Valle de la Muerte

What makes it special

The track runs between red rock walls in the Cordillera de la Sal, then the valley opens into a wide basin of sand and big dunes.

The ridges around the basin are the folded remains of an ancient basin of water that slowly dried out.

From the ridge viewpoints you look back over the canyons you came through to the Cordillera de la Sal and a line of volcanoes, with the symmetrical cone of Licancabur among them. The overview is at its best in the hour before sunrise, when first light brings out strong colour and texture on the rocks and mountains.

The valley goes by two names, Valle de la Muerte and Valle de Marte, and you will hear both in San Pedro.

Visiting

Getting in means a stop at the booth on the Calama road, where the Quitor community manages access, before you drive on to the base of the main dune. From there a ridge path climbs to the viewpoints over the canyons you drove through. Take the big dune down slowly afterwards: it is steeper than it looks from the top.

Arrive early and the dune can still be smooth, with only a few faint tracks to show the safe line up to the highest ridge. For the whole valley, set aside about four hours for the 10 km walking route.

Sandboarding tours run in the afternoon. The session opens with a briefing on stance, strapping in and falling safely, then you ride the faces and walk back up carrying the board, which is the hardest part of the day.

Guided or on your own

A tour with a guide is the easy way to sandboard here. Pickup times are not fixed through the year, so confirm yours with the operator.

Book only with an operator registered with Sernatur, the national tourism service. For the viewpoints and the dune walk alone, you can go on your own by car or bicycle.

Tips

Avoid the hours around midday. The route is fully exposed, with almost no shade and no water anywhere along it, so carry plenty, along with a hat, sunscreen and trekking shoes; poles are optional.

Cycling suits an independent morning visit, but a board is impractical to carry on a bike. If this is your first outing after arriving in San Pedro, keep a calm pace on the climbs, which feel much harder at this altitude than their length suggests.

For sunset, the valley is far less crowded than Valle de la Luna. Boarders who want a clean line should take an early session, before other riders have cut up the faces.