A journey through the Salt Mountain Range, between the Moon and Mars
Get ready to explore one of the most unique landscapes on Earth.
The Cordillera de la Sal is a place where the Earth reveals its rawest and most striking form. Here, the mountains are made of the same salt we use every day — sodium and chlorine. Combined with minerals like gypsum and the reddish tones of clay, this creates landscapes that easily resemble the surfaces of the Moon and Mars.
And that’s exactly what you’ll experience on this tour.
We visit two of the most iconic locations in the Atacama: Valle de la Luna and Valle de Marte, also known as Valle de la Muerte. Two places with similar names — yet completely different atmospheres. No spoilers here: your guide will reveal the story behind them along the way.
We pick you up directly at your hotel and head toward Valle de la Luna, located less than 10 km from San Pedro de Atacama. After entering the park — where you’ll find restrooms and an exhibition about its geological formation — we begin exploring through a combination of short drives and guided walks.
Our first experience is a walk across the desert sands toward Duna Mayor. From there, the landscape opens up, revealing the valley’s depression and formations like the Amphitheater — shaped by geological forces over millions of years.
Before being known as Valle de la Luna, this area was called Salinas due to salt mining activity. The salt extracted here played an important role in copper processing in nearby mining operations, such as Chuquicamata.
We visit an abandoned salt mine to better understand this chapter of local history. Here, you can observe more recent formations created by rare desert rains, alongside mineral layers that are thousands of years old — a visible record of time in the landscape itself.
Las Tres Marías, formerly known as Los Vigilantes, appear along the route as a natural sculpture shaped by wind and time. Their forms invite interpretation — each visitor sees something different.
We continue to the Mirador de Ckari, also known as the famous Piedra del Coyote. From above, you’ll witness one of the most striking contrasts in the region: the green oasis of San Pedro de Atacama surrounded by the vast dryness of the salt range.
And then, everything shifts.
We end the experience in Valle de Marte (Valle de la Muerte), where sunset completely transforms the landscape. The light moves across the valley, intensifying its red tones and creating a scene that feels truly Martian.
During this moment, we share Chilean wine and pisco sour, accompanied by snacks and fresh fruit — a time to slow down, connect, or simply take it all in.
Here, we include an exclusive stop by Atacama Connection, in a carefully selected location within the Cordillera de la Sal where few tours reach — creating the ideal setting to experience this moment with more space, time, and depth.
If you’re looking for something beyond the standard itinerary, this is where the tour stops being just a visit — and becomes something truly memorable.
This is one of the few tours in San Pedro de Atacama that combines Valle de la Luna and Valle de Marte in a single experience, offering a deeper understanding of the Salt Mountain Range from different perspectives.
We return to San Pedro de Atacama in the early evening, with the feeling of having explored two distinct worlds within the same desert.
Since this tour takes place at the same altitude as San Pedro de Atacama (approx. 2,500 meters / 8,200 ft), it is ideal for the first days of your itinerary.
MAXIMUM ALTITUDE: 2,500 meters
RECOMMENDED FOR: first days in the Atacama Desert
