Piedras Rojas + Altiplanic Lagoons and Salar de Atacama

Recommended by 96% of travelers

San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

Popular pick

Booked 10+ times last week!

12 hours (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.9

· Olivia_J ·

Feb 2026

Best trip! This was easily the best excursion we did on our trip. It’s a long day but so worth it. The locations are so cool and the food was delicious. Our tour guide, Daniel, was fabulous! He was funny and knowledgeable. 10/10 we would recommend! Count yourself lucky if you get Daniel.

· Anne_D ·

Mar 2026

Fantastic full day experience. Felipe the guide was really knowledgeable at every sight. The places we visited were breathtaking, the food was excellent - both the breakfast and the restaurant lunch. The whole day was really enjoyable. Would really recommend it.

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Overview

What's Included

Pickup Hotel
Shared Transportation
Driver/Guide (Spanish and English)
Breakfast
Drop off center
Lunch en route

Entrance Ticket to Parks, Reserves or Sites to visit are NOT included in the Value of the Tour

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Operating hours
.6:00 am

Itinerary

Toconao

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Laguna Chaxa

1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included

Tropico de Capricornio

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Lagunas Miscanti y Miniques

2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included

Socaire

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Piedras Rojas

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 1 day of travel. In this case confirmation will be received as soon as possible, subject to availability
Not wheelchair accessible
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Travelers should have a strong physical fitness level

Minimum 12 years (Policies of our agency)
Maximum age 75 years (Policies of our agency)
Pregnant (Policies of our agency)
Does NOT include entrance ticket to sites or places to visit... the tourist pays directly there.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 12 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.9

based on 227 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Great tour, it packs a...

Laura_E, Mar 2026

Great tour, it packs a lot of sites into one day, but they are all amazing places to visit. Nice food provided, and the guide was great!

Fantastic full day trip

Anne_D, Mar 2026

Easy going and Scenic

Jarred_B, Mar 2026

We did a few excursions in this area and this one was relaxed - good for active older folks as well. Enjoyed a light breakfast in the valley with the colourful sunrise. Saw several beautiful lagoons with mountain scenery. Saw salt flats with flamingos. Saw animals during the rush trips. Visited a small town for lunch. The absolute highlight was Daniel, our driver and guide who has been at this profession for 25 years. Fantastic attitude, fluent in English and Spanish. HILARIOUS sense of humour. He was keen on keeping us ahead of all the other tour buses so we had a lot of privacy and less crowds. He alone is worth this experience.

A full day

Marta_T, Feb 2026

Be ready by 6am and prepare for a full day of fun! Breakfast and lunch included. Only one of the places requires a walk of less than 2 km total. It isn't much, just be aware than is in high altitude so the walk back is a little bit more difficult than a normal walk because it has a subtle inclination and every breath counts at 4.000 meters. All stops are worth it!! First you go to a very small town and enjoy breakfast Second place we visited the flamingos and it was good to be one of the first groups to arrive because flamingos were nearby and don't like noises. After we went to piedras Rojas, beautiful place. Then the lakes also beautiful with the mountains behind. Lunch and finally Capricorn tropic sign.

Loved it!

Olivia_J, Feb 2026

Full itinerary to see a...

Kartini_C, Jan 2026

Full itinerary to see a lot of what San Pedro has to offer. Daniel was very knowledgable and friendly.

Manuel was excellent - Viator, not

Sonia_N, Jan 2026

Manuel was great. His English was very good, he was on time and gave us great details on long the way. I would recommend thus tour just book it through another agency then viator. Though we booked viator they are claiming it was an affiliate and denied rewards. I’ll never book viator again.

English tour means that the guide must speech English!

Lanre_O, Jan 2026

Very disappointed with this tour. My wife and I booked specifically because it was advertised as having an English-speaking guide. We would not have paid for this tour otherwise. Unfortunately, the guide spoke little to no English, which made it extremely difficult to understand anything, ask questions, or actually learn about the places we were visiting. We tried to make the best of it, but at some point we found ourselves listening to other tour guides nearby who were speaking English just so we could understand where we were and what we were seeing. That should never happen on a paid, guided tour. To make matters worse, the tour was cut short when an older participant passed out due to altitude sickness, and we were taken back early. While that situation wasn’t the guide’s fault, it meant we didn’t even receive the full tour we paid for. The locations themselves were beautiful, but the overall experience was poor due to misleading advertising and low standards. If you want an English-speaking tour, I strongly recommend choosing a different company.

It was okey trip to...

David_H, Dec 2025

It was okey trip to Piedras Rojas. It takes a while to get there. On the way there you visit other places. If you are short on time maybe choose a different location for a trip.

Nice excursion

Zacharie_A, Dec 2025

Nice excursion with a very nice and funny guide! The visit of the city after lunch is not the most interesting but it is quick.

Scenic and unique tour of the Atacama desert!

Aisha_M, Dec 2025

Highly recommend this tour - it starts early, but this is key to beating the rush and enjoying these monuments!! Daniel was our enthusiastic tour guide, and it was a joy to be hosted by him. In the morning, we had a fresh breakfast spread that was prepared by Daniel, and from there we went to Laguna Chaxa, where we saw three different kinds of flamingos. From there, we went to Laguna Miscanti and Miniques, which were a stunning pair of the bluest lagoons you'll ever see. We saw Vicunas as well. Our last stop was Piedras Rojas, and the Laguna Salar de Talar. The water is incredibly clear due to the white bed underneath it. It's a 1.5 km walk to the lagoon, and the view is gorgeously unique. It was very windy and cold, so be prepared for warmth. On the return journey, we stopped at Toconao for lunch, which was a decent 3 course meal (app, lunch, 1-2 sides and a drink). This is included in the tour. The view on the drive is wonderful and unique, enjoy the scenary!!!

