Transfer and Other Options:

Day 1, The Adventure Starts!
Arrival in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile.
We arrive at Calama’s Airport and drive to San Pedro de Atacama. As we drive we can appreciate the impressive rock formations of the Cordillera de la Sal, which is the entrance to one of the most special areas of Chile. Once in San Pedro we enjoy our briefing lunch, receiving a useful introduction to the trip about to start. In the afternoon we do our first hike in the silent and amazing Valle de la Luna; we walk over sand dunes until we reach the point from where we will witness a beautiful sunset, intensified by the warm color tones throughout the Valley. Then we come back to town and overnight in San Pedro.

Day 2, Trekking through San Pedro River
From San Pedro to San Bartolo, Atacama Desert, Chile.
Once we finish the breakfast we board the van and go to the great Fortress of Quitor, which dates from the twelfth century and reveals the pre-Inca architecture in the region of Atacama. Then we start a walk to the mouth of River San Pedro, entering in the small canyons that limit its stream. As we enter the canyon our walk turns into an amphibious trek given that the path crosses the river in different spots surrounded by strange geological formations. We finally enter a small valley that we cross until arriving at the ghost town of San Bartolo, a former mining enclave, now abandoned. We camp there and tonight we will have the first sample of the amazing starry nights of Atacama. 

Day 3, Exploring the Heart of Atacama
From San Bartolo to Rio Grande, Atacama Desert, Chile.
We initiate the day with a demanding trek which will makes us gain altitude as we leave the river bed and move towards the plateau level, meanwhile we observe the abandoned mines, old and with many legends. The trail continues through the river canyon and we start watching the giant cactuses that emerge from the arid and barren desert together with other strange life forms that are based on the banks of the river. There are some areas of the valley that are so dry that scientists have not found life there yet, not even bacteria. After crossing a section of the canyon we finally arrive at Río Grande Village, one of the few original indigenous communities of Atacameño people that still remain. We camp on the banks of the river and, if we are lucky, we will get to know some of the local villagers. 

Day 4, The Great Desert Ascension
From Rio Grande to Machuca, Atacama Desert, Chile.
Today we are beginning the most challenging day of the trek in terms of physical demand. Once we finish breakfast we start trekking towards Machuca Village. The trail continues along the course of small streams that give form to narrow and beautiful valleys inhabited by native people and their herds of llamas. We continue gaining altitude as we border steep desert canyons, until we reach the awesome bofedales of Machuca, over-water grass lands full of wildlife from which we enjoy an amazing view of Licancabur Volcano, the sacred mountain of the Atacameño people. At this point we will have exceeded the 13.000ft above sea level. We camp next to a big bofedal and we dedicate our time to rest while we get acclimatized to the Altiplanic weather.

Day 5, Descent by the Altiplano Canyons
From Machuca to Puritama, Atacama Desert, Chile
After a hearty breakfast we leave the bofedales of Machuca and start descending through the canyon. It will be a long journey though easier than the previous days as the terrain gradient will make ‘gravity’ support us through the complete journey. We finally arrive to the natural pools of Puritama Hot Springs, where we enjoy a marvelous bath that our body will no forget after such a great effort we did the previous days! When our body and mind are at ease we board our transfer and drive back to San Pedro.

Day 6, The Cherry of Atacama
San Pedro, Salt Flat and High Land Lagoons, Atacama, Chile
We get up and feel the satisfaction of having completed a challenging and wonderful trek; we have crossed the heart of Atacama with the same explorer spirit of its first inhabitants. As a reward for our efforts we will be transferred on a van to see the amazing Salar de Atacama, home of astonishing birds like the Chilean Pink Flamingos. Then we continue driving towards the “cherry” of Atacama: the marvelous Miscanti and Miñiques Lagoons, plenty of turquoise waters that contrasted with the yellows of the Altiplanic lands make this place an incredible landscape. Once we are ready, we go back to San Pedro. Tonight we will have our farewell dinner, occasion to share our thoughts and feelings of the journey that we have just completed together. Surely the old Atacama Desert will now have a special space in our memories.

Day 7, Goodbye Atacama!
Departure from San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
We take this day to relax and wander around the town, visit its handcrafts shops, church, museum, and feel the mixture between native culture and the sophisticated modernity installed by foreigners, including Chilean people from big cities who decided to leave behind ‘civilization’ and move to this place. In the afternoon we go to Calama’s Airport on time to take our flight, goodbye Atacama!


