Great Chilean Desert

Transfer Arica airport / Hotel
HD City Tour Arica: Visit a fascinating city with a spectacular past that you can appreciate trough its architecture and its national monuments. The tour starts by visiting the Southern Coastal Road, beaches La Lisera, El Laucho and the Ex Alacrán (Scorpion) Island. We continue the tour to the Fishmeal Industry. Visit the Historic Morro and the Military Museum where we have a panoramic view of the City. Passing the football stadium, 21 may street and finally the north coast site. Return to the Hotel.
Overnight at Hotel

Breakfast at Hotel
FD Lauca National Park and Chungarà Lake: We take the International high towards Bolivia During the ascent we have the opportunity to witness the huge variety of flora and fauna. While we travel through the different ecological levels existing between the coast and the desert, we get into the fertile highlands, picturesque villages and archeological sites such as the Lluta Valley and its Geoglyphs, the Poconchile village with its 17th century church, the Cardones Ravine with its Candelabra Cactus, the Pukara de Copaquilla (a 12th Century Fortress) and the Tambo de Zapahuira built by the Incas. Panoramic views of Socoroma and Putre. Entering to the Lauca National Park, we discover a tremendous landscape surrounded by snow capped volcanoes and also a natural wildlife sanctuary with animals such as Guanacos, Llamas, Alpacas, Vicuña and Vizcacha. Amid these spectacular surroundings we find the Parinacota village and its Andean/Colonial architecture, where you will have the chance to meet some its native people. After lunch in Putre return to Arica. Arriving approximately at 20:00 hrs.
Overnight at Hotel

Breakfast at Hotel
FD Nitrated Towns, Pintados Geoglyphs and Pica Oasis: 09:00 An early departure takes us on a journey of discovery into the indescribable and magical beauty of the Atacama, the world’s most arid desert, in search of the routes followed by ancient civilisations that inhabited this vast area of northern Chile. Visit the nitrate ghost towns of Santa Laura and Humberstone. In Santa Laura, the processing plant and smokestacks are still visible and in Humberstone, the town itself is the main attraction. Notable attraction in Humberstone is its theatre and church, both built of Oregon pine, and its hotel, which boasts a full sized swimming pool, built of iron. It takes only a little imagination to imagine the splendour of this important period in Chile’s history. Leaving these ghost towns behind us during, we continue on to the Pintados Geoglyphs, consisting of some 400 figures distributed along the hillsides in thematic groups or panels. Visit the Pica Oasis with its 17th Century church and/or time to enjoy a rejuvenating swim in the hot springs. Visit the Matilla Oasis, the village and religious sanctuary of La Tirana. Return to Iquique around 09:00 hrs.
Overnight at Hotel

Breakfast at Hotel
HD City Tour Iquique: Visit a modern city that for a while was known as the Great Nitrate Port. Iquique today is a thriving commercial city that preserves evidence of its history in much of its American Georgian style buildings from the turn of the century. This, combined with its commerce, climate and beautiful beaches, makes Iquique an ideal destination. The areas we visit are: The Cavancha Peninsula, Playa Brava and Primeras Piedras. Balmaceda and Baquedano Avenues, the Astoreca Palace, the regional Museum, Plaza Prat, the Municipal Theatre and the Spanish Cultural Centre. Visit the wharf where the remains of Arturo Prat a Chilean naval hero, were brought ashore, the Naval Museum and the old Customs Building. We also visit the industrial part of Iquique and the monument to the Unknown Sailor. Return to hotel.
Transfer hotel / Iquique bus Station
Bus ticket from Iquique to Calama (6hrs trip aprxx)

Transfer Calama bus Station / Hotel in San Pedro de Atacama
HD Valle de la Luna: Description: 19 km from San Pedro, in the Salt Mountain Range, is the Moon Valley, declared a nature sanctuary and monument and protected by the uniqueness of its beauty. It consists of a depression surrounded by small hills with impressively sharp peaks. The tour is an imaginary trip to landscapes that do not belong in our world, but to other planets. We will see Dinosaur Valley and Death Valley, where there is a spectacular panoramic view of the area. We continue to Moon Valley, where we will find geological formations that are the result of successive foldings of the earth's crust. Towards dusk, a bold palette of golds and reds appear, touching the soul and sensibilities of the visitor.
Overnight at Hotel

Breakfast at Hotel
FD Lagunas Altiplanicas & Salar de Atacama with lunch: : Atacama, the largest salt flat in Chile, has the one of the largest flamingo reserves in the country (the National Flamingo Reserve). We will head in on a small path, towards Chaxa Lake, in order to see and identify the different flamingo species in the area. Miscanti and Miñiques Lakes, located at 4,220 meters, are also part of the National Reserve, and are managed by the indigenous community of Socaire. The eruption of the Miñiques volcano one million years ago caused the water that once drained to the Salt Flat to stagnate, giving rise to these two highland lakes with their blue water and white shores. On the way back, we pass through Socaire, a pre-Columbian town, known today for its typical Atacama cuisine.
Overnight at Hotel

Breakfast at Hotel
FD Geiser del Tatio: We leave at dawn from San Pedro de Atacama Hotel to go to the Tatio Geysers, a geothermal center with geysers that can only be seen very early in the morning. After seeing this spectacular sight in a magnificent natural setting, we eat breakfast. On the way back, we see the majestic Andes mountain range, whose peaks seem close enough to touch. We then arrive at Machuca, a small llama herder settlement. The village is filled with adobe houses with thatched roofs. Green wetlands lend a special charm.
Transfer Hotel in San Pedro de Atacama / Calama airport