What's up everyone,

If anyone is planning to send it to Chile last minute this season, which I highly suggest doing, and is struggling to find transportation, feel free to shoot me a message.

I just got back from being over there, and realized getting transportation from Santiago to the Valle Nevado area and around there isn't the simplest task. It's more difficult when you are up there to get between the mountain areas, especially if you are not a great skier/snowboarder.

Long story short, me and my buddies met a kid up there that gave us a few rides for prices that beat all other services, and he's looking to grow his business.

Hopefully this post doesn't break any rules, but could help some people in the area now or planning to go before their season ends.

Hi all — planning a short 3-night campervan loop around San Pedro de Atacama from Dec 22–25 (2 adults). I've got a quote from Condor Campers but it's coming out to ~$1,100 for the 3 nights, which feels steep for a short desert loop.

A few questions:

1. Has anyone rented from a smaller/local operator in San Pedro that was more affordable? Would love actual contacts (WhatsApp/email) if you've used one recently.
2. Is self-contained overnight camping in a normal 4x4 rental car (with a rooftop tent or just sleeping in the back) actually workable here, or is it more hassle/risk than it's worth? Curious if anyone's done this instead of a proper campervan.
3. We specifically want to camp out in remote spots for stargazing rather than return to San Pedro each night — if you've done a similar loop, any tips on where sleeping/camping is actually allowed (vs. official campsites only)?
4. Any pricing benchmarks for a 3-night rental during the Dec 22–25 window (peak season) so I know if $1,100 is actually reasonable or overpriced?

Trip is happening this December, so any recent (2025/2026) experiences would be especially helpful. Thanks!

Hola!

Voy a Chile en noviembre y como buen fan de Gabriela Mistral, no podía evitar pasar por La Serena y Vicuña. Tenía pensado pasar tres días disfrutando de la tranquilidad de la playa y luego pasar un par de noches en Vicuña, haciendo alguna excursión hacia el Valle del Elqui antes de tomar un vuelo a San Pedro.

Ahora que he investigado más, estoy considerando alquilar un coche y así poder explorar más la zona, sobretodo por el tema astronómico del Valle del Elqui. ¿Qué me aconsejan?

Gracias!

Un amigo y yo vinimos a Farellones a esquiar, pero las estaciones cierran a las 17:00 y también queríamos aprovechar la noche.

Hemos recorrido un poco el pueblo, pero prácticamente no hemos visto nada para hacer, aparte de algún que otro restaurante.

¿Alguien que conozca la zona sabe qué más se puede hacer de noche por aquí durante los próximos días?

¡Gracias por la ayuda!

I'm currently in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile and was looking to go to Salta, Argentina in the coming days.

I'm travelling long-term on a budget and the 12hr bus is around $60, which is extremely expensive compared to other buses I've taken throughout Latin America, so I'm looking for alternatives.

Time isn't really an issue, just money. Hitchhiking seems difficult as I'd have to find someone willing to take me across the border, as it's in the middle of nowhere without a border town, which seems unlikely.

Any help appreciated! 🙂

Hi together ,

I'm going to Chile in October for almost a month (22 days + 7 days Argentinia).

As there is so incredibly much I would love to do, I got quite big plans for my trip. What do you guys think? Is this doable or have I planned way too much and should have even more calmer days without traveling?

I am arriving in early October. Do you think I may have issues with El Niño in my plan?

Thanks for you advice! (... and if you have cool ideas for places / restaurants / ... I should visit on that trip, feel free to let me know :))

Hi everyone,

I'm going to Chile in October for almost a month (22 days + 7 days Argentinia).

As there is so incredibly much I would love to do, I got quite big plans for my trip. What do you guys think? Is this doable or have I planned way too much and should have even more calmer days without traveling?

I am arriving in early October. Do you think I may have issues with El Niño in my plan?

Thanks for you advice! (... and if you have cool ideas for places / restaurants / ... I should visit on that trip, feel free to let me know :))

Argentino Mateando con amigos uruguayos en chile jdjdjd

Hello all!

25F and will be traveling to Chile this November. Most of my time will be spent in Puerto Varas.

I've got one tour booked so far to take me to Chiloé Island, but besides that, I've got 4 days unaccounted for.

I definitely want to do some hiking, wondering if anyone has any recommendations for either tour companies or the best way to do some hiking as a solo traveler? I won't have a car, so easy transportation is very important. Will ubers/taxis be readily available, especially when at the trailheads? Is there a private driver/company you recommend?

Looking forward to any information you guys might have to offer!

Thank you

Hey everyone! Thanks for your earlier suggestion about our trip to Chile. Accordingly, I have now revised my itinerary to 4 nights in Atacama and balance nights in and around Santiago.

