Valle de la Luna Tour: Moon Valley Tours Compared

The Stops in Order

The sunset tour leaves San Pedro between 15:30 and 16:10, and tours typically start at the Victoria mine area, where the salt caves sit. The route then moves to the amphitheatre viewpoint, the Great Dune and finally a sunset viewpoint. Mirador Ckari, the usual one, is closed until further notice, so guides pick an authorised spot instead.

The salt caves are a tight squeeze, so skip them if you are claustrophobic, and bring a phone torch because parts are dark. The caves are salt and sandstone that rain washes away, so the exact route can change from one season to the next. A full visit with all the short walks takes 3-4 hours, and a shorter visit about 2 hours.

Toilets stand at the entrance and at Duna Mayor. The Valle de la Luna Sunset Tour runs 4.5 hours, while the Moon Valley Sunset Tour takes 5 hours and ends with a drink overlooking the Cordillera de la Sal.

Check who buys the park ticket

Entry to Valle de la Luna is 10,800 CLP per person, sold online by card at least a day ahead. Some tours include it in the headline price, some expect you to arrive with it. That single line moves a $63 tour and a $71 tour much closer together than they look.

Sunset means a fixed, moving departure

Sunset tours leave in the late afternoon and the exact time shifts with the season — one operator states a 15:30 to 16:10 window, confirmed the day before, ending around 20:00 to 20:30. The Ckari viewpoint is closed, so the sunset spot differs by operator. Plan nothing else for that evening.

Van or bike

The van tours include a 40-minute walk and a guide who explains the salt geology. The e-bike tour covers the same landscape under your own power with Moon Valley tickets included, but it is 16-plus, has a 95 kg limit, and you need to be able to ride a bike confidently on sand.

Prices and Who Pays

The general ticket costs CLP 10,800 (about $11) and a reduced ticket costs CLP 5,400 for ages 12 to 17, students and seniors. It is sold online by card, and independent guides also report that kiosks at the entrance accept foreign cards. Buy online at least a day ahead to be safe.

Vehicle entry runs from 08:30 to 16:00, and cyclists are listed at 08:00 to 11:00 on one official page and 09:00 to 11:00 on another, so aim to be at the gate by 09:00.

Hours, Trails and Conduct

The reserve is open all year. Vehicles may enter between 08:30 and 16:00, and cyclists have a narrower morning window that closes at 11:00. Visitors walk only on delimited paths and drivers keep to a 20 km/h speed limit.

No food or alcohol is allowed inside, and rangers eject anyone who strays from the marked trails without a refund. Individual visitors can stay for sunset inside the reserve, with the last entry at 17:30 and groups capped at 12 people. San Pedro sits at 2,400 m, so take the afternoon slow on your first day in town, bring water and a warm layer because the temperature drops fast after the sun goes.

What Each Way in Really Costs

Every option listed here already carries the CLP 10,800 reserve ticket inside its price, so the card price is the all-in figure. Every tour here states the ticket as included, which means the cheapest van at $63 and the dearest bike day at $179 differ by guidance, duration and terrain rather than by fees. Add nothing at the gate on any of them.