3 Best Places to Go Swimming in the Atacama Desert

I thought the Atacama, being the driest place on Earth, would be completely waterless. I couldn’t be more wrong!

During my 1-week trip to the Atacama, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the desert has lots of bodies of water, including some awesome natural places to go swimming!

TL;DR: Best places to go swimming in the Atacama Desert
✅ Puritama Hot Springs
✅ Laguna Cejar
✅ Termas de Purilibre
❌ Baltinache Lagoons (avoid; no longer allows swimming)

Where can you swim in the Atacama Desert?

Yes! And hotel pools are not the only option for swimming in the Atacama!

Near San Pedro de Atacama, there are three great tourist sites where you can swim in beautiful and natural bodies of water:

1. Puritama Hot Springs (AKA Termas de Puritama)

Puritama Hot Springs is known as the best place to swim in the Atacama, and it really deserves the title!

Their facilities are the most “spa-like” of the swimming options in the Atacama. They have beautiful wooden trails that lead to lots of different pools and waterfalls.

The mineral-rich waters stay in temperatures between 28°C (82°F) and 31°C (89°F), which is perfect for a refresh from the very dry environment of the Atacama.

I REALLY wanted to visit Puritama, but when I tried buying tickets they were sold out for at least a week, which was truly a bummer.

If swimming at Termas de Puritama is on your Atacama bucket list, make sure to prebook a tour or buy tickets online if you’re planning to visit independently.

Though I couldn’t swim at Puritama, some friends whom I met in the Atacama did. They sent me amazing pictures and only had great things to say about the experience!

2. Laguna Cejar

Laguna Cejar is a really cool salt lagoon in the Atacama where you can float Dead Sea-style!

Though it makes for a very fun experience, swimming in the lagoon has a few downsides.

Many people complain that the water is very cold, that the visit can be feel very rushed, and that the facilities aren’t in good shape.

I also really wanted to swim at Laguna Cejar, but their tickets were sold out for the duration of my Atacama trip. If you want to float in this giant salt lagoon, make sure to book your tour well in advance (or pre-purchase tickets if you’re planning to drive there yourself.)

3. Termas de PuriLibre

Termas de Purilibre is s true hidden gem in the Atacama!

It is always open, free to enter, super fun to explore, and you might be able to spot some cool Atacama wildlife there if you’re lucky!

For spontaneous travelers like me, Termas de PuriLibre is a blessing because it does not have a ticketing system and therefore does not need to be booked in advance.

I drove to and explored Termas de Purilibre by myself, but local tour agencies offer guided hiking and swimming tours in the region.

Honestly, the guided tour to Termas de Purilibre seems a lot more fun than the independent exploration.

There is very little information about what paths to take once you reach the area, so finding the coolest pools is a bit of a treasure hunt if you don’t have a guide.

❌ Avoid for swimming: Salt Lagoons at Baltinache

I saw insane pictures of people swimming in the hidden lagoons of Baltinache and instantly added it to my Atacama bucket list!

After putting on a swimsuit, driving 2+ hours, with a good chunk of that on dirt roads, I was beyond upset to hear that as of late 2024 swimming in the lagoons would no longer be allowed for environmental reasons (which is good!).

The sight of the lagoons was still stunning, but I am not sure if it was worth such a long and bumpy ride.

Nowhere on the internet did I see anyone mentioning that swimming in Baltinache is no longer allowed, and I had even looked at some recent reviews of people saying how nice it is to swim in these beautiful salt lagoons.

If you’re heading to the Salt Lagoons at Baltinache with hopes of swimming, make sure to call the site operators directly to confirm if they’re allowing tourists to enter the lagoons.

The wrap-up: Where to swim in the Atacama

The Atacama Desert might be the driest place on Earth, but it still has magical places to take a dip.

Whether you’re looking for a relaxing spa-like experience at Puritama, the salt lagoon floating experience of Laguna Cejar, or the adventurous, free-to-enter pools at Termas de PuriLibre, there are incredible ways to enjoy water in the middle of the desert.

Just remember to book the popular spots early to make sure you’ll be able to see everything you want!