San Pedro de Atacama: Cejar Lagoon, Tebenquiche & Ojos Salar

Cejar Lagoon is the star here: its salt-heavy water lets you float in the middle of the Atacama Salt Flat, with the Andes and Licancabur volcano behind you. I like the easy mix of unusual nature and short travel time, and I like that the tour adds two very different stops rather than making you spend five hours at one site.

I also like the final aperitif beside Tebenquiche Lagoon, timed for the changing evening colors. The main drawback is the extra 20,000 Chilean peso entry fee, plus one serious reliability warning: a booking in September 2024 was rescheduled and then canceled the day before departure.

Key points to know

• Cejar Lagoon lets you float: The salt concentration is higher than the Dead Sea, so sinking is not the problem here.
• Ojos del Salar brings a sharp change of scene: Two round sinkholes filled with intensely blue water form an oasis in the salt flat.
• Tebenquiche is the sunset stop: The shallow lagoon spreads across the salt flat, with ocher tones and the Andes behind it.
• The trip lasts five hours: That makes it a useful half-day outing from San Pedro de Atacama.
• The price is not all-inclusive: The $58 tour price covers transport, a guide, and an aperitif, but not the 20,000 Chilean peso admission fee.
• Cancellation history deserves attention: One verified booking ended without a trip after the operator changed the date and canceled the service the day before.

Starting in San Pedro and heading into the salt flat

You meet at the Touristour square in San Pedro de Atacama at the indicated time. From there, a bus or minibus takes you south toward the Cejar area, leaving the town behind for the broad, dry expanse of the Atacama Salt Flat.

This setting gives the trip its character. You are not simply driving between three pools. The route leads into a huge plain marked by mineral salts, with the Andes and Licancabur volcano providing a dramatic backdrop. The hard, pale ground and severe lack of moisture make every patch of water feel unusual.

The five-hour schedule is useful if you are fitting several Atacama outings into a short stay. You get three stops and a return to the small square in central San Pedro about five hours after departure. That is long enough for a proper outing, but short enough to leave part of the day free.

The exact departure time is not provided in the tour details, so check availability for your date. Timing matters here, since Tebenquiche is described as the final stop at sunset. You will want to know when the tour begins and how much of the visit falls in daylight.

Floating at Cejar Lagoon

At Cejar Lagoon, you can see a salt lake formed by rainwater in the middle of the salt flat. The attraction is not just its setting. The water contains so much salt that you will float instead of sinking.

That makes Cejar a playful stop, but it is also worth treating the water with care. The description specifically says you can bathe and try to lower yourself into the lagoon, not that swimming is the main focus. You may find floating easier than moving through ordinary water, and the high salt content is the reason.

If you choose to enter, follow the guide’s instructions and avoid getting the water in your eyes. The tour information does not state whether changing rooms, showers, towels, or other bathing facilities are available, so do not assume they are included. The same applies to equipment: transportation is included, but personal swimming items are not listed.

Cejar is likely to be the most memorable stop for many people because you can take part rather than only look. Still, the water experience will not suit everyone. If you prefer to stay dry, the lagoon remains a strong photo stop, with the salt flat, mountain range, and volcano forming the setting.

The blue circles of Ojos del Salar

The next stop is Ojos del Salar, known as the Eyes of the Salt Flat. Two round sinkholes rise from the desert like twin pools, with a sharp blue color that contrasts with the surrounding mineral plain.

This stop changes the pace. Cejar asks you to interact with the water. Ojos del Salar is more about looking, taking in the color, and appreciating the strange shape of the pools. The description says you can swim in the deep water, but it does not provide further details about conditions or facilities.

The twin-sinkhole form is what makes this place special. The pools are not broad lagoons spreading across the ground. They are two concentrated circles of water in an otherwise dry setting. That contrast gives the stop its oasis quality without requiring a long walk or a separate full-day trip.

The tour description does not say how long you stay at Ojos del Salar. Keep that in mind if you want a particular amount of swimming or photography time. The five-hour total includes all three locations, transport, and the aperitif, so the time at each stop will be shared.

Sunset beside Tebenquiche Lagoon

Tebenquiche Lagoon is the final main stop, and it provides the quietest finish. It is a very shallow body of water spread across the Atacama Salt Flat. At sunset, the water and salt surface take on ocher tones, with the Andes behind them.

The tour includes an aperitif beside the lagoon. That small food and drink break adds real value because it gives you time to pause rather than rush from one viewpoint to the next. You can watch the color change while enjoying the setting, then return to San Pedro after dark or near evening, depending on the exact schedule.

The sunset timing is an important reason to choose this outing instead of trying to visit the sites on your own at a random hour. Tebenquiche is not presented as a swimming stop. Its appeal is the shallow water, reflections, warm colors, and mountain backdrop.

