Magic of Atacama

Discover the essentials of the stunning Atacama Desert: San Pedro de Atacama, the extraordinary archaeological museum of Padre Le Paige, the pre-Inca ruins of Tulor, the village of Toconao, Moon Valley, the Atacama salt lake, and the incredible El Tatio Geysers at an altitude of 4,300m.

Day 1: Arrive in Calama - San Pedro and the Moon valley
Arrival at the airport of Calama and transfer to San Pedro de Atacama. San Pedro is an unusual colourful village located 2,440m / 8,000ft above sea level in the middle of a green oasis. In the afternoon you will be taken into the mystifying Valle de la Luna, the famous Moon Valley. At sunset you can see how the light intensifies the impression of a moonscape. We will climb a sand dune to watch this spectacle and then return to the hotel. Overnight in San Pedro.

Day 2: San Pedro - Toconao and the Atacama Salt Lake
Breakfast. After breakfast you will visit San Pedro de Atacama - the centre of a Palaeolithic civilization that built impressive rock fortresses on the mountains encircling the green valley. The colonial church was constructed in 1577 and is the largest and most beautiful church of the region. The extraordinary archaeological museum (closed on Mondays) of Padre Gustavo Le Paige shows, among its many archaeological pre-Hispanic artefacts, several amazingly well preserved mummies. After this visit you drive 4 km / 2.5 mi to reach the pre Columbian village of Tulor with an approx. age of 3000 years. The archaeological remains are the oldest evidence of human settlement in the valley. We will then continue our morning tour to Pukara de Quitor; a fortress conquered in 1540 by the Spanish conquistadores defeating the Incan troops who, in turn, had captured it from the pre-Incan cultures and extended the fortification.

In the afternoon you will start your tour to Toconao; a village where locals dedicate themselves to the manu acture of white volcanic stone sculptures. We continue to the huge Atacama Salt Lake, an inland sea formed millions of years ago. The vast emptiness with the a white salt crust stretched out in front of you as far as the eyes can reach is overwhelming. It simply is one of the most spectacular and dramatic landscapes in Chile. Return to the hotel. Overnight in San Pedro. (Box lunch)

Day 3: El Tatio - Machuca
Breakfast. In the morning we leave early at 4am to reach the El Tatio Geysers at an altitude of 4,300m / 14,108ft before sunrise. It is the highest geothermal field in the world in a remote setting and has spectacular scenery. Make sure to bring warm clothes because it is very cold in the morning at this altitude. At dawn, powerful spurts of steam shoot out from various blowholes. The steaming ponds are encrusted with brilliant salt crystals reflecting the metal-blue sky at dawn.

You will have enough time to enjoy this beautiful natural wonder before we return and drive to the village Machuca where the ancient llama caravans used to rest from their travels on the "Inca Highway". Today only few people live here. Afterwards, we will return to San Pedro de Atacama. Leisure time in the afternoon. Overnight in San Pedro.

Day 4: San Pedro - Fly out from Calama
Breakfast. After breakfast, a transfer takes you to the airport to board your departure flight.