Packages and Options

Dates Note:

Sample 10-day Itinerary

Day 1: Pick up in Calama and transfer to San Pedro de Atacama. Dinner in restaurant and overnight at local hotel. 
DAY 2 : SAN PEDRO-GUATIN
We meet the horses and ride to Vilama Oasis and up the Vilama river bed. We deviate up East, by a valley full of pingo-pingo bushes. We have the Andes mountains in front of us. A valley appears, Guatin, small oasis where alfalfa grows, and where 3 people live, with a big troop of goats. Around, lots of cactus grow on the hills. We camp near the Puritama river, where you even can have a bath.
DAY 3 :
GUATIN - VALLE ARENOSO
We ride down in direction of the Gatchi mountains to join the small canyon of Calar, where the Vilama river is, and where the shepherds built a "house" ( local "estancia"). Bath possibility. We cross Vilama river and arrive to the Petroglyphs Corral, archeological resting shepherds corral where some figures in the stone are drawn. We ride down to the plain by a small track and camp in a sandy valley on the foot of the cliff.
DAY 4 :
VALLE ARENOSO - RIO SALADO
We visit Quitor Pukara, which is a pre-Inca fortress, conquered by the Spanish, at the entrance of San Pedro river valley. We ride up the contrasted (green and reddish) river canyon. We deviate into a narrow canyon, the Devil's Throat, which goes zigzagging inside salt Chain. We go up by a canyon, and down by another to arrive to Catarpe Oasis, on San Pedro River. We continue north and cross the Cuchaorache Oasis. Further, we reach our camping place, near the Rio Salado. You will be able to see and admire one of the most important rock art places of the region.
DAY 5 : RIO SALADO - SAN PEDRO
After a big esplanade where the sight to the Andes Mountains is beautiful, we take a canyon leading us to Coca Stone, ceremonial stone of local Indians traveling between ocean and mountains. Some rock art there. Their trail was used a lot of years after (end of 19th, beginning of 20th century) by cattle and their local "cow boys". We will follow their tracks which lead us up to a cliff. We go to San Pedro all along the border of that cliff, from where you can see all San Pedro plain, Salt Flat, Andes, down to the Salt Chain crests. The view is really amazing. We go down to the plain by the dunes and the Death Valley canyon. Dinner in a San Pedro restaurant and night in a B&B.
DAY 6 :  Free morning to visit the village.
Lunch in a San Pedro restaurant.
In the afternoon, by horse from
SAN PEDRO to BETER
We visit the Solor Oasis, where local people grow alfalfa, corn and also some fruits. We cross the desert south and visit the Beter Village ruins, dating back to  colonial times and almost all covered by dunes. Like a savanna landscape. We camp near the village.
DAY 7 : BETER - CEJAR
We continue south, where the landscape is flat, and where the ground crackles under our feet : the Salt Flat. We ride first to Tebinquinche Lakes. Two sweet water eyes and a blue salted lake. It is a very solitary landscape. Then, we join Céjar Lake, turquoise, surrounded by golden herbs. We camp there. Wonderful sunset on the Andes mountains. Sometimes some flamingoes fly over the lakes, specially in the morning.
DAY 8:
CEJAR – VALLEY DEL TIEMPO
We go back to the fertil oasis to visit the archeological site of the Hamlet of Tulor. It is the living place of the first sedentary Indians, dating back to 800 before Christ to 500 after. Then, we go to the foot of Salt Chain, to Chulacao caves, where there are ancient copper mines. We camp in another canyon, on the foot of Salt Chain : Valle del Tiempo.
DAY 9 : VALLE DEL TIEMPO - VALLE DE LA LUNA - SAN PEDRO
We begin the day by riding up a big dune which will lead us to the Salt Chain hart and its small canyons. We cross along a big valley, Quebrada de Kari dominated by a huge cliff, and loose ourselves in lots of small canyons. We arrive by surprise to the very known Moon Valley, with its original geological forms. We ride up a big dune to be able to have a general view on this Moon Valley. We come back to San Pedro by a big plain in front of the Andes Mountains and by the main oasis of San Pedro. Dinner in a restaurant and night in a B&B.
DAY 10 : Transfer to Calama airport after breakfast.

The weather in San Pedro de Atacama is unpredictable radiant sun,
cold weather below 0°C some nights, wind and sand storms, rain storms.

There are no ATM machines in San Pedro de Atacama and only a few places where you can pay with credit cards (mainly Visa).  Bring cash.  Some shops will exchange dollars but the rates fluctuate).

Clothing: due to the marked thermal fluctuation, it is necessary to bring summer clothing to wear during the day (cotton sports shirts or T-Shirts, bathing suit, shorts and thin fabric pants), as well as winter clothing to wear at night and to visit the geysers of Tatio (polar, thick windbreaker pants, feather parka, and hat). 
The riders carry only personal basic items on the daily rides: warm clothes for the evenings, cameras, sunglasses. 

Note: For trips in May to October  (this is their local winter season, and the Machuca is at a high altitude) bring a bonnet, gloves, wool scarf and socks, a good jacket will be very useful.

Accomodations: Some nights are in local B&Bs or guesthouses - simple, but clean with hot showers. The rest of the nights are camping with limited facilities.

All meals are included. Wine and spirits will be served with dinner during the camping nights.
Picnics and water are carried on a pack horse.
We are met each evening by the support vehicle and are always in contact with the group via radio.
The vehicle brings food and water for riders and horses, wood fuel for camping.

All camping equipment is provided, including: sleeping mats and sleeping bags (we provide very good down sleeping bags "pluma de ganso" -20 °C).
The tents are comfortable, with two guests to a tent. 
Solar shower for the camping depends on the weather and arrival time at campsite - don't count on it !

This trip includes some wine with dinner.

Chilean horse, short on height, but very strong and stable for mountain riding;

The saddles provided are Chilean type, which are called Avios. Its origin is Spanish and they have been designed specially for long trips. Its wooden mount, reinforced with iron, is cushioned with “chiporro” and protected with leather. The other clothing beneath the saddle are called: batán, pellón and matra, and are normally laid on ground by gauchos to provide a soft and warm bed.