Take a Trip to THIS Hidden Gem of San Pedro de Atacama

The Hidden Lagoons of Baltinache: How to get there and what to expect

What is this place?

The Hidden Lagoons of Baltinache are seven pools located near the Salt Mountains of San Pedro de Atacama. If you’ve taken swimming classes when you were younger, do you remember learning how to backstroke? There is a higher amount of salt in these lagoons than in the ocean. Many tourists come to this area because it allows them to float without effort.

How can I get to these hidden lagoons?

The Hidden Lagoons of Baltinache are 57 kilometers away from the town center. There are two ways on how to get there; you can either rent a car or book a tour through a travel agency.

I chose to book a tour through Atawallpa Experiences, one of my favorite travel agencies of San Pedro de Atacama, which cost CLP 24.000/USD 34.50, excluding the entrance fee. I recommend booking your tours through this company because the staff is bilingual, their customer service is impeccable, and the tour groups are reasonably small. If you’re a solo traveler, you should check out this company because small groups will allow you to network as you make new friends.

Renting a car in San Pedro de Atacama is a little complicated, but not impossible. There is a rental company around the corner from the office of Atawallpa Experiences, but I rarely saw anyone renting a car. From other solo travelers that I met, I learned that you must talk to the rental companies in Calama about renting a pick-up truck and where to get fuel. On top of that, it costs about CLP 56.310/USD 81.00 per day.

To me, the process of renting a car in San Pedro de Atacama seems like a hassle, let alone exploring the area. However, it’s worth the trouble if you enjoy your independence without being ushered from one site to another.

What to expect

Upon arrival, you will find that there are changing rooms and clean showers to wash away the salt. Unlike at the Puritama Hot Spring, there are no lockers to keep your belongings in. However, there is plenty of space to change. As for your belongings, you can leave them in your rental car or tour van because you only need to bring necessities.

Speaking of which, you only need to bring three things after you’ve changed; your phone or camera, towel, and sneakers. Only the first and last lagoons are available to the public, meaning that there’s a fifteen-minute walk from one side to the other. Therefore, I advise against wearing sandals because the rough and jagged texture of the salt can destroy them.

At first, it might seem annoying that you can’t swim in all of the lagoons. However, this short trek allows you to appreciate this part of the desert’s beautifully unique landscape. Compared to the grounded salt from the Salt Flats of Atacama, the crystallized rock is more solid and harder to walk on. If you imagine looking at this site from a bird’s eye view, the lagoon’s icy comparison to the red canyons is spectacular.

When I first heard about these lagoons, I was skeptical about it. I thought, Can people lay suspended in the water without wading? Yes, you can float without doing anything! Although, please do not put your head under the water. If you do so, it is not a pleasant experience.