Your Complete Guide to Biking Valle de la Luna
Located just 13 km from San Pedro de Atacama, Valle de la Luna (“Moon Valley”) provides a surreal experience that feels like stepping onto the moon. This breathtaking destination features rocky and sandy terrain, making it one of the driest places on Earth. Its unique landscape closely resembles the moon’s surface, making it a must-visit attraction in the Atacama Desert.
The valley is one of the driest places on Earth, resulting in a complete absence of life. This extreme environment is vital for researchers, including NASA, which tested a Mars rover here to simulate Martian conditions.
Overview: Biking Valle de la Luna in Chile
- Distance: 22 km return trip
- Starting Point: Valle de la Luna Information Center
- Trail Ending Point: Tres Marias
- Difficulty: Moderate, heat can make the ride more challenging
- Terrain: A mix of sand, gravel and dirt paths, with some moderate inclines and downhill sections
- Main Highlights: Duna Mayor, Amphitheater, Mina de Sal, Tres Marias
- Bike Rental: Choose a mountain bike suited for desert terrain in San Pedro de Atacama
- When to ride: Early in the morning or later in the afternoon, to avoid the harsh desert sun
- Things to bring: Sunscreen, water, high-energy snacks, hat, sunglasses, long-sleeved shirt (for extra sun protection), and patience 😀
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How to Visit Valle de la Luna: Bike, Car or Tour
Generally, exploring Valle de la Luna by bike is not the only way to see this Mars-like landscape. In fact, you can visit the Moon Valley independently by car or as part of an organized tour group. We personally really loved the idea of cycling in the desert, so opted for this way.
Visiting by car: The best place to rent a car in the Atacama Desert is at the Calama airport. Not only will you have more options but you’ll also be able to choose the cheapest one, by comparing several rental companies.
Visiting with a tour: I recommend booking this tour in person at one of the many tour agencies in San Pedro de Atacama. If you’re interested in other tours in the Atacama Desert and you book with the same agency, you might even receive a discount. Most of the tours leave San Pedro in the late afternoon, between 3pm and 4pm and stay until sunset.
Tip: If you’re exploring Valle de la Luna by bike, I recommend starting early in the morning to avoid the tour crowds in the afternoon.
Logistics of Biking Valle de la Luna and Where to Rent a Bike
I could not stress enough how the wrong bike can totally ruin the experience of visiting Valle de la Luna. As it will be a long day anyways, you want to make sure that your bike is well equipped. Bike rentals should include at least the following items and if they don’t you should consider another one: bike helmet, a vest, bike lock and a tire replacement.
Tip: The average rate of a daily bike rental is between $6,000 and $8,000 CLP. Some of the main rental companies in San Pedro de Atacama are: Latchir Expidicion, Ciclo Aventura Atacama and BBike.
How much Time do you need to visit Valle de la Luna?
Half a day is sufficient to explore Valle de la Luna at your own pace. This allows you to soak in the breathtaking landscapes without having to rush. Your entrance ticket also includes access to Piedra del Coyote, located a few kilometers from the Moon Valley entrance. This popular sunset spot often gets crowded with tour groups in the afternoon. Since it takes about 40 minutes by bike to reach, we chose to spend more time enjoying the stunning vistas of Valle de la Luna instead. If you decide to add this destination to your adventure, I recommend biking Valle de Luna first thing in the morning.
To ensure a smooth visit, check the official website for the valley’s opening hours, which vary by season. If you’re biking, entry is allowed from 9 am until 11 am from September to March and from 8 am until 11 am from April to August. Plan your visit accordingly to maximize your time in this moon-like landscape.
The Valley of the Moon: Day Pack Essentials
Before leaving for Valle de la Luna, we stocked up on the best empanadas in San Pedro de Atacama. Make sure you have enough food and water (you’ll ready need it!) with you, as you won’t find any shops in the Moon Valley. Additionally, pack a sun hat, wind jacket, sun protective clothing and a good amount of sun cream. The trails are exposed to sun and you want to avoid being sun-struck.
Our Experience: Exploring Valle de la Luna by Bike
Before sharing our experience, I want to give a quick disclaimer: our biking adventure in the Moon Valley wasn’t exactly, what I would describe, “pleasant”. We rented two bikes from a random shop without checking for comfortable seats or proper gear, and that was a big mistake!
The first part of the ride was uphill and largely against the wind. This, combined with inadequate bikes, really dampened our overall experience. However, once we overcame this initial challenge, we cycled through the rest of the valley and thoroughly enjoyed our time. If you don’t bike often, we recommend finding a comfortable bike! On another trip, we rented from Latchir and had a much better experience.
Itinerary & Map for Valle de la Luna
Getting to the main entrance to purchase tickets is straightforward. You’ll follow the main road, which is shared with cars, but there’s ample space on the side for safe cycling. Be sure to wear the high-visibility vest provided by the bike rental shop and stay close to the edge of the road for added safety.
Once we reached the main entrance and got the tickets, we were ready to go! The tickets to Valle de la Luna average around $11.000 CLP or $14 USD for the day. In the Moon Valley, the road is well tracked and the viewpoints are marked.
Duna Mayor
When buying the tickets, you’ll receive a map with the four main stops on the path. The first stop, la Duna Mayor, can be found around 7 km from the entrance. After parking the bikes, we followed the marked path to the top of the dune. The scenery with the sand and rocky formations left us speechless. Luckily, the bumpy road and the hard bike seats were still worth it for the view.
Tres Marias
We then decided to cycle straight to the end of the route, to the Tres Marias. These are stone formations that have eroded over the years, due to wind and sand. Here, also there used to be a salt lake, which is the reason for the white sediments on the surface.
Mina de Sal Victoria
After reaching the last stop, we slowly made our way back to the entrance of the Moon Valley. First though we stopped at the Mina de Sal Victoria, an old salt mine. Mirador Achachnes was unfortunately closed when we visited.
Final Comments: Is Biking Valle de la Luna worth it?
Now, you might be wondering whether biking Valle de la Luna was really worth it. Although it’s not an experience for everyone, we really loved the freedom and independency of exploring the Moon Valley by bike. But, if there is one thing I would do differently, that would be renting a better bike.
Below, I go into more detail of the advantages and disadvantages of exploring Valle de la Luna by bike.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Much cheaper to organized tours | Bumpy road |
| Stop as often as you want | Bad bike = Bad experience |
| Less crowded | Be prepared to bike uphill |
| More flexible | Very hot if biking in the middle of the day |
| Easy to reach, close to San Pedro de Atacama | You might miss Piedra del Coyote |
At the end of the trip, we were really happy we decided to go by bike! Don’t misunderstand me, we still complained a lot about our decision and thought of giving up a couple of times. Looking back though, we couldn’t have chosen any better. We encountered few other bikers along the way, allowing us to fully enjoy the stunning landscape in peace before the tour groups arrived.
If you’re thinking “Why would I ever want to bike in the desert, if it’s a painful ride?“, the answer is: because you’ll never get another chance to bike in one of world’s driest places.
