Uyuni salt flats Tour 3D/2N Uyuni – Uyuni (with basic accommodation). During the dry season the 1st night is in a salt hostel.

Day 1 (L, D)

We will leave Uyuni around 10.00 AM. First stop is the train cemetery where you can see the rusty old trains lined up. Next stop is at ´Colchani´ where we can observe the process of extracting the salt. From there we will ´enter´ the Uyuni salt flats and drive to ´Isla Pescado´ where we can see giant cactuses. The island is called Isla Pescado because it looks like a fish when you see it from a distance. It is the only sign of life for miles. We will have lunch here.

Today you will also visit the Dakar salt monument (representing the annual Dakar Rally Race which is now held in South America) and Plaza de Banderas or Flag Square (a salt platform near the Dakar Monument with flags planted by visitors from all over the world.

After lunch we will continue our trip to San Juan where we will spend the night in a hostel partially made of salt (only possible during the dry season).

Day 2 (B, L, D)

At 07.30 (right after breakfast) we will visit salar de Chiguana and the Ollague volcano which is semi active. Afterwards we will see some small lakes with different colours where we can observe flamingos. Lunch time! After lunch we will drive through the Siloli desert where we will find the tree made out of stone (Arbol de Piedra). Next stop is the spectacular Laguna Colorada (red coloured lake) where we can spot 3 different species of flamingos. After visiting Laguna Colorada we will continue our journey to Huayllajara where we will spend the night in a hostel. It can get cold at night!

Day 3 (B, L)

Today very early at around 05.30 am we will visit the geysers of Sol de Mañana and we can take a bath in the hot springs of Polques (the temperature of the water is approx. 30 degrees Celsius). After this relaxing bath we will have breakfast and we will continue our trip to the desert of Salvador Dali where we can enjoy the view of surreal landscapes. From there on we will go on to Laguna Verde, although Laguna Verde is not that green early in the morning. We are really close to the Chilean border now. People travelling onwards to San Pedro de Atacama (Chile) will take transport from here to San Pedro (around 10.00 AM but subject to change) by either public bus or private transport. The public bus will arrive in San Pedro around 11.00 / 11.30. The people returning to Uyuni will take the same way back with the addition of visiting the rock valley of San Cristobal with its picturesque colonial church. We will be back in Uyuni around 18.30.

IMPORTANT! Due to weather and road conditions the routes and hotel reservations can sometimes be changed without notice. This is the reason why the itinerary is only for reference, and is not to be taken as an exact itinerary of what this tour implies. Rain, snow, ice and strong winds for example can cause some parts of the route to temporarily become impassable and may oblige us to make changes in the itinerary. But take notice that if we have to make changes it is for your own safety. The surroundings of Uyuni are one of most isolated areas in the world. Please note that this trip is +/- 1000 Kms of driving over unpaved roads at high altitude. 

Rainy season: the rainy season is roughly from January to April (subject to change). During this period parts of the Salar may be covered with water. This means that even though it will still be possible to do the trip and to visit the Salar with its beautiful lagoons, as well as the highlights of the trip, the water on the Salar may prevent us from being able to cross it for several hours like you would do during the dry season. You will therefore not be able to get to Isla Incahuasi / Fish Island. You can still visit the shores of the Uyuni salt flats though. With water on the Salar it is not possible to sleep in the salt hostel, we then use an alternative hostel.

When the Salar is covered with a little bit of water it also becomes one big mirror which is a beautiful setting for pictures. Many photographers even specifically visit the Salar during this rainy season in order to capture beautiful pictures. With too much water however the mirror-effect is gone. Needless to say we cannot predict whether or not it will rain before or during your trip, it’s up to Mother Nature.

Please note that during this trip you will be traveling in a very remote area at high altitude and with medical assistance far away.
Everybody responds differently to altitude. However, we recommend that you give your body enough time to acclimatise to the high altitude.
(This is why we do not recommend to travel from sea level directly to Uyuni to do this trip, without spending a couple of days acclimating to a high elevation before beginning your tour.)
We recommend to take tablets against altitude sickness such as Diamox tablets or similar. Please consult your doctor for any medical related questions (regarding traveling at high altitude).

Tour includes:

• Overnight stay in hostels. During the dry season the 1st night is in a salt hostel. Take notice that the hostels do not always have heating or warm water. On the first night warm water is sometimes available at the price of $1 or $2 paid directly to the hostel’s owner.
• Meals.
• Transport in a 4X4 including oxygen bottle.
• Spanish speaking driver-guide.

Tours do not include:

• Entrance fees.
• Alcoholic drinks, personal snacks and tips.

Optional:

• We can help you purchasing bus tickets to Sucre, Potosi or La Paz
• Hotel reservations in Uyuni after the tour has finished
• English speaking guide.
• Private transport to or from either Calama in Chile, or Sucre, Potosi and La Paz in Bolivia.

What we recommend you to take with you:

The route to the salt lake is cold, windy and with high solar radiation. During the day it is generally sunny and the weather is pleasant but it can get cold at night. Our recommendations on what to bring with you:

• Warm clothes.
• Gloves.
• Hat that covers your ears and protects you from the sun.
• Warm boots (and / or rain boots during the rainy season)
• Towel.
• Swimming suit.
• Lip moisturizer.
• Sun block 30+.
• Sun glasses (the sun rays on the surface of the salt desert create a dazzling, blinding light. Therefore we highly recommend you to bring sunglasses with high protection).
• Flashlight.
• Raincoat (From December to March).
• Extra drinking water (we provide 2 liters of bottled water per person per day).

Note: Don’t forget to bring a copy of your passport.

Please contact us in advance so we can check availability in the hotels.

Apart from the basic tour as described above, we also offer a more upmarket 3 day tour on the Salar, with better hotels and private transport.

And a luxurious option: camping in style at Kachi lodge.

We also offer the following salt flats tours:

• Uyuni – San Pedro de Atacama
• San Pedro de Atacama – Uyuni
• San Pedro de Atacama – San Pedro de Atacama
• Tupiza – Uyuni
• San Pedro – Uyuni – Tupiza
• Tupiza – Uyuni – San Pedro
• Salt flats tour from Argentina
• Uyuni stargazing tour
• 1 Full day tour Uyuni – Uyuni
• 2 day tour Uyuni-Uyuni

Check our pages about:

• how to travel to Uyuni.
• the weather in Uyuni.

More info about the salar tour? Check out the following travel blogs:

• Visiting the Uyuni salt flats with kids.
• UnBoliviable.