Atacama Desert and Uyuni Salt Flats
Trip Type: Custom-Made Travel
Territory: South America
Region: Patagonia
Trip Price: $6,000
Duration: 9 days/8 nights
Trip Begins/Ends: Santiago, Chile / Santiago, Chile
National Parklands:
All custom travel is tailored to the desires and interests of our traveling clients (see How Custom Travel Works tab). Trip pricing detailed is an estimate of the per person pricing for the sample itinerary detailed and includes all of the lodging, activities, and guided experiences described. Actual pricing for the trip designed expressly for you and others traveling with you will depend on the features and elements developed during the trip planning process. Travel with Off the Beaten Path requires agreement to our standard Terms & Conditions.
No Sweat - 1-2 miles of walking or hiking per day, plus easy activities
Nice & Active – 3-6 miles of hiking or walking per day, plus physically active exploration
High Five! – 5-10 miles of hiking per day, plus possible peak bagging or other action-oriented fun
The Energy Index detailed above relates to the level of exertion associated with the sample trip detailed. This would be modified to fit the style and ability of your group as a part of the custom trip planning process
We’ve been tailoring custom journeys for clients since our very inception in the mid-1980s! The process is all about connecting the interests of the travelers with the best that a given destination has to offer. To achieve this, we rely upon good ol’ fashioned conversation! Our geographically focused travel designer love to meet new people and learn about their interests for travel. Understanding your goals informs the process immensely and serves as the foundation for the development of a bespoke travel experience for you and yours.
The trip detailed on this web page is a sample of something we’ve done for other clients over the years. In order to start the process of designing your own custom travel experience, just call us at (800) 445-2995 and ask to speak with one of our Travel Advisors. After a bit of time on the phone, you will then have the opportunity to connect with one of our travel designers.
The entire planning process is very personalized and works in an iterative fashion until a final, perfect trip has been created. We then secure all of the lodging, activities, and guided experiences associated with your trip and send along abundant trip materials capturing these details – and much more about your travels!
Arrive into Santiago and embrace two full days to explore Chile’s capital city and destinations nearby. A guided city tour offers interpretation and insight. Or, set out on your own on foot, bicycle, or subway to discover eateries, museums, shops in the Estacion Mapocho or Mercado Central, the Plaza de Armas, or the Cerro San Cristobal, a funicular that takes you to a vantage point for an overview of the city. On your second day, a private guide drives you through the Casablanca Valley, one of the country’s famous wine regions, and beyond to the west coast, to explore the iconic city of Valparaiso and neighboring resort town of Viña del Mar.
Today, head north to the driest place on earth! The Atacama Desert is a truly wondrous region with a surprising variety of topography, geology, and biological life. Explore and have fun in the desert, hiking, mountain biking, mountaineering, sandboarding, stargazing, soaking in hot springs, and wildlife watching – flamingos, anyone?! Venture out further to visit Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley), a protected nature sanctuary, Dinosaur Valley, and the Valley of Death, the latter two offering impressive overlooks of the area. The small and intimate Altiplanico San Pedro de Atacama is a stunning accommodation, a true oasis, blending into the desert, surrounded by the quiet presence of the Andes in the shadow of Licancabur Volcano. With a combination of indigenous and Spanish-colonial architectural styles, the lodge offers exquisite accommodations, cuisine, and a plethora of active opportunities.
Today, embark on a fascinating, guided, multi-day journey (three, four, or five days – you pick!) across the Chile-Bolivia border to the sweeping, high-elevation Bolivian Plateau. En route, take in remote dwellings, salt flats, small mud volcanoes, alpine lagoons, and opportunities to see large groups of flamingos, fox, vicuñas, chinchillas, alpacas, llamas, and more. Each evening, retreat to a remote lodge – one built entirely out of salt! – and a home-cooked meal. Prepare to be amazed!
Today begins your journey home from northern Chile..
Fly from San Pedro de Atacama to Santiago for departures home.
Against a panoramic backdrop of the snow-capped Andes, W Santiago reinvents style and sophistication in the city's most fashionable and trendsetting Las Condes district. A stay here invites you to explore the fascinating universe of urban innovation amid cobblestone streets and glitzy skyscrapers.
Tucked away on a gentle stretch of land in the outskirts of San Pedro de Atacama, surrounded by the quiet presence of the Andes, Altiplanico San Pedro faces the impressive Licancabur Volcano with a unique design inspired in the style of an Altiplano village. Enjoy the famous Atacama sunsets and relax from the smoldering sun in the fresh covers of our private terraces and beautiful swimming pool after a day exploring the driest desert in the world. There are 29 unique rooms at the lodge, all of which have outdoor space to enjoy the views. The architecture and construction were inspired by a combination of local indigenous culture and colonial Spansih style, and emphasizes the use of local materials and decor inspired by the desert landscape. Located just one kilometer from town, the lodge offers both a peaceful retreat and the opportunity to take advantage of the many activities and eateries in town.
Built into a rock formation, the Mallku Cueva Hotel is an oasis of rustic but modern comfort in an otherwise austere region. Exposed rock walls provide an intimate feel, and all twelve rooms have private baths and heat. Breakfast and dinner are included in the rate, with meals served in a dining room with fireplace.
To call this hotel unique is an understatement. Located on the shores of the majestic Salar de Uyuni, the Palacio de Sal is built entirely of salt: walls, floors, ceilings, and sculptures. The proprietors emphasize the palacio’s balance with nature and the surrounding landscape, and assure guests a pleasant and unforgettable rest with all the comforts of modern hotels.
In the middle of an incomparable spot, painted with a range of colors that the nature has whimsically combined, is the Hotel Tayka del Desierto, in the heart of the Siloli Desert. In harmony with this Andean landscape, the Hotel Tayka del Desierto opens its doors to welcome visitors from all over the world, offering the opportunity to know one of the most beautiful places in South America: the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Flora and Fauna Reserve, Where you will find the wonderful Color Lagoons, the Geiseres de Sol de Mañana and the Stone Tree, among other attractions that await your visit.
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