Climb one of the seven summits

Location: Home » Atacama Expeditions & Treks » San Pedro de Atacama Trek
  • Duration: 5 days
  • Difficulty: Participants must be in good shape
  • Departures: Year around (AET4)
  • Trekking cost: US $2,500 per person minimum 6 clients
  • Hotel Single supplement: US $1,200
  • Reservation: US $900
  • Balance of payment due: 120 days prior to departure
  • Space available: 6 persons

This fascinating trek invite you to discover the magic ambient of Atacama Desert and its oasis: the village of San Pedro, the archeological capital of Chile. We will trek the powerful park of El Tatio to see its Geysers at dawn, travel to the moon in the Moon Valley, relax our body in natural Hot Springs and trek in the vastness of “Altiplano” landscapes: salt flat, lagoons and majestic volcanoes around.

We will climb the superb Lascar Volcano, 5,425m (17,798 ft) on our last day, once we get acclimatized to highness.

 

Route Itinerary

Day 1: Meet Guide and transfer Sand Pedro de Atacama
Meet with your Aconcagua Express Expeditions & Treks Guide at Calama’s airport and transfer to San Pedro de Atacama (2,440m/8,005 ft). San Pedro is an unusually colorful oasis of adobe houses surrounded by a green oasis, hotel check in procedures. In the afternoon We rent bicycles and tour the local archaeological sites of Quitor an 12th-century Indian Pukara (fortress), the former Inka administration center of Catarpe and Tulor the oldest evidence of human life in the area. Hotel

Day 02: Puritama Canyon
Drive to Guatin to observe cactus and river ecosystem, from where we hike through the Puritama canyon. We will see the archaeological remains of the former inhabitants of this region and an unique cactus variety (Echinopsis Atacamensis). Arrive to Puritama hotsprings (33°C/91.4°F, 3,500m/11,482 ft), where we take a refreshing bath and enjoy a small snack before returning San Pedro. Visit the archaeological Museum Le Page and a tour to Death and Moon valley to enjoy the magic colors of a desert sunset. Hotel

Day 3: Altiplanic lagoons Miscanti & Meñique
Today we visit the altiplanic lagoons Miscanti & Meñique.  We start early from San Pedro and drive along the large Atacama salt flat (the largest of Chile). After one hour we arrive in Toconao village. We will walk through its streets and discover the typical architecture (houses built from volcanic rocks) of this area. We finally arrive (after 2 hours) at the charming Miscanti & Meñique lagoons and do a short trekking to a view point at an altitude of 4,200m (13,779 ft). Then we return to San Pedro. Hotel

Day 4: San Pedro – El Tatio Geysers & San Pedro
We leave San Pedro early to drive north towards the geothermal geysers of El Tatio (4,200m/13,779 ft). We drive towards the high Andes, across the Altiplano (Highland), crowned by the superb Putama Volcano. After breakfast a hike follows to observe the impressive steaming fumaroles, small geysers and multicolored craters, we reach some 4,550m (14,927 ft) gaining acclimatization and getting comfortable with the altitude. Free afternoon at San Pedro. Hotel

Day 5: San Pedro & Lascar Volcano (5,590m)
Early in the morning we leave San Pedro toward Talabre Viejo and from there to Laguna Lejía with a view of the glaciated southern slope of Volcano Lascar. We will stop at 4,500m (14,763 ft), the base camp of the volcano. The climb to the summit should take 6 hours from the base camp. At the top, we can see the impressive crater that measures some 600m diameter and 200m deep. As an alternative, according to the amount of sulfur smoke bletch out by Lascar Volcano, we will consider climbing the Toco Volcano at 5,425m (14,647 ft) on its south face trekking route. Return to San Pedro. Hotel and our San Pedro Atacama Trek comes to an end.

Services

Services included

  • Professional Bilingual Trekking Guide.
  • Ratio Guide Clients 1-6
  • All local organization and supervision by KL Expeditions Staff.
  • Airport assistance at Calama
  • Private transfers the entire tour including airport pick-up.
  • Hotel 5 nights based on double occupancy with breakfast in San Pedro.
  • Entry fee to Tatio Geysers, Death and Moon Valleys, Museum Le Page, Puritama hot springs & Miscanti & Meñique biological reserve.
  • Full board on trekking and camping days, box lunch included.
  • Radio Communications equipment VHF.
  • First aid kit.

