Triple tour: Red stones, highland lagoons and Chaxa Lagoon

About This Experience

Layana Travel's full-day tour combines three of the big sights south of San Pedro de Atacama: Piedras Rojas, the Miscanti and Miñiques altiplanic lagoons and Laguna Chaxa on the Salar de Atacama, with the village of Socaire, its local culture and adobe architecture also in the description. It has a 4.7 rating from 311 reviews and starts from $85 per person; we found $84.55 on a real date on 3 October 2026.

The day starts with a photo stop at the Tropic of Capricorn sign, about 40 minutes out of San Pedro, then an open-air breakfast in Toconao. Next is Piedras Rojas, with about 80 minutes of guided walking among the red rocks, followed by an hour at Laguna Miscanti, where the route reaches about 4,200 m.

Lunch is served outdoors at a stop the operator keeps as a surprise, then a 1.5-hour drive leads to Laguna Chaxa, where flamingos and other wildlife of the Los Flamencos National Reserve can be seen at certain times of year. You finish at Caracoles 600 in the centre of San Pedro. Guides speak English and Spanish, and reviewers often mention a guide, an assistant and a driver on the same trip.

Park fees of CLP 29,000 for foreign adults (CLP 20,500 for Chilean adults) are extra and paid in advance at the operator's office, or by payment link with a 4% fee. Book at least 10 hours before departure.

Highlights

• Photo stop at the Tropic of Capricorn
• Open-air breakfast in Toconao
• About 80 minutes walking among the red rocks of Piedras Rojas
• An hour at Laguna Miscanti, about 4,200 m up
• Outdoor lunch at a surprise stop
• Flamingos at Laguna Chaxa on the Salar de Atacama

What's Included

• ✓ Pickup in San Pedro de Atacama
• ✓ Shared transport for the full day
• ✓ Bilingual guide in English and Spanish
• ✓ Breakfast, snacks and lunch
• ✓ Visits to Piedras Rojas, the altiplanic lagoons, Laguna Chaxa and Socaire

Not Included

• Park entrance fees: CLP 29,000 per foreign adult, CLP 20,500 per Chilean adult
• Drop-off at your hotel (the tour ends at Caracoles 600)
• The 4% fee if you pay park fees by payment link

What to Bring

• Comfortable shoes
• Warm clothing
• Sunglasses
• Sun hat
• Hat
• Sunscreen
• Water
• Cash

Good to Know & Caveats

• Book at least 10 hours before departure.
• Pay park fees in advance at the operator's office; last-minute bookings pay immediately, and payment by link adds a 4% fee.
• Children, seniors and holders of an eligible Indigenous certificate may get reduced park fees.
• Miscanti, Miñiques and Piedras Rojas can close for snow; entry is enabled day by day depending on the weather.
• Wear warm layers and comfortable shoes, and bring sunglasses, a hat, sunscreen, water and cash.

Meeting Point

Pickup is at a set spot in San Pedro de Atacama that the operator confirms after booking; the tour finishes at Caracoles 600 in the town centre.