Ultimate 10 Day Atacama Desert Itinerary in the Northern Chile
When I think of a desert, I usually picture endless sand dunes. However, the Atacama Desert is something entirely different. After crossing into Chile from Bolivia, we found ourselves surrounded by towering mountains and jagged rock formations. It was the perfect start to our Atacama Desert itinerary, which would take us from high-altitude lagoons to moon-like valleys and stargazing under crystal-clear skies.
Northern Chile, home to San Pedro de Atacama, is one of the driest regions in the world. Its sparse vegetation and striking red-orange terrain often draw comparisons to the surface of Mars. Historically, Bolivia and Chile claimed ownership of his area during the War of the Pacific in the 1800s. Ultimately, Chile gained control, cutting Bolivia off from the sea in the process.
Overview: 10 Day Atacama Desert Itinerary & Map
We crossed into Chile from Bolivia and spent 10 unforgettable days exploring the Atacama Desert and Arica. Our Atacama Desert itinerary was based around San Pedro de Atacama, where we used the town as our home base for multiple day trips to discover the desert’s most iconic landscapes.
- Where: San Pedro de Atacama, Atacama Desert in Northern Chile
- How long: 10 days
- Best time to visit: year round, but March to May as well as September to November for fewer crowds
- Temperature: hot during the day (30°C / 86°F) and freezing at night (-5°C / 23°F)
- ATMs and Cash: ATMs are limited in San Pedro and some tours prefer cash
- Top Attractions: Valle de la Luna, el Tatio Geysers, Cerro Toco, Laguna Miscanti & Miñiques, Salar de Atacama & flamingos, stargazing
Best time to visit the Atacama Desert
If you’re planning an Atacama Desert itinerary, the best time to visit is between March and May (autumn) or September and November (spring). During these months, temperatures are pleasant and there are less tourists compared to the peak season (December to February).
Between December and February, it can get very hot during the day. Also, you can expect occasional showers during these months, which might affect some of your trips.
Keep in mind, that Atacama is one of the driest and sunniest places on Earth. However, despite the heat during the day, nighttime temperatures can drop drastically below 0. Also, although the lowest point in the Atacama desert is San Pedro ( 2,400 m / 7,874 ft), the desert is at a high elevation reaching more than 5,000 in some areas. For instance, Tatio Geysers are above 4,300 m / 14,107 ft.
Getting around the Atacama Desert
The main getaway to the Atacama Desert is San Pedro de Atacama. To get there there are several options, which I list below:
- Fly to Calama: is located 100 km (62 mi) north of San Pedro de Atacama and is the closest airport to the Atacama Desert
- By Bus: long-distance buses are another option if you’re traveling from Santiago or other northern cities in Chile
- By Car: the closest place to rent a car is in Calama, about 1.5 hour drive to San Pedro de Atacama
- Tours: if you’re crossing the border from Bolivia, you can organize a transfer as part of your Uyuni tour
Once you’re in San Pedro de Atacama, the most common way of exploring the desert is through guided tours. But, if you prefer more flexibility, you can rent a car and visit each attraction independently.
For instance, as we were crossing the border from Bolivia, we decided to rely mainly on guided tours. However, we also visited many attractions in the Atacama Desert by cycling there independently.
San Pedro de Atacama: Home Base for an Atacama Desert Itinerary
Originally, when we were planning our backpacking trip in South America, an Atacama Desert itinerary, in Chile, was not on our list. Since it was on our way anyway, we figured we couldn’t pass up the chance!
San Pedro de Atacama (3,159m / 10,364 ft) is located just a few kilometers from the border with Bolivia, making it a popular stop for travelers. During our time there, we met tourists from all over the world. Our transfer to Chile was organized through the same agency that arranged our Uyuni tour, which made the process incredibly smooth. All we had to do was fill out a few documents at the border, and that was it!
After enduring some frigid nights during our Uyuni trip, the heat of the Atacama desert felt like a welcome relief, at least for the first few minutes. Upon arrival, we immediately noticed the significant price difference compared to Bolivia and Peru. Not only were tour prices nearly on par with European rates, but restaurants and general facilities reflected this higher cost as well.
Having already experienced numerous lagoons, geysers, and sandy landscapes during our Uyuni trip, we decided to skip some of the popular tours from San Pedro de Atacama. Instead, we balanced our Atacama Desert itinerary with a few self-organized biking trips, trekking, and bus tours. Throughout our stay, we used San Pedro de Atacama as our home base and enjoyed daily excursions from there.
If you have any logistical questions or you need information about tourist attractions, I highly recommend visiting Sernatur, next to the main square.
Below are the best places to visit in the Atacama Desert. But, as mentioned above, I left out some that we haven’t visited ourselves, as similar landscapes were covered in our 4-day Uyuni tour.
Valle de la Luna: Biking one of the driest places on Earth
Located just 13 km from San Pedro de Atacama, Valle de la Luna (“Moon Valley”) feels like a journey to the moon. Its stony and sandy landscape not only makes it one of the driest places on Earth but also closely resembles the lunar surface.
You can explore the valley on an organized half-day tour, or choose to visit by bike or car.
Pietras Rojas and Laguna Altiplanicas: a must-see day tour
Of the many tours available, we chose to book a full-day excursion to explore the stunning lagoons as part of our Atacama Desert itinerary.
