Llullaillaco (6739m) with Victor Saunders

Begin your adventure today as you are greeted at Calama Airport. From here you will be transferred to San Pedro de Atacama, 120kms from the airport and directly through the Atacama Desert. Set at the northern end of Salar de Atacama (salt lake), this delightful oasis town has a “frontier” ambiance. It is not far from the Bolivian and Argentinian borders in the midst of the driest desert in the world, the Atacama Desert and on the high altiplano. Following lunch in town we drive out to the Salty Mountain Range, where we warm up our legs with a good few hours trek, ending in the Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon) at sunset. Here the glow of the desert and the amazing colours produce an incredible sunset. We return to the town and our hotel. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight: Terra Luna Atacama or similar

Meals:  D

The Atacama is the oldest desert on earth, home to incredible volcanoes and is one of the best stargazing destinations on the planet. Nestled between the Pacific and the awe-inspiring Andes the landscape is a photographers dream with pink flamingo filled lakes, giant peaks of dormant and active volcanoes, salt lakes and the ever present bubbling of geysers. Today we have a gentle trek to get us into the spirit of our longer trek upcoming. We follow the broad valley floor to head towards the ridge of Altos de Catarpe. Once here we take a breath to enjoy the outstanding view before heading back into the river valley along the canyon. Make sure you have river shoes for this portion of the journey as we will be doubling back and crossing over the shallow rivers and even through along it for large sections to head to the abandoned village of San Bartolo. The plentiful ruins of San Bartolo are easy to spot and the ghost town has a varied history. Twice abandoned, once by indigenous copper miners in the 16th Century and then again in the 19th by Chilean miners. From here we return back to our lodging for the evening. Overnight: Terra Luna Atacama or similar

Meals:  B,L,D

After a solid night's sleep, we will take another small trek out today to the Puritama Hot Springs located just over 3,600m above sea level. First on the days hike is to head towards the Cactus Valley, similar to our experience yesterday, this route takes us up and around the ravines beside a smaller river. The surreal landscape you'll be surrounded by feels like it's been taken directly from a Dali painting, the cacti in the region can grow up to 10 metres tall and extend multiple arms from their main body to support and control weight distribution. Due to the desert climate, many cactuses in the region are over 150 years old and grow very slowly at around 1cm per year. We then move our trek into the Puritama canyon heading towards the hot springs, which is our main destination. Following routes crafted by shepherds and surrounding by cacti we head up the canyon to reach the thermal hot springs. Created by the local volcanoes the pools have an average temperature of 33C, there are dressing rooms, bathrooms plus terraces for each of the 8 swimming pools. After a long soak to revitalise the muscles we return to Terra Luna for the evening. Overnight: Terra Luna Atacama or similar (Approx. 4-5 hour trek)

Meals:  B,L,D

From our relaxing few days it's time to head out on some longer treks, today you will be transferred across to Rio Grande to start the trek to Machuca. Starting at a relatively low altitude compared to our trek yesterday, approximately 2,700m, we will pass through both stunning scenery and more ghost towns. This historic route was originally a strategic location for the caravans that used to head along the region, this is noted by petroglyphs that may will get the chance to see in the mysterious caves along our route. Heading up through the region we eventually reach the village of Machuca which is located at 3,800m above sea level. Make sure to check out the local church as well as admire the local fauna in the area such as Andean geese plus the occasional llama. Overnight: Machuca (Approx. 5 - 6 hour trek, 3,800m)

Meals:  B,L,D

Located next to the Bolivian border, at an altitude of 4200m, the Tatio geysers can reach up to 4 meters high. The thermal waters near to the glaciers offer a chance to soak our bodies whilst viewing the most remarkable landscapes dotted with volcanoes. After witnessing this phenomena we'll return to San Pedro. From here we transfer across the Lejia Lagoon which is located at the base of the dormant but still active volcano Lascar. Overnight: Wilderness Camp

Meals:  B,L,D

Today we attempt our first acclimatisation summit by heading up the volcano we spent the night at the foot of. If conditions do not permit, we will look to another summit of similar height. We drive as high as well can, then make an easy ascent of the volcano which dominates the whole region before descending and returning back to the Terra Luna Lodge. Overnight: Terra Luna Atacama or similar (Approx. 8 hour trek)

