at an iconic viewpoint overlooking massive wind-sculpted sand dunes to enjoy an outdoor appetizer surrounded by silence. After the hike, we transfer back to the hotel for a brief period of rest and lunch (on your own) in town.

- Hiking distance: 3,6 km / 2,23 miles

Afternoon hike— Guatín Valley & Puritama: Later in the afternoon, we set off for a breathtaking hike through the Guatín Valley, also known as the Cactus Valley. You will hike alongside a rushing river flanked by colossal, centuries-old cardon cacti. The trail culminates perfectly at the Termas de Puritama, a beautiful canyon where thermal mountain waters pool into natural terraced rock basins. Spend the late afternoon soaking and relaxing in the therapeutic pools. An outdoor appetizer will be served before our private transfer carries us back to the hotel for a dinner on your own.

Afterwards, we’ll have a special cultural activity where you will look up at the pristine desert skies during a profound stargazing session rooted in ancient Likan Antai (Atacameño) cosmovision.

-          Altitude: 3,475 meters (11,400 feet) at Puritama Hot Springs

-          Hiking distance: 4,8 km / 2,98 miles

-          Accommodation: Hotel Casa de Don Tomás

-          Meals: Breakfast, morning snack, afternoon snack

* Morning Exploration & Indigenous Tasting

 We begin our morning exploring the otherworldly Moon Valley (Valle de la Luna), wandering through sharp salt-crusted ridges and caverns that mimic a true lunar environment. Following this, we’ll visit traditional local agricultural orchards before heading into a restaurant in the town of Likan Antai. Here, you will partake in an authentic Likan Antai food tasting, sampling indigenous flavors and ancient culinary traditions of the Atacama people.

Afternoon Trek — Machuca to Río Grande & Yerbas Buenas

Fuelled by a hearty box lunch, our private transfer ascends to the high-altitude village of Machuca. From this quaint highland hamlet, we embark on an epic downhill trek following a deep river gorge toward the village of Río Grande, witnessing dramatic changes in flora and highland geology. Near the end of our journey, we will explore the historic Yerbas Buenas archaeological site, famous for its magnificent prehistoric petroglyphs carved into volcanic rock. Transfer back to the hotel for a free evening.

·       Altitude: 4,000 meters (13,123 feet) at Machuca Village

·       Accommodation: Hotel Casa de Don Tomás.    

·       Meals Included: Breakfast, Food Tasting, Box Lunch

* Early Morning — El Tatio Geysers: An early morning departure takes us high into the Andes mountain range to reach the El Tatio Geysers, the highest geothermal field in the world. There, we will witness columns of boiling steam erupting violently into the freezing morning air. After a comprehensive walking tour of the main geothermal craters, a hot breakfast will be served directly on site.

Following breakfast, we lace up our boots for an inspiring cross-country hike to the secluded White Geyser (Geyser Blanco). This trail reveals stunning alpine wetlands, native wildlife like vicuñas and vizcachas, and fewer crowds. A box lunch will be served mid-activity amidst these high-altitude landscapes. We return to the hotel in the afternoon for a well-deserved rest. In the evening, we gather one last time for an elegant Farewell Dinner at a top restaurant in San Pedro de Atacama to celebrate the completion of an epic journey in the driest desert in the world.

-          Altitude: 4,320 meters (14,173 feet) at El Tatio Geyser Field

-          Accommodation: Hotel Casa de Don Tomás.

-          Meals: Breakfast, Box Lunch, Farewell Dinner.

Enjoy your final breakfast at San Pedro. According to your flight’ schedule, a private transfer will pick you up from Hotel Casa de Don Tomás and transport you back to the Calama Airport (CJC), where you will board your return flight to Santiago, concluding an unforgettable adventure in the heart of the Atacama Desert.

• Meals Included: Breakfast.

*End of our services