Things to Do in San Pedro

The main things to do in San Pedro de Atacama are Valle de la Luna, the El Tatio geysers, a stargazing night, Piedras Rojas and the altiplanic lagoons, the salt flats with Chaxa and Laguna Cejar, the Puritama hot springs, the Baltinache lagoons and the multi-day trip to Uyuni. San Pedro sits at about 2,400 m, so do the low sites first and El Tatio, at about 4,320 m, later in your stay.

At a glance

Prices are per person on GetYourGuide when we checked on 3 October 2026. Park entry fees are mostly extra.

Why the order matters

San Pedro is already high. Health guidance from the CDC is to spend two or three nights at around San Pedro’s altitude before going higher, so the classic plan is the low sites on days one and two, Puritama next, then Piedras Rojas and the high lagoons, and El Tatio last. Arriving from sea level, keep the first day easy and skip alcohol for the first 48 hours.

Low first: Moon Valley, stargazing, salt flats and Baltinache

Valle de la Luna is about 13 to 15 km from town and is usually your first afternoon. Entry is CLP 10,800, sold online only at valledelaluna.com for a set time slot. The Whipala Valle de la Luna shared tour, rated 4.8 from 344 reviews, leaves from its office in the center of town (our breakdown).

A stargazing tour fits any night of the trip, ideally near the new moon. The Llama Stargazing experience meets in town and drives about 15 minutes out.

The salt flats cover Laguna Chaxa and its flamingos, and Laguna Cejar, where you float in Laguna Piedra next door because swimming in Cejar itself is not allowed. Cejar closes on Tuesdays. The Baltinache lagoons, about 60 km from town, let you bathe in two of their seven pools, rotated every six months.

Middle: Puritama hot springs

Puritama sits at about 3,500 m, 28 km from town, and has no public transport. Tickets are sold online at termasdepuritama.cl in a morning or afternoon block and often sell out. The Feel Atacama Puritama tour includes the CLP 38,000 ticket and hotel pickup.

High: Piedras Rojas, the lagoons and El Tatio

Piedras Rojas and the altiplanic lagoons of Miscanti and Miñiques lie about 150 km from San Pedro at roughly 4,000 m or more. The Ruta Chile Piedras Rojas full-day tour has the most reviews of the day trips we list, 796 at 4.7 (our breakdown). Entry tickets are sold only online through the Socaire community. The Pukarumi Atacama Desert and Salt Flats day trip, from $101, heads to the same high plateau for the Aguas Calientes salt flat and the Pacana Monks rocks.

El Tatio is the 4 a.m. start: the steam shows best around sunrise at about 4,320 m, where it is often below freezing. Entry is CLP 15,000, paid in cash, and age and health restrictions apply. Do it near the end of your stay.

Multi-day: Uyuni

Uyuni tours cross into Bolivia at Hito Cajón and climb to about 4,900 m, so leave them until you have had a few days at San Pedro’s altitude. Road blockades in Bolivia stranded travelers in Uyuni in January and June 2026, so check the news before you go.

Current closures (checked 3 October 2026)

• Valle de la Luna is closed on 6, 13, 20 and 27 October 2026 for staff training.
• Mirador Ckari, the classic Moon Valley sunset viewpoint, has been closed since at least 27 May 2026, with no reopening date.
• Snow closed El Tatio, Piedras Rojas and the Miscanti and Miñiques lagoons on 13 August 2026. High sites can close at short notice, so check with your operator the day before.
• ALMA’s public visits are suspended.

One booking for four tours

If you would like the classics arranged for you, Best of Atacama: 4 Tours in 3 Days by Pukarumi bundles Moon Valley, Baltinache, Piedras Rojas with the lagoons and El Tatio for $371.40 per person, rated 4.7 from 345 reviews (our breakdown). It includes pickup from accommodation inside the urban area of San Pedro, but no airport transfer. Packages that do include the Calama transfer are on our Atacama tours with airport transfer page.

Practical tips

• Bring Chilean pesos from Calama: El Tatio is paid in cash, and San Pedro’s ATMs can run out.
• Pack layers. Dawn at the geysers is below freezing, and afternoons on the salt flats are hot.
• Buy Moon Valley, Socaire and Puritama tickets online ahead; they are not sold at the gate.
• Stay in the center so tour pickups reach you; see where to stay in San Pedro.
• Give operators a WhatsApp number. Times change with the weather.

Quick recommendations

• If you have two days → Moon Valley and stargazing on day one, the salt flats or Baltinache on day two.
• If you have four days → add Piedras Rojas, then El Tatio on the last morning.
• If you want everything organized → book Best of Atacama, plus your airport transfer.
• If you want Bolivia → book Uyuni last, after a few nights in San Pedro.