Cycling Through Valley Of The Moon In San Pedro De Atacama

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Photo of a couple in cycling gear standing on either side of a Valle de la Luna sign stuck to a brick wall with bikes to the side

San Pedro de Atacama’s Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon) is one of the most popular and touristy things to see in the Atacama Desert. We were truly blown away by the unique landscape that looked as though it belonged on another planet or only in the movies. Now, you can visit the alien-like terrain as part of an organized tour, by hiring a car or by renting a bike. We’re always down for adventure, so we chose the latter.

In this guide we show you how to explore Valle de la Luna by bike, based on our experiences.

Our Experience

Couple standing together for a photo wearing shorts, t-shirts and reflective jackets on a bike ride through Valle de la Luna in the Atacama Desert on a clear day with deep blue sky
Here we are at the summit of Duna Mayor

We spent 4 days in San Pedro de Atacama as part of our 10-week journey through South America. We’d just finished hiking the W Trek in Patagonia and spent a few days relaxing in Santiago, before flying high into the dry Chilean desert. Staying at the same altitude for a few days to acclimatize was important, so we planned to visit the Valley of the Moon the first morning after we arrived.

We met another couple at breakfast in our hotel and together we all decided to explore Valle de la Luna by bike. It was the Atacama Desert, so adventure was the name of the game! After picking up our bikes, we hit the road and quickly arrived at the entrance. We paid, filled up our water bottles and spent the next 4 hours exploring. Read more about us.

Bike, Car Or Tour?

Cyclist riding up a sandy dirt hill on a bike in Valle de la Luna on a clear day
Here’s Mark cycling up a hill not long after entering the valley

The first thing you need to decide is the means of transport that works best for you. Throughout this guide we’re going to show you what to expect if you rent a bike to see Valle de la Luna, but just so you know early on, there are pros and cons. It’s crucial to know you can also visit independently if you hire a car and you can visit as part of a paid tour group.

Here’s what you should do if cycling doesn’t sound like the right fit after reading this guide:

Car hire – Make sure you hire from Calama El Loa airport (where you’ll land) because they have lots of typical rental car agencies. We recommend comparing prices on both Rental Cars and Discovercars to find the cheapest option. Type “Calama El Loa Airport” and input your dates. You can then drive through the valley any time during opening hours.

Tour – Every other building in San Pedro is a tour agency, so you can book in person when you arrive. We booked a stargazing tour and a one-way Bolivia salt flats tour to Uyuni at different agencies in San Pedro, so they are legit. Or you can book this tour of the valley in advance through a well known operator. Most tours into the valley begin around 4:00pm and stay for sunset.

Important Safety Information

Wide open dry and arid desert landscape with distant volcanoes on the horizon
We loved the awesome views over snow capped volcanoes

Okay, let’s get back to cycling. Here are the key things you need to know about riding into the Valley of the Moon by bike:

  • The entire cycling route is totally exposed from start to finish
  • There are rarely any clouds in the sky year round
  • November-March has the hottest temperatures
  • You must take lots of water and wear sunscreen
  • You can fill water bottles at the entrance and Duna Mayor
  • Helmets are vital because the terrain is uneven
  • Eating is not allowed after you enter the valley
  • You can’t buy any food on site
  • Only water and energy drinks can be purchased
  • You can’t stray from designated footpaths
  • Valle de la Luna is open 9:00am-6:00pm

San Pedro de Atacama and Valle de la Luna are around 8,000 ft above sea level, so it might take you a day or two to get used to the altitude. High elevation exercise can be seriously dangerous when combined with heat and complete exposure. Please only attempt to cycle into the valley if you’re in good shape and you prepare properly. We don’t want to put you off, we just want to make sure you stay safe!

What do others think? The valley has a 4.5/5 rating on Tripadvisor and a 4.6/5 rating on Google, but most of those reviews were left by people who took tours. Find reviews left by people who cycled for a more accurate representation.

Bike Rentals In San Pedro

Line of bikes chained to metal fixtures in a sandy desert
There were plenty of others who also chose to cycle around the valley the same day we did

There are a few bike rental agencies in San Pedro de Atacama, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding bikes. It’s important to try out all bikes before you agree to pay for them. We hired ours from Ciclo Aventura Atacama, here’s the Google Maps location. They have a 5/5 rating on Google and we had absolutely no issues with them.

The bikes were in good order, the helmets were solid and they were friendly. They had options to hire for 6, 12 and 24 hours. We turned up as they opened at 8:30am, paid for 6 hour rentals and we were away by 8:40am. It must have been around 1:30pm by the time we returned the bikes, so we were well within the 6 hours. Overall, the whole process was nice and easy.

