San Pedro de Atacama Tours &
Things to Do
Discover the best San Pedro de Atacama tours, the adobe oasis town at the heart of the world’s driest desert: watch the sun set over the surreal Valley of the Moon, marvel at the steaming El Tatio geysers at dawn, float between flamingo-filled altiplanic lagoons and the red rocks of Piedras Rojas, and gaze at some of the clearest night skies on earth. Compare top-rated activities and plan your perfect Chile trip.
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Explore San Pedro de Atacama by interest
Whatever brings you to San Pedro de Atacama — world-class museums, the river, or a long lunch — start with the experiences travellers love most.
Valley of the Moon
Surreal sunset desert.
ExploreEl Tatio geysers
Steam at dawn.
ExploreAltiplanic lagoons
Flamingos & Piedras Rojas.
ExploreStargazing
Clearest skies on earth.
ExploreRainbow Valley
Coloured hills.
ExploreUyuni Salt Flats
Epic Bolivia crossing.
ExploreSalt flats
Chaxa & flamingos.
ExploreSandboarding
Death Valley dunes.
ExploreTop attractions in San Pedro de Atacama
The landmarks that define the city — and the tickets and tours that get you in, often skipping the line.
Valley of the Moon
Surreal sunset desert.
El Tatio Geysers
Steam at dawn.
Altiplanic Lagoons
Volcano-ringed lakes.
Chaxa Lagoon
Flamingos on salt.
Atacama Skies
World-class stargazing.
Rainbow Valley
Coloured hills.
Death Valley
Sandboarding dunes.
Uyuni Salt Flats
Bolivia crossing.
San Pedro in 1 day
- 1Altiplanic lagoons
- 2Salar de Atacama
- 3Piedras Rojas
- 4Moon Valley sunset
San Pedro in 2 days
- 1Day 1: lagoons & Moon Valley
- 2Day 2: El Tatio geysers
- 3Hot springs
- 4Stargazing
San Pedro in 3 days
- 1Day 1: lagoons & Moon Valley
- 2Day 2: geysers & stars
- 3Day 3: Rainbow Valley
- 4Desert wonders
San Pedro to Uyuni Salt Flats
- 1Atacama highlights
- 2Cross into Bolivia
- 3Coloured lagoons
- 4Uyuni Salt Flats
20 min awayValley of the Moon
Surreal sunset desert.
Dawn trip awayEl Tatio Geysers
Steam at sunrise.
Full day awayAltiplanic Lagoons
Lakes & Piedras Rojas.
Night awayStargazing
World-class skies.
Half day awayRainbow Valley
Coloured hills.
3 days awayUyuni Salt Flats
Bolivia crossing.
Know before you go
Short, straight answers to the questions every San Pedro de Atacama visitor asks before booking.
Year-round desert
The Atacama is dry and clear nearly all year, so most tours run reliably in every season.
Spring & autumn
September–November and March–May offer pleasant temperatures and fewer crowds — lovely times to visit.
Winter (Jun–Aug)
Sunny days but very cold nights and dawns, especially at the geysers; great clear skies for stargazing.
Altiplano “winter” (Jan–Feb)
Summer can bring brief afternoon rains to the high altiplano, occasionally affecting geyser and lagoon tours.
Big temperature swings
Days are warm but nights and high-altitude dawns are freezing — always bring warm layers.
Acclimatise
San Pedro sits at 2,400m and tours go much higher; take it easy on arrival to adjust.
One day
The lagoons and Valley of the Moon.
Two days
Add the El Tatio geysers and stargazing.
Three days
The sweet spot: lagoons, geysers and Rainbow Valley.
To Uyuni
Add 3 days for the Bolivia salt-flat crossing.
Acclimatise
Take the first day slowly at altitude.
Slow travel
Linger for the desert’s quieter corners.
Tours
The geysers, lagoons, Moon Valley and salt flats are spread across the desert, so guided tours are by far the easiest way to see them.
In town
San Pedro’s small adobe centre, with its church, shops and restaurants, is easily walkable.
Bike hire
Renting a bike is popular for closer sights like the Valley of the Moon and Pukará de Quitor.
Getting there
San Pedro is reached via Calama airport (about 1.5 hours away) or by bus from Calama, Santiago and across the border.
Dress in layers
Tours to the geysers and lagoons reach high altitude and freezing dawns — bring warm layers, a hat and gloves.
Take it slow
The altitude affects everyone; pace yourself, drink water and avoid alcohol on arrival.
Chilean peso
Chile uses the peso; carry cash for tours, park fees and small vendors, though cards work in many agencies and restaurants.
Warm layers for dawn
The El Tatio geysers and altiplano are freezing at dawn — bring a warm jacket, hat and gloves even in summer.
Acclimatise first
Take it easy on your first day, drink plenty of water, and let your body adjust before high-altitude tours.
Stargaze on dark nights
Pick a stargazing tour away from the full moon for the darkest skies and best views of the Milky Way.
Park & entry fees
Many sites (Moon Valley, lagoons, geysers) have entry fees often not included in tour prices — carry extra cash.
Pre-book popular tours
Geyser, lagoon and Uyuni tours fill up in peak season — book ahead.
El Tatio geysers
Dawn geyser tours sell out — book ahead.
Lagoons tours
Full-day altiplanic lagoon trips fill up — reserve early.
Stargazing
Astronomy tours have limited spots — pre-book.
Moon Valley sunset
Popular sunset tours fill up — book ahead.
Uyuni crossing
Multi-day Bolivia tours are limited — reserve early.
Peak season
Summer and holidays are busy — plan ahead.
Moon Valley
Around €20–40 for a Valley of the Moon sunset tour.
El Tatio geysers
About €40–70 for a dawn geyser tour.
Lagoons tour
Roughly €50–90 for a full-day altiplanic lagoons tour.
Stargazing
About €30–50 for an astronomy tour.
Uyuni crossing
Around €250–400 for a 3-day tour to the Uyuni Salt Flats.
How to save
Join group tours and book several together at one agency.
San Pedro de Atacama through the seasons
What's best, how busy it gets, and one booking tip for each time of year.
- Best for
- Mild, fewer crowds.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Lovely; clear skies.
- Best for
- Warm days, busy.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Rare altiplano rain.
- Best for
- Pleasant, quieter.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Great shoulder.
- Best for
- Clear stargazing.
- Crowds
- Booking tip
- Freezing dawns.