Atacama Adventure: Sandboarding, Quad Biking, Volcano Hiking, and Multi-Day Desert Treks
The Atacama offers a range of adventure activities that exploit the extraordinary landscape of the desert, from the relatively accessible sandboarding on the dunes of the Valle de la Muerte to the demanding multi-day trekking routes that cross the altiplano between Chile and Bolivia through some of the most remote terrain in South America.
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Sandboarding the Valle de la Muerte Dunes
The Valle de la Muerte adjacent to San Pedro de Atacama contains steep sand dunes that are the primary sandboarding location in the Atacama, with equipment rental available from San Pedro operators and both stand-up boarding and sledding options depending on the dune gradient. The sunset timing of the Valle de la Muerte visit combines sandboarding with the best light for photography of the surrounding volcanic landscape.
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Quad Biking and Off-Road Circuits
Quad bike and buggy excursions through the Atacama landscape allow visitors to cover more ground than walking tours and access the less-traveled desert terrain including the lava fields, fossil sites, and remote lagoons that are beyond the reach of standard guided tours. Self-guided circuits with GPS waypoints are offered by operators in San Pedro for experienced off-road drivers.
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Volcano Hiking: Licancabur and Accessible Summits
The ascent of Licancabur at 5,916 meters is a non-technical high-altitude hike that requires acclimatization to the 2,400-meter elevation of San Pedro before attempting the summit; the view from the summit over the Salar de Atacama, the Bolivian altiplano, and the surrounding volcanic landscape is one of the finest high-altitude panoramas in South America. Several lower volcanoes including the Toco at 5,600 meters are accessible for acclimatized hikers.
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The Bolivian Border Circuit: Laguna Verde and the Altiplano
The circuit from San Pedro de Atacama south and east to the Bolivian border at Laguna Verde, passing through the Los Flamencos reserve, the Salar de Aguas Calientes, and the volcanic landscape of the high altiplano, is a two to three day excursion that connects with the Bolivian Uyuni salt flat circuit from the other side of the border. The landscape at the border is among the most dramatic and desolate in South America.
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Multi-Day Desert Trekking
Multi-day trekking routes through the Atacama altiplano, supported by mule transport or vehicle backup, provide access to the most remote and visually extraordinary sections of the desert landscape including the high-altitude wetlands of the bofedal ecosystem, where Andean geese and flamingos graze in the springs that emerge from the volcanic aquifer. The trekking season is limited to the dry months between March and November.
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Biking the Atacama: Cycling Between Villages and Oases
Road cycling and mountain biking from San Pedro de Atacama through the altiplano villages of Toconao, Socaire, and Camar, each with their colonial churches, artisan traditions, and terrace agriculture fed by the Andean spring water, connects the tourist infrastructure of San Pedro with the living indigenous communities of the Atacama basin in a physically engaging way that rewards the altitude-adapted cyclist.