Atacama Desert ToursSan Pedro de Atacama Day Trips
San Pedro de Atacama day trips cover nearly every sight in the desert, and all of them start and end in town. This page is the planner: what each day costs, when it runs, how high it climbs and which ones you should not put on back-to-back mornings. Stargazing, Moon Valley, El Tatio, the altiplano lagoons, Rainbow Valley and the salt flats all sit within about two hours of San Pedro, at 2,400 m the base for everything. Every trip below sits inside the wider Atacama Desert tours catalog, where full listings carry operators, reviews and cancellation terms.
The Tours We Compare
Prices are per person and read from each tour's listing. The price shown is the lowest option on the listing, and each card says whether the park fee is in that price. The main button on each card opens the tour's own page, and "Check Availability" opens the platform that takes the booking.
Lickanantay Ancestral Tour with Llamas
Walk with llamas through Turi and Kunza territory as Lickanantay hosts share ancestral herding culture and desert life.
- Category
- Culture & Heritage Tours
- Pickup
- Hotel pickup
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- Owner Experience 🟣
“Walking with the llamas while our host explained how his family reads the desert was the most human moment of our whole trip.” — Daniel
Rainbow Valley & Yerbas Buenas Petroglyphs Tour
A 6-hour morning run to the mineral-striped hills of Rainbow Valley and the Yerbas Buenas petroglyphs, with breakfast in the desert. Two entrance fees are paid on the day.
- Category
- Stargazing Tours
- Pickup
- Hotel pickup
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- Puka Rumi Travel Agency
Valle de la Luna Sunset Tour
The classic Atacama afternoon: salt caves, the Great Dune and an unforgettable sunset over Moon Valley’s lunar landscape.
- Category
- Landscape & Nature Tours
- Pickup
- Hotel pickup
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- PUKARUMI TRAVEL AGENCY
“A lovely wander through the lunar landscape of the Atacama Desert and a sunset platter and drinks. A perfect end to the day.” — Sharon
El Tatio Geysers & Wetlands Sunrise Tour
A 4 AM start to watch 80+ geysers erupt through freezing dawn air at 4,320 m, then flamingo-filled wetlands and the village of Machuca on the way back.
- Category
- Landscape & Nature Tours
- Pickup
- Hotel pickup
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- Feel Atacama
“fantastic day, great seeing the sunrise over the geyser!” — Michael
Piedras Rojas & Altiplanic Lagoons Full-Day
Piedras Rojas, the lagoons and Chaxa park fees plus breakfast and lunch are in the price, with 828 reviews behind it
The tour Atacama veterans call their favorite: Miscanti and Miñiques lagoons at 4,200 m, the red rocks of Salar de Talar and flamingos at Laguna Chaxa.
- Category
- Landscape & Nature Tours
- Pickup
- Hotel pickup
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- Ruta Chile
“We got to see different natural areas of the Atacama, and the team prepared a delicious breakfast and lunch.” — Sofiia
Cejar Lagoon Float & Salar Tour
An afternoon at the Cejar site, where the float is at Laguna Piedra, then Ojos del Salar and sunset at Tebenquiche. The Cejar ticket is paid on top.
- Category
- Landscape & Nature Tours
- Pickup
- Hotel pickup
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- Whipala Expedition
“Amazing tour! The lagoon was lovely to swim in and amazing to float! The snack was very filling and so amazing we didn't need to buy dinner afterwards.” — Suzannah
Guided Desert Buggy Tour
A 3-hour off-road buggy run through the dunes and canyons of the Cordillera de la Sal with a local guide, in a group of up to 4. Suits travelers who want speed and dust rather than a van tour.
- Category
- Adventure Tours
- Pickup
- Hotel pickup
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- On Safari Atacama
“Exciting, informative and entertaining. We learnt a lot as well as having fun.” — Justin
Atacama Stargazing Experience
Small-group stargazing with astronomer guides, powerful telescopes and Milky Way views from a dark-sky site outside San Pedro de Atacama.