It might seem like a good idea to rent bikes the night before you plan to visit Valle de la Luna so you can get an early start and beat the heat. But you can’t enter the touristy area until they open the gates at 9:00am. So it’s not worth paying the extra money to rent bikes for longer, unless you also plan to use them to cycle to other places like Valle de la Muerte.

Cycling To Valle De La Luna

Photo close up of huge cracks the dry arid clay like surface in the Atacama Desert
We pulled over on the way to the entrance to take photos of the cracked earth

It’s only about 5.7km (3.5 miles) from downtown San Pedro de Atacama to the Valle de la Luna information building at the entrance. There are several routes you can take, but we recommend heading west out of town on B-241 and then south on Ruta 23 because the tarmac roads are actually in pretty good shape. Here’s the route.

If you go for a shorter route heading south through town you’ll end up on narrow dusty roads. They will be quieter in terms of traffic, but they will also take longer and be less comfortable.

From the entrance building, it’s all uneven gravel roads and uphill climbs. We won’t lie, it’s not the easiest route to cycle. You might have to get off and push up a few hills, then on the way back you need to be careful going downhill. The good news is that the terrain around you is transfixing from the moment you arrive, so it takes your mind off feeling tired.

Paying To Enter

Whiteboard with entry fee prices into Valle de la Luna in Chile
This was the old information board showing entry fees when we visited (the prices have changed!)

It costs US $14 (around 13,000 Chilean Pesos) per adult to enter Valle de la Luna when visited independently. Child (11-17) and senior (60+) tickets cost US $7 (around 6,500 Chilean Pesos). Note: Prices have changed significantly since we visited.

There are two different ways you can pay entry fees:

  • In advance – Buy entry tickets online at this official website with debit/credit or PayPal.
  • In person – Buy tickets when you arrive at the entrance building (card only, no cash).

Some of the reviews online say that they had issues paying with card in person at the entrance building due to postal codes not being accepted or cards requiring confirmation from banks back home. Therefore, the safer option to guarantee entry is to book online.

Walkthrough: Our Valle De La Luna Bike Trip

Now, let’s walk through our Valley of the Moon experience so you know what to expect:

Entrance Building

Map on a whiteboard showing a route and photos of tourist sites
This information board inside the entrance building told us what was open and closed

It took us around 20 minutes to reach the entrance building from town, so we arrived around 9:00am. It was a hot day in February and the sun was already beating down on us. We stopped to pay (it was cheaper a few years ago when we did it), fill up our water bottles and check for any safety issues. We also brought snacks and were told we couldn’t eat inside, so we ate everything before entering.

Caberna de Sal

Tourist jumping in the air in front of rocks covered in salt with a deep blue sky behind
Here’s a photo of Kristen jumping in the air on the salty rocks

The first stop was a salt cavern which was around 4.7km (2.9 miles) from the entrance. We noticed a small structure and a sign stating that the salt cavern was closed due to a recent flash flood, so we couldn’t see it. When you visit, you’ll walk up a sandy area to the right side of the road, which leads to salty rocks with narrow cracks. Inside, you can hear the salt crackling.

Duna Mayor

Tourist standing on a dune with arms in the air in a wide open sandy and rocky landscape in Valle de la Luna near San Pedro de Atacama
Here’s Kristen standing on the Duna Mayor

After another 1.8km (1.1 miles) with some steep uphill sections, we arrived at the Major Dune. It had a parking area, a toilet, a water fill station and a place to lock our bikes up. We followed little red arrows leading up a snaking path until reaching our first real wow moment at a rocky summit on top of the dune. Despite being called Valley of the Moon, the amazing amphitheater view looked more like Mars.

Valle de la Luna Amphitheater

Photo of a wide open landscape covered in rocks, sand and salt under a clear blue sky
This was us cycling through the amphitheater

We hopped back on the bikes and cycled along a straight and flat road cutting the amphitheater in half. Being inside the bowl-shaped terrain was a cool experience, but the photos weren’t as good as they were from elevated positions. We also had a few trucks and cars go blazing by us here so we had to be careful.

Mirador Achaches

Hiker standing on a rocky ledge overlooking views of the Atacama Desert on a clear and sunny day in Valle de la Luna
Here’s Kristen enjoying the views from Mirador Achaches

After 1.5km (0.9 miles) we locked our bikes up at another parking area and hiked up a sandy trail to reach Achaches Viewpoint. It was tough going because the heat was really picking up but it was well worth it for the incredible summit views. We could see the 5,916m tall Licancabur along with other snow capped volcanoes on the distant horizon.

