Atacama Desert: 3-Day Itinerary
INEOS Grenadier Desert Journey: A 3-Day Atacama Desert Itinerary
Into the Atacama
Some landscapes are meant to be explored beyond the expected.
The INEOS Grenadier Desert Journey pairs the intimacy of Awasi Atacama with a vehicle built to venture deeper into one of the world’s most extraordinary environments. Across three nights and four days, travel through salt valleys, high-altitude geothermal fields and vast desert plains before experiencing the Atacama after dark, beneath some of the clearest skies on Earth.
Each villa is paired with a private guide and dedicated INEOS Grenadier, giving you the freedom to experience the desert according to your own pace and interests. Routes can shift with the weather, the light or simply the desire to keep exploring.
Getting to Awasi Atacama
Awasi Atacama is located in the oasis town of San Pedro de Atacama, approximately 2,450 metres above sea level.
From Santiago, fly to El Loa Airport in Calama, where your private guide will meet you. From here, the journey begins aboard the INEOS Grenadier with an approximately 90-minute drive across the desert to Awasi.
As the road unfolds, the landscape begins its slow transformation: open altiplano, distant mountains and red rock formations offer a first glimpse of the terrain you will explore over the days ahead.
Day 1 — Arrive in San Pedro de Atacama
Arrive at El Loa Airport, where your Awasi guide will be waiting with your private INEOS Grenadier.
The drive to San Pedro de Atacama offers a gradual introduction to the desert before arriving at Awasi and settling into your room.
Meet with your private guide to shape the days ahead around your interests, preferred pace and level of adventure. Then step outside the lodge to discover San Pedro de Atacama, an oasis town shaped by centuries of indigenous Atacameño heritage and Spanish colonial influence.
Walk among its adobe buildings, local market and historic plaza before visiting the 17th-century Church of San Pedro de Atacama.
Return to the Main Lodge as evening arrives for dinner inspired by the ingredients and culinary traditions of northern Chile.
Day 2 — Salt Valleys to Starry Skies
After breakfast, climb into the INEOS Grenadier and leave the more familiar desert routes behind.
Travel toward Vallecito, set within the Cordillera de la Sal, where ancient seabed sediments and centuries of erosion have created a landscape of pale salt formations, sculpted ridges and immense open plains.
Explore on foot with your private guide before returning to Awasi for lunch.
The afternoon presents a choice. Set out by bicycle through desert trails framed by the ochre cliffs and ancient valleys of Catarpe, or experience Valle de Marte on horseback, crossing iron-rich red earth and wind-carved formations reminiscent of another planet.
After dinner, the desert changes again.
Venture away from the lights of San Pedro aboard the Grenadier for a private Atacama stargazing tour. With an Awasi guide specialised in astronomy, look toward constellations, planets and distant galaxies revealed by the region’s exceptionally dark skies.
Day 3 — El Tatio Geysers & Chilean Wine
Begin before sunrise for one of the journey’s highest adventures.
Your INEOS Grenadier climbs to approximately 4,320 metres above sea level to reach El Tatio, one of the world’s highest geothermal fields. In the cold morning air, columns of steam rise dramatically against the changing light.
Walk among active geysers, fumaroles and bubbling pools with your private guide while learning about the volcanic forces beneath this remarkable landscape.
After exploring, find a quieter corner of the high-altitude desert for a private picnic surrounded by expansive Andean views.
Return to Awasi later in the day for a change of pace: a private tasting of Chilean wines, accompanied by flavors from the region.
From geothermal landscapes in the morning to a glass of wine back at the lodge, the day reveals just how many worlds can exist within a single desert.
Day 4 — One Last Drive Through the Desert
Wake for a final breakfast at Awasi before beginning the journey back to Calama. Your private guide accompanies you aboard the INEOS Grenadier to El Loa Airport, retracing the desert road that first brought you to San Pedro de Atacama. This time, the landscape is no longer unfamiliar.
Atacama Itinerary
Can I combine Atacama with another Awasi destination?
Yes. Awasi Atacama can form part of a longer South America itinerary alongside destinations including Patagonia, Mendoza, Iguazú and Santa Catarina, creating a journey through dramatically different landscapes.
What altitude will I reach during this Atacama itinerary?
Awasi Atacama sits at approximately 2,450 metres above sea level, while the journey to El Tatio reaches approximately 4,320 metres. The first day is intentionally gentler, giving guests time to begin acclimatising before traveling to higher elevations.
What’s included in the INEOS Grenadier Desert Journey?
Each villa is paired with a private guide and dedicated INEOS Grenadier throughout the three-night stay. Meals at the lodge and tailor-made daily excursions are also incorporated into the experience, with activities adjusted according to interests and conditions.
What is the INEOS Grenadier?
The INEOS Grenadier is a purpose-built 4×4 designed to navigate demanding off-road terrain. At Awasi Atacama, the vehicle allows guests and their private guide to travel deeper into the desert and explore more remote landscapes.
Why is the Atacama Desert known for stargazing?
High altitude, exceptionally dry air and limited light pollution create remarkable conditions for observing the night sky. The region is also home to major astronomical observatories. At Awasi, guests can travel away from ambient light with an astronomy-specialised guide for a private stargazing experience.
What is the El Tatio Geysers tour like?
The El Tatio Geysers experience travels to a geothermal field approximately 4,320 metres above sea level. An early departure allows guests to experience the geysers when cold morning temperatures make their steam particularly visible. Once there, explore active geysers, fumaroles and geothermal pools alongside your private guide.
Is three nights enough for the Atacama Desert?
Yes. Three nights provide time to experience several of the region’s defining landscapes while maintaining the private, flexible pace of an Awasi stay. This itinerary includes Vallecito and the Cordillera de la Sal, El Tatio Geysers, stargazing and a choice of horseback riding or cycling.
What is the best time to visit the Atacama Desert?
The Atacama Desert can be explored year-round. April through June and September through November generally bring comfortable daytime temperatures and clear skies, while December through February is warmer. Winter, from June through August, brings particularly cold nights and mornings, especially at high-altitude destinations such as El Tatio.
