What Supported Self-Drive in the Puna Is
We hand you a Toyota Hilux 4x4 equipped for the Puna in Copiapó, with camping gear, a Starlink Mini and the GPX tracks for your route, we help you with the DIFROL permit, and you drive. The base package starts at CLP 165,000 per day and the truck can be returned in Copiapó, Calama or San Pedro de Atacama. If you want company, we add a driver, a staffed base camp or a guide only for summit day.
It's for people who already drive on gravel and know altitude, or who travel with someone who does, and want to do the Puna at their own pace without building the logistics from scratch. The season runs from mid-November to February, and December is the best month for the 6,000 m peaks around Copiapó.
The Three Packages
| Self-drive | With driver or base camp | With summit guide | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who drives | You | Our driver, or you with a staffed base camp at Laguna Verde | You or our driver |
| Truck, off-road kit and camping | Included | Included | Included |
| Starlink Mini | Included | Included | Included |
| GPX tracks and maps for your route | Included | Included | Included |
| DIFROL paperwork | We prepare it for you | We prepare it for you | We handle it |
| High-mountain guide | No | No | For summit days |
| Price | From CLP 165,000/day | Quote on request | Quote on request |
All three carry a CLP 600,000 deposit that is returned when you hand the truck back. The guide in the third package climbs with you on Ojos del Salado, Tres Cruces Sur, Incahuasi or San Francisco and is charged per summit day, not for the whole trip.
What the Truck Includes
The Hilux is a 2024 Toyota with a 2.4 engine, automatic transmission and 4x4 with low range. It leaves Copiapó with this:
- Off-road and recovery kit, plus an extra fuel can. Past Copiapó there is nowhere to refuel on the route to Paso San Francisco.
- Camping for two: tent, two insulated sleeping pads and two inflatable ones, table, two chairs, camp stove, cookware, 20-liter water jug, cooler and lantern.
- Starlink Mini with an external battery and a USB-C adapter. Past Laguna Verde there is no cell signal, and with Starlink you can check the wind forecast every day and let people know you're fine.
For groups of more than two people, or if you need four-season tents, -20 °C sleeping bags and double boots for a 6,000 m peak, we add gear from our mountain gear and 4x4 rental in Copiapó and it travels in the same truck.
A Typical 13-Day Trip
For December 2026 we have a trip like this booked: pickup in Copiapó on the morning of the first day and return in San Pedro de Atacama thirteen days later. This is the format that works best, because the Puna is on the way north and nobody has to drive 800 km back just to return the truck.
| Days | Where | What for |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Copiapó → Valle Chico (3,100 m) | Pickup, shopping and a first night at mid-altitude |
| 2–5 | Laguna Verde (4,300 m) | Acclimatize with hikes and practice summits |
| 6–8 | Refugio Atacama (5,200 m) | Climb high, sleep higher |
| 9–11 | Summit window from Refugio Tejos (5,837 m) | Ojos del Salado or another 6,000 m peak, depending on the wind |
| 12–13 | Descent and transfer north | Return in San Pedro or Calama |
It's the same scheme we submit to DIFROL for our expeditions. If you're not going to climb a 6,000 m peak, the high days are swapped for the Seismiles Route, Laguna Santa Rosa and the Salar de Maricunga. The detail on how many days to spend at each altitude is in our acclimatization itinerary for Ojos del Salado.
Permits You Need
If anyone in your group is a foreign national, you need the DIFROL expedition authorization, which is free but has to be requested online 30 to 60 days in advance. Without it, Carabineros won't let you past the Maricunga checkpoint toward Laguna Verde. We put together the file with your itinerary, campsite coordinates and roster, and you send it in with your passports. The step-by-step is in the guide to DIFROL and CONAF permits.
If your route crosses into Argentina through Paso San Francisco, ask us before booking: taking the vehicle out of the country is a separate procedure.
From the field: book the truck and apply for the DIFROL permit the same day. If you get to December without the approved resolution, the trip ends at the Maricunga checkpoint, at 4,000 meters.
Self-Drive or Guided Expedition
Self-drive makes sense if you've already driven on gravel, know how to change a tire and have slept above 4,000 meters. The hardest part is not the summit, it's deciding on your own when to turn around in the wind or with a headache that won't go away. If it's your first time in the Puna or your first 6,000 m peak, we think the guided expedition to Ojos del Salado is the better choice, or at least the package with a summit guide.
Before deciding, read the comparison of Ojos del Salado without a guide vs. a guided expedition and the one on 4x4 logistics and huts on the Seismiles Route, where we explain tire pressures and fuel. To work out how many liters to carry, use the 4x4 fuel range calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to rent a 4x4 for the Puna de Atacama?
Our self-drive package starts at CLP 165,000 per day with the Hilux, the off-road kit, camping for two and the Starlink Mini included, plus a CLP 600,000 deposit. A 13-day trip comes to about CLP 2,145,000.
Can I return the truck in San Pedro de Atacama?
Yes. San Pedro is our base, so returning it there or in Calama has no surcharge. It's what we recommend most if you're continuing north after the trip.
Do I need a permit to drive to Laguna Verde?
Chileans only register at the Carabineros checkpoint in Maricunga. If there is any foreign national in the group, the whole group needs the DIFROL authorization, which is requested 30 to 60 days in advance.
Is there cell signal in the Puna?
Not after Laguna Verde. That's why the Starlink Mini is included in every package, and if you're going to climb above 5,000 meters we recommend adding a satellite communicator with SOS.
Ojos del Salado (6,893 m)Prefer to Climb with a Guide?
A 9 to 15-day expedition with the 4x4 logistics, the acclimatization at Laguna Verde and the Atacama and Tejos huts all sorted.