Services not included

  • Personal trekking equipment.
  • Any cost involved in an early or late departure.
  • Any meals on city and transfers days.
  • Any drinks (soda, beer or wine) in the cities and during transfer days.
  • Cancellation, accident and rescue insurance.
  • Cash for extra expenses.
  • Gratuities.
  • Any other service not mentioned in the list.

Important

  • Any departure can be re-scheduled with a minimum of 6 persons.
  • All itineraries are subject to change due to changes in the weather, group dynamic and guide’s preferences.
  • Flights from USA is with LAN Chile and departure are from Los Angeles, New York and Miami.

Climber Experiences

Hi Joaquin, I was a member of your January expedition to Aconcagua, I was very impressed with the entire setup and I would like to compliment you on how smoothly the expedition went. I was very impressed with the skills of both Gabriel and Mariana and if it hadn’t been for them and the decisions they made I am quite sure we would not have made the summit.

Peter Dignan
United Kingdom

Hello, Magaly!
Was good talking to you on the phone today. We are very happy with the trip, a bit tired and feel very lucky with the weather and our guide, Gabriel, both being important factors that allowed us to summit.

Olga Kotova
Latvia

Beautiful route, and the strategy for adjusting to the altitude was very good. I really enjoyed our team, and Christina and Marianna also seemed to be enjoying themselves very well. Good atmosphere.

Choice for Aconcagua Express Expeditions was also because you were the only ones to actually give me advice on an expedition when I e-mailed you. You offered me a specific expedition and date. So the personal info was important for me.

Martijn de Boer
Netherlands

The two guides were excellent in every possible respect. Everything was well prepared and well organized. Overall I am very much impressed by the dignity, the professionalism and the good manners of the guides. Organization and set up of the expedition was at a very high level.

I will certainly recommend your agency to other fellow climber how will want to try the same experience. Thank you

Sotris Skevis
Greece

I would firstly like to thank you all for putting together such a great expedition. I would like to make particularly comment on the efforts of our guide Cristina who did such a great job.
The cooks at both base camps also deserve mention, as the food they prepared was fantastic. Having said that the cooked meals provided at altitude were perfect for the conditions. The hotel at Penitentes was also a little run down, but again there did not seem to be many other options.
This criticisms do not even rate as concerns. The service provided by your company was fantastic and I would not hesitate to recommend it to others.

Stephen Hynd
Australia

Over the last couple years I had the opportunity to lead many individual and groups to Aconcagua, Patagonia, central Cordillera and Lake District of Chile. I could not have provided the exceptional service my clients have grown accustom to without the help of KL Adventure & Aconcagua Express. Joaquin Oyarzun and his team were perfectly dedicated to the comfort, safety and enjoyment of my clients. It is this type of dedication to service that I search out when I lead trips. It is what guarantees a successful trip. Nature will deliver what it will. Outstanding infrastructure provides the comforts and support that keeps clients coming back.

Jean Pavillard
UIAGM / IFMGA Internationally Certified Mountain Guide World Wide Adventures
Switzerland

Hey Joaquin
We have used Aconcagua Express services every year we have guided Aconcagua and we have been 100% satisfied. Aconcagua Express is exceedingly professional, on time, and a good value. We would not choose another service for our expeditions.
Cheers,

Colby Combs Director Alaska Mountaineering School
Alaska

Overall I was very happy with the trip. Logistics of the trip were well organized; the pre-trip info, the food at base camp, the hotels, transports and equipment provided by KL / Aconcagua Express Expeditions were good.
Our guides, Kristina and Nenu, were excellent. Very friendly, knowledgeable, and capable. I had every confidence in them.

Brett Mc Fadyen
Australia

Overall environment of the expedition was nice, relaxed and very good.
Guides were able proactively to solve all unexpected issues during the trip, and responded to the requests in fast and professional way.

Sarma Jeca
Sweden

Lieber Joaquin,
Da ich annehme, dass ich Dich nicht mehr vor meiner Abreise sehen werde wollte ich mich auf diesem Weg nochmals bei Dir bedanken. Es hat alles so gut geklappt! Und auch Deine Unterstuetzung bei dem zweiten Teil meiner Reise nach Patagonien war fuer mich eine grosse Hilfe!!

Das Satelittentelefon habe ich eingepackt und werde es Ralf bringen. Ich wuerde mich freuen von Dir zu hoeren. Fuer Deine Arbeit und Deine Bergtouren wuensche ich Dir weiterhin viel Glueck.
Herzliche Gruesse

Beate Boltz
Germany