Meals:  B,L,D

Today is more of a cultural experience of the Antofagasta region then a hiking day, this gives our bodies both time to acclimatise to the altitudes and to prepare for the days ahead. Firstly we will be heading into San Pedro de Atacama to wander around the archaeological museum. From here we head across to Aldea de Tulor (Tulor Village), one of the oldest archaeological sites in northern Chile, located west of the town of San Pedro de Atacama. Dating back 2,500 years this village was once supported by the San Pedro River located on an ancient oasis, abandoned in 300 A.D. due to the oasis drying up. Multiple circular adobe structures are surrounded by a perimeter wall created in tandem by skilled settlers and artisans. With a long day of learning about the history of the region it's time to head back to the lodge to enjoy a good night's sleep. Overnight: Terra Luna Atacama or similar

Meals:  B,L,D

Known as the "Pecan Monks", the Monjes de la Pacana are giant rock formations created by volcanic eruptions in the area. Resembling the flowing robes of the monks these large fingers in the desert as meant to guard the area and are first experience today. From here we will head to one of the lesser salt lakes visited, due to its more remote location, Salar de Pujsa (Pujsa Salt Flat). Located at the crater from the nearby Pacana volcano this is a perfect place to get an spectacular view of the Pili Volcano dominating the local landscape. We will be heading to the base of Pili for our camp for the evening. Overnight: Wilderness Camp

Meals:  B,L,D

On the first part of our ascent there will be large areas of shale and stones to overcome until we reach the shoulder of Pili (5,500m approximately). From here we will head across to the northern section of the volcano where, taking a deep breath, we rise very quickly with slopes hitting almost 45º degrees. This is the most tiring portion of the summit, once we conquer that section we will find a small plateau to sit and enjoy the small crater. The summit, from here, is very close and after another hour of trekking we will reach the crater. After taking the time to rest and enjoy the view we head back down to our camp from the previous night. Overnight: Wilderness Camp

Meals:  B,L,D

From our experiences out in the amazing Antofagasta region today we head back to San Pedro de Atacama. Today is a day to prepare for our main expedition, the local team will instruct you on what the upcoming days will entail. Overnight: Terra Luna Atacama or similar

Meals:  B,L,D

Heading back out from Atacama today we will be going to our base camp at Llullaillaco Volcano. Along our journey we will two gorgeous crystalline lagoons, Laguna Miscanti and Laguna Miñiques. Located a few hours away from Atacama, keep your eyes peeled for foxes, vicunas and the infamous flamingos the region is known for. One the way we will pass through the Tropic of Capricorn so be prepared to jump out for an iconic shot. Be prepared for rough roads ahead as rough gravel paves the road to the lakes. The two deep blue alpine lakes form part of the La Reserva Nacional Los Flamencos and sit right on top of each other in the second highest plateau in the world. These two lakes were originally just one however when the nearby volcano Miñiques erupted in the Pleistocene Era the lava flow from the eruption split the lake into two. From here we head to our Base Camp for the evening. Overnight: Wilderness Camp

Meals:  B,L,D

Today we make the ascent up to Camp 1, situated at 5,500m above sea level and take in the awe-inspiring views of the local landscape. Before heading back down to our base camp. Overnight: Wilderness Camp

Meals:  B,L,D

After spending last night at base camp, we will return to camp 1 to commence our ascent. Depending on conditions, we may spend time at various camps on a flexible itinerary to maximise our chances of summit success. Overnight: Wilderness Camp

Meals:  B,L,D

Today, fit and acclimatised, we set out on our ascent of Llullaillaco (6739m). Whilst non technical for the majority of the route, we can expect a long day, with 1,150 meters of ascent. It can snow anytime here and at times we will be on this or negotiating scree. The last 50 metres of ascent can be a little trickier and ropes may be fixed to help navigate this section. Towards the summit there is a section of ice and snow to be traversed with a need for the use of crampons at this point. We can expect loose rock, scree and often windy conditions given the peaks exposure so care is needed. Following an exhilarating ascent, we will return back to the base camp for the evening. Overnight: Wilderness Camp

Meals:  B,L,D

Today has been put aside as a contingency day in case of bad weather. The use of this day will be decided by your leader and will depend on conditions, with the best possible weather window for the ascent chosen. Overnight Wilderness Camp

Meals:  B,L,D

Today is a long driving day as, after conquering the volcano over the last few days, you can sit back and relax on the ride back to San Pedro de Atacama. The roads in this area are rough and bumpy, adding to he adventure. Enjoy a farewell dinner after a stupendous adventure over the last few weeks. Overnight: Terra Luna Atacama or similar

Meals:  B,L,D

Our trip concludes with a departure transfer from San Pedro de Atacama to Calama Airport where the trip will conclude. Please note: Calama Airport is approximately an hour and a half drive from the lodge and flights times should reflect that distance.

Meals:  B