2400 – 4300 m.a.s.l.
Altitude
medium (altitude)
Difficulty
10+
Age

Starting on Mondays and Fridays, the Trekana program includes our most popular experiences: Local Cultural Experience, Moon Valley, Rainbow Valley, Atacama Salt Flat, Highland Lagoons, El Tatio Geysers. It is the best way to get to know – and immerse in – the wonders of Atacama.

DEPARTURE TIMEAccording to excursionDEPARTURE LOCATIONHotel
RETURN TIME
SEMI-PRIVATE SERVICE: High quality standard services with a maximum of 10 passengers per group, most of them from hotels that work with us. Our bilingual guides (spanish – english) assure a personalized service.The days and hours of the excursions may vary depending on the season, climatic conditions and the groups that we form. The final itinerary will be confirmed upon arrival in San Pedro, but even during your stay it can vary depending on the mentioned conditions, we will be informing immediately about any change.
INCLUDED
Admission tickets Pick-up from your hotel Water & snack
Bilingual Guide Meals & Tastings according to excursion

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The Trekana program includes the following experiences:

Local Cultural Experience: In a participative and authentic activity we immerse ourselves in one of the many facets of the atacameñan (or Lickan-Antai) culture, amongst others their agriculture, traditional alimentation, ancient medicine, music or the art of ceramics and textiles. According to availability we participate in one of the following activities:

  • Ancient caravan with llamas
  • Production of the chañar syrup
  • Wine route, Highland vintners “Ayllu”
  • Process of preparation of “Patasca”, typical food

Moon Valley, Ayllus, Atacameñan Tasting: With a delicious breakfast we will enjoy the serene magic and beauty of the sunrise in the Salt Mountain Range. We will visit the impressive landscapes of the Moon Valley. We explore two Ayllus of San Pedro and taste typical atacameñan food. We´ll get to know the history, culture and challenges of San Pedro de Atacama.

Rainbow Valley, Río Grande, Sunset in Salt Mountain Range with Aperitif: We start the afternoon getting to know two culturally and geologically important sites northwest of San Pedro de Atacama. On a stroll through alleyways that seem to be from a different time, a local guide of the picturesque village Río Grande tells us about the culture, traditional architecture and agriculture of the members of the area´s indigenous community. Later, the Rainbow Valley is our geological laboratory and shows us one of the oldest places in the surroundings of San Pedro de Atacama where we can observe millions of years old rocks that surface in differently colored layers – giving the Rainbow Valley its name. At the end of the day we will gather on the rim of the Salt Mountain Range, above the Mars Valley (as well known as Death Valley), where we can contemplate the capricious morphology of this range as well as the gorgeousness of the Andes in the distance.

Highland Lagoons, Traditional Agriculture & Wool Manufacturing Process of Socaire: We travel south, going up to the ´puna´ (highlands) to marvel at its unique vegetation, wildlife, lagoons and salt flats.  Here, Miscanti Lagoon – the largest lagoon in the Antofagasta region – is certainly the one that impresses travelers most. Later, we visit the village Socaire, where the indigenous community still preserves part of the traditional atacameñan lifestyle.

El Tatio Geysers, Machuca, Putana Wetlands, White Geyser: With the sunrise we head towards one of the entries to the Andean highlands, passing through important altitude ecosystems of extremely rich biodiversity such as the wetlands of Machuca and Putana. We make a stop at Machuca, a little farmer´s village, to then continue towards an overwhelming spectacle of nature: the geyser field ´El Tatio´. Before returning to San Pedro we explore yet another mighty gift of the earth, known as the “Geyser Blanco” (White Geyser), where the ones who have the heart can get into the thermal waters in the middle of the river trough.

Atacama Salt Flat, Chaxa Lagoon, Kezala Canyon: During the evening we will ascend about 1.000 meters until we reach the village of Talabre. There we will walk through Kezala, one of the canyons that connect the high mountains of the Andes with the basin of the Atacama Salt Flat and which preserves an invaluable archaeological heritage in the form of rock paintings. Towards the sunset we will head to Chile´s biggest salt flat to marvel at its geography and its unique ecosystem where we can spot Flamingos, amongst other birds.

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Additional information

Duration4 days

English

The orden of the excursions can vary according to the day you start the program. A possible itinerary is:

1

Day 1

In the morning we visit the Moon Valley and two Ayllus of San Pedro, including a tasting of typical atacameñan food. See more details here.

In the afternoon we get to know the indigenous village Río Grande and the Rainbow Valley. We enjoy the sunset with an aperitif on the rim of the Salt Mountain Range (Cornisas). See more details here.

2

Day 2

We travel to the salt flats and lagoons of the altiplano: Piedras Rojas (Red Stones) and the highland lagoons Miscanti and Meñiques. After having a typical lunch in the indigenous village Socaire we participate in a cultural activity offered by the Weavers of Socaire. See more details here.
3

Day 3

We start with the sunrise and drive north to visit the El Tatio Geysers. On the way we make a stop at the indigenous village Machuca, the Putana wetlands and the White Geyser. See more details here.
4

Day 4

In the morning, a participative cultural activity gives us the opportunity to approach the millennial heritage of the atacameñan (or Lickan-Antai) culture – an indigenous culture more than 12.000 years old. See more details here.

In the afternoon we visit the Kezala canyon with its invaluable archaeological heritage in the form of rock paintings. Towards the sunset we head to Chile´s biggest salt flat to learn about its geography and its unique ecosystem where we can spot Flamingos, amongst other birds. See more details here.

English

What to wear and bring?

  • Comfortable clothing, walking shoes.
  • Warm clothing for the coolest hour around sunrise.
  • Sunblock, hat, sunglasses, lip balm.

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