Things to do & places to visit in Antofagasta Region, Chile

Antofagasta Region #2 destination in Chile 2023. The average rating score is 4.49 based on 49.8k traveler reviews, of 104 attractions. Timezone: America/Santiago, current date and time: Saturday, May 04, 2024, 23:13.

Top things to do (25)

Top places to visit (30 attractions) view more »

5.0 Lagunas Miscanti y Miniques (5.686 reviews)
- Absolutely Picturesque
Saturday: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Spent More than 3 hours Bodies of Water

The Miscanti and Miniques lagoons are located close to each other and offer some magnificent picturesque surroundings. Be prepared for high altitude travel, when going from San Pedro De Atacama. Watching several wild birds and vicuñas in their natural habitat was an absolute delight. Certainly would very highly recommend visiting these 2 lagoons to any tourist in San Pedro De Atacama. See more..
5.0 Salar de Tara (2.228 reviews)
- Magnificent
Nature & Wildlife Areas

This salt flat is truly magnificent and one can do an easy day trip from San Pedro De Atacama. Located in the midst of natural desert surroundings, one will be able to see lots of flamingos. Certainly worth visiting. See more..
5.0 Atacama Dessert (961 reviews)
- One of the most beautiful places on earth
Spent More than 3 hours Deserts

Atacama desert is one of the most beautiful places on earth. It has extreme varied geography worth visiting and surprisingly has diverse wildlife as well. Certainly it should be on the bucket list of every ardent world traveler. See more..
5.0 Lascar Volcano (357 reviews)
- Great Challenge
Spent More than 3 hours Volcanos

We went up Lascar Vulcano in a guided group. Which is absolutely recommendable. Be sure to have a good guide like Andrés from Nortrek-Tours. The trip leads you into the world of mountain giants and the tremendous power of vulcanism. See more..
5.0 Salar de Aguas Calientes (351 reviews)
- Great salt lake with amazing colours
Bodies of Water

This salar was added to our itinerary as the road to salar de Atacama was closed off (not sure for how long, the reason given depended on who you asked). It is further from San Pedro de Atacama, but absolutely stunning, with a great view over the snow covered mountains in the distance, and the lower mountains all around the salt flat. Furthermore, the colours in an near the salt flat are amazing. We saw no flamingos here, but we did vicuñas. Other advantage is that there was no one, except the people from our small group, so very quiet. See more..
5.0 Lagunas Altiplanicas (254 reviews)
- Beautiful visit to Chilean Altiplano
Spent 2-3 hours Bodies of Water

Led on excursion by excellent Explora guide and driver to the Chilean Altiplano. Went to over 5k meters. Saw beautiful lakes and mountains. Saw zorro culpeo gray fox young female, llamas, Andean birds, cholollo rodent (looks like woodchuck), flamingos, avocets, and hoodoo monoliths. LIZ got some altitude sickness that immediately went as we descended to 12000 feet at base of Licanbatur volcano where we had a large brunch overlooking the San Pedro basin. Saw the antennas at Alma observatory. See more..
5.0 Biblioteca Regional de Antofagasta (191 reviews)
- Library full of local books
Saturday: 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM Libraries

I may say that the 70% of this library is from Chilean authors , so worth to visit . They have free wifi and WC See more..
5.0 Cerro Toco (87 reviews)
- Exhilarating
Hiking Trails • Volcanos

The easiest way to go high. One is dropped off at about 5,250 and the summit is 5,604m. Need a few high hikes to acclimatize beforehand. Dress for real cold, can be very windy! Wonderful views into Bolivia, Argentina, observatories in the area including the 66 radio telescopes of ALMA in the distance. See more..
5.0 European Southern Observatory Paranal (74 reviews)
- For those interested in astronomy
Observatories & Planetariums

One can visit the observatory only during daytime, so do not expect to see stars! However, during the tour one gets to have a peak inside the residentia, where the astronomers and engineers sleep, eat and relax. In one of the Bond films the residencia burns down. One also goes up the mountain to see from the outside, and also for 1 telescope, the inside. The telescopes and instruments are impressively large. Easily booked in advance, tours are in English and Spanish. No public transportation to the observatory, but easy to find. See more..
4.5 Valle De La Luna (8.395 reviews)
- Hari Tours
Geologic Formations

We stayed at Hostal EcoExplor and paid $16,500 pesos per person for Valle de la Luna. We toured with Hari tours. Valle de la Luna was absolutely stunning.. breath-taking.. Like nothing we have ever seen before. Nice small walk, not too difficult, but manage to see so many different views of desert and rock landscapes, as well as salt build ups which is fascinating. Our guide, Mario, was absolutely fantastic. He spoke amazing English and was so knowledgeable and passionate about the landscape. Following Valle de la Luna, we were taken to 'tres marias' and a few other stops for photos, then, Coyote Rock to watch the sunset which was pretty magical. Highly recommend this tour and using Hari to tour with See more..
4.5 Geyser del Tatio (7.744 reviews)
- Well worth the early start
Spent 1-2 hours Hot Springs & Geysers