Daniel was our tour guide...

daiprat, Nov 2025

Daniel was our tour guide and he did an excellent job taking us to the places before other groups got there.

Perfect

Lauren_V, Nov 2025

Amazing guide amazing day. The guide was amazing and me and my friends had a great time in the desert

A wonderful day!!

Kimberly_E, Nov 2025

The tour was amazing. Javier was so knowledgeable about the geography and he was so interesting to listen to!! The day was so much fun! The scenery is breathtaking! The “camp-style” breakfast was delicious and I enjoyed that experience more than sitting in a restaurant for lunch (even though that was delicious as well). Overall I had such a great day! Andres the assistant was so helpful as well and so kind! Thank you so much!!!!

A long day but a...

Tara_C, Nov 2025

A long day but a wonderful tour. Saw a lot throughout the day, would recommend! Our guide was very helpful.

This was one of our...

Blair_C, Oct 2025

This was one of our favourite day tours and we really enjoyed having Daniel as our guide. He was funny, friendly, helpful, knowledgeable and passionate as he showed us the best of the lagoons and flamingos on a tour of about 400 kilometres. The first stop was just before sunrise where we had a good breakfast (Daniel makes terrific scrambled eggs) as the sun came up outside the Chaxa Lagoon, home of flamingos. It was beautiful as were all of the sights we saw later in the mountains. There were plenty of vicuna and seeing rhea was a bonus. A good lunch was provided and we were back in San Pedro after a full day of exploring which was never rushed.

Dangerous driving and...

David_P, Sep 2025

Dangerous driving and disrespectful guide. Manuel texted on his phone while driving dangerous mountain and desert roads. He also refused to conduct the tour in English despite me booking an English tour and despite the fact that he speaks flawless English. He treated me like a second class citizen and told me he would only translate the important or relevant parts. He only made conversation with other English speakers and made me feel like I didn’t belong.

Amazing one day tour! the...

Myriam_S, Jun 2025

Amazing one day tour! the guide Javier took care of everything: the driving, explanations and breakfast/lunch We saw stunning landscapes

Beautiful Experience

Adriana_M, Jun 2025

This tour will make you feel the magic of the Atacama desert. The places you visit are incredibly beautiful and the whole experience is like no other you’ve lived. Our tour guide/driver/chef Daniel was fun, engaging and knowledgeable. A fantastic day!

Great host and wonderful...

Kel_S, May 2025

Great host and wonderful tour. The driver and host easily came up with a Plan B when the main attraction shut their doors unexpectedly due to plumbing difficulties. We saw some beautiful lagoons with rare wildlife both in the lagoons and along the road as we drove. The host was very knowledgeable and thoughtful. Would use this tour group again!

Exceptional Experience with a superb tour guide

Godwin_A, May 2025

Manuel, tour guide was exceptional. He picked us up on time and was very courteous, helpful and attentive to everybody. He is a true and seasoned veteran.

Great day trip from San Pedro

Katherine_P, Apr 2025

Manuel with Whipala Expeditions was an excellent guide on a very long day trip. He gave us lots of information while also making sure we had lots of time to photograph at each stop. He also was kind enough to slowly walk with me at high altitude while I struggled a bit. Couldn’t ask for a better guide. The sights were exceptional and worth every dollar. You will love the landscapes.

A must do tour!

Julie_D, Apr 2025

Wonderful trip. So much to see-lots of animals (llamas, vicuña, flamingos), Tropic of Capricorn, incredible views (featuring mountains and various bodies of water), and a walk (about 4.5k along a very good path) with stunning views. Breakfast and lunch were delicious and very filling (no dinner needed for me!). Not to be missed tour!

a wonderful experience....

Matthew_J, Mar 2025

a wonderful experience. ronald and oscar were amazing hosts and guides….extremely knowledgeable, understanding, and great fun and energy. and not to mention the absolutely beautiful and breathtaking sites visited. highly recommended !

Piedras Rosa's + a lot more.

patrick_c, Mar 2025

A fantastic day enjoying dramatic, beautiful and surreal scenery. Even the breakfast and lunch was enjoyable. Javier (or is it spelt Xavier) worked his socks off. He was happily answering questions right to the end. Couldn't have asked more from a guide/driver/waiter! I've already advis ed someone ho I know who is going to San Pedro to sign on for this unforgettable trip.

Very good. Punctual pick...

Heiyin_K, Feb 2025

Very good. Punctual pick up. Good driver and tour guide. Good music. Nice breakfast and lunch. Highly recommended.

Ivan and Daniel are amazing tour guides!

Delaney_H, Dec 2024

Such a great experience. Ivan was so knowledgeable, and Daniel had the best eye to see wildlife while we were driving (and he’s a great cook)! Very well planned and 10/10 recommend. Also our tour ended a little after 4 (so not the full 12 hours) if that’s helpful to anyone!

Highly Recommended Tour!

Montgomery_S, Nov 2024

This was a great tour to see Piedras Rojas with plenty of time to explore the red stones and lagoon. Given how much is included in the tour, we felt a little rushed at the other sights. Even so, getting to see the lagoons and volcanos was a wonderful experience! The meals were tasty and our guides were knowledgeable. We highly recommend!

Fabulous day learning and seeing a lot

Jane_O, Nov 2024

Fabulous day. Driver and guide were both interesting, helpful and gave us so much information about everything.

Amazing tour!

Emily_B, Nov 2024

Ernie was an amazing guide! The tour was everything we wanted and more. The day went by quickly and the breakfast and lunch provided were delicious. Would highly recommend to anyone traveling here.