Bike trip around San Pedro de Atacama

Cycling through the Atacama Desert

Petr Liška

Wrote 2517 articles and follows him / her 248 travelers

Nature Canyons and valleys

Inserted: 26.03.2016

They been there:

They want there:

For most tourists, the desert town of San Pedro de Atacama is just a starting point for the world-famous Tatio geysers or the volcanic Bolivian Altiplano. At the same time, there are a number of interesting locations around this city, which you can visit during one long day as part of a cycling trip. You will enjoy the abundant views of this amazing surreal landscape of weathered multicolored ridges and you will find that you may have spent unnecessarily few days on San Pedro.

Trip layout

It is ideal to go on this trip early in the morning. First, head in the direction of the San Pedro Valley with a visit to the Garganta del Diablo Gorge. Then continue to the really dead Valle del Muerto. Then cross the desolate Atacama Desert to the Moon Valley – Valle de la Luna, where you can enjoy an interesting light in the early evening. Then just return to San Pedro.

2.
Cycling through the San Pedro river valley

To the Devil's Gorge

Rating:

| Altitude: 2 495 m / 8 186 ft

Cycling around San Pedro de Atacama I: One of the best trips you can take from San Pedro de Atacama is a day bike ride through the surrounding Martian countryside. In the first part, a ride through the picturesque valley of the San Pedro River around the Pucara de Quitor Indian ruins to the Devil's Gorge awaits you, which can only be explored on foot. continue reading

3.
By bike through the Muerte valley

Through the dead landscape

Rating:

| Altitude: 2 550 m / 8 366 ft

Cycling around San Pedro de Atacama II: To the west of the relatively lively valley of the San Pedro River, there is another interesting area full of thousands of differently colored rounded ridges – Valle de Muerto (Death Valley). It is actually a 3km wide and 7km long area sandwiched between the plateau desert. The second stage of a full-day cycling trip around San Pedro de Atacama leads through this area. continue reading

4.
By bike from Atacama to Moon Valley

Desert wasteland to natural attractions

Rating:

| Altitude: 2 530 m / 8 301 ft

Cycling around San Pedro de Atacama III: The third part of the trip will take you to the flat Atacama wasteland and is probably the least interesting of the whole trip around San Pedro. Even so, you will enjoy the views of the volcanoes on the Chilean-Bolivian border and the real wasteland. The afternoon heat, graves by the road and mine warning will add a bit of an adventurous feeling. This stage ends with an exit to the Moon Valley, the last great interest of this trip. continue reading

6.
Cycling through the Moon Valley

The most famous attraction of San Pedro

Rating:

| Altitude: 2 548 m / 8 360 ft

Cycling around San Pedro de Atacama IV: the fourth and final stage of this long but very nice cycling trip is the Valle de la Luna, a landscape of red salt-covered cemeteries. At times, it looks like it's snowing recently. Apart from the rock formations, you will find a large scenic sand dune here continue reading