Steam rises from every part of El Tatio’s valley floor, to look as if the entire earth were on fire. In other parts of the Atacama, colourful canyons and mineral pools create unimaginable landscapes. By visiting El Tatio Geysers, Rainbow Valley and Baltinache Lagoons, you will see a wide variety of otherworldly scenes that have made the Atacama Desert famous.
What to see in the Atacama Desert
With so many sites spread across a large area, visiting Atacama can lead to analysis paralysis. There are dozens of tour agencies offering very similar day tours to the many sites in the area, but choosing which to see can be daunting. We’ll take you to these landscapes over the next three posts so you can see what each has to offer and hopefully make it easier for you to decide which ones you want to visit. We are presenting the sites based on proximity because whether you drive, take a group or individual tour, it is the most efficient way to see as much as possible.
In this post, we’ll show you the El Tatio Geysers, Rainbow Valley, and Baltinache Lagoons. Click on the links for information on visiting Piedras Rojas, Chaxa and Altiplanic Lagoons.If you like mountain biking, you should read our post, Biking in the Atacama: Garganta del Diablo and Valle de la Luna. For visitor tips and information on how to get there and where to stay, visit our post A Complete Guide to Atacama.
The sites in the Atacama are marked on the map below. It is an interactive map, so you can zoom in or click on a marker for a link to our post from that site.
El Tatio Geysers
We have seen many geysers, mud pools and thermal baths around the world, but none compare to the display at El Tatio Geysers. This high-elevation basin is jam-packed, having more than 80 geysers and fumaroles in 10 km² (3.8 mi²). When we first saw it from above, it looked like the entire valley was steaming because of the many small and large fumaroles randomly scattered in this large depression on the high plateau.
Located at 4,320m (14,170ft) El Tatio Geysers is the highest geothermal field in the world. The best time to see the display is early in the morning, just before sunrise. This is because they are more active in the morning due to the cooler temperatures, and also because they are easier to see in the soft morning light.
We arrived bright and early, around 6:30 in the morning. Without the sun for warmth, it was quite chilly at -7°C (19°F). Once the sun rose above the mountains, it started to warm up.
Something we found interesting is that each geyser’s intensity fluctuates over the years. Some shoot 10 m (33 ft) in the air for a few years, and then one day the plates shift and what was once a large spectacle settles down into a bubbling pool or steaming fumarole.
The highest one lately is called El Cobreloa Geyser. It erupts quite regularly, so we gathered around until it spouted high in the air. As we waited, the sun came over the hills. As the sun shone on the geyser, its appearance changed.
The amazing phenomenon occurs when cold water in underground streams suddenly comes into contact with molten lava, 800 m below the surface. The water heats up, and its steam reaches the surface through vents.
Pathways let you walk through most of the large basin, and take you quite close to the many geysers, fumaroles, cones and pools.
Adding to the spectacle, many of the pools are coloured by the cyanobacteria that live in them. Other colours come from the many minerals in the soil. The colours aren’t obvious in the shade, but as soon as the sun shone on the land, it burst with colour.
El Tatio is not as dramatic as some other geysers, but the sheer number of them in one space is what makes it impressive.
There is an entrance fee to El Tatio. It may not be included in your tour fee, but it will be collected by your guide in cash.
Putana Lagoon
Below the geysers is the small Putana Lagoon favoured by Andean Geese. Another unnamed one nearby is preferred by flamingos, and on its edge, vicuñas snack on salt grass. These two spots give you one more look at the wildlife found in the altiplano.
Machuca Village
At 3,814 m (12,510 ft), Machuca is the highest village in Chile and is a frequent stop after seeing the geysers. The old settlement of llama herders has only 10 families remaining. Unfortunately, not many of the homes are original. Instead, they have tin roofs and new stone walls, but they did try to make it look like an authentic heritage indigenous village.
The best thing to see in town is the 19th century church. The building is original and boasts a cactus and grass roof, typical in the region.
Their main industry is still llama herding, and you can sample grilled llama at the small restaurant.
Although there are a few original homes, it felt more like a re-created pre-Hispanic village, so we’re glad we stopped in Rio Grande Village (below), as it is authentic.
El Tatio is considered a half-day tour, but it leaves at 4:30 in the morning and doesn’t return until after 1 pm, so it is a long half-day.
Rainbow Valley Tour
Located in the Rio Grande Basin in the Domeyko Range, Rainbow Valley (Valle de Arcoiris) lives up to its name. Filled with canyons, cliffs and boulders in a multitude of colours, Rainbow Valley was one of our favourite places in the Atacama.
When we visited, the Rio Grande was not very grand. Instead, it was barely a trickle at the bottom of a tight gorge. Atacama is a desert, and doesn’t receive much precipitation, but when it does rain, the Rio Grande area receives a lot of rain. When that happens, the entire Rainbow Valley transforms into a raging river. Over many centuries, these deluges have shaped the valley into its current form.
