10 Best San Pedro de Atacama Tours (2025)

San Pedro de Atacama is easily one of the most awe-inspiring places we’ve explored in all of Latin America. With its towering sand dunes, Mars-like valleys, bright turquoise salt pools in an expansive salt flat, and surreal multi-coloured volcanic landscapes, it genuinely feels like you’ve landed on another planet. In fact, the terrain is so otherworldly that even NASA uses it to test equipment for future space missions. If you’re planning a visit and want to make the most of this unique region, we’ve put together a complete guide to the best San Pedro de Atacama tours. From choosing the right excursions to practical tips for seeing all the highlights, here’s everything you need to know to plan your adventure.

Summary of Best Atacama Desert Tours

To help you plan your trip, we’ve rounded up our favorite San Pedro de Atacama tours that showcase the jaw-dropping beauty of the Atacama Desert. From tour length and price range to the standout experiences you can expect, we’ve included all the essentials.

These handpicked tours are based on our personal experience and research—so you can skip the guesswork and make the most of your time out there. Want the full scoop on each tour and why it’s worth your time? Keep scrolling—we break it all down below.

📝 For a list of all the best things to do in the Atacama Desert, check out our guide on Best Experiences in Atacama.

10 Best San Pedro de Atacama Tours

We’ve rounded up the best tours in San Pedro de Atacama to suit every kind of traveler—whether you’re after something relaxing and luxurious like stargazing, adventurous like hiking sand dunes or horseback riding through canyons, or unforgettable like floating in a hot air balloon. Here are our top picks and why they’re worth doing.

1) Star Gazing Tour in Atacama

Why go on this Star Gazing Tour

The Atacama Desert is recognized as one of the best Dark Sky Zones in the world. This means that due to the particular atmospheric conditions, and the lack of light pollution, from here you can see the night sky full of stars including the Milky Way like never before!

A stargazing tour in the Atacama Desert is an absolute must and easily one of the top experiences in San Pedro de Atacama—but the details can make or break it.

The tour we recommend takes you to a quiet, remote location in the desert, where you can soak in the brilliance of the night sky in total comfort.

Unlike many tours where you’re left craning your neck under the stars, this one offers a personalized cushioned seating area complete with your own table, charcuterie spread, wine, and hot chocolate. And if the desert night gets chilly, they’ll even wrap you in a cozy heated thermal blanket to keep you warm and comfortable.

Then to better see the galaxy and stars, they use high quality telescopes (they aren’t all built the same) and divide you into groups of up to 6 people per telescope, ensuring everybody gets ample time to see.

Finally, the explanation done by the guide was informative, engaging, and entertaining, all in perfectly spoken-english. We mention this because many reviews of other tour companies mention that guides often switch between Spanish and English for the same group, making it harder for guests to fully follow or enjoy the explanations.

Last but not least, the guide will help you take an amazing portrait photo including all the stars behind you. Yes, many companies offer this, but the photo this tour takes is absolutely professional quality! 

2) Valle de La Luna Tour

Why Go on this Valle de la Luna tour

Valle de la Luna is one of the most iconic sites of the Atacama Desert.

Here, you’ll be immersed in otherwordly landscapes, majestic sand dunes, and salt-crystallized terrain that’ll make you feel like you’ve stepped onto the moon. Then you’ll end the day with a stunning sunset at Mirador Kari where the entire valley lights up in a fiery orange glow.

We chose this tour specifically because it starts at 2:00 PM—an hour earlier than most others. That extra hour gives you a total of 5 hours to explore Valle de la Luna, allowing more time to take in the dramatic landscapes and complete the optional hikes.

Many other tours we observed rushed through the sites without giving their guests the chance to fully experience the hikes.

3) El Tatio Geyser Tour

Why Go on this El Tatio Geyser Tour

We’ll admit—we were initially a bit hesitant about visiting El Tatio Geysers.

From the photos online, it looked cold, dark, and just like a giant cloud of steam. But after experiencing it firsthand, we can confidently say it’s absolutely worth it.

El Tatio is actually the third-largest geyser field in the world, right behind Yellowstone in the U.S. and Russia’s Valley of Geysers.

Standing in the middle of this massive geothermal field, watching dozens of active geysers bubbling and the incredible display of colours from the minerals, was truly surreal.

But what made the tour even more special was the scenic drive there—passing through a flamingo-filled lagoon and wetlands that look straight out of a painting. 

Not all tours include these stops, so we made sure to recommend the one that does. Those viewpoints were some of our favourites from our entire Atacama itinerary.

4) Piedras Rojas + Laguna Miscanti Tour

Why go on this Piedras Rojas Tour

This southern route from San Pedro de Atacama ended up being one of our favorite day trips.

