Rainbow Valley tour from San Pedro de Atacama: colorful mountains

Petroglyphs and wind-carved mountains in one morning.

A guided tour of Rainbow Valley near San Pedro de Atacama visits colorful mountains, dry waterfalls and rock formations shaped by wind erosion, plus ancient petroglyphs left by indigenous tribes. The tour runs six hours total, including an hour's drive each way, a short walk in the valley, and breakfast with local bread, fruit, cheese and coffee. A live guide in English or Spanish leads the group, and pickup from your hotel is included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Rainbow Valley and Petroglyphs

• Drive one hour to Rainbow Valley
• Visit colorful mountains and rock formations
• Observe dry waterfalls
• Stop to see indigenous petroglyphs
• Return to San Pedro de Atacama

The Experience

How do you see the Atacama's most colorful rock formations without spending all day on the road? The Rainbow Valley tour covers the drive and the walking in one morning, so you keep the afternoon free. After an hour's drive from San Pedro de Atacama, you arrive at the valley floor and walk among the mountains—layered in rust, yellow, purple and green from mineral deposits and oxidation. The wind has carved dry waterfalls and strange formations into the slopes, and the guide explains how they formed and what the landscape tells you about the desert's geology and history.

Before heading back, you stop to see petroglyphs carved into rock by indigenous tribes hundreds of years ago. Breakfast comes partway through the tour—bread, fruit, cheese, juice, coffee and tea served in the valley itself, so you eat where the colors are. The order of stops can shift depending on the day's conditions, but the petroglyphs and the main valley walk always happen. The whole outing takes six hours from pickup to return.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup from San Pedro de Atacama.
• a live guide in English or Spanish.
• breakfast with bread, fruit, cheese, juice, coffee, tea and cookies.
• access to the petroglyphs and the valley's rock formations.

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availableNot for pregnant travelers

Operated by Puka Rumi Travel Agency

Is this one for you?Most Rainbow Valley tours run as shared groups on a fixed schedule; this one keeps the group small and pairs you with a guide who speaks your language, so the petroglyphs and the geology make sense as you walk instead of getting lost in translation.

Traveler reviews

4.77★★★★★★★★★★

132 verified traveler reviews

5 ★117

4 ★8

3 ★0

2 ★5

1 ★2

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What exactly are the colors in Rainbow Valley made of?

The mountains' stripes come from different mineral deposits and oxidation in the rock layers. Iron oxide creates reds and browns, copper compounds produce greens and blues, and sulfur minerals add yellows—all exposed where wind erosion has carved away the surface.

How much walking is involved in this tour?

The Rainbow Valley tour includes a short walk in the valley itself after you arrive. Most of the six hours is the drive to and from San Pedro de Atacama; the walking portion is moderate and suitable for all fitness levels.

Can children go on this tour?

Children are welcome from age five. Specialized infant seats are available if you're traveling with younger children, and the tour is designed to work for families.

What's included in the breakfast?

Breakfast includes bread, fruit, cheese, juice, coffee, tea and cookies—local staples served in the valley during the tour.

Is the guide English-speaking?

The tour offers a live guide in either English or Spanish, so you choose the language when you book.