The 9 Best Altiplanic Lagoon & Salt Flat Tours

1.Piedras Rojas, Altiplanics Lagoons & Salar Full-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 592 reviews · 10 hours · from $85Our pick

Start early from San Pedro de Atacama for breakfast beside the Miscanti and Miñiques Lagoons, then visit purple Piedras Rojas, Socaire, Chaxa Lagoon, the flamingo reserve, and Toconao. A small group, bilingual guide, driver, breakfast, and lunch make this a practical way to see the highlands in one long day.

“What an awesome day!!!! Our guide Andrea was fantastic and we had a wonderful group of fun women! Cesar was our driver and he was great too - the breakfast and lunch were both amazing. Highly recommend this tour”

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2.Portillo and Laguna del Inca Day Trip with Picnic

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 572 reviews · 10 hours · from $45Best value

Travel by air-conditioned minivan from Santiago to Portillo and Laguna del Inca, stopping at Salto del Soldado and Ruta Los Caracoles. Guides such as Sebastian, Sol, Carlos, and Edison share local stories in Spanish or Portuguese. You get mountain views, free time, and a simple picnic with llamas when available.

“my trip was great! the guide Sol is amazing! I loved her sense of humour and always patience and lovely!. The place is beautiful 😍”

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3.Baltinache Lagoons

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 359 reviews · 5 hours · from $70

Ride from San Pedro de Atacama with a bilingual guide such as Francisco, Daniel, or Mauricio, stopping at a former salt-mining area before walking among seven Baltinache Lagoons. One lagoon may allow floating, depending on current conservation rules. Shared transport, hotel pickup, and a local snack are included, but bring cash for the CLP 12,000 entrance fee.

“This was an interesting tour with a great guide. He was very informative, enthusiastic and provided a lovely breakfast”

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4.Triple tour: Red stones, highland lagoons and Chaxa Lagoon

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 219 reviews · 10 hours · from $85

Spend 10 hours above and across the Atacama Desert, visiting crimson Piedras Rojas, Socaire, the Miscanti and Miñiques lagoons, and flamingo-rich Chaxa Lagoon. A bilingual guide such as Karla, Manu, or Cristian explains the geology, culture, and wildlife. Breakfast, lunch, snacks, shared transport, and pickup in San Pedro are included, but park fees are extra.

“So much fun! And so many great views. It was also like a mini safari with the amount of wildlife we saw!”

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5.Red Stones and Altiplanic Lagoons

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 151 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $75Top rated

Spend about 10 hours visiting Red Stones, Miscanti Lake, Chaxa Lagoon, Socaire, and Toconao from San Pedro de Atacama. Guides such as Marlon and Juan bring clear explanations and patience, while breakfast and lunch make the long day easier. Park entry costs extra.

“Marlon is an excellent guide. He is very knowledgeable and interacts well with his group. Company also communicates well regarding pick up, what to bring, etc. The scenery is stunning with a variety of things to see on this trip. Highly recommend this activity and this tour company!”

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6.Red Rocks & Altiplano Lagoons Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 108 reviews · 10 hours · from $129

Spend 10 hours above the Atacama Desert with a bilingual guide, visiting the Tropic of Capricorn, Chaxa Lagoon, Piedras Rojas, and the Miscanti and Miñiques lagoons. Expect breakfast, lunch, hotel pickup in central San Pedro, high-altitude walking, and guides such as Lolo, Nico, or Nicolas who bring local wildlife and geology to life.

“The guide Niklas is great, he immediately puts you in a good mood, is able to adapt well to the travelers and provides information during the trip about the itinerary, the stops, geographical features, the historical classification of the places and the animal life in the mountains. I can only recommend this tour, not least because of the good guide.”

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7.Altiplanic Lagoons & Piedras Rojas Tour from San Pedro de Atacama

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 87 reviews · 10 to 11 hours (approx.) · from $113

Travel from San Pedro de Atacama to Chaxa Lagoon, the Miscanti and Miñiques lagoons, Piedras Rojas, Socaire, and Toconao. Expect a 10 to 11-hour day, mountain roads, high altitude, lunch, English and Spanish commentary, and a group of up to 15 people. Guides have included Pedro, Carla, Ivan, and Juan Pablo.

“Our tour was absolutely fantastic, and one of our favorite trips in San Pedro. Truly showcases Chile’s vast topography, and above all we had a fantastic guide - Juan Pablo - who kept things exciting and was incredibly knowledgeable! I highly recommend this tour and if you can ask for Juan a Pablo please do!”

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8.Full Day Tour Piedras Rojas Altiplanic Lagoons Chaxa Lagoon

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 75 reviews · 11 hours (approx.) · from $140

Start at 6:00 am for an 11-hour journey from San Pedro de Atacama to the Tropic of Capricorn, Piedras Rojas, the Miscanti and Miñiques lagoons, Socaire, and Chaxa Lagoon. Guides such as Florencia, David, Diego, Anita, and Marco have led informative outings, but meal and vehicle quality may vary.

“The food promised in the description was Gourmet with premium drinks and what was offered was pretty ordinary. It was absolutely like cheat.”

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9.Baltinache Hidden Lagoons

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 64 reviews · 4h 30m · from $58

Travel from San Pedro de Atacama to the blue salt lagoons of Baltinache with a bilingual English-Spanish guide. You’ll have about two hours for sightseeing and swimming, followed by a cocktail and coffee tasting. Pickup is included, but park admission costs extra and the tour is not suitable for children under six or pregnant women.

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