Atacama Salt Flat, Piedras Rojas, and Altiplanic Lagoons

El Loa, Chile



Discover the charming villages of Toconao and Socaire on a tour of the Atacama Desert. Visit the Atacama Salt Flats, the Chaxa Lagoon, and the Miscanti and Meñiques Lagoons.

Highlights

  • Discover the charming village of Toconao and its beautiful architecture
  • Visit the village of Socaire and learn about its agriculture and its church
  • Admire the stunning landscapes of the Atacama Salt Flats and the Chaxa Lagoon
  • Explore the Miscanti and Miñiques lagoons in the Los Flamencos National Reserve
  • Take a trek to Piedras Rojas — where the rocks oxidize naturally

Description

Discover the beauty of the Atacama Desert on a full-day excursion from San Pedro de Atacama. Visit the village of Toconao, the Chaxa Lagoon, the Andean village of Socaire, and the Piedras Rojas Salt Flat. Start your day with pickup from your hotel in San Pedro de Atacama. Visit the village of Toconao, known for its simplicity, tranquility, special climate, beautiful architecture, and handicrafts. Next, visit the Chaxa Lagoon, a marginal area of the Atacama Salt Flats located in the Soncor Sector, Los Flamencos National Reserve. Head southeast (Andes Range) to camp in the Andean village of Socaire, where you'll visit its church and learn about its agriculture. Once you're in the Andes, ascend to approximately 4,200 meters above sea level to visit the Miscanti and Miñiques lagoons, part of the Los Flamencos National Reserve, which is characterized by volcanoes and mountainous landscapes such as Mount Miscanti and the Miñiques volcano. You'll find species such as the horned tagua, the small parinas, the caítí, Baird's sandpiper, the puna plover, the juarjual duck, and the guallata. The flora is composed mainly of llareta and paja brava. Both lagoons are formed by groundwater from melting glaciers. Continue through the foothills of the Southern Andes, known as Piedras Rojas, a place where the rocks are subject to oxidation and natural erosion, which causes the colors to lose their intensity in the Andes.

Includes

Pick-up at your hotel Shared transportation Driver / tour guide (Spanish- and English-speaking) Breakfast Lunch Transfer to town center

Excludes

Admission ticket to the sites to be visited for Chilean tourists: CLP 20,200 Admission ticket to the sites to be visited for tourists from other countries: CLP 28,750 (approx. $30 USD, cash payment)

Important Information

  • Recommendations: Closed or trekking shoes
  • Jacket
  • Jockey or hat
  • Sunglasses
  • Sunscreen and water

Easy cancellation

Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund

Trusted local guides, read by millions every month

  • 2006 online since
  • 26.4M page views a month across the network
  • 14 languages

180+ destination guides, one network

Every guide covers a single destination on its own website, with events, restaurants, things to do and places to stay chosen from local recommendations.

My Guide Network Locations

Nearby Destinations

Add to your trip

Add your travel dates so we can place this on the right day, or save it for later.

Added to your trip Added to day {[{trip.toast.day}]}, MorningAfternoonEvening Saved to your trip Already in your trip Transfer saved to your trip Save your trip to get fresh suggestions Staying in {[{trip.toast.label}]} Base cleared Trip deleted Link copied Could not save your trip Something went wrong, please try again