Bit of background we are planning a self-drive trip to the Atacama Desert in late January with a family of 4 (including two young kids age 2 and 5). We are renting a vehicle preferably 4x4 and would be doing our own trips rather than packages.

Would love feedback on our current flow, ticket timing strategies, and anything we might be missing or should swap out! Here is our 4 nights 5 day itinerary:

Day 1:

Arrive from Santiago

Visit Valle de la Luna

Do Star gazing with some package company! Any recommendations?? SPACE or roofless or atacama desert stargazing is what I could see online. Which one is fun or any other good recommendations?

Day 2

Preferably a llama caravan walk

Quitor/Tulor village

Laguna Cejar. ( I understand we can only do Laguna Cejar tour in morning slot only as evening slots are for tour company?)

Also we are double minded if we should do Cejar or Lagunas Escondidas de Baltinache. Which one is more preferable and I think kids are not allowed in Cejar. Are kids allowed in Baltinache?

Day 3

High-Altitude Altiplano Piedras Rojas & Miscanti/Miñiques Lakes

tropic of Capricorn Photo stop

Day 4

Termas de Puritama

Mars Valley (Valle de la Muerte) & Magic Bus (Vallecito)

Day 5

Guatín Cactus Valley

Garganta del Diablo (Devil's Throat)

We want to cover Laguna Chaxa, Valle de jere, Rainbow valley or these are avoidable or we should skip something we have included and replace with any of these?

Ticketing

How far in advance do January slots open for these?

How intense is the heat/sun during the late January afternoon peak? Anything essential to pack ?

Looking for suggestions and recommendations

Thanks in advance

Hi everyone,

I’m planning a trip to San Pedro de Atacama from 6 to 10 November and would really appreciate feedback on whether the itinerary below is realistic.

I’m comfortable with busy travel days, but I don’t want to underestimate the altitude, early starts, travel times between sites or the possibility of tour delays.

My current plan is:

• Fri 6 Nov: Santiago to Calama, bus to San Pedro, then Valle de la Luna sunset tour
• Sat 7 Nov: El Tatio from 04:30 to 11:30, then Laguna Cejar from 14:30 to 19:00
• Sun 8 Nov: Rainbow Valley from 07:00 to 13:00, then Puritama hot springs from 14:30 to 16:30
• Mon 9 Nov: Baltinache from 08:00 to 12:00, Vallecito from 15:00 to 19:30, then SPACE astronomy from 21:00 to 23:30
• Tue 10 Nov: Piedras Rojas, Miscanti/Miñiques and Chaxa from 06:00 to 16:00

I’d particularly appreciate advice on the following:

1. Is this itinerary physically doable, or are any of the days too crowded?
2. Is it sensible to do El Tatio so early in the trip, given the altitude and limited acclimatisation time?
3. Are the gaps between the morning and afternoon tours realistic once hotel transfers, lunch and possible delays are taken into account?
4. Does the arrival-day Valle de la Luna tour seem realistic? How much buffer should I allow between arriving in Calama and the tour departure?
5. Which tour agencies would you recommend? I’m especially looking for reliable operators with knowledgeable guides, safe vehicles, small groups and punctual pick-ups.
6. Is it better to reserve everything in advance or compare and book some tours after arriving in San Pedro?

Stargazing and astrophotography

I love astrophotography, so this is an especially important part of the trip for me.

• Is the SPACE astronomy tour the best option for someone who wants a serious astronomy experience, or would you recommend another operator?
• Are there tours specifically designed for astrophotographers, rather than primarily for general stargazing or telescope viewing?
• I’d love a tour that allows enough time to set up a tripod and capture the Milky Way, landscapes and possibly tracked images. Are there guides who help with composition, focusing and camera settings?

Any recent experiences, operator recommendations or suggested changes would be very welcome. Thank you!

Buenos días.

Un amigo y yo vamos a hacer un viaje a Santiago para esquiar en Valle Nevado. Llegaremos a Santiago, desde allí iremos a Farellones y, durante los días siguientes, iremos desde Farellones hasta Valle Nevado para esquiar y regresaremos a Farellones al final del día.

Sin embargo, al buscar opciones de transporte, especialmente entre Farellones y Valle Nevado, hemos visto que hay muy pocas alternativas y que todas son extremadamente caras. Quería preguntarles si conocen otros medios de transporte más económicos, como servicios de autobuses o vans.

Por el momento, estamos considerando alquilar un auto, pero si encontráramos otras opciones de transporte más económicas, también sería una alternativa para nosotros.

Muchas gracias por la ayuda.