Is Renting a Car in Atacama Worth It? Real Costs, Pros & Mistakes

Whilst planning our time in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, I was trying to figure out: is it worth renting a car or should we book tours from San Pedro de Atacama (SPdA)?

On paper, having your own car sounds like the obvious choice… but start adding up the rental, fuel, entrance fees and all the little logistics that come with independent travel and suddenly the answer isn’t quite as straightforward. On the other hand: tours may cost more but removes having to worry about logistics and planning. So… which actually makes more sense?

Honestly, there’s no one size fits all answer to this. However, I think I’ve got it narrowed down. It’ll depend on how many people you’ll be travelling with, how long you’re staying for and whether or not you want to drive. We rented an SUV during our time there and drove all around the Atacama ourselves – so you know I’ve got the actual costs to compare. If you’re travelling as a couple, the costs can be surprisingly close. Add another person or two and the maths starts changing quite quickly.

Personally, I prefer doing things independently whenever possible. It can be a smidge more stressful logistically, but I really enjoy having the freedom to visit places at our own pace, change our plans when we want to and stop somewhere just because it looks interesting. In the Atacama, where everything is so spread out, I found that flexibility particularly useful. But there are also a couple of situations where I’d absolutely choose a tour, even after having a rental car for the rest of the trip. So if you’re trying to decide between renting a car and booking tours in the Atacama, let’s get into what the difference actually looks like.

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The reality of renting a car in the Atacama

There are sections where you’ll be driving on graded gravel and dirt roads… While the main roads are generally straightforward and paved, that won’t be the case during your entire stay. There are also animals (llamas and alpacas) around. It’s definitely not the sort of roads I’d want to spend the whole time worrying about whether a little bit of damage is going to cost me a fortune! We came across a family trying to get home with a fully punctured tyre (don’t worry, I helped change their tyre for them).

In all honesty, we did book this last minute and over the New Year’s holiday period when there weren’t many options available. Your car costs will vary depending on how far in advance you booked, when you visit and the type of car you rent… For reference: our total car related costs were £320 for two people. This breaks down to £27 per person per day for two people.

• Car Rental (6 days): £240
• Fuel: £80

We also rented the car for a lot longer than most. Rather than trying to squeeze everything into two or three days. We ended up staying in the Atacama for longer than we planned. Part of that was because I don’t have a great track record with altitude so the extra time for acclimatization was useful… The other reason was that there were not really any tours to Uyuni over New Years holiday period (for safety reasons). This is something I’d keep in mind when deciding whether to rent a car or book tours – because a rental makes much more sense when you have enough time to actually use the flexibility you’re paying for.

Where should you rent a car?

We flew into Calama, Chile and picked up our rental car from here. We rented through DiscoverCars and personally, we found them to be perfectly fine! From Calama Airport, it’s an hour drive to San Pedro de Atacama – so easy to land, pick up your rental and drive straight to SPdA.

We were visiting during peak season, so we wanted to make sure we had a rental booked before arriving. Unfortunately, we couldn’t find any agencies online that were based out San Pedro de Atacama itself. We later found out there is one agency in town but because you can’t book it online, you’re taking a bit of a gamble on whether they’ll actually have a car available when you need it. For that reason, I’d recommend booking your rental in Calama in advance, particularly if you’re visiting during a busy period.

What driving around the Atacama desert is actually like?

Driving itself was pretty straighforward. The roads are scenic, decently marked and easy enough to navigate with offline maps. Since we rented an SUV, we had a lot more flexibility with where we could go and didn’t have to worry as much about the gravel and dirt roads. That doesn’t mean you can simply drive anywhere you like – check the current access requirements for each attraction before setting off. There are huge stretches of highway where you can drive for a while without seeing much traffic. These main roads are mostly paved (with the occasional pothole). Whilst the roads leading to an attraction may be graded gravel or a dirt access road. If you’re already comfortable driving in remote areas, I wouldn’t say the Atacama desert is challenging at all. You don’t need to have 4×4 offroad experience to handle driving here.

