Discover “Out of This World” Valle de la Luna by bike | Is it Worth it?
Have you ever wanted to travel to the moon? Although it may not be possible yet, there is a close alternative, tucked away in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile. The Valle de la Luna, or the “Moon Valley” is a top attraction to see sand dunes, otherworldly rock formations, and ruins left behind by miners. All of these things can be explored in the driest non-polar desert in the world in the Atacama Desert’s very own Valle de la Luna.
Daily tours depart from the cute oasis village of San Pedro de Atacama, but those who are feeling extra adventurous and eagerly ambitious (are those the words, or maybe crazy?) can explore the Valle de la Luna by bike. This harsh and rugged landscape sits at an altitude around 7,428 feet (2,264 m), so proper acclimation should be considered before tackling this challenging feat.
This overview explains how to rent a bike in San Pedro de Atacama, useful tips for exploring the park, highlights of the Valle de la Luna, budget of biking through the valley vs. tour costs, and some honest feedback on what it’s really like peddling through the desolate Valle de la Luna by bike.
Here’s all you need to know about discovering the highlights of the Valle de la Luna by bike.
Table of Contents
- Logistics of Valle de la Luna by Bike
- How to Reach Valle de la Luna by Bike
- Highlights of Valle de la Luna by Bike
- Cost of Exploring Valle de la Luna by Bike
- Is it Worth it? Exploring the Valle de la Luna by Bike
- More Bike Rides from San Pedro de Atacama
- Final Thoughts | Exploring Valle de la Luna by Bike
Logistics of Valle de la Luna by Bike
First off, Valle de la Luna is located about 8 miles from the village of San Pedro de Atacama in northern Chile, close to the Bolivian border. This village is a hub for all adventurous things when it comes to exploring the vast Atacama Desert. The bustling street of Toconao is lined with tour agencies offering a wide range of activities. From star gazing and geyser tours, wine tasting, to excursions into the high altitude plain, also know as the “Altiplano,” you’ll find it all in the village of San Pedro de Atacama.
Get Inspired | More Things to Do in San Pedro de Atacama & Wild Day Trips
Those travelers who are stubborn, like me, and don’t prefer going on tours will find a few options for independent excursions. Bike rentals are popular and prevalent. Valle de la Luna by bike is one of the most popular independent tour options!
Renting a Bike in San Pedro de Atacama
There are many agencies, companies, and even money exchange booths that offer bike rentals for intrepid explorers.
It’s going to be a long day on a bike, so it’s important to properly test your bike and make sure that they give you suitable repair equipment and tools. If a bike tire pops, it could make for an unpleasant walk in the blistering Atacama Desert.
Bike rentals should include: a tire replacement, air pump, bike helmet, a vest, and a solid bike lock. That bright yellow vest is mandatory for biking on the highway, which although short, is required to reach the Valle de la Luna by bike. Helmets are essential, since the terrain is like, well it’s like biking on the moon. It’s bumpy, rocky, sandy, and salty. Many of the road sections have loose stone, so good tires and a replacement kit are essential. Make sure to test the bike before you commit!
Almost all places will require a deposit and will ask for some form of an ID. I usually opt to hand over my driver’s license, rather than my passport or debit card.
Tip | The average rate of a daily bike rental is around $6,000 – $8,000 CLP for a full day rental. I went with a higher priced bike that had higher quality tires. This bike will be your best friend for the next 8+ hours, choose wisely. Bikes will most likely need to be returned end of day by 18:00 or 19:00. On Sundays, bike rental shops open a little later, so it pushes back your arrival time to the Moon Valley. I made this mistake and paid for it by arriving later than I wanted to the Valle de la Luna!
Day Pack Essentials for Exploring Valle de la Luna by Bike
Great, you’ve got the bike, and the correct gear to avoid being stranded. Here are some useful and essential things to include in your day pack for exploring the Valle de la Luna by bike.
- Water, Water, Water. Take as much as you can. Do you have a CamelBak or any kind of Hydration pack? Bring it.
- Water Filter – Believe it or not, there are a few bathrooms en-route and I was so thirty and desperate, I filtered the sink water and lived to tell about it.
- Protective Clothing like a Buff, or bandana, long sleeves that are breathable
- First-Aid Kit
- Proper hiking sandals or shoes with ankle support
- Snacks
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Offline Map like Maps.me
- Bike Rental Gear, lock, tire kit, etc.
➯ Hey… don’t forget your Travel Insurance! I love SafetyWing
How to Reach Valle de Luna by Bike
Now that you’ve got your gear, bike, and a fully stocked day pack, head out of town towards the Valle de la Luna. From the center of San Pedro de Atacama, it’s around 3.75 miles by bike to the Valle de la Luna Information Center. Find it here.
Keep in mind, the Valle de la Luna sits around 7,428 feet (2,264 m), so proper acclimation is key. Also, NASA has tested a few prototypes of the Mars Rovers here, ya know, the things we sent to explore the surface of Mars. Buckle up, it’s going to be a bumpy and “out of this world” ride!