Mina Victoria

Photo of a salty and rocky landscape with a deep blue sky behind
This is the site of Mina Victoria (as far as we went before turning around)

It’s important to note here that we’d seen the best of the terrain and it only got worse from here. Only continue if you feel good and you really want to see everything else. We did jump back on our bikes and cycle 1.2km (0.7 miles) down to Victoria Mine, but we wished we hadn’t because there wasn’t really anything there. It added a lot of distance and elevation, plus it was getting hot.

Las Tres Marias

We turned back at the mine because the sun was evaporating us and turning us into salt to add to the salty environment. But if you continue here, after another 1.8km (1.1 miles) you’ll reach The Three Marias. It used to be a unique formation with three small and narrow eroded rocks sticking up, but there’s only two left. If you’ve ever been to Utah or Arizona, you certainly don’t need to see it!

The Return Journey

Bike leaning up against a sign stating one mile to San Pedro de Atacama on a clear day with blue sky
We stopped a mile away from San Pedro to get a quick photo with the sign

It’s 17km (10.5 miles) back to San Pedro if you go all the way to The Three Marias. Plus, the first part of that ride heading back up to Mirador Achaches is uphill. But if you turn around at Mirador Achaches it’s only 14km (8.7 miles) back to San Pedro and it’s mostly downhill. It’s up to you, but from experience we advise turning around after hiking up to Achaches Viewpoint.

Cycling Route Map

Click or touch the map below to activate. Zoom in and out, move around the map and you’ll see the locations for bike hire, entrance building and attractions inside the valley. We recommend clicking on the “view larger map” icon in the top right to expand the map because it’s much easier to see.

Map key:

  • Purple – San Pedro bike rental
  • Orange – Valley entrance
  • Blue – Valley attractions

We’ve also included cycling directions between the bike rental spot in San Pedro to all attractions inside the valley. Follow it exactly for the easiest and most comfortable experience.

Best Time To Visit

Photo of a cyclist in reflective jacket and shorts looking at a wide open view of sand dunes and salted rocks on a sunny day
Here’s Mark in shorts, t-shirt, cap and sunglasses on a clear sunny day in the valley

Valle de la Luna is busiest during the hottest part of the year from November through March when most tourists travel around South America. You’re more likely to share the roads and viewpoints with lots of people if you visit in peak season, and the heat can play a major role with your safety. On the other hand, if you visit during Chile’s winter season it will be cool and quiet.

We visited Valley of the Moon in February and it was exactly what we expected. Hot, exposed and hard work. It wasn’t as busy as we thought it might be, but maybe that’s because many of the tour groups didn’t arrive until later in the afternoon.

In warmer months it’s important you arrive as it opens or leave it until much later in the day. We wanted to avoid the worst part of the day, so we arrived first thing and ended up making it back to San Pedro by 1:30pm. Any longer and we’d have been struggling.

The Morgan Conclusion

Photo of a couple standing together on a distant rock with their arms in the air surrounded by a dry arid desert landscape
Here we are enjoying our time in the Atacama

What we like: The landscape really was amazing. And going independently by bike gave us complete control and flexibility over how long we stayed at each stop. The bikes were also a very affordable and fun way to explore.

What we don’t like: The heat, altitude and exposure made for tough conditions. It should open earlier so visitors can beat the heat, and the road could be in better condition after entering.

Is Valle de la Luna worth it? Yes, it’s definitely worth visiting Valle de la Luna either by tour, car or bike because the terrain is astounding. Hiring bikes is an adventurous way to experience one of the top attractions in the Atacama Desert, while keeping costs down.

More From Chile


We hope our guide to visiting Valle de la Luna by bike helps with planning your visit to Chile!

Please let us know if you have any questions in the comments below.

Happy Travels,

Mark and Kristen

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4 thoughts on “Cycling Through Valley Of The Moon In San Pedro De Atacama”

  1. Thank you so much for this! It’s been many years (1992) since I was in San Pedro de Atacama, and I wanted to include this fabulous location in one of my upcoming books. Your blog has given me details I wouldn’t otherwise be able to add to my story.
    As I write, if I have any questions regarding details of landscape, etc, would you be open to answering them?
    Thanks again for the great blog 🙂

    Reply
      • OMG, thank you so much! I will definitely take you up on the offer.
        My questions will be on little practical details, like where the bike rack is located in the Valle de la Luna. The smells and atmosphere of the place. How easy it was to escape the crowds. That kind of stuff. I hope this is ok? If so, I’ll definitely message with some fact-checking questions when I’m ready 🙂 And I’ll definitely include a thank you to you both in my acknowledgements!
        Michelle xx

        Reply

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