The phrase ocher colors matters more than a promise of one fixed sunset view. Light changes quickly in the desert. You might see pale gold, brown, rose, or darker tones as the sun drops, depending on the day and conditions. The tour gives you the place and the timing, but nature controls the final display.

What the $58 price really covers

The advertised price is $58 per person. That includes a bus or minibus, a guide, and an aperitif at Tebenquiche Lagoon. It does not include the admission fee of 20,000 Chilean pesos per person.

That extra charge is large enough to include in your budget from the start. The real cost is the tour price plus the stated park or site fee, with the final total depending on the exchange rate you receive. For a five-hour trip covering three salt-flat locations, the value is reasonable if you want transport and a planned route rather than arranging each stop yourself.

The tour becomes more useful if you value convenience. San Pedro is surrounded by remote sites, and a prearranged vehicle lets you visit Cejar, Ojos del Salar, and Tebenquiche in one half-day. You also get the aperitif and a guide instead of handling the route alone.

The value is less clear if you mainly want a long swim at Cejar. Three stops in five hours means this is a sampler of the area, not a slow, single-site bathing outing. Ask yourself what you want most: variety and sunset, or maximum time in the water.

Guide language and the practical meeting point

The activity information lists live guiding in Spanish and English, while the included services specify a Spanish-speaking guide. Because those details do not match perfectly, confirm the guide language when you reserve if English support is important to you.

No guide names are provided, so you cannot select a particular guide in advance. The meeting point is clear: the Touristour square in San Pedro de Atacama. You are returned to the small square in the town center at the end of the five hours.

Transport is by bus or minibus. No group size is given, so expect the vehicle arrangement and number of passengers to depend on the departure. The practical advantage is that you do not need to arrange separate transport between three remote salt-flat sites.

The tour details also do not state whether food other than the aperitif is supplied. Plan around the five-hour duration accordingly, especially if your departure time is near a normal meal.

The cancellation warning you should not ignore

The booking terms allow free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure and offer reserve-now, pay-later booking. Those policies give you flexibility, but they do not remove the risk of an operator-side change.

One verified booking from September 12, 2024 received a date change to September 13 and then was told the day before that the company could not provide the trip. The overall rating shown for the experience is 3.9 from three reviews, so the review sample is very small, but this specific incident is still useful information.

I would confirm the departure with Exploor Trip E.R.L. close to the tour date, especially if Cejar is tied to a tight onward plan. If the excursion is canceled, you will want enough time to find another option. This is not a reason to dismiss the trip, but it is a reason not to build an entire Atacama itinerary around one fixed departure without a backup.

Who will enjoy this half-day outing

This tour suits you if you want several of the Atacama Salt Flat’s signature sights in one organized trip. It works especially well for a first visit, a short stay, or a day when you want a mix of activity, scenery, and sunset.

You are a good match if you want to float at Cejar, see the unusual blue pools at Ojos del Salar, and finish with a relaxed aperitif at Tebenquiche. The route has enough variety to keep the five hours moving.

It may not suit you if you need a guaranteed English-speaking guide, want a private vehicle, or care most about spending a long time at one lagoon. Those details are not promised. The same goes for visitors who need confirmed bathing facilities, since showers, changing rooms, and towels are not listed.

I would also think carefully if your schedule is fragile. The cancellation report is only one case, and the sample is small, but a last-minute change can be costly when your other tours and transport are fixed.

Should you book the Cejar Lagoon tour?

Book it if you want an efficient, varied introduction to the salt-flat sites south of San Pedro. The floating stop at Cejar and the sunset at Tebenquiche give the outing two clear highlights, while Ojos del Salar adds a striking middle stop.

Before paying, add the 20,000 Chilean peso admission fee to the $58 price and confirm the guide language. I would also check the departure again within the cancellation window, particularly if you are visiting during a tightly scheduled trip.

For most people, this is a sensible half-day choice when the goal is variety rather than depth. Just treat the operator’s cancellation record as a practical warning, not a detail to overlook.

FAQ

How long does the Cejar Lagoon tour last?

The tour lasts five hours, including transport, the three stops, the aperitif, and the return to San Pedro de Atacama.

Where does the tour begin and end?

You meet at the Touristour square in San Pedro de Atacama. The tour returns you to the small square in the center of town.

What is included in the tour price?

The price includes transportation by bus or minibus, a guide, and an aperitif beside Tebenquiche Lagoon.

Is the admission fee included?

No. Admission costs 20,000 Chilean pesos per person and is paid separately.

Can I enter Cejar Lagoon?

Yes. You can bathe in Cejar Lagoon and float in its highly salty water. The tour details do not confirm changing rooms, showers, or towels.

Is the tour available in English?

The activity information lists live guides in Spanish and English. The included-services details specify a Spanish-speaking guide, so confirm English availability when booking.

Can I cancel the reservation for a refund?

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund. The reserve-now, pay-later option also lets you hold a place without paying immediately.