Chile · Bird Watching

11-Hour Salt Flat and Birdwatching Tour in San Pedro de Atacama

11 Hours Round trip from Laguna Tuyajto Easy pace

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The journey

Trip highlights

01 Birdwatch near Chaxa Lagoon in the Atacama Salt Flat basin
02 See Laguna Tuyacto and Salar de Aguas Calientes beneath Volcán Miñiques and Volcán Tuyacto
03 Learn how Salar de Atacama, Chile's biggest salt flat, was formed
04 Explore Toconao, the oldest inhabited town in the basin

Visit some of the most attractive places in the southeastern part of San Pedro de Atacama on this tour through the Atacama Salt Flat basin. Enjoy birdwatching near Chaxa Lagoon, where you may spot flamingos and other native birdlife, and discover the wild fauna of the high plateau. Explore lagoons and salt lakes shaped by past volcanic eruptions, along with traditional Toconao, the oldest inhabited town in the basin.

Depending on the season, you may spot Andean, Austral, and James flamingos, as well as smaller birds and the endemic Lizard of Fabian.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 11 Hours

Tour type Private

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Not included

Transport Included

Wheelchair access Not applicable

City San Pedro de Atacama

Languages English, Spanish

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Salt Flats, High-Altitude Lagoons and Toconao

Travel to the highlands to visit Laguna Tuyacto and Salar de Aguas Calientes, surrounded by Volcán Miñiques and Volcán Tuyacto.
Appreciate the fields shaped by major volcanic eruptions and observe two lagoons formed at over 4,000 metres above sea level.
Visit Salar de Atacama to learn about the factors behind the formation of this salt flat, the biggest in the country. Depending on the season, you may spot Andean, Austral, and James flamingos, as well as smaller birds and the endemic Lizard of Fabian.
Explore the traditional town of Toconao, the oldest inhabited place in the basin, known for its good-quality water used for fruit and vegetable plantations.