In San Pedro de Atacama, the cheapest of the major tours is Moon Valley, from CLP 37,900 per person, and the longest is Piedras Rojas with the altiplano lakes: 12 hours from CLP 70,000. In between come the Tatio geysers (CLP 50,000), Cejar Lagoon (CLP 45,000) and Rainbow Valley (CLP 45,000), according to prices listed on Civitatis on 6 November 2026. In almost every case, the site entrance fee is paid separately.
This guide answers one question: what to book, and in what order. If you are still deciding whether to go, when, and where to stay, start with our San Pedro de Atacama guide. Here we compare specific tours, with duration, inclusions, departure point and a dated price.
San Pedro de Atacama tours compared
All of them leave from San Pedro. Full-day tours pick you up at hotels within roughly 5 km of the town centre; Moon Valley starts from a meeting point on Calle Tocopilla. Prices are "from" per person in Chilean pesos (CLP) and may vary by date and by the currency you pay in.
Tatio Geysers & Machuca
Sunrise at the geysers, with hotel pickup and breakfast included.
- 7-8 h
- Pickup, transport, guide, breakfast
- Free cancellation up to 24 h before
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Moon Valley
Half a day (4 to 4.5 hours) with transport and a Spanish- and English-speaking guide.
- 4-4.5 h
- Transport and guide (Spanish and English)
- Free cancellation up to 24 h before
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Piedras Rojas & altiplano lakes
The longest day in the comparison (about 12 hours), with breakfast and lunch included.
- 12-12.7 h
- Pickup, guide, breakfast and lunch
- Free cancellation up to 24 h before
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Stargazing
Two and a half hours at night, with pickup, equipment, a drink and a snack.
- 2-2.5 h
- Pickup, guide, equipment, drink and snack
- Free cancellation up to 24 h before
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| Tour | Duration | Includes | Departure | From | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moon Valley | 4-4.5 h | Transport and guide (Spanish and English) | Calle Tocopilla 418 | CLP 37,900 | Book ↗ |
| Tatio Geysers & Machuca | 7-8 h | Pickup, transport, guide, breakfast | Hotel | CLP 50,000 | Book ↗ |
| Piedras Rojas & altiplano lakes | 12-12.7 h | Pickup, guide, breakfast and lunch | Hotel | CLP 70,000 | Book ↗ |
| Stargazing | 2-2.5 h | Pickup, guide, equipment, drink and snack | Hotel | CLP 40,000 | Book ↗ |
| Cejar Lagoon & Ojos del Salar | 4-5 h | Transport, guide and appetizer | Calle Tocopilla 429 B | CLP 45,000 | Book ↗ |
| Rainbow Valley | 4.5-6.5 h | Pickup, guide and breakfast | Hotel | CLP 45,000 | Book ↗ |
| Baltinache hidden lagoons | 5 h | Pickup, guide and snack | Hotel | CLP 60,000 | Book ↗ |
Source: each tour page on Civitatis, checked on 6 November 2026. Duration, inclusions and departure point as listed; "from" price in Chilean pesos.
| Moon Valley | 4-4,5 | 37,900 | 10,800 |
| Tatio Geysers & Machuca | 7-8 | 50,000 | 15,000 |
| Piedras Rojas & altiplano lakes | 12-12,7 | 70,000 | 29,000 |
| Stargazing | 2-2,5 | 40,000 | No data |
| Cejar Lagoon & Ojos del Salar | 4-5 | 45,000 | 21,000 |
| Rainbow Valley | 4,5-6,5 | 45,000 | 10,000 |
| Baltinache hidden lagoons | 5 | 60,000 | 12,000 |
Which tours to book depending on your days
Order matters because of altitude: San Pedro sits at 2,407 metres, but the Tatio and the altiplano lakes are above 4,000. Start with the lower tours and leave the high ones for day two or three.
- 2 days: Moon Valley on the afternoon of day one; Tatio at sunrise on day two.
- 3 days: add Piedras Rojas and the altiplano lakes on day three, once acclimatised.
- 4 days or more: add Cejar Lagoon, Rainbow Valley or Baltinache (from 29 September 2026 to January 2027 swimming is not allowed at Baltinache, only viewing), and a stargazing night.
- Flying in: book the Calama airport transfer in advance, from CLP 18,750 per person; the ride takes 1 h 20 min to 2 h 40 min according to the listing.
