Glamping in San Pedro de Atacama is found in the ayllus around town (Quitor, Coyo, Sequitor, Solor): domes and yurts with a real bed, at 2,400 meters, for between US$35 and US$140 a night for two people. It is the best choice for your first nights, while you are still acclimatizing. If what you want is a completely dark sky and sleeping in front of a volcano, no glamping in town can give you that: for that we set up our base camp at 4,325 meters at Laguna Lejía, and we recommend doing it at the end of your trip.
We have been operating in the area for years, and the question reaches us almost daily on WhatsApp: "where do I sleep under the stars?". The honest answer depends on two things. How much cold you are willing to put up with. And how many days you have already spent at altitude.
Quick comparison: glamping, camping and base camp
| Glamping in the ayllus | Equipped campsite | Vulcano base camp (altiplano) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Altitude | ~2,400 m | ~2,400 m | 4,325 m (Laguna Lejía) to 4,700 m (Sairecabur) |
| Where you sleep | Dome, yurt or bell tent with a bed | Your own tent in a shaded spot | 4-season geodesic tent, -20°C down sleeping bag |
| Night temperature | 6°C to 10°C in summer, -3°C to 1°C in winter | Same as glamping, but without heating | -8°C to -16°C (down to -22°C in winter) |
| Bathroom and shower | Private or shared, with hot water | Shared, with hot water | No shower or fixed bathroom |
| Sky quality | Good, with town glow toward the horizon | Same as glamping | Bortle 1: no lights for 60 km around |
| Prior acclimatization | None, works from the first night | None | At least 3 days in San Pedro and at intermediate altitudes |
| Reference price | ~US$35 to US$140 per night (2 people) | ~CLP $8,000 to $16,000 per night | Group quote, includes 4x4, guide, food and gear |
| Best for | Couples, families, first time in Atacama | Backpackers and travelers with a car | Anyone who wants the real sky or to climb a volcano |
Glamping prices taken from Booking, Glampi and Glamping.world in October 2026, for reference only and before taxes. Check the rate on each property's site before booking.
Our advice: these are not mutually exclusive options. The itinerary that has worked best for our clients is glamping in town for the first 3 or 4 nights and base camp on the altiplano at the end, when the body is ready to sleep above 4,000 meters.
Glamping in San Pedro de Atacama: options and prices
Almost all the glampings are 2 to 4 km from the center, in the farming ayllus, among chañar trees and adobe. You get there by bike or by car. These are the ones that show up most in searches and on booking sites:
| Accommodation | Type | Reference price per night | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glamping Dunas del Sol | Glamping | From ~US$76 to US$85 (2 adults) | Booking / Hotelmix |
| San Pedro Domos | Domes | From ~US$57 | Booking |
| Terra Luna Atacama | Glamping | From ~US$142 (2 adults) | Booking |
| Altos de Quitor | Yurt with double bed | ~CLP $110,800 (2025 figure) | Glampi |
| Domos y Eco Camping Los Abuelos | Domes and camping | Ask | Tripadvisor / Kayak |
| Retiro Bajoestrellas | Glamping | ~US$40 | Glamping.world |
| Hostal Ají Verde | Equipped tents inside the hostel | Ask | Hostel website |
Reviews of the cheaper domes are mixed, mostly because of bathrooms and ventilation. In summer the sun beats down on the canvas and the inside gets very hot at midday. And in winter it is the opposite: always ask whether the dome has heating, because in July the early morning in Quitor easily drops below 0°C. If you want to compare with traditional rooms, check our guide to hotels in San Pedro de Atacama.
The good and the bad of glamping in town
The good: you sleep in a bed, you have a bathroom close by and you can go out for dinner on Caracoles. For the first nights it is the right call, because at 2,400 meters your body is already working and you should not add cold or a bad night's sleep on top. Read our altitude sickness guide for San Pedro de Atacama if it is your first trip to the area.
The bad is the sky. The ayllus are dark compared with a city, but the glow of the town shows toward the horizon, and in high season there are car headlights and flashlights all night. You do see the Milky Way. The Magellanic Clouds and the zodiacal light in sharp detail, not always. For that you have to go up.
Camping in town: the budget option
If you travel with your own tent or in a campervan, equipped campsites cost between CLP $8,000 and $16,000 a night and have hot showers and a kitchen. We go through them one by one, including what is prohibited when camping in the desert, in our guide on where to camp in San Pedro de Atacama. And if you are interested in sleeping without a tent in the mountains, on your own, read our guide to bivouac in Atacama first.
