Atacama Desert Day Hikes — Rainbow Valley and Yerbas Buenas Archaeological Site

Atacama Desert Day Hikes: Marvel at the Natural Landscapes and Ancient History

On this half-day tour of the Rainbow Valley and the Yerbas Buenas archaeological site, you’ll encounter the wild and stunning landscapes of Chile’s Atacama Desert — as well as the desert’s ancient inhabitants.

From the brilliant rock layers at Rainbow Valley, to the petroglyphs that tell stories of ancient people, you’ll marvel at the Atacama Desert’s outstanding natural landscapes and cultural value on one of the region’s most unique Atacama Desert day hikes.

Tour Information

Duration: 9:00 am – 12:30 pm (approximately 3.5 hours)
Altitude: 11,500 feet (3500 meters) above sea level

Highlights

• Marvel at the unique and vibrant geology that “paints” Rainbow Valley
• Step back in time and encounter ancient petroglyphs carved into rock

Itinerary

You’ll begin your day with early morning pick-up at your hotel in San Pedro Atacama. From there, you’ll drive towards Calama, a small mining city known as the Gateway to the Atacama Desert.

When you arrive in Calama, you’ll continue your adventure on foot, and take a small trail from the city edge to the Yerbas Buenas archaeological site. Here, you’ll find petroglyphs carved into the rock and suspended in time. These carvings tell stories of an ancient peoples who once lived and thrived in this barren expanse. In the pictures on the walls, you’ll get to know their stories. Local lore says that if you listen carefully, you can still hear their voices in the north wind.

From the archaeological site, you’ll continue your hike towards Rainbow Valley. Here, the rocks tell a different history — one of millions of years of moving tectonic plates that bend the earth and make mountains. As you walk through the desert landscape, you’ll marvel at Rainbow Valley’s red, white, and green rock layers shaped and colored by minerals, movement, and time.

What’s Included

• Transportation to/from hotel in San Pedro de Atacama
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) guide

What to Bring

• Bottled water
• Sunscreen
• Sunglasses
• Hat
• Comfortable walking shoes
• Light long sleeves

Map

Camino Valle del Arcoíris II Región de Antofagasta, Chile

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Camino Valle del Arcoíris II Región de Antofagasta, Chile -22.638500, -68.245200