You’ll journey through dramatic volcanic landscapes and vast altiplanos plains dotted with wild vicuñas.

The highlight of it all though? Piedras Rojas—the contrast of colour and landscape was so stunning we honestly had to pinch ourselves to make sure it wasn’t a dream. The mix of crimson bubble-like volcanic landscape next to the shimmering turquoise salt lagoon was just spectacular.

We recommend going with this particular tour since you’ll start off at Piedras Rojas before heading to Laguna Miscanti. Many other tours will start with Laguna Chaxa, but for us, that was the least impressive of the route. Furthermore, by starting with Piedras Rojas, you’ll get to the most impressive part of the tour before the tourist crowds arrive! 

Being a small group tour with a maximum of 12 people, you’ll also have a more intimate experience and more time learning from the guide. Finally, this tour also includes breakfast and a lunch. 

This post is part of our series about the Atacama Desert. If you want to learn more about the Atacama Desert and other amazing Chilean attractions, check out the guides below:

Chile Patagonia vs Argentina Patagonia: Which is Right for You

12 BEST Things to do in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

8 Best Day Hikes in Torres del Paine, Chile (Easy to Moderate Trails)

How to Visit Torres del Paine in Patagonia, Chile (Beginner’s Guide)

5-Day Atacama Desert Itinerary: Self-Drive Road Trip or Guided Tours

Where to Stay in Torres del Paine: Puerto Natales vs Inside Park Hotels

29 Essential Patagonia Travel Tips (From Real Experience)

5) Laguna Baltinache Tour

Why Go on this Laguna Baltinache tour

Ever wanted to effortlessly float in a salt pool in the middle of an expansive white salt flat? I didn’t think it was something I needed until I actually experienced it!

There are 7 hidden salt pools in Laguna Baltinache and on this day trip, you’ll get to explore all of them. In order to protect the environment, swimming is permitted in only one of the pools but it is 100% worth experiencing.

Also to note is that you are only allowed to go in the water for up to 20 minutes, both to protect your skin and the environment. 

We actually visited Laguna Baltinache on our own with our rental car but if you don’t have a rental car, we would recommend this particular tour. The reason is that you have more time there (5 hours). We ended up staying around 3 hours exploring all the Lagunas and just sitting there marvelling at the expansive landscape and the turquoise pools. 

Alternative option to Laguna Baltinache

If you’ve already visited Laguna Baltinache and are craving a similar experience—or if you’re skipping if you would prefer to visit another laguna more easily accessible—there’s another iconic lagoon in the Atacama Desert you shouldn’t miss: Laguna Cejar. Not only can you float in its salty waters, but it’s also much closer to San Pedro, making it a super easy and worthwhile day trip!

On this tour, you’ll get to visit 3 drastically different type of lagoons, and have the opportunity to swim in one of them (Piedras Lagoon where you’ll float like in the Dead sea!)

6) Horseback Riding Tour

Why go on This Horseback Riding Tour

The desert landscapes in the Atacama are stunning, but can be quite challenging to explore due to the rugged terrain and harsh heat.

For this reason, one of the best ways to explore the more remote areas and canyons is on horseback. We did this tour and got to traverse the winding red rock canyons of Catarpe and discover the ancient civilizations that once lived there.

The tours are very flexible and you can visit different areas depending on your interest. We booked by contacting them through instagram and discussing the options.

We recommend booking with La Marca as opposed to the tour on Getyourguide since it is about half the cost, a longer tour, and more customized.

7) Hot Springs Tour

Why go on this hot Springs Tour

The Puritama Hot Springs lie along the northern route toward the El Tatio Geysers and are a great option for a relaxing day trip.

Although we didn’t get the chance to visit due to time constraints, soaking in these geothermal pools would have been the perfect way to unwind. Entrance fees are on the higher side at 35,000 CLP, but if you’re after a free alternative, consider visiting nearby PuriLibre.

If you want to visit Puritama, the tour on Viator is quite expensive. One of our favourite booking platforms that we discovered while traveling through Chile and Argentina is Denomades! They are locally owned, priced significantly better, and have an excellent reperatoire of tours.

This tour includes a scenic hike down a cactus-filled valley before reaching the natural hot spring pools. Honestly, if we had to choose just one, we’d likely go for the PuriLibre trekking tour. 

8) Sanboarding in Atacama Desert Tour

why Go on this Sandboarding Atacama Tour

If you’re looking for one of the most thrilling activities in the Atacama Desert, then look no further than this sandboarding tour.

You’ll be brought deep in the Valle de Marte, climb up the tall sand dunes, before speeding down on your sandboarding.

This tour includes all the transportation, equipment, helmet, googles, as well as introductory lesson. Not only will you get an incredible view of the valley and dunes below, but you’ll also get the adrenaline of racing down the slopes!