The Information Center for Valle de la Luna is where you must pay the required admission fee. There’s also informative plaques and displays that explains how the valley was formed by wind and millions of years of erosion. Here, find a bathroom and little cafe where snacks and drinks can be purchased and enjoyed on a small, but protected patio.
Valle de la Luna Park Logistics | Hours: Daily 8:00 – 18:00, private visitors must enter the park before 13:00 | Stone of Coyote Viewpoint closes at 19:30 | Standard Admission Ticket: $2,500 CLP ($3.50)
There are some people working at the Information Center who can speak limited English, but most speak only Spanish. Grab a map with your admission ticket, which comes in many languages, including English. On the map are marked highlights and the distances between each point. Also, there’s an informative blurb for each stop. For those visiting by car, all of the designated parking lots are marked.
Reminder | If visiting the Valle de de Luna by bike or with a private car, you must enter the park before 13:00. Tour companies begin arriving in the afternoon and this helps with congestion in the park.
Make sure to check if any sections of the park are shut down. The whole route from the Information Center to the end of the reserve and lift gate is just over 7 miles. The trail is shared with cars on a bumpy road. Don’t forget, this route is out and back!
Highlights of Valle de la Luna by Bike
Here are some highlights you’ll see while pedaling through the Valle de la Luna by bike. Remember to check in at the Information Center to see if there are any closures in the park for the day and to purchase your admission ticket. Oh, and start early to avoid the hot, hot, hot, desert sun!
Salt Cavern
The first and one of the more popular spots in the Valle de la Luna is the Salt Caverns. Sadly, they were shut on the day I visited. The Salt Cavern is on the right-hand side with parking on the left.
Dune Path | Duna Mayor
The Dune Path is an awesome stop to get off the bike and explore on foot. There’s a spot to lock up the bike and a bathroom that can provide relief in more ways than one (there’s an awning with shade). The hiking trail is under a mile each way, but boasts excellent views of the large and impressive sand dunes. Continue to the end viewpoint, where the trail is more rugged. This is what it must feel like to go “moon walking.”
The great things about exploring the Valle de la Luna by bike is that it allows you to see these incredible nature spots with barely any people.
Dune Path (Duna Mayor) Biking Logistics | 4.25 miles from Information Center, lefthand side | Bike-lock & Restrooms | Worthwhile hiking path
After the Dunes, notice that there will be a slight ascent on the path.
Amphitheatre
It’s hard to miss the giant Amphitheatre, or maybe it’s so large it qualifies as a mountain or peak. It’s looming in the backdrop for a majority of the ride and hiking trails through the Moon Valley. This peculiar rock formation is from the harsh winds blowing throughout the valley, leaving behind unusual rocks shaped like this.
Stop for a photo, but keep on pedaling. There is no shade here and in case you forgot, it’s hot.
Achaches & Hiking Trails
Less than a mile down the road from the Great Dune Path is the Achaches hiking path. Here there is a bike rack and a straightforward path that leads to a viewpoint. The viewpoint takes around 20 minutes to reach and there are distant views of the far off volcanoes. There are also lovely vistas of the iconic Amphitheatre rock.
Achaches Biking Logistics | 5 miles from Information Center, lefthand side | Bike-lock | Hiking path with a view
Victoria Mine | Mina Victoria
The Victoria Mine is a few remnants left behind from when this area was extracted for salt. The Salt Mines can feel a little out of place next to the stunning nature, but there is a nice, short, and scenic hiking trail here. The trail is less than a half mile and connects the two small parking lots. Bike past the first entrance, where the cars usually park, and head around the bend to the small lot where you’ll find the bike lock.
Take the loop trail and appreciate the extremely peculiar rock formations that totally look out of this world. These were some of the most interesting shaped rock sediments of the entire trail. Bonus, there’s also a great arial view point of the Three Mary’s, in case you run out of steam to bike to them, like I did.
Salt Mine Victoria Biking Logistics | 6 miles from Information Center, lefthand side | Bike-lock & Restrooms | Short, but sweet hiking path
Three Marys | Tres Marias
Ok, in all honestly, I skipped this one. Partially, because I heard that one of the Marys fell… Yes, there’s only two of the “Mary rocks” still standing. Also, I could get a “bird’s eye view” of the popular rock formation from wandering around the Victoria Salt Mines. With a physically drained battery pack, I decided to head back towards San Pedro de Atacama.
Three Marys Biking Logistics | 7.1 miles from Information Center, righthand side
Lookout Stone of Coyote | Mirador de Kari – Piedra del Coyote
The Viewpoint of Stone of Coyote cannot be reached from the Valle de la Luna bike route. To reach this iconic viewpoint, you’ll have to exit the park from the Information Center and head left on the highway. It’s almost 7 miles (11 km) from here, and don’t forget about biking back into San Pedro de Atacama. This is an excellent place to watch the sunset. Due to safety issues, like biking in the dark, be mindful of your time and body.
