--- title: "Baltinache Hidden Lagoons Tour: San Pedro de Atacama" date: 2026-10-08 canonical: https://tours-atacama.com/tours/baltinache-hidden-lagoons-tour/ --- # Baltinache Hidden Lagoons Tour - Ticket price: From 60 EUR per person (Prices checked 2026-10-08, prices may vary) - Duration: 4.5 hours - Best for: Quiet salt lagoon scenery, away from the crowds - Salt lagoons & springs - Check availability: https://www.getyourguide.com/san-pedro-de-atacama-l1862/san-pedro-atacama-baltinache-lagoons-t385614/?partner_id=D7H7I6M&cmp=tours-atacama_com_agent_markdown (GetYourGuide · This site contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission when you book through our links, at no extra cost to you.) - ★ Visit the seven turquoise Hidden Lagoons of Baltinache - ★ Breakfast served at the lagoons, plus an afternoon cocktail - ★ New stop at the nearby Magic Bus landmark - ★ Quieter and more remote than Laguna Cejar ## Our take I would be upfront with anyone considering this tour right now: swimming and floating at Baltinache are currently paused for maintenance and the lagoons' natural regeneration, so you are booking a scenery and breakfast excursion, not a floating experience, until that changes. If floating is the whole reason you are interested, book the Laguna Cejar tour instead and come back to Baltinache another trip once the lagoons reopen. The **Baltinache Hidden Lagoons tour** visits the seven Lagunas Escondidas de Baltinache, a cluster of turquoise salt lagoons further from San Pedro de Atacama than Laguna Cejar and noticeably quieter as a result, over roughly 4.5 hours from EUR 60 per person. ## An important update on the Baltinache Hidden Lagoons Tour Starting late September 2026, swimming and floating at the Baltinache lagoons have been paused for maintenance and to let the lagoons regenerate naturally. The tour itself continues to operate, and the operator has added a stop at the nearby Magic Bus, a well-known local landmark, to round out the visit. If floating is specifically why you want to book this tour, check with your operator for the current status before paying, since this is a real, temporary change to what the product delivers rather than a permanent feature. ## What makes the Baltinache Hidden Lagoons Tour special, even without floating? The lagoons' turquoise color against bone-white salt crust is striking on its own, and the drive out to Baltinache passes through open salt flat scenery that most day-trippers closer to town never see. The site is also simply quieter than Laguna Cejar, since the extra distance keeps it off many shorter itineraries. ## What to expect on the Baltinache Hidden Lagoons Tour Pickup is from your accommodation within the urban area of San Pedro de Atacama; pickup outside town is not included. The drive to the lagoons takes you further into the salt flat than Laguna Cejar, and a breakfast is served on arrival. The route now includes a stop at the Magic Bus near Baltinache before an afternoon cocktail closes out the visit, with the return trip dropping the group back in the center of San Pedro de Atacama. ## Is the Baltinache Hidden Lagoons Tour worth it right now? If you are drawn to the quiet, remote feel of the lagoons and you are comfortable with a scenery-and-breakfast format rather than a float, yes. If floating specifically is the reason you are interested, I would be honest that this is not the right time, and the Laguna Cejar tour delivers that experience today without the uncertainty. ## What does the Baltinache Hidden Lagoons Tour include? The price covers shared transportation, a bilingual guide, hotel pickup within San Pedro de Atacama's urban area, breakfast, and an afternoon cocktail. The lagoon entrance fee is typically paid in advance in cash directly at the agency, separate from the tour price itself, so confirm the current amount and payment method with your operator. ## Getting there Pickup only covers accommodations inside San Pedro de Atacama's urban area; if you are staying further out, arrange your own transport to a central meeting point. The operator stays in touch via WhatsApp ahead of the trip to confirm timing and logistics. ## Insider tips for the Baltinache Hidden Lagoons Tour Pack a change of clothes and a towel regardless of the current swimming pause, since conditions can change and it costs nothing to be prepared. Bring cash for the entrance fee, since card payment through a link can carry an added processing surcharge. The lagoons sit at a modest altitude of around 3,600 meters, lower than the altiplano excursions, so this is a reasonable choice even early in a trip while you are still adjusting. Chile's official tourism board, [SERNATUR](https://www.sernatur.cl), publishes general guidance on visiting the Salar de Atacama area responsibly. ## How does this compare to other Atacama lagoon tours? For a guaranteed float right now, book the [Laguna Cejar floating tour](https://tours-atacama.com/laguna-cejar-floating-tour/) instead, which sits closer to town and currently allows swimming. If you want salt flat scenery combined with red rock formations and a flamingo reserve in one longer day, the [Piedras Rojas and Altiplano Lagoons tour](https://tours-atacama.com/piedras-rojas-altiplano-lagoons-tour/) covers more ground at a higher altitude. Our [San Pedro de Atacama tours comparison](https://tours-atacama.com/) lists every lagoon and salt-flat option side by side. ## Who should not book this tour? Travelers whose main goal is floating should wait or book Laguna Cejar instead until Baltinache's lagoons reopen for swimming. Children under 3 and pregnant travelers are not recommended for this tour by the operator, and travelers over 80 should check with the operator about the walking involved at the site. ## What's included - ✓ Shared transportation - ✓ Bilingual guide, Spanish and English - ✓ Hotel pickup within San Pedro de Atacama's urban area - ✗ Swimming and floating, currently paused for maintenance - ✗ Lagoon entrance fee, paid separately in cash - ✗ Pickup outside San Pedro de Atacama's urban area ## Route and itinerary 1. **Pickup in San Pedro de Atacama**: Your guide collects you from your accommodation within the urban area of San Pedro de Atacama. Pickup outside the town center is not included, so confirm your address qualifies when booking. 2. **Drive to the Lagunas Escondidas de Baltinache**: The seven Hidden Lagoons of Baltinache sit further from town than Laguna Cejar, which is exactly why they stay quieter. The route itself is part of the appeal, cutting through open salt flat scenery most day-trippers never see. 3. **Breakfast at the lagoons**: A breakfast is served at the site, giving the group time to take in the turquoise color of the lagoons against the white salt crust before moving on to the next stop. 4. **Stop at the Magic Bus**: A new stop added to the route after swimming was paused at the lagoons: the Magic Bus, a well-known local landmark near Baltinache, gives the group something distinct to see and photograph as part of the same excursion. 5. **Afternoon cocktail**: The tour includes an afternoon cocktail, typically served as the group prepares to head back, rounding out the visit even without the swimming component currently available. 6. **Return to San Pedro de Atacama**: The drive back drops the group at the center of San Pedro de Atacama, since pickup and drop-off both run through the urban area rather than individual outlying accommodations. ## FAQs ### Can I still swim or float at the Baltinache Hidden Lagoons? No, not currently. Swimming and floating have been paused since late September 2026 for maintenance and to let the lagoons regenerate naturally. ### What is included on the Baltinache Hidden Lagoons Tour now that floating is paused? Transportation, a bilingual guide, breakfast at the lagoons, a new stop at the nearby Magic Bus, and an afternoon cocktail. ### Is the Baltinache lagoon entrance fee included in the tour price? No, it is usually paid separately in cash directly at the agency before the trip starts. ### How far is Baltinache from San Pedro de Atacama? Further than Laguna Cejar, which is why Baltinache tends to feel quieter and less crowded. ### Should I book Baltinache or Laguna Cejar right now? If floating is your priority, book Laguna Cejar, since swimming there is currently available while Baltinache's is paused. ### Is pickup included from anywhere in San Pedro de Atacama for this tour? Only from accommodations within the urban area; outlying stays need their own transport to a central meeting point.