The highest-rated product in the entire Atacama inventory, and the only one that is purely fun.
- Free cancellationFree cancellation up to 24 hours before it starts; book at least 24 hours ahead
- Duration3 hours 30 minutes
Everything else in this desert is something to look at. This is the one you do. The dune above Valle de la Muerte is long, steep and made of sand fine enough to ride, and three and a half hours there with a board and an instructor is the highest-rated experience in the whole Atacama inventory: 4.92 from 134 reviews. It finishes in time for the sunset over the same ridge that Valle de la Luna tours drive to.
Compare Atacama ToursKey facts
activity / adventure- Duration
- 3 hours 30 minutes
- Meeting point
- Collected in San Pedro de Atacama in the afternoon; the operator confirms the time when you book
- Price
- CLP 87,905 per person
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before it starts; book at least 24 hours ahead
Included
- ✓ Transportation by 4x4
- ✓ Professional equipment (board, boot, helmet, and goggles)
- ✓ Lesson
- ✓ Physical education teacher
- ✓ High-definition videos
- ✓ Healthy snack
Not included
- ✗ Water
- ✗ park admission ticket
There is no lift
The operator states it plainly: no ski lift, no chairlift. You walk back up the dune after every run, in soft sand, at 2,400 m. That is the whole workout, and it is the reason three and a half hours is enough.
How hard is it to learn
Easier than snowboarding, because sand is slower and falling into it does not hurt. Most people are riding properly within a few runs. The instruction and the wax are included, which matters more than it sounds — an unwaxed board simply does not move.
The name of the valley
Valle de la Muerte means Death Valley, and it is widely said to be a mishearing of Valle de Marte, Mars Valley, from a French priest's description in the 1950s. The dispute is unresolved and both names are still in use locally. We state it rather than pick a side.
What to wear
Clothes you do not mind filling with sand, closed shoes, and sunglasses. The sand gets everywhere and stays there. Sun at this altitude in open desert is fierce even late in the afternoon.
Book ahead
The operator asks for at least 24 hours' notice. This is not a walk-up activity.
Who should not book this
- Anyone who will not climb a dune repeatedly
- People who arrived at altitude this morning
- Anyone booking same-day
-
Death Valley Sandboarding Tour
CLP 493854.36 from 19 reviews and roughly CLP 38,000 cheaper. The budget option, with a visibly weaker record.
Check availability -
Private Sandboarding Tour
CLP 375326Four times the price for a private instructor. Only sensible if nobody in your group has been on a board.
Check availability
Check prices & dates
Book your tickets in advance: popular time slots sell out.
Compare Atacama ToursHow to book
The button goes to the operator's GetYourGuide listing to pick a date and pay. Book at least a day ahead — the operator requires it. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before. This site earns a commission at no extra cost to you.
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Frequently asked questions
Do I need to have snowboarded before?
No. Sand is slower and more forgiving, and the instruction is included. Most first-timers are riding within a few runs.
Is there a lift back up the dune?
No. You walk, in soft sand, at 2,400 m. It is the main physical demand of the afternoon.
Can children do it?
The operator sets no published minimum, but the climb back up is the limiting factor rather than the riding.