Rainbow Valley and the Yerbas Buenas Petroglyphs: Three Tours Compared
4 min read
Book a morning tour that combines Rainbow Valley (Valle del Arcoíris) with the Yerbas Buenas petroglyphs, and check one thing first: whether the entry fee is in the price or paid in cash on the spot. The two sites sit close together and every tour below visits both, so the real differences are the fee, the group size and the length of the day.
What you are visiting
According to Chile Travel, Rainbow Valley lies about 90 km from San Pedro, near the Yerbas Buenas petroglyphs. It describes soil in reddish, green and yellow tones from mixed minerals, clay and iron, and dates the rock art to around 10,000 years ago. One tour page gives a different age for the petroglyphs, up to 6,000 years, so treat any single figure with care. The operator of the first tour below puts the valley at roughly 3,000 m above sea level. Sernatur lists the petroglyphs as a private park in the Río Grande area; the registry marks the entry as no longer current.
Three tours compared
| Tour | Length | Group | Entry fee | From the booking page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Valley Tour and Petroglyphs (Yerbas Buenas) | 6 hours | Minimum of 6 people | Paid on site: CLP 5,000 for the valley plus CLP 5,000 for the petroglyphs, cash only | Breakfast, hotel pickup; not for children under 7 or pregnant women |
| Rainbow Valley, Atacama’s Colorful Mountains | 6 hours | Up to 15 | CLP 10,000 per person named in the list; ticket instructions sent by WhatsApp | Breakfast, hotel pickup, bilingual guide |
| Rainbow Valley Tour and Petroglyphs | 5 hours | Up to 14 | Unclear: the inclusions list tickets, the itinerary marks the valley as extra fee | Pickup from 7:00 am, back around 12:30 pm; not for children under 6 |
Prices are €32.09 for the first, €48 for the second and €47.24 for the third, rated 4.7, 4.7 and 4.9 stars.
Reading the small print
The first tour is the one where the price on the page is not the full cost: the entry fee is paid in Chilean pesos, in cash, at the sites. The page also says the agency runs with a minimum of 6 people and, if that is not reached, partners with another agency or refunds you. The third tour contradicts itself on tickets, so ask the operator before you pay for a second set at the gate. The second tour names the CLP 10,000 fee and says it will send instructions for getting the ticket by WhatsApp; check on the booking page whether the fee is shown as included.
The second tour’s page says you walk a little in the valley and that it is not a heavy walk. It also says it is not an altitude tour and suits the first days of a stay. That is the operator’s view, not an official one, but it matches Chile Travel’s general advice to rest on arrival; our altitude guide explains how to order your trips.
Which to book
If you want to know the full cost before you go, the first tour is the clearest: the tour price plus CLP 10,000 in cash per person at the sites. The third tour is the shortest at 5 hours, back around 12:30 pm, and has 84 reviews at 4.9 stars; ask the operator about tickets first. The Colorful Mountains tour caps the group at 15; check on its booking page whether the fee is shown as included. All three list breakfast; for lunch, ask the operator, and pack water, a hat and closed shoes. More options are on the things to do page.