They have both morning and late afternoon sessions, and we would recommend doing the one at 4:00pm so you’ll get to also see the sunset from atop the dune!

What’s more is that this tour includes HD quality videos of your experience so you can show all your friend after! Finally, this is a small group experience up to 4 people, so you’re sure to have personalized guidance from the instructor.

9)  Hot Air Balloon ride in the Atacama Desert

Why go on this Hot Air Balloon Atacama Tour

If you’re looking for one of the most unforgettable ways to experience the Atacama Desert, a hot air balloon ride is hard to beat.

What makes this experience truly magical is the silence and sense of connection—you’re not looking through a window or from behind a barrier, it’s just you and the sweeping desert landscape below.

We rode the hot air balloon also in Cappadocia in Turkey and witnessing the red and white hues of the alien-like landscape was unforgettable! While it’s definitely a splurge, if you’re going to try hot air ballooning once in your life, this is one of the most spectacular places to do it.

10) Mountain Biking Tour in Atacama Desert

Why Go on this Mountain Biking Atacama Tour

Another amazing way to explore the Atacama Desert is by mountain biking.

We ended up doing the horseback riding tour instead, but traversed the same passage as the mountain biking tour. In fact, we saw several groups of mountain bikers in the Catarpe Valley and it looked like a lot of fun!

You’ll get to zip through the winding red canyon, through some cave tunnels, and also explore the Devil’s Throat. This tour is suitable for all levels and the guide will adjust according to the skill of the group.

Example 5 day Atacama Itinerary

Now that you have a list of the best tours to take from San Pedro de Atacama, the next big decision is how to organize your itinerary.

If you want a full breakdown of how to plan your stay in Atacama, whether you are doing a self-drive road trip or joining guided day tours, check out our Atacama Itinerary Guide. We go into detail about each day, what to do, where to buy your tickets, the best order of activities, where to stay, and more!

But if you want just a quick idea of how to plan your stay, then we would recommend the following itinerary:

• Day 1: Valle de la Luna tour (perfect since it is at 2 or 3pm, so you have time to arrive and check in to your hotel)
• Day 2: Horseback Riding tour or Laguna Baltinache Tour during the morning, Stargazing tour at night
• Day 3: Piedras Rojas Southern Route tour
• Day 4: El Tatio Geyser Tour
• Day 5: Departure day, but if you have time in the morning, you can do the tour that you missed out on Day 2  

FAQ

Is San Pedro de Atacama Worth Visiting?

San Pedro de Atacama is 100% worth visiting. Having travelled through much of Latin America, the Atacama Desert provided us with countless unforgettable experiences and remains as one of our favourite memories of our travels. Other than the spectacular attractions nearby, we also actually really enjoyed the vibe of the town of San Pedro de Atacama. 

What is the best time of year to visit?

The best time to visit the Atacama Desert is between March and May or September to November. During these shoulder seasons, you’ll enjoy milder temperatures, fewer crowds, and minimal rainfall.

Can you visit the Atacama Desert without a tour?

San Pedro de Atacama is very well serviced with excellent tours that make it very easy for you to visit all the nearby attractions.

However, if you have the option of exploring on your own with a rental car, we would highly recommend it.

This is how we mostly travelled through the Atacama Desert and loved the freedom of being able to stop wherever we wanted and stay at sites for as long as we wanted.

📝 If you want a full breakdown of how to do a self-drive road trip through the Atacama Desert, then check out our Atacama Itinerary Guide. 

How many days do you need in San Pedro de Atacama?

To properly explore the Atacama Desert, we would recommend a minimum of 4 days.

We spent 5 full days there and felt like that was the perfect amount of time. If we had an extra day, we would’ve loved to explore the Eastern Route but with all the amazing things we saw during our trip, we were completely fulfilled. 

Using WISE card in Chile

When taking cash out of an ATM while abroad, you will most likely be charged both a foreign exchange fee and a foreign transaction fee by that country’s ATM. With my Canadian card, this can easily be 3-4$ + 2.75% + a markup on the exchange rate charged by my bank, and then another 3-5$ charged by the foreign ATM.

This can be really costly. For this reason, we recommend using WISE card which has only minimal fees and just about no foreign currency exchange markup. This helps me save at least 5-7$ every time I take out money from an ATM. If you want to see our full review of the card showing exactly how WISE can help you save, check out our WISE Travel card Review post.

Summary: Best San Pedro de Atacama Tours

This list of the 10 best San Pedro de Atacama tours will give you plenty of incredible options to fill your itinerary. With five days to explore, you’ll have more than enough time to experience the region’s surreal landscapes and unique adventures. Whether you’re into stargazing, salt flats, geysers, or high-altitude lagoons, these tours will help make your Atacama trip truly unforgettable.

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