Transport
In Atacama the transportation is on minivans that normally seat from 8 to 14 persons. When we have only 2 to 4 persons we use smaller vehicles, usually 4x4, driven by the tour guide. The vehicle will be of your use exclusively with the limitation of their use to the given itinerary and time schedules.

Physical Demands
Trekking in Atacama requires much more physical preparation than most vacations. In this program you will be trekking between five to seven hours a day for 4 continues days, mostly on dry sandy terrain. On the 4th day the trail through high lands (average 4,100mt / 10,500ft) which will also constitute a demanding factor. Although the treks themselves are not particularly strenuous, their length and challenging terrain will be more taxing than expected. Please keep in mind that the weather in Atacama changes from day to night causing the temperatures to drop considerably. These weather conditions can easily affect both the body and the morale. You need to be in excellent health and physical condition to enjoy such an experience.



Itinerary Modifications
We reserve the right to change the order of the days in any itinerary under the sole discretion of the trip guide and based on operational considerations. The trip guide can also modified, change or eliminate part of the itinerary based on safety/weather considerations.

Spring-Summer (October to March)
Farther north, in Atacama, the weather vary, and follows a desert hot-day / cold-night pattern. On a sunny day, daytime temperatures can be very pleasant, ranging between 15°C - 20°C (low 60s and low 70s F). Nighttime temperatures will most likely be in the 0°C - 5°C (23s and 40s F)

Autumn-Winter (April to September)
In Atacama the weather varies following the mentioned desert warm-day / cold-night pattern. On a sunny day, daytime temperatures can be pleasant, ranging again between 13°C -20°C (low 60s and low 70s F). Nighttime temperatures will most likely be in the -10°C - 0°C (23s and 40s F) Atacama Desert is the driest place on Earth! So any time of the year you come don’t expect rain at all – if it rains when you are there you might consider it almost a miracle!

**Atacama Desert is one of the driest places on Earth!  So any time of the year you come don’t expect any rain at all – if it rains when you are there, you might want to consider it a small miracle!

Hotel Overnights in San Pedro de Atacama
We use a nice 3-star hotel. The small San Pedro town is settled in the middle of the Atacama Desert and therefore occasionally has restrictions on their water supply, so some limitations in the use of water facilities can arise depending in the town supply circumstances, e.g. low water pressure of showers, problems with laundry facilities, etc. Additionally consider prices in San Pedro to be higher than those you find in Santiago or other big cities; this is normal due to the cost increase in the supply chain in most items you find in San Pedro.

Camping Overnights in Atacama Desert
The tents arranged for this program are typical mountain tents with enough room for a 2 people overnight in comfortable conditions. We provide all the camping gear, nevertheless you have to bring your own mat and sleeping bag (or please ask us for mats and bags rental rates). Our team will be responsible for setting up the tents on the camping site. There will be a big and comfortable dining tent for enjoying dinners and breakfasts each day. 

- 3 hotel nights in San Pedro: 3-star hotel

- 3 nights camping.

- Meals as follows:

Day 1: L
Day 2: B, BL, D
Day 3: B, BL, D
Day 4: B, BL, D
Day 5: B, BL, D
Day 6: B, BL, D
Day 7: B
B: breakfast, L: lunch, BL: box lunch, D: dinner.

Staying Healthy in Atacama
We supply plenty of clean drinking water when trekking out of San Pedro de Atacama and you will be able to refill your water bottle if necessary. You should let your guides know that you need water before your water bottle is completely empty. The food served to you is safe and prepared hygienically by an experienced staff.

Laundry
Laundry service is not available at the camps but you’ll be able to do some hand laundry.

Communications:
Fax machines, telephones and Internet access are available in Calama and San Pedro de Atacama.

Passports
Passport valid for at least six months required by nationals referred to in the chart.
Passport Note
Passports issued to children must contain a photo and state the nationality.

Visas
Not required by all nationals referred to in the chart above for stays of up to 90 days except the following:
(a) 1. nationals of Greece for up to 60 days and nationals of Romania for up to 30 days.
(b) transit passengers continuing their journey on the same or first connecting aircraft provided holding required travel documents for onward destination and not leaving the airport transit lounge.

Note: Nationals not referred to in the chart above are advised to contact the embassy to check visa requirements (see Contact Addresses).
Visa Note
2. Nationals of Australia, Canada and the USA entering Chile for touristic purposes will be charged a processing fee payable on arrival and in cash only. For nationals of  Australia, the fee is US$56; for nationals of Canada, the fee is US$132; and for nationals of the USA, the fee is US$100 .