After the three-day, two-night Uyuni tour, I directly entered Chile by land. The guide will assist with the entry and exit procedures, which take about two hours.
🌈Day1⃣️ (actually only half a day): Moon Valley Tour
⏰Time: 3 PM – 8 PM
📍Moon Valley – According to the guide, it’s called Moon Valley because when the moon is full, its light can illuminate the entire valley. During the three-hour hike, various geological features are introduced, like a geography lesson.
📍Kari Viewpoint – for watching the sunset
💰Cost: 35,000 CLP per person (including one afternoon tea)
🌈Day2⃣️: Piedras Rojas One-Day Tour
⏰Time: 6 AM – 4 PM
📍Laguna Chaxa – Flamingo reserve, where you can see three types of South American flamingos
📍Altiplanic Lagoons – Lakes surrounded by continuous volcanoes, from where you can see five main volcanoes around Atacama. The altitude here is around 4,000 meters, so move slowly and be cautious of altitude sickness.
📍Piedras Rojas – As the name suggests, there are red rocks everywhere, along with white lakes. The scenery is similar to Bolivia but much more developed, with a one-way hiking trail.
Additionally, this route passes by the Tropic of Capricorn landmark.
💰Cost: 55,000 CLP per person (including breakfast and lunch, both very delicious)
🌈Day3⃣️: Renting a mountain bike for cycling
The local cycling routes are well-established. We cycled to Pukara de Quitor (a fortress where indigenous people resisted Spanish colonization) + Devil’s Throat (a narrow, winding canyon, with some sections requiring pushing the bike), taking about six hours round trip.
The road has a lot of sand and gravel, making it bumpy and slippery. It’s recommended for those with good physical fitness or cycling experience. Remember to bring a sun hat and plenty of water.
➡️About the tours: There are many travel agencies in town. I booked with Atacama Magic in advance, which offers bilingual (Spanish/English) guides. Both tour guides were very enthusiastic and responsible, and I loved their meals and juices.
➡️About the stargazing tour: When I went, it was around the full moon (10th-20th of the lunar month), and I had already seen a stunning view of the Milky Way in Uyuni, so I didn’t book a stargazing tour in Atacama.
➡️About cycling: There are many shops in the town that rent mountain bikes, 7,000 CLP for 6 hours (including protective gear). In fact, you can cycle to attractions like Moon Valley and the floating salt lake [see the last image for surrounding cycling routes].
➡️Essential items to bring: Sun hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, and plenty of water.
If traveling in the early morning or evening, remember to bring a jacket.
➡️Airport transportation: I booked a bus to the airport through my hotel for the early morning of D4, 15,000 CLP per person, arriving in one hour.
⭐️p.s. The above prices are for reference only. Bargaining experts, please use your skills to negotiate lower prices [watching closely R]
