Laguna Cejar tour: Float in turquoise salt water

The salt content is so high you float without effort.

A half-day tour of the Salar de Atacama and Laguna Cejar, where you float in turquoise salt water at 2,200 meters altitude. The tour includes stops at Ojos de Salar and Laguna Tebenquiche, with a snack and pisco sour served at the end. A live guide leads in English or Spanish.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Atacama Salt Flats30m
2. Cejar Lagoon1h

Explore Laguna Cejar and Salt Flats

• Visit Salar de Atacama salt deposit
• Relax and float in Laguna Cejar
• See Ojos de Salar pools and reeds
• Enjoy salt whiteness at Laguna Tebenquiche
• Have appetizer and view Cordillera

The experience

Laguna Cejar sits inside the Salar de Atacama, the largest salt deposit in Chile. The lagoon's turquoise water holds so much salt that you float without swimming, turning the bath into a relaxing, weightless experience. The tour moves through three water sites: first Laguna Cejar itself, then Ojos de Salar (two underground pools where small reeds and algae line the shores), and finally Laguna Tebenquiche, where the salt forms a striking white landscape. You spend time in the water at each stop.

The whole outing runs about five hours. A guide in English or Spanish walks you through the geology of the salt flats and leads you into the water. At the end, you get a snack, juice and a pisco sour while looking out at the Cordillera mountains. The altitude is roughly 2,200 meters, so the air is thin and the light is sharp.

What’s included

• A live guide in English or Spanish.
• a snack, juice and pisco sour at the end of the tour.
• time to float and swim at Laguna Cejar, Ojos de Salar and Laguna Tebenquiche.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day except TuesdayDeparts at 14:30

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (7 to 70 years) · Under 7: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 12

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by WHIPALA EXPEDITION

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're traveling with a small group or family and want a half-day outing that doesn't demand strenuous hiking. The floating experience is the main event, so come ready to spend time in the water rather than walking long distances on land.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

Can I bring my kids on the Laguna Cejar tour?

Children must be at least 7 years old to join. Infants can come if they sit on an adult's lap, though they won't enter the water.

What exactly is Laguna Cejar and why do you float there?

Laguna Cejar is a turquoise lagoon inside the Salar de Atacama salt flats. The water's high salt content makes you buoyant, so you float naturally without any effort: the same principle as the Dead Sea.

Are entrance fees to the salt flats included in the tour price?

Park entrance fees are not included in the tour price and must be paid separately.

How high is Laguna Cejar and will altitude affect me?

The lagoon sits at approximately 2,200 meters altitude. If you're not used to high elevation, you may feel the thinner air, so take it easy on the first day and stay hydrated.