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Part 1: The Atacama Desert Acclimatisation (Chile) [Atacama Desert Altitude Profile]
Day 1: Arrival & Moon Valley Sunset
12:00 – 13:30: Arrive at Calama Airport (CJC). Collect bags and take your pre-booked shuttle to San Pedro de Atacama (2,400m).
13:30 – 15:00: Check into your hotel, unpack, and grab a light lunch. Focus heavily on hydration.
16:00 – 19:30: Afternoon trip to the Salt Mountain Range. Try sandboarding in Death Valley and watch the sunset over the dramatic ridges of Moon Valley (Valle de la Luna).
20:00: Dinner in San Pedro; early night to recover from travel.
Day 2: Rainbow Valley & Floating Pools
08:00 – 12:30: Morning tour to Rainbow Valley (Valle del Arcoíris) to hike among multi-coloured clay and mineral hills.
13:00 – 14:30: Lunch back in town and rest during the peak heat of the day.
15:00 – 18:30: Drive to the Baltinache Floating Pools. Swim/float in the hyper-saline turquoise lagoons.
21:00 – 23:00: Evening Astronomical Stargazing Tour in the desert outskirts (one of the clearest night skies on Earth).
Day 3: Cactus Valley Hike & Hot Springs
08:30 – 12:00: Morning trek through Guatín Canyon (Cactus Valley), walking alongside giant, centuries-old cacti and a small river.
12:30 – 13:30: Lunch in San Pedro.
14:30 – 18:00: Afternoon soak at Puritama Hot Springs (3,500m). This is essential for muscle relaxation and introduces your body to a slightly higher altitude.
Day 4: Machuca to Río Grande Canyon Trek
07:30 – 08:30: Drive up to the traditional high-altitude village of Machuca (4,000m).
08:30 – 14:30: Embark on the Machuca to Río Grande Canyon Trek. This is a downhill, 5-hour remote hike following a river valley past ancient llama pens and cactus fields.
14:30 – 15:30: Late lunch in the rural village of Río Grande before driving back to San Pedro.
16:00 onwards: Free evening to pack and rest.
Day 5: El Tatio Geysers & Copa Coya Peak
04:30 – 07:30: Pre-dawn drive up to the massive El Tatio Geysers (4,200m) to see the steam vents erupting at sunrise in freezing temperatures.
07:30 – 10:30: Walk around the geyser field, eat breakfast on-site, and let your body acclimatise passively to 4,200m.
11:30 – 14:30: On the drive back, stop for a warm-up trek up Copa Coya Peak to break past the 4,500m threshold.
15:30: Return to San Pedro for a long afternoon nap and gear preparation.
Day 6: PEAK 1 – Cerro Toco Volcano (5,604m)
07:30 – 09:00: Morning group tour pickup. 4×4 drive up to the old sulfur mine base camp at 5,000m.
09:00 – 11:30: Summit Push: A non-technical, steady uphill walk on a clear trail. The thin air is the only major obstacle.
11:30 – 12:30: Spend time at the 5,604m summit taking photos, then descend back to the vehicle.
14:00: Return to San Pedro. Eat a massive lunch and rest. Your body is now officially primed for high peaks.
Day 7: PEAK 2 – Lascar Volcano Active Crater (5,592m)
04:30 – 07:30: Early alpine start. 4×4 transit south towards the base of Lascar Volcano ( trailhead at ~4,600m).
07:30 – 11:30: Summit Push: A strenuous, steep, and physically demanding climb over loose volcanic scree and switchbacks.
11:30 – 12:30: Reach the active crater rim (5,592m) to look inside the smoking, sulfurous abyss.
12:30 – 14:30: Fast descent down the scree slopes back to the 4×4.16:30: Arrive in San Pedro. Celebrate your second major summit and pack your bags for tomorrow’s international flight.
Day 8: Flamingo Walk, Piedras Rojas & Calama Airport Departure
07:00 – 08:00: Check out of your hotel. Load all your expedition luggage into a pre-booked private tour vehicle.
08:00 – 09:30: Drive south to Laguna Chaxa inside the Atacama Salt Flat to watch the Andean flamingos at breakfast.
09:30 – 14:00: Drive deeper into the high Altiplano to visit the stunning, bright red rock formations of Piedras Rojas (4,000m).
14:00 – 15:30: Enjoy a relaxed lunch at a village restaurant on the way back (e.g., in Socaire or Toconao).
15:30 – 17:30: Direct Airport Transit: Your private driver skips San Pedro and drives you directly to Calama Airport (CJC).
18:00 onwards: Check in your heavy bags for your late evening flight to Quito, Ecuador (typically transiting via Santiago and Lima/Bogota overnight).