The four most-booked San Pedro de Atacama tours
Moon Valley
It is the shortest tour and the best one for day one. The Civitatis version lasts 4 to 4.5 hours, leaves from Calle Tocopilla 418 and includes transport and a guide; the Moon Valley entrance fee, CLP 10,800 per person according to the listing, is not included. Check opening hours and rules in our Moon Valley tickets and hours guide.
Tatio Geysers
It leaves before dawn because the steam columns look best in the cold of sunrise. The tour includes hotel pickup, breakfast and a stop at Machuca Lagoon. The geothermal field fee, CLP 15,000 per person, is paid separately. More details in our El Tatio geysers guide.
Piedras Rojas and the altiplano lakes
This is the longest day, about 12 hours, with breakfast and lunch included. It covers the Atacama salt flat, the Miscanti and Miñiques lagoons and Piedras Rojas. Entrance fees add up to CLP 29,000 for foreigners and CLP 21,000 for Chileans, according to the listing. For the salt flat and its flamingos, see our Chaxa Lagoon guide.
Stargazing
It lasts just over two hours and includes pickup, observation equipment and a snack. Two conditions from the listing: no children under 5, and free cancellation up to 24 hours before. A full moon reduces the number of visible stars, so check the lunar calendar before booking.
Park fees the tours do not include
This is the cost that surprises people most: the tour covers transport and a guide, but the park or site fee is paid in cash or online, depending on the place. Add it to your budget.
| Site | Fee for foreigners | Tour that needs it |
|---|---|---|
| Altiplano lakes and Piedras Rojas | CLP 29,000 (CLP 21,000 Chileans) | Piedras Rojas |
| Tatio Geysers | CLP 15,000 | Tatio & Machuca |
| Moon Valley | CLP 10,800 | Moon Valley |
| Cejar Lagoon | CLP 21,000 | Cejar & Ojos del Salar |
| Baltinache lagoons | CLP 12,000 (cash) | Baltinache |
| Rainbow Valley and Yerbas Buenas | CLP 5,000 + 5,000 | Rainbow Valley |
Source: "not included" section of each Civitatis listing, 6 November 2026. Fees are set by each site manager and may change.
View the data as a table
| Piedras Rojas & altiplano lakes | 29,000 CLP |
| Tatio Geysers & Machuca | 15,000 CLP |
| Moon Valley | 10,800 CLP |
Altitude, weather and what to bring
- Altitude: the Tatio is at 4,320 metres and Miscanti Lagoon at 4,140, according to Wikidata. Drink water, eat light and skip alcohol the night before.
- Layers: pre-dawn Tatio departures are freezing and midday on the salt flat is hot. Bring a hat, gloves, fleece and windbreaker.
- Sun: sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat, even in winter.
- Cash: some entrance fees are paid in Chilean pesos on site.
- Cancellation: the Civitatis tours listed here allow free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Where to book San Pedro de Atacama tours: platform or local agency
A platform such as Civitatis lets you book before arriving, pay by card, read reviews and cancel free of charge with 24 hours' notice. The agencies on Calle Caracoles, in the centre of San Pedro, sell the same routes and let you compare in person, but in high season (January, February and long weekends) places sell out. Our advice: book the Tatio and Piedras Rojas in advance, since places are limited, and decide on the short tours once there.
If you are driving from Santiago, see our guide to Route 5 from Santiago to San Pedro de Atacama. To stay connected in the desert, read which eSIM to use in Chile.
Heading on to Bolivia? The 4-day Uyuni salt flats tour leaves from and returns to San Pedro, crossing at Hito Cajón: we compare prices, itinerary and border requirements in our guide to the Uyuni salt flats tour from San Pedro de Atacama.
Frequently asked questions
How much do San Pedro de Atacama tours cost?
Between CLP 37,900 (Moon Valley) and CLP 70,000 (Piedras Rojas) per person, according to Civitatis on 6 November 2026, excluding fees. The hot-air balloon ride costs CLP 319,000.
How many days do I need in San Pedro de Atacama?
Three days let you do Moon Valley, Tatio and Piedras Rojas with time to acclimatise. With four or five you can add lagoons and stargazing.
Are entrance fees included in the tours?
Not for the three main ones: Moon Valley (CLP 10,800), Tatio (CLP 15,000) and the altiplano lakes (CLP 29,000) are paid separately.
Which tour should I do first?
Moon Valley or Cejar Lagoon, which are close to San Pedro's altitude. Leave the Tatio and the altiplano lakes, above 4,000 metres, for later.