- Category
- Stargazing Tours
- Pickup
- Hotel pickup
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation 24h
- Operator
- Llama Stargazing
“My stargazing tour was terrific, very well organised and professionally conducted. Alberto has a deep knowledge of astronomy and his two telescopes let us see details of Venus, the Milky Way and constellations.” — Sharon
Compared Side by Side
Each row reads the price, length and rating off the tour's own listing. The Park fees column says whether the ticket for the sights on the route is in that price or paid on the day, which is the line that changes the real cost.
| Tour | From | Length | Park fees | Rating | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lickanantay Ancestral Tour with Llamas | $72 | 3 hours | No park on the route | 5.0 (6) | Check Availability Details |
| Rainbow Valley & Yerbas Buenas Petroglyphs Tour | $68.50 | 6 hours | Not included, CLP 5,000 + CLP 5,000 cash | 4.8 (142) | Check Availability Details |
| Valle de la Luna Sunset Tour | $71 | 4.5 hours | Included | 4.6 (951) | Check Availability Details |
| El Tatio Geysers & Wetlands Sunrise Tour | $81 | 7 hours | Unclear on listing, CLP 15,000 cash at the gate | 4.5 (164) | Check Availability Details |
| Our pick Piedras Rojas & Altiplanic Lagoons Full-Day | $86 | 10 hours | Included | 4.7 (828) | Check Availability Details |
| Cejar Lagoon Float & Salar Tour | $38 | 4 hours | Not included, CLP 15,000 + CLP 6,000 | 4.6 (62) | Check Availability Details |
| Guided Desert Buggy Tour | $150 | 3 hours | No park on the route | 4.9 (109) | Check Availability Details |
| Atacama Stargazing Experience | $30 | 2.5 hours | No park on the route | 4.7 (805) | Check Availability Details |
Fees from the operators' listings and the official ticket sites. Figures current in Q4 2026.
Opening Hours and Start Times
Day trips are built around the parks' ticketed hours, so the departure time is not the operator's mood, it is the gate. Nomades publishes the operating windows below.
When Each Site Opens
San Pedro de Atacama day trips follow fixed site hours. El Tatio runs pre-dawn because the geysers are most active at sunrise and the window closes at midday. On Nomades' schedule Moon Valley is an afternoon and sunset site.
The lagoons split the day into a morning and an afternoon block, and Rainbow Valley is a morning site that has you back by lunch. These hours come from Nomades, so always confirm your ticket slot when you book.
| Site | Operating hours | Entrance fee | How you pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Tatio | 4:30-12:00 | CLP 15,000 (about $15) | Cash at the gate |
| Valle de la Luna | 15:30-20:00 | CLP 10,800 (about $11) | Online by card |
| Laguna Cejar | 8:00-12:30 and 14:00-18:30 | CLP 15,000 (about $15) | Online by card |
| Piedras Rojas | 7:00-18:00 | CLP 13,000 combined with Miscanti and Miñiques (about $13) | Online by card |
| Baltinache lagoons | 7:30-13:00 and 14:00-19:45 | CLP 12,000 standard, CLP 6,000 during the bathing pause | Cash on site |
| Rainbow Valley | 7:00-12:30 | CLP 5,000, plus CLP 5,000 for Yerbas Buenas (about $5 each) | Cash on site |
Source: Nomades, Nomades entrance guide.
How to Choose
Do not stack two altitude days back to back
El Tatio above 4,200 m and the altiplano lagoons at 4,200 m are both early, cold and high. Put a low day — Moon Valley, Cejar, a cultural morning — between them, and give yourself two nights in San Pedro before either.
Half-days leave room for a night tour
A four-hour lagoon or Moon Valley trip finishes in time for a stargazing session the same night. A ten-hour altiplano day does not, whatever the schedule says.
Pickup zones are narrower than you think
Several operators only collect from accommodation inside the urban area of San Pedro. If you are staying in Quitor, Yaye, Checar, Sequitor, Solor, Coyo or out at Toconao, check the pickup line on the tour page before booking.
Best Option by Traveler Type
A gentle first day
Best for: Anyone just arrived
The Lickanantay ancestral tour is three hours at valley level — llamas, pottery and local food, with no altitude to adjust to.
Lickanantay Ancestral Tour with LlamasThe one everyone does
Best for: First-time visitors
The Valle de la Luna sunset tour with the park ticket included.
Valle de la Luna Sunset TourThe big day out
Best for: Acclimatised travellers
The Piedras Rojas full-day tour at 4,200 m, with fees and two meals in the price.
Piedras Rojas & Altiplanic Lagoons Full-DayFree Things to Do Without a Tour
Not everything around San Pedro carries a ticket. Three regulars cost nothing and fill an afternoon that would otherwise sit empty between tours.