We took our hired 4WD car to the geysers and found the roads not as bad as some of the guide books describe. There is also a convoy of cars and minibuses heading out there so you’re certainly not alone. Make the most of taking in the night skies on the way. It is about 1 hour 40 minute drive and you want to get there about 20 mins before dawn to get your ticket (£10 each person) and take a comfort break. Be mindful that you are 4300 metres above sea level so you may feel a bit dizzy when you first get out of your vehicle. It was also minus 10 C so wrap up including gloves and hat. There are 80 geysers (8% of the world’s geysers) and allow 2 hours to take in the sights and how the landscape changes from before dawn through sunrise. There is also an opportunity to bathe in lukewarm thermal waters. There are changing rooms. Enjoy the drive back to San Pedro: the scenery is stunning and we came across a range of wildlife including Vicunas, Llamas, a fox, a Chinchilla, flamingos and sheep. Allow 5-6 hours for the round trip. Nb timings could be different if going via an organised tour. See more..
4.5 Termas Banos de Puritama (2.188 reviews)
- Great Relaxing Morning
Hot Springs & Geysers

A welcome restful morning after trekking all about the desert! Waters are warm, there are great facilities with picnic tables and generally not too crowded. We feared ourselves away after a couple of hours but could easily have spent a couple more. I didn’t realize picnic tables were available - in shade - would have been a great place for a picnic lunch! See more..
4.5 Reserva Nacional de Flamencos (1.863 reviews)
- One of the most beautiful natural reserves
Spent More than 3 hours National Parks

Los Flamencos National Reserve is a nature reserve located within driving distance of San Pedro de Atacama. The reserve covers a total area of 740 square kilometres in the Central Andean dry puna ecoregion and consists of seven separate sections. It includes lagoons, salt flats, mountains and interesting wild life including vicunas, guanacos, several wild birds and flamingos. Certainly would very highly recommend visiting same to any tourist in San Pedro De Atacama. See more..
4.5 Mirador de Kari, Piedra del Coyote (1.726 reviews)
- Fabulous Sunset Viewing
Spent < 1 hour Points of Interest & Landmarks

This place offers fabulous sunset viewing in the Atacama desert. This place could be visited as an extended part of the Moon Valley tour. It is in the midst of beautiful natural surroundings offering great photo opportunities. Certainly would very highly recommend visiting here prior to sunset. See more..
4.5 Tebinquinche Lake (1.594 reviews)
- Go back 3800 million years
Bodies of Water

Tebinquinche Lake has a low profile in San Pedro : doesn’t even feature in the Rough Guide to Chile or on the tourist map, we only came across it on our sat nav! It is a 20-30 minute drive from Laguna Cejar. This vast salt lake contains microorganisms that can be linked back 3800 million years ago. Allow 1.5 hours if you wish to walk around the lake. It is exposed so take water and cover up. Clean toilets are at the entrance. See more..
4.5 Piedras Rojas (1.437 reviews)
- Spectacular
Saturday: 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Geologic Formations

Piedras Rojas literally translates to red rocks. It offers a look at a red colored landscape surrounding a salt lake. Unfortunately, direct visit of the same from close is not permitted to anyone. Most visitors come to admire the otherworldly terrain and photograph the surrounding mountains from a distant viewpoint which is certainly worth it for the spectacular views including the red rocks in the distance. See more..
4.5 Laguna Chaxa (1.178 reviews)
- Full of flamingoes!!
Bodies of Water

We had some trouble to decide what lagoons to visit to watch flamingoes near San Pedro de Atacama and finally got it right. Previously, we tried to visit the Cejar lagoon but the ticket was so ridiculously expensive that we left together with other tourists with the same intention. Chaxa is a great place to take pictures, in the middle of a salt flat where we saw more flamingoes than expected and quite near the path. You can even see them flying from one branch of the lagoon to another. The species we were able to see were Flamingo Andino and Chilean plus some birds and lizards typical of the region. Definitely worth a visit! See more..
4.5 Valle Arcoiris (885 reviews)
- Valle Arcoiris
Nature & Wildlife Areas

Pretty cool rock carving petroglyphs about an hour out of San Pedro if you are into this sort of thing. The ride coming and going gives you the opportunity to see llamas, vicuñas, burros, plus some great views of the Atacama desert. If you make it to San Pedro, this is a good tour to take. See more..
4.5 Museo del Meteorito (732 reviews)
- lovely surprise
Saturday: 6:00 PM - 9:30 PM Spent < 1 hour Speciality Museums

This Museum, located three blocks north of the San Pedro de Atacama Main Square, displays “The Memory of our Solar System” narrated by the authentic characters which participated on its formation: “The Meteorites”. Here, you will know, touch and feel the magnetism of legitimate sidereal rocks, from the “planetary embryos” –first solidified bodies in the nebula of dust and gas which originated our Solar System- up to evolved fragments of planetoids. Also, you will be brought back to the beginning of life through a group of meteorites carrying complex organic components, such as the nitrogenous basis of DNA, spreading as seeds of life all over the Cosmos. Finishing in the sensorial area, a personalized guidance service will give you the chance to touch these marvels with magnets, teaching you, in a practical manner, how to distinguish them from the terrestrial rocks, and turning you into a meteorites hunter. guide audio in: Deutsch, English, Español, Français and Portuguê See more..
4.5 Lagunas Baltinache (414 reviews)
- Great for summer months!
Bodies of Water

