Paleontological + Dunes + Pacific Coast + Pedernales + Andes Brava

Excursion description

This is one of the most complete programs that we carry out and that allow you to know in depth and in its extension the heart of the Atacama Desert, from its contact with the Pacific Ocean to the bowels of the Andes and all its magical exhibition of flora and fauna, salt flats that suggest scenes from other worlds, high Andean lagoons of overwhelming beauty and the highest volcanoes on the planet.

The recommendation to make the best use of your time is to start this program upon arrival at the airport the day before the start of the excursions, this at the Atacama Desert Airport, in the Atacama Region. A flight that arrives during PM is recommended to go directly to the cabin on the Bahía Inglesa beach where you will stay the first night.

On day 1 of the program we will visit Los Dedos Paleontological Park, to see an open museum that shows countless animal fossils, mollusks, etc. that lived millions of years ago (many of them already extinct), in addition to geological strata that show 8 million years ago how that coastal area was formed, and after having lunch in Bahía Inglesa continue to the incredible and famous Atacama Dunes, being able to interact with the heart of them and Cerro Medanoso, the highest dune in Chile, and then visit in situ the San José Mine, the epicenter where the 33 Atacama miners were trapped for 70 days, exposing one of the most impressive experiences of rescue never told.

The next day, after having enjoyed the local cuisine the night before, we will head north along the coast until we reach the “Orbicular Granite” Nature Sanctuary, visiting the amazing orbicular rocks whose extraordinary presence accounts for rare plutonic rocks, producing rocks of unparalleled beauty, and then continue towards Las Lizas Petroglyphs and its ancient records of marine beings, among them large tunas and whales, to finish tasting the local coastal cuisine of the Pan de Azúcar National Park fishermen.

Later, after recharging our energies, we will say goodbye to the northern coast to head towards the Domeyko Mountain Range until we reach Diego de Almagro where we will stay to continue the next day inland until we reach the bowels of the Andes Mountains, enjoying the impressive beauty of the Piedra Parada salt flat, the Jilguero and Bayo Lagoons, until reaching the Bravas Lagoons, places not only with a beautiful landscape that excites, but also "virgin", still free from mass tourism, which they appreciate the inhabitants of the area, especially the 3 species of flamingos that inhabit our Andes and that on this trip are possible to observe in their daily routine.

After a restorative lunch in a natural habitat, we will spend the afternoon in the soul of the Pedernales Salt Flat where are saline lagoons of intense turquoise and emerald color, being able to take an amazing swim where it is possible to float without any effort. After that unforgettable experience, we will go directly to the Nevado Tres Cruces National Park until we reach the Maricunga Salt Flat and its iconic Santa Rosa Lagoon, where we will stay in a refuge for the next day, after soaking up the place by touring the park and doing trekking altitude, continue to Laguna Verde, a landmark of the local Andes surrounded by the Atacama giants, the highest volcanoes on the planet among which the Ojos del Salado stands out, the highest of all, and then come back directly to the airport to the return flight, or to Bahía Inglesa to spend the last night (this night is not included in the program, but it is recommended to include it to enjoy the return in a more relaxed way)