However, if you’re not used to driving on gravel, take it slow and give yourself plenty of time. You want to approach it carefully rather than rush through it. We didn’t have any issues with the driving – just would avoid renting a tiny city car and assume that’ll be good enough! The main thing I’d be aware of are the distances – that can be quite deceptive. Looking on a map, the distance may not seem that far away. However, just remember that you’re in the middle of a massive desert. There isn’t neccessarily any conveniencies (coffee shops/pit stops or petrol stations) waiting around for you. It’s the type of place where you just need to be prepared beforehand.

When does renting a car make sense?

For me, the biggest advantage was the freedom having a rental car gave. We could decide when we wanted to leave, how long we wanted to stay and whether we wanted to change our plans depending on how we felt. We could explore independently without being tied to a group and if we weren’t interested in an attraction on a particular day, we could skip it altogether. Really useful for travellers similar to us who appreciate having the option of stopping at a random viewpoint… stopping somewhere that caught our eye. Of course, it goes without saying that with freedom comes more responsibility, as you’re the one doing the driving and navigating. Personally, it’s a trade off I’d happily make every time.

It goes without saying that the number of people you’re travelling with will make the biggest difference. The more people you have in a car, the cheaper it’ll be as you can spread the rental and fuel cost between yous. Whereas between a couple, it’s more a judgement call as the tour costs and rental are quite close to one another. However, the main swaying point is assuming everyone is happy with the idea of self driving.

What about tours? Do they make sense to do?

If you plan to visit the Atacama Desert as a solo traveller, then from a financial standpoint, it makes no sense to rent a car as that will be higher than the cost of a tour. If you’re a group and you are only planning to be in San Pedro de Atacama for a couple of days, then it’s worth considering if the hassle of renting a car from Calama is worth it. And if you are someone who does not enjoy driving – then truly, it makes little sense to rent a car.

Another note – there are some things I’d absolutely consider booking as a tour even if you go ahead with renting a car. The most obvious being stargazing. You can absolutely drive yourself to somewhere dark however, you won’t have access to proper stargazing equipment, information or someone who actually knows what you’re looking at rather than guessing or depending on AI. If you’re interested in astronomy rather than simply wanting to see a lot of stars – I’d reckon a tour is the way to go.

Another tour worth considering would be El Tatio Geysers. As geysers are most active at sunrise and it’s quite a distance away from SPdA, most tours depart early, I’m talking 0400hrs early which is brutal. If you’re comfortable with an early start and altitude, then you could easily do this independently. However, if you’re only in the region for a short amount of time, then a tour could prove useful as they’ll take on all the logistics of the trip.

You can explore independently and with a tour

You don’t need to just pick one approach. A hybrid approach can make a lot of sense. If you’ve done a cost analysis, you could easily rent a car for the attractions you want the freedom to explore independently and book tours for something like stargazing, where having a guide with specialised knowledge and equipment adds value to your experience. It’ll give you the independence of a rental without feeling overwhelmed with having to organize everything yourself.

Car vs Tours: The Cost Comparison

I’m an engineer, so naturally I love a good cost-benefit analysis. The comparison below is based on two people and looks at the direct costs of renting a car versus booking tours. It doesn’t include accommodation, food or other general travel expenses, because those costs would apply regardless of which option you choose.

Note: These costs were taken from 2026 tour prices and entrance prices.

