Sandboarding

Sandboarding in the Atacama is surprisingly popular among backpackers, despite the occasional heat rash and painful abrasions. Many agencies offer a three-hour sandboarding excursion into the Valle de la Muerte from 4 pm to 9 pm—the intelligent way to beat the desert heat. These tours run about 15,000 pesos and include an instructor. If you're brave and have your own transportation, you can rent just the board for 7,000 pesos. There are several combination tours with Valle de la Luna. Since a fall on the sand can be hard, you should wear a helmet and board with caution.