What Costs Nothing
The Mirador Likan-Antay viewpoint above town is free and is the town's fallback sunset spot when you have no tour booked. The northern route toward El Tatio passes flamingo-filled wetlands that you can stop at by car, and travellers report flamingos visible from the road itself. The Puri Libre hike is a free alternative to the ticketed Puritama hot springs, reached on foot.
These do not replace the big days, but they cover the low-key hours. A paid way to reach the canyon pools with a guide is the Canyon Pools & Hot Springs Trek at $40 for 6 hours.
Source: Way Less Travelers.
Planning Guides
Background reading that applies to every tour on this page.
Balloon Rides, Volcano Climbs and Hot Springs
Several day trips sit outside the classic park circuit because they need no park ticket at all, or a different one. They are the tours to add once the classics are booked.
What They Cost and How Long They Take
A sunrise balloon flight runs 3.5 hours with breakfast and takes you over the desert with Licancabur on the horizon. Volcano climbs are the serious end: Cerro Toco tops out at 5,604 m and Láscar at a 5,592 m crater rim, both full mornings or more, both with a minimum age. Hot springs come in two forms, the ticketed Puritama pools, for which Nomades lists a shuttle at CLP 25,000-30,000, and the free Puri Libre canyon.
Nomades lists a balloon flight at CLP 280,000 and Cerro Toco at CLP 75,000-80,000 if you book locally.
| Trip | Price from | Duration | Altitude | Minimum age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride | $350 | 3.5 hours | Not stated | 7 and over, over 110 cm |
| Cerro Toco Summit Hike | $120 | 7 hours | 5,604 m summit | 15 and over |
| Láscar Volcano Guided Climb | $172 | 12 hours | 5,592 m rim | 18 and over |
| Canyon Pools & Hot Springs Trek | $40 | 6 hours | 3,000 m | Not stated |
| Lickanantay Ancestral Tour with Llamas | $72 | 3 hours | Not stated | 6 and over |
Source: Nomades.
San Pedro de Atacama Day Tours: Common Questions
What is the best day tour from San Pedro de Atacama?
There is no single answer, because the tours answer different questions — but if you only have one day, the Valle de la Luna sunset tour is the one that most reliably delivers, is closest to town and needs no acclimatisation. If you have three days, the 3-day combo covers the headline four with the main park tickets paid.
Do day tours include hotel pickup?
Most do, but only inside the urban area of San Pedro. Accommodation in the surrounding ayllus — Quitor, Yaye, Checar, Sequitor, Solor, Coyo — and in Toconao is usually outside the pickup zone. Each tour page states the operator's own wording.
How many tours can I do in one day?
One long day tour, or one half-day plus a stargazing session that night. Trying to fit a full-day altiplano trip and a night tour into the same 24 hours means eighteen hours of activity at altitude, and it shows the following morning.
What does a day tour from San Pedro cost?
Roughly $30 to $86 for most half-day and full-day trips, with park fees on top where they are not included. The outliers are the balloon flight at $350 and the volcano climbs at $120 to $172. Valle de la Luna, Cejar, Chaxa, Piedras Rojas and Puritama tickets sell online by card, while El Tatio, Baltinache, Tebenquiche and Rainbow Valley are cash on site. Our guide to what a trip to the Atacama costs breaks down a full budget.
Should I book day trips or a multi-day package?
Day trips give you freedom to change plans and rest when the altitude bites, while packages save time by chaining the classics with fees already paid. Popular days sell out in peak periods, so whichever you choose, book ahead. If a package suits you, start with the multi-day tours hub.
How do I get from the airport to San Pedro de Atacama?
You fly into Calama El Loa airport (CJC). The drive to San Pedro takes about 1 hour 30 minutes, and shared shuttles meet incoming flights, costing about CLP 17,000 (about $17) per person. Allow 2-3 hours from landing to hotel. The full route and fares are on the getting to San Pedro guide.
How many days do I need in San Pedro de Atacama?
Four or five days is a good length, three works if you are selective, and the Uyuni crossing adds three to four more. The extra days matter because the highest trips should wait until you have acclimatised. The how many days guide builds the full ladder.
What is the best month for day trips from San Pedro?
March to May and September to November are the comfortable windows, with mild days and clear skies. January to March brings rain to the highlands, and June to August is very cold on the early departures, with El Tatio dawn well below freezing. The month-by-month detail is in the best time to visit guide.