In addition to the rain, earthquakes have also added to its unique look. Tectonic plates, located far beneath the surface, are constantly moving, resulting in over 800 earthquakes in the San Pedro de Atacama region each year. These earthquakes caused volcanic eruptions, adding more interesting scenes. Rest assured, the majority are rated 3.5 or less, and earthquakes above 6 only occur every 5 years.
The constant shifting from volcanoes and earthquakes, as well as the pounding rain, has created an otherworldly scene.
Another characteristic that adds to the landscape is its various colours. Mineral deposits have added red, green, violet, and white colours to the rocks. The morning sun brings out this brilliance, and as an added benefit, they sparkle from fragments of mica scattered on the canyon walls and ground.
On one side of the valley, a dark red canyon is filled with convoluted twists and turns made by these natural forces. One narrow chimney is called Cascada Seca, Dry Waterfall. In November, it was a tall, dry chimney, but after it rains, it becomes a large waterfall. The downside is that no one will see it as a waterfall, because high water levels mean the Rainbow Valley can’t be visited at those times.
On the other side of the valley, the landscape is more open, allowing you to see more beautiful scenes. Lucky for us, a farmer brought his llamas to this colourful area to graze on the ichu grass.
On our way out of the valley, another llama herd created a bit of a traffic jam, but we weren’t complaining.
Throughout the Atacama Desert, we spotted several cute guanacos. They are wild camelids in the same family as llamas. Guanacos prefer elevations around 3,000 m (9,850 ft), so you will likely see a few in the Atacama. Herds usually have one male with 12-50 females. It is easy to spot the male because he is always standing on watch for predators, mostly foxes.
There is an entrance fee to Rainbow Valley that may not be included in your tour fee. If not, it will be collected in cash by your guide.
Rio Grande Village
A little further up the Rio Grande (River) is an indigenous village of the same name. Located at 3,250m (1,660 ft), Rio Grande is one of the last remaining villages in the area. It is a fascinating place because its vernacular homes are made of adobe and carved liparite volcanic stone. Their doors and roofs are locally sourced using straw and cactus or carob tree wood. With a population less than 100 people, the village is very small.
Its most endearing features is the village church with a small chapel, and a cemetery. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get inside.
Rainbow Valley is a half-day, tour usually in the morning.
Baltinache Lagoons Tour
Over 3 million years ago, the Atacama was at the bottom of the ocean. When the waters retreated, they left behind salt and other minerals. As a result, you can see salt residue in many places. Years of blowing dust on the salt created a scene that reminded us of a Canadian winter when the sanders and plows push dirt up onto the snowbanks.
Located at 2,320 m (7,610 ft), and in the driest part of the Atacama Desert, is a string of seven small, turquoise lagoons rimmed in salt. Even though it is so close to the Rio Grande, which can experience significant rain, this area only receives one or two millimetres of precipitation a year.
Since this is the driest part of the desert, are you wondering where the water comes from? Underground streams carry water from the Andes’ glaciers to the lagoons. It begins as mostly fresh water, but it mixes with salt and other minerals in the earth. By the time it reaches these lagoons, it has a high concentration of minerals, including sodium, magnesium, potassium, and lithium.
Of the seven lagoons, 1, 6 and 7 are the most picturesque because their turquoise water contrasts with the stark white shore. Unfortunately, they are not as spectacular as we had hoped. The main reason most visit Baltinache Lagoons is not for the scenery, but to float in Lagoon 7.
With a salinity level of 30%, Laguna 7 is comparable to the Dead Sea and 10 times saltier than the ocean. This high percentage of salt means that you will be very buoyant. Floating in the lagoon is a strange feeling that you should experience at least once, but the lagoon can get quite busy, so don’t expect a relaxing float. Another popular lagoon to float in is Cejar Lagoon, but we heard it is even busier.
You can read about our visit to the Dead Sea here. (Coming Soon)
The geology of the lagoons is very interesting, but the lagoons themselves are not that spectacular.
The park is run by the indigenous Lin people, and there is an entry fee that is not included in your tour fee, but will be collected by your guide in cash. This is a half-day tour, usually in the afternoon. There are change rooms at the park entrance, so bring your bathing suit if you want to float in Lagoon 7.
There are more things to see in the Atacama. You can find out about these sites in our posts, Piedras Rojas, Chaxa and Altiplanic Lagoons, and Biking: Garganta del Diablo and Valley de la Luna.
Click on the link to read our Travel Tips For Chile.
To read more of our adventures in Chile, click here.
Coming Next – Biking in the Atacama: Garganta del Diablo and Valle de la Luna
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