Our trip included Bolivia so we wanted to see something more unique in San Pedro area. My local friend recommended checking it out. We were glad we went there by joining a tour! The view was breathtaking plus we were able to jump into one of the lagoons! We were floating as if we were in the Dead Sea! Really amazing experience! See more..
4.5 Salar de Atacama (351 reviews)
- Largest salt flat in Chile
Bodies of Water

This vast salt lake is blanketed by a thick crust of salt and attracts some interesting varieties of birds including several different types of flamingos. See more..
4.5 Quebrada del Diablo (209 reviews)
- Interesting views, moderate level cycle
Bodies of Water

The "Devil's Throat Park"- Catarpe is currently open and costs P$3000 per person to enter. Once in the park you can either walk or cycle through the Devil's Throat or to the old church (further along the trail, unfortunatelythe Tunnel is currently closed). You are advised that you will have to carry your bike at various points but this only occurs twice and it's just up 2 small ledges. The cycle is easy-moderate intensity and could be managed by most. The views are lovely and quite different to Valle de La Luna as you are in the valley. P.S. don't forget to bring water and leave early (I think the park opens at 9am) and the park is a small distance out of town (follow the signs to Catarpe- we cycled from town). See more..
4.5 ALMA Observatory (204 reviews)
- A-mazing!
Saturday: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Points of Interest & Landmarks • Observatories & Planetariums

From the perspective of a scientist who doesn't work on/at/with/near ALMA, I loved this place! I learned so much from the staff we met and would like to go back, now that I know what questions to ask! My group was fortunate to go up the "high site" (16,500 ft) to see the array itself and that was a very memorable experience. See more..
4.5 Lagunas Escondidas (157 reviews)
- Be prepared!
Spent 1-2 hours Bodies of Water

This place is absolutely stunning. The landscape and atmosphere is incredible, being able to see huge salt formations and swim in 2 of the 8 lagoons (the first and last). The lagoons here are much much saltier than Cejar and a much more elating experience. The entry fee of 5,000 pesos is great value. There is barely any walking, so wear sandals of flip-flops rather than closed shoes (it will make your experience much more enjoyable). Also, I would recommend putting your swimming clothes on underneath so you are ready and don't have to wait for the changing rooms at the beginning of the park. There is a different changing space for after swimming with showers and a large changing room which is easy) To repeat.. If you plan to go here or have been here.. Do not go to Cejar, it's a complete rip off when you compare the experiences (Cejar has a 15,000 entrance fee). See more..
4.5 Vado del Rio Putana (139 reviews)
- Painting like wetlands with ample wildlife
Spent < 1 hour Nature & Wildlife Areas

Despite the valley’s crude name the whole place radiates peace and unbelievable natural beauty. We came across upon returning from El Tatio Geysers. The valley is like a painting! Everything is bright blue and green and yellow and the abundant wild life of vicunas, flamingos and birds and in the backdrop the snow capped volcanoes is simply astonishing. Not to be missed. See more..
4.5 Volcán Licancabur (87 reviews)
- Stands out from anywhere in the region
Geologic Formations

Licancabur Volcano stands out from anywhere in the San Pedro De Atacama region and cannot be missed. It has a unique cone shape. Certainly worth for clicking pictures of same. See more..
4.5 Laguna de Piedras (79 reviews)
- Flabbergasting views
Spent 1-2 hours Bodies of Water

This lagoon is located close to Piedras Rojas. It is also referred to as Salar Del Carmen. There is a designated view point when returning from Lagunas Miscanti and Lagunas Miniques, from where one can get flabbergasting views of the lagoon, the red rocks and the Andean mountain range. One will be able to see several flamingos and other birds in the distance from the viewpoint. This attraction is certainly not to be missed by any tourist visiting the area. See more..
4.5 Iglesia de San Francisco de Chiu Chiu (66 reviews)
- Absolutely worth a visit
Churches & Cathedrals

If you are in Calama, don't miss a visit to Chiu Chiu. We got a recommendation from the Tourist Information Office but had not heard of the town before. It is a really charming place, where time seems to have stopped long ago. The church is built with local materials like mud and "cardones" and it is the oldest in Chile See more..
4.0 Iglesia de San Pedro de Atacama (1.754 reviews)
- Antique
Architectural Buildings • Churches & Cathedrals

This church is located very close to the main square of San Pedro De Atacama. It is an old church with a very nice look. Certainly worth visiting for it’s antiquity. See more..
4.0 Laguna Cejar (1.652 reviews)
- A surreal swim in 'Cejar'!!
Bodies of Water

If in the Atacama, and you A) enjoy swimming and/or B) enjoy a nice cool-down on a hot, dry day, you MUST visit 'laguna Cejar'!! No "floaties" needed, just walk right in, cool down, and float...as you can't do anything else! Cool, salty water beckons you in so enjoy. DOUBLE-WARNING: i. the water is extremely salty; do NOT open eyes! ii. sulfuric smells. See more..