Our recommendation: base camp on the altiplano
This is not glamping. We have to say it plainly: at 4,325 meters there are no beds or showers, and the night drops below -10°C. But it is the night under the stars that people imagine when they search for "glamping in Atacama", and the one that no accommodation in town can offer.
We set up camp on the shore of Laguna Lejía, facing the active crater of Láscar Volcano, or in the ravines of Sairecabur Volcano, with a view of the Chajnantor plain and the ALMA antennas. There are no settlements or power lines within 60 km. The air is so dry that the stars barely twinkle.
What we bring, so you don't have to carry anything:
- 4-season geodesic tents that withstand 80 km/h winds.
- Down sleeping bags with a -20°C comfort rating and a double sleeping pad (inflatable R 4.8 plus foam). With that you sleep warm even when it is -15°C outside.
- Dining tent with light, hot mountain dinner and breakfast.
- 4x4 pickup with heating at camp, medical oxygen, pulse oximeter and satellite communication (Garmin inReach and Starlink Mini).
And the next day, if you want, you climb. Sleeping at altitude puts you 20 minutes from the start of the Láscar trail, with a rested body and without the 3 AM wake-up that a day trip from town requires. All the operational detail is in the page for the base camp on the Atacama altiplano.
A night under the Milky Way at Laguna Lejía and a summit on Láscar?
Private camp at 4,325 meters with 4-season tents, -20°C sleeping bags, hot dinner and a dawn push to the active crater.
What if I don't want to climb a volcano?
You can also do just the camp night, without a summit. You reach the lagoon in the afternoon, watch the sunset over the salt flat, have dinner and spend the night photographing the sky. We head back down to town after breakfast, with flamingos on the lagoon. If you are more interested in the astronomy than the mountain, we combine it with what we explain in our guide to astronomy in San Pedro de Atacama: between April and October the center of the Milky Way passes right through the zenith.
Something nobody tells you: cold cuts lithium battery life by 50% to 70%. If you are going to photograph the sky, sleep with your spare batteries inside your sleeping bag.
What to choose depending on your trip
- You are here 3 days or less: glamping in town and an astronomy tour. You don't have time to acclimatize enough to sleep above 4,000 meters and it is not worth forcing it.
- You are here 5 days or more: glamping the first nights and base camp the second-to-last one. It is the combination we recommend most.
- Traveling with small children or older adults: glamping. Base camp requires good health and tolerance for cold.
- You want to climb your first 5,000 or 6,000-meter volcano: base camp, no question. The difference in energy on summit day shows.
- You have your own gear and vehicle: camping in town, or hire just the 4x4 transfer and camp at altitude on your own. If you are short on warm clothing, see where to rent camping gear in San Pedro.
Frequently asked questions
How much does glamping cost in San Pedro de Atacama?
According to booking sites, between about US$35 and US$140 per night for two people, before taxes. Basic domes start around US$40 to US$60 and glampings with more services go above US$100. In high season (December to February and July) prices go up and they sell out sooner.
Is it cold in a dome in San Pedro?
It depends on the season and on whether it has heating. In summer the town's lows hover around 6 to 10°C and the problem is rather the midday heat inside the canvas. In winter the early morning drops below 0°C, so ask for a dome with heating or thick blankets.
Is the altiplano base camp glamping?
No. It is a mountain camp with technical tents, expedition sleeping bags and vehicle support. You will sleep warm, but without a bed or shower. In exchange you get a Bortle 1 sky and wake up facing a volcano.
Can I sleep at base camp on the first night of my trip?
We don't recommend it and we don't do it. Sleeping at 4,325 meters without having spent at least 3 days in San Pedro and at intermediate altitudes increases the risk of altitude sickness. That is why we suggest glamping or a hotel at the start and the camp at the end.
From which glamping can you see the sky best?
From those farthest from the center with the fewest lights around; ask before booking whether the property has night lighting. Even so, none comes close to the darkness of the altiplano, where there are no lights for 60 km.
How do I book the base camp?
Message us on WhatsApp with your dates and how many days you will have spent in the area. We set up a private departure based on your acclimatization and send you the all-inclusive quote: 4x4 transport, guide, food and camping gear.