Independent Self-Drive – £420 for two people (£210 per person)

• Rental + fuel: £320
  • Car rental for 6 days: £240
  • Fuel: £80
• Total entrance fees: 128 800 CLP (£100 for two people)
  • Rainbow Valley + Petroglyphs: 20 000 CLP
  • Lagoon Chaxa: 27 200 CLP
  • Lagoon Cejar: 30 000 CLP
  • Piedras Rojas: 30 000 CLP
  • Moon Valley: 21 600 CLP

Tours for Two People – 500 000 CLP for two people (£390 for two people or £195 per person)

• Valle de la Luna: 80 000 CLP + 21 600 CLP entrance fees
• Laguna Cejar: 80 000 CLP + 30 000 CLP entrance fees
• Piedras Rojas + Laguna Chaxa: 130,000 CLP + 57 200 CLP entrance fees
• Rainbow Valley + Petroglyphs: 80 000 CLP + 20 000 CLP entrance fees

It is worth double checking the current entrance fees and tour prices (and their inclusions) as they can change. Some tour agencies may charge higher tour rates but entrance fees may be included. So the comparisons may not be as clear cut as they appear. In addition, the exchange rate obviously affects how close the two options are in pounds. You may use this as a guide but avoid treating these figures as absolute truth without doing your own research. The most useful point you should take from this is that for a couple – the costs are comparable once you’ve added the attraction entrance fees. However, once there’s a third or fourth person in the car, you’ll be spreading the rental and fuel costs between more people, which changes the calculation quite a bit.

Things to keep in mind before renting a car

Obviously, costs will play a role in whether you go for this option. However, the next biggest thing to consider is whether you’re comfortable driving independently in a remote environment. However, with a bit of planning, anyone should be able to handle it.

Don’t underestimate distances

You’ll probably want to visit everywhere whilst you’re in the Atacama!! Just keep in mind that it can take a while to get between attractions. There’s a lot of driving involved and not all places aren’t located conveniently around San Pedro de Atacama. I’d recommend planning one main area per day. You obviously want to enjoy your road trip and minimize driving!

Give yourself time to acclimatize

You may not even know it yet but altitude can affect you or it might not be an issue. This is very dependent on each individual. What this means is that even if you’re the fittest person out there, you still might be impacted by altitude sickness! Trust me, I found this out the hard way when I was in Peru a decade ago. Don’t arrive and start planning to hit the attractions at 4000+m elevation immediately. Give yourself a day or two.

Fill up on fuel

Fuel stations are scattered around SPdA but they aren’t commonly found once you start venturing out. Make sure to fill up before your car gets to half tank. It’s better for your peace of mind that you’re able to get back to SPdA!

Downloading offline maps

Mobile signal isn’t something I’d rely on once you leave San Pedro de Atacama… My recommendation is to download Google Maps offline for the area you’ll be visiting. It’ll be handy to also have Maps.Me as a backup. Be sure to have a look at the general route before hitting the road. It’s always good to have a general idea of the route you’ll be taking. While having a rental car means you’ll have the freedom to explore, stick to the roads you’re supposed to be on rather than assuming everywhere is fair game because while it’ll give you the confidence of exploring anywhere, it doesn’t make you invincible.

So, is it worth renting a car in the Atacama?

I’m here for no fluff, so here’s my recommendation based on our experience:

• Solo travellers: financially, tours are likely to make more sense.
• Couples: the costs can be surprisingly similar, so I’d base the decision more on how much freedom you want.
• Groups of 3+: price up a rental car because the cost per person starts coming down.

Obviously money shouldn’t be your only deciding factor, have a look at what makes sense for your travel style. If you’re someone who appreciates having the freedom for independent travel and happy to go with the flow, I think you’d appreciate having your own car rental. My recommendation would always be to have your own rental for the “easier attractions” and for places like El Tatio Geyser and for stargazing, hop onto a tour!

Recommended next reads

Planning a trip through northern Chile? My Ultimate Planning Guide to the Atacama Desert goes into more detail about what to expect and how to prepare. It also covers the main attractions you can visit in the region.

Planning to continue your travels into Bolivia? Start with 3 Day Uyuni Salt Flat Tour Itinerary from Chile: What to Expect Each Day (2026 Guide) for a day by day look at the journey. If you want more information about the Uyuni Salt Flats themselves, check out Discovering Bolivia: A Guide to the Salar de Uyuni.