Three days is enough to see the best of San Pedro de Atacama if you plan carefully, and the most important planning rule is to build up in altitude. The village sits at about 2,400 m, and the highest sights, El Tatio and the high lagoons, are at 4,000 m or more. This itinerary begins low, adds the salt flats and cultural sites, and saves the highest outing for the third day, when your body has had time to adjust. Swap days if the Moon phase or the weather suggests it.
Day one: village, ruins and sunset
Arrive in the morning if you can, drop your bags, drink water and take it easy. Spend the late morning exploring the village on foot: the plaza, the whitewashed adobe church, Calle Caracoles and the archaeological museum, checking its opening days first. After lunch, head out to the Pukara de Quitor, the 12th-century hilltop fortress about 3 km from the village, for the short climb and the view over the oasis. Then continue to Tulor, the ancient adobe village, and on to the Valle de la Luna for the sunset walk. Take a jacket for the temperature drop. Finish with an early dinner.
Day one alternatives
If you arrive in the afternoon, skip the Pukara and go straight to a Vallecito sunset walk or the village. If you are energetic, rent a bicycle and ride to the Pukara in the morning. If you want to see the stars on night one, book a tour for the second evening instead and rest on the first, since a long journey and new altitude are tiring.
Day two: lagoons and salt flats
Spend the day at a lower altitude than El Tatio, with a salt-flat circuit. Start with a morning visit to Laguna Chaxa and the village of Toconao, watching flamingos feed on the edge of the Salar de Atacama, and then in the afternoon visit Laguna Cejar, the Ojos del Salar and Tebinquiche, finishing with sunset on the salt flat. Where floating is permitted, a swim in the salty lagoon is a highlight, and you should bring a swimsuit and a towel. Alternatively, choose the Baltinache Hidden Lagoons for a quieter dip.
Day two evening: stargazing
After dinner, join a stargazing tour. The sessions last two to three hours and take place in the dark desert beyond the village lights, with telescopes and a guide who explains the southern constellations. Dress very warmly, and if possible choose a night around the new Moon. If the Moon is bright, ask about lunar observing or schedule your tour on another night.
Day three: the high country
Choose one big day at altitude. Option one is El Tatio at dawn, leaving around four in the morning for the steaming geyser field at about 4,200 m, with breakfast, a possible swim in a thermal pool and a visit to the village of Machuca on the way back. Option two is the high lagoons and Piedras Rojas, a full day on the altiplano with turquoise lakes, flamingos, vicuñas and red volcanic rocks. Either way, wear layers, carry water and go slowly.
Day three afternoon
If you chose El Tatio, you will be back in the late morning, so stop at the Puritama baths for a restful soak in the thermal pools, then enjoy a late lunch and a nap. If you chose the lagoons, you will be back in the evening, so plan a simple dinner and an early night. Do not schedule anything strenuous after a high-altitude day.
If you have a fourth day
Add the Rainbow Valley and Yerbas Buenas petroglyphs for colourful hills and rock art, or a bicycle ride into the Garganta del Diablo canyon, or horseback riding through the ayllus. If you want an adventure, try sandboarding in the afternoon, or save a morning for a hot air balloon flight. For a serious challenge, add Cerro Toco or Lascar on a fifth day, after full acclimatisation.
If you have only two days
Do the Valle de la Luna at sunset on the first day, with the Pukara de Quitor and Tulor earlier, and spend the second day on El Tatio at dawn or the lagoons, finishing with a stargazing session. It is rushed, but it covers the signature experiences.
Practical tips for the three days
Book sunset and stargazing tours ahead, and reserve El Tatio and the high lagoons a day before. Carry cash for small purchases and tips, a reusable water bottle, sun protection, a warm layer and a torch. Eat light before dawn tours, and avoid alcohol the night before high-altitude outings. Listen to your body: if you feel unwell, tell your guide and rest.