For those exploring the Valle de la Luna by bike, remember that this section of the park closes at 19:30. If you start out early enough, you’ll be able to reach it, but maybe not enjoy the whole sunset.
Due to time restraints and being exhausted from the heat, I skipped this highlight of San Pedro de Atacama.
Tip | Although I didn’t get to watch the sunset from the Stone of Coyote, I was able to snag a sunset view from my bus window when heading to Chile’s beach city of Iquique!
When you’re all done exploring the Valle de la Luna by bike, or if you choose to be hard-core and pedal up to the viewpoint of Stone of Coyote, head back to San Pedro de Atacama.
Psst… I loved sleeping a little out of town at Rey Lagarto Hostel, which has roomy shared and private rooms, a nice outdoor patio, access to a kitchen, and free bike rentals for in-town usage. Book here
Cost of Exploring Valle de la Luna by Bike
How much does it cost to make a day trip to Valle de la Luna by bike from San Pedro de Atacama?
Prices on the table are rounded to the nearest 25¢
| Expense | CLP ($) | USD ($) |
| Bike Rental | $8,000 | $11 |
| Valle de la Luna Admission Ticket | $2,500 | $3.50 |
| Snacks & Drinks from Information Center | $3,000 | $4 |
| Total Cost | $13,500 | $18.50 |
In total, biking through the Valle de la Luna without a tour or guide cost me around $18.50! Not bad for a bike rental and an eccentric trip to the “Moon.”
Is it Worth it? Exploring the Valle de la Luna by Bike
Finally, for the moment of truth, is exploring the Valle de la Luna by bike worth it?
Well….. honestly…. I’m impartial.
Many of the tours start around $19,000 Chilean pesos ($26.00 USD), so it’s not like you’re saving a ton of money. I personally saved $7.50. Also, it took me seven hours of strenuous pedaling, sweating my ass off, and drinking a gallon of water, to explore the Valle de la Luna by bike. In contrast, the organized tours stop at many of the above highlights, plus end with a sunset photo. The whole tours take less than four hours.
Perks
- Less crowds
- Time to explore what I wanted
- Explore at my own Pace
- Get in complete hikes and viewpoints that I wouldn’t on a tour
Cons
- It’s hot and dry, and honestly I was miserable at some points while biking…. uphill what?
- The road is bumpy, sandy, salty, and windy
- You have to bike to and from San Pedro de Atacama. It’s a tougher ride back to San Pedro de Atacama after being in the sun all day, but at least it’s downhill!
- I missed the Stone of Coyote at Sunset
In short, I was glad I wasn’t sharing the trail with multiple tour buses that were loaded with people and that I was able to enjoy the scenery behind a sweaty bandana! Ha! I had been in South America for over 3 months at this point, so I was adjusted to the elevation. That helped me big time.
Overall, I’m glad I chose to explore the Valle de la Luna by bike, but I totally understand that it may not be for everyone.
Don’t fret! There’s tons of tour companies in San Pedro de Atacama. Always check TripAdvisor.
More Bike Rides from San Pedro de Atacama
Hey, if you loved pedaling through the Valle de la Luna by bike, or chose to skip it, there’s another nearby place to discover on two wheels: the Catarpe Valley. Also known as the Catarpe San Pedro de Atacama, this river valley has a totally different landscape than its neighbor, Moon Valley.
Highlights of Catarpe include places like the Devil’s Throat and the San Isidro Church. What’s really amazing is the completely different scenery surrounding the river. Biking through the valley is an awesome day trip from San Pedro de Atacama, even though it’s within the city limits!
As an added bonus, start the morning out at the Quitor Fortress, or Pukara de Quitor in Quechua. This interesting fortress was in place long before the Inca dynasty and has loads of cultural history. It’s not allowed to walk through the actual fortress, but there’s a well-marked path that circles it. Take the path up to the viewpoint that overlooks Death Valley. You won’t have to pay for the admission into Death Valley. Don’t miss the second part of the park, Plaza de Quitor, which boasts two large head sculptures.
Final Thoughts | Exploring Valle de la Luna by Bike
In conclusion, the Valle de la Luna, or Moon Valley, near San Pedro de Atacama is a highlight of the Atacama Desert. With its close proximity to this adventure-hub village, it is possible to explore the Valle de la Luna by bike. Yes, the struggle will be real, but the rewards are plentiful. Even if you choose not to rent a bike and pedal through the Valle de la Luna, take a tour. You won’t regret it!
From otherworldly rock formations, volcanic views, hiking trails, mine ruins, to incredible vista points, don’t pass up the chance to “travel to the moon” in San Pedro de Atacama de Chile.
Have you visited Valle de la Luna in San Pedro de Atacama? Did you take a tour or explore the Valle de la Luna by bike? I’m super curious of what people thought of the tours! Let me know in the comments below!
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