Atacama
Desert & Altiplano, Chile
Explorations in
Atacama
Activity
Difficulty
Areas
Puri
Quebradas Intermedias
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Overland -
Easy
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Half-day
Puri's overland exploration follows the Vilama and Puritama Rivers. Scenic viewpoints lead to a short hike into the Puritama Canyon.
More details >Puri
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Exploration Path
Puri's overland exploration follows the Vilama and Puritama Rivers, vital lifelines in the Atacama Desert. Stops at scenic viewpoints lead to a short hike into the Puritama Canyon, revealing unique vegetation and ancient human traces, and ending with a relaxing dip in our exclusive pools at the Puritama Hot Springs.
87 m 285 ft
-53 m -174 ft
3540 m 11614 ft
3474 m 11398 ftElevation Profile
Cejar
Cuenca del salar
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Overland
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Easy
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Half-day
The Atacama Salt Flat is an endorheic basin with highly saline water outcrops, one of which is the Cejar Lagoon. We will venture into the northern part of the salt flat, surrounded by the vastness and accompanied by the Andean volcanoes. Once at Cejar, we will be able to enter its waters and float in the middle of the driest desert in the world.
More details >Cejar
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Exploration Path
The Atacama Salt Flat is an endorheic basin with highly saline water outcrops, one of which is the Cejar Lagoon. We will venture into the northern part of the salt flat, surrounded by the vastness and accompanied by the Andean volcanoes. Once at Cejar, we will be able to enter its waters and float in the middle of the driest desert in the world.
Ckausama
Altiplano
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Overland
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Easy
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Full-day
We take a van to the Tatio Geysers. Along the way, an important part of the Andean Plateau fauna –including vicuñas, flamingos, foxes...
More details >Ckausama
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Exploration Path
We take a van to the Tatio Geysers. Along the way, an important part of the Andean Plateau fauna –including vicuñas, flamingos, foxes, and others– can be appreciated. We walk across the reserve feeling the inner activity of the land with views to the Andes Mountain Range and the hot water springs from where steam rises. We return by van.
Reserva Tatio
Altiplano
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Overland
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Easy
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Half-day
We take a van to the Tatio Geysers. Along the way, an important part of the Andean Plateau fauna –including vicuñas, flamingos, foxes...
More details >Reserva Tatio
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Exploration Path
We take a van to the Tatio Geysers. Along the way, an important part of the Andean Plateau fauna –including vicuñas, flamingos, foxes, and others– can be appreciated. We walk across the reserve feeling the inner activities of the land with views to the Andes Mountain Range and the hot water springs from where steam rises. We return by van.
Kunza
Cuenca del salar
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Overland
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Easy
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Half-day
In this exploration we learn about the Atacameño history and culture. We start with a guided tour of an archaeological deposit...
More details >Kunza
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Exploration Path
In this exploration we learn about the Atacameño history and culture. We start with a guided tour of an archaeological deposit where we can see ceramic pieces and other historical artifacts fit for a museum. Later on, we move on to the village of Tulor, one of the first settlements. We end the exploration at the mythical desert bookstore.
Gran Salar
Cuenca del salar
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Overland
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Easy
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Half-day
We leave in a van to Toconao, located to the south of San Pedro de Atacama. We walk to the village square and then through an area...
More details >Gran Salar
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Exploration Path
We leave in a van to Toconao, located to the south of San Pedro de Atacama. We walk to the village square and then through an area of vegetable gardens. We finally take a van to the Chaxa Lagoon, located in the Los Flamencos National Reserve, an ideal place for bird watching within Atacama’s Salt Flat.
Quebradas
Quebradas Intermedias
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Overland
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Easy
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Half-day
We take a van to the Yerbas Buenas archaeological site located in the Domeyko Mountain Range. Here we can see...
More details >Quebradas
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Exploration Path
We take a van to the Yerbas Buenas archaeological site located in the Domeyko Mountain Range. Here we can see different styles of petroglyphs.
We continue to the Rainbow Valley, where a special formation with varied shades of colors welcomes us to walk through the valley.
Cordillera de la Sal
Cuenca del salar
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Overland
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Easy
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Half-day
We take a van to the Salt Mountain Range to see typical desert landscapes: open reddish clay grounds, sand dunes...
More details >Cordillera de la Sal
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Exploration Path
We take a van to the Salt Mountain Range to see typical desert landscapes: open reddish clay grounds, sand dunes, and sedimentary rock formations. We walk up to the highest point of this mountain range to see the panoramic views. We will take a 30 minute walk through one the least known mountainsides of the Salt Ridge.
Altiplano
Altiplano
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Overland
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Easy
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Full-day
We leave in a van and travel to the borderline with Argentina to appreciate multicolored landscapes and the Andean Plateau Salt Flats....
More details >Altiplano
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Exploration Path
We leave in a van and travel to the borderline with Argentina to appreciate multicolored landscapes and the Andean Plateau Salt Flats. We explore different ecological floors, which allow us to see the diversity in flora and fauna. We come down from the van to feel what is like to walk over 4,000 m.a.s.l (13,123 f.a.s.l).
Nómade
Altiplano
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Overland
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Easy
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Full-day
We take a van to Talabre, where we visit the archaeological site of Kezala with petroglyphs as old as 800 - 400 B.C. We continue our journey...
More details >Nómade
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Exploration Path
We take a van to Talabre, where we visit the archaeological site of Kezala with petroglyphs as old as 800 - 400 B.C. We continue our journey through solitary pathways into the heart of the mountain range in the Andes Plateau. We have lunch in the middle of a natural environment and then come back to Explora.
Lagunas Altiplánicas
Altiplano
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Overland
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Easy
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Full-day
We leave the hotel towards the southern area of the salt flat, from where we will begin to climb towards the slopes of the Andes mountain range. Our first stop will be in the town of Socaire, and then we will continue towards the Piedras Rojas sector in the Aguas Calientes salt flat. Here we will take a short walk with incredible views of the volcanoes and the salt flat. Then we will continue towards the high plateau lagoons of Miscanti and Miñiques, two large and beautiful bodies of water located at 4,200 meters above sea level. We will enjoy a walk surrounded by contrasts between the blue of the water and the reddish mountains of the high plateau. We continue towards our lunch spot and then return to the hotel.
More details >Lagunas Altiplánicas
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Exploration Path
We leave the hotel towards the southern area of the salt flat, from where we will begin to climb towards the slopes of the Andes mountain range. Our first stop will be in the town of Socaire, and then we will continue towards the Piedras Rojas sector in the Aguas Calientes salt flat. Here we will take a short walk with incredible views of the volcanoes and the salt flat. Then we will continue towards the high plateau lagoons of Miscanti and Miñiques, two large and beautiful bodies of water located at 4,200 meters above sea level. We will enjoy a walk surrounded by contrasts between the blue of the water and the reddish mountains of the high plateau. We continue towards our lunch spot and then return to the hotel.
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