We got picked up at our hostel in the morning and after about 1 hour drive, we stopped to have breakfast in Socaire. Typical fresh bread, avocado and hot coffee… couldn’t get any better! After replenishing our bellies, we first stopped at the Miscanti and Miñiques Altiplanic lagoons.
Miscanti and Miñiques Altiplanic lagoons are located at the feet of the volcanoes and welcome a rich wildlife of vicunas, ducks and flamingos.
Next, we drove to the place we really booked this tour for: Pietras Rojas Lagoon. Don’t make the mistake of assuming it will always be warm during your Atacama Desert itinerary. The lagoon is located above 4,000 m / 13,123 ft, so even during a sunny day it is not warm. Despite this, the wind is the real enemy.
From the parking area, there is a path along the lagoon that takes you around its panoramic viewpoints. The large red outcrop of rocks, distributed around the area, is the reason for its name. The intense red colour is mostly due to iron oxidation.
If you have a car, this tour can also be easily organized independently. The roads leading here are very well marked and paved, so there is no danger of getting lost.
After about 40 minutes of exploring the lagoon, we were ready for a delicious meal. As we began our descent, the driver unexpectedly veered left and parked behind some rocks in the middle of nowhere. To our surprise, this became our lunch spot! I cherish that memory and absolutely loved enjoying a well-prepared meal in the heart of the Atacama desert.
Salar de Atacama: surrounded by Andean mountains and flamingos
If you booked a tour to Pietras Rojas and Laguna Altiplanicas, your last stop will be at Salar de Atacama. With the background of the salt flats, we enjoyed the view of flamencos and the Andean mountains.
During this tour we appreciate spectacular landscapes with vibrant colours. Also we received insights about the vegetation, history and fauna of the Atacama desert.
Stargazing: one of the best spots for a crystal-clear sky
The lunar-like landscapes and the behemoth mountains surrounding San Pedro de Atacama are not the only views you can enjoy. At night, the sky takes over and covers the horizon in a coat of stars.
The Atacama desert benefits from perfect conditions for stargazing. The main reasons are the lack of humidity, high altitudes and low light pollution. Also, just think that half of the world’s ground-based astronomy projects are performed here!
Many tour agencies offer a stargazing tour, but we decided to do it on our own. In fact, our hostel was slightly outside of the city and the outskirts of the Atacama desert. So, one night, we decided to chance our luck and see if we could catch some stars.
The outcome was fantastic. The best part was sitting in silence with our heads up, thinking about how big our universe really is.
Laguna Cejar: float in the middle of the Atacama Desert
There are several lagoons that can be discovered on tours departing from San Pedro de Atacama. But, we really wanted to avoid the bustle and the crowd, so we decided to do it on our own. How? By renting a bike. In fact, this time we rented more comfortable bikes than during the Valle de la Luna and we also started quite early to beat the crowd.
The lagoon is about 20 km from San Pedro de Atacama. Although the road there was flat, it was surely bumpy. It is not on the main road, so you get to enjoy the view the entire ride there. We used maps.me for navigation and it was easy to find the right direction.
Initially, we parked the bikes at the entrance of the lagoon and bought our tickets. Then, we visited a viewpoint right next to the entrance. Finally, we got our swimming suits on and reached the lagoon.
If you’re thinking, “The lagoon is in the middle of the desert, so the water must be warm,” think again! The water was not just cold, it was freezing! But we knew we had to take the plunge. After taking a few deep breaths to muster our courage, we finally dove into the circular part of the lagoon.
After lifting up one leg then another, we were floating! Because of the high concentration of salt in the lagoon, it is very easy to float.
We managed to escape the crowd and we had the lagoon all to ourselves. On our way back to San Pedro de Atacama we noticed all the tourist buses approaching the entrance. So, if you’re thinking of doing the same, rent a bike and cycle here in the morning.
Cerro Toco: hike a 5,600 m dormant volcano in the Atacama Desert
When we first arrived in San Pedro de Atacama, we weren’t quite sure what to expect. We had heard about the stunning landscapes and had looked up some activities online, but we were surprised to discover that we could actually hike up to 5,600 m / 18,372 ft!
We then had to decide whether to hike up Cerro Toco or Lascar. Although, they’re both volcanoes at about 5,600m, the experience is slightly different. In our case, Cerro Toco was the only available option for the day, but the decision was not easy.
Drive to Arica and cross the border with Peru
From San Pedro de Atacama we traveled to Arica on an overnight bus. As there were no direct routes, we had to change in Calama. This city is also the closest with an airport to San Pedro de Atacama, in case you’re flying in.
Arica, in fairness, was unexceptional and allowed us to relax without planing much. We originally wanted to surf here, but during our stay there were no waves. Instead, we explored the local food market and had long walks along the beach.
From Arica we took a bus to Tacna, where we re-entered Peru, to continue our journey to Arequipa. This is where our Atacama Desert itinerary came to an end. At the border, the controls were organized and rather quick. To reach Arequipa, we had to change buses in Tacna. All in all, a very uncomplicated journey logistically speaking.
Conclusion: 10 Day Atacama Desert Itinerary
Chile is undoubtedly one of the best countries to visit in South America, with its diverse landscapes and rich cultural heritage. On our South America trip, we had the opportunity to experience some of the best things to do in the Atacama Desert over the course of 10 unforgettable days. This leg of our journey was definitely one of the highlights of our backpacking trip in South America.
