A tour through the Bolivian Salt Flats - One of the most beautiful places on this planet

The Bolivia Salt Flats or Salar de Uyuni is one of the most incredible places I have ever visited in my life. Spending three days in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by this world’s stunning nature, made my travel soul super full. Like most people, I started my Bolivian Salt Flats tour from Uyuni. Bolivia is known for being a little rougher to travel through compared to its neighbors like Peru or Argentina. The tourist industry is still developing there therefore knowing what to expect will make your travels a ton easier.

Although I read a ton of guides before my trip, there are a couple of things that I wish I took more seriously or have known before my journey into the Southern part of this incredible country.

Throughout my guide, I will share everything you need to know to plan your trip to the Bolivia salt flats. I will also share a general route that you are likely to take. If you don’t want spoilers for your trip stops, I suggest you only read the first part of the article. Note that if you take the 3-day tour (which I insist that you do), the name Salt Flats Tour is a huge understatement of what you will see. Yes, you will visit the salt flats but you will see SO MUCH MORE on days 2 and 3 that your brain won’t be able to comprehend the beauty that’s there.

This is your one-stop for everything you need to know about taking a Bolivia salt flat tour from Uyuni.

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Let’s get to the logistics of the Bolivian Salt Flats tour

As stated above, there are a lot of logistics involved in taking this tour. For most long-term backpackers, a Salar de Uyuni tour is a must-do in South America, and trust me, although the nomad lifestyle tends to lean toward spontaneity, some of these people are more prepared than you think. If your Bolivia itinerary is only a couple of weeks, planning this part of the trip should be a priority for you. When I visited, my income wasn’t the greatest, so I focused on budget first. Overall I spent very little money and got a fantastic experience, but in hindsight, I would do a couple of things differently and splurge on certain things.

Uyuni was a part of my 2 week Bolivia itinerary and this is the route I took for your reference:

Flew into La Paz to take a bus into Copacabana (base for Lake Titicaca) and stayed there a night to acclimate.
Then took a boat to Isla del Sol on Lake Titicaca with an overnight stay.
Returned to Copacabana to take a bus back to La Paz for 4 days.
The next stop was this Salar de Uyuni tour.
After the tour, I took an overnight bus to Sucre and stayed there for 4 days.
My last stop was Santa Cruz to which I took a flight from Sucre. I stayed there for another 3 days.

Quick Salar de Uyuni facts

Salar de Uyuni is a huge salt flat that a really long time ago used to be a lake. After the water evaporated, it left behind this amazing formation that is 100 times bigger than the Bonneville Salt Flats in the US. It is certainly a highlight of a trip to Bolivia and should not be skipped.

Don’t let the flatness fool you. The Bolivia Salt flats are located in the altiplano at an altitude of 3,656 meters (11,995 ft) so unless you’re acclimated from La Paz or any other high city, I would not take this trip before spending a few days getting used to the air. A three-day tour can take you up even higher, all the way to 4,500 meters (15,000 ft). Altitude sickness is a real and serious thing and if you’d like to know what the experience is like and how you can prevent it, I recommend reading my Cusco post. If you have no other choice, back some altitude sickness pills like acetazolamide.

There is a wet season lasting between-ish December and April and that’s the best time to see water on the flats known as the largest mirror in the world. During the rainy season, you will likely not be able to visit the cactus island. The dry season lasting from late April to November will likely guarantee better weather but limited water reflections. If you have a good driver, he will find you a good reflection even during a dry season. I visited in June and got to see some water but certainly not as vast as you seen in some photos.

Salar de Uyuni at night is an incredible place in this world to see stars due to the fact that there are no surrounding lights to block the view. Although on most tours you will be able to see the night sky, there are separate tours that do a night photography session too.

Best time to visit Bolivia Salt Flats

While you can certainly visit the Salt Flats multiple times per year, let me break down what each season will look like. If you visit during the wet season (December to February), you will be able to see the mirror effect of the place with the water. Visiting from March to May will give you the dry as well as the wet views along with fewer crowds. Remember that the seasons in Bolivia are opposite of the northern hemisphere so visiting between June to August, which is the winter months, will be the driest but also the coldest. You will see stars and endless white desert views. September to November will be similar to the previous season but you can expect more rain.

So, what is the best time to visit the Bolivia Salt Flats? Well, it depends on what perspective of the Salar you’re looking for. I personally visited in June and loved that time.

Why do I need a Bolivian Salt Flats tour?

How to get to the Bolivia Salt Flats? Well, you need a tour. If you really really wanted to, you technically can venture out into the Bolivia Salt Flats on your own, in a 4×4 jeep. However, with the logistical nightmares, no signal/wifi, remote hostels, no official roads or routes, and fairly affordable tour prices, I would not even want to attempt it. God forbid something happens to your car, you’re now in the middle of nowhere and no one to call. And cars in Bolivia are not as reliable as what you might be used to.

The arranged tours have 1 or 3-day day options. I strongly advise you against the 1-day tour because it won’t cover the second part of the trip which includes even more beautiful landscapes than the flats. From what I know, 2-day tours are not available due to the logistics of transport but correct me if I am wrong. Starting the tour from Uyuni, you’ll follow a general route with similar times and stops with other companies. Trust me when I tell you that majority of the tours are identical. On the first day, you’ll see the Salt Flats along with a couple of other stops and on days 2 and 3, you will see SO much more of the Bolivian landscape.

Don’t expect cell service or wi-fi, you MIGHT catch some at the overnight stay or one stop along the road. The night accommodations will not be the best and it will get cold at night. Oh, and a shower on the second day is not likely.

Where to start the Bolivian Salt Flats tour from?

Do not complicate your life and just start the tour from the spot you’re closest to. Again, Bolivia is not necessarily transport-friendly so take the path of least resistance 🙂 I initially planned to leave from Tupiza but when I was in La Paz and realized how long it would take to get me there, I followed the crowds through Uyuni. You have three options that the majority of the tour operators start from. I’ll start from the least popular:

San Pedro de Atacama

If you’re arriving from Chile, this is your way into Bolivia. Tour groups have this route figured out, you can start there, end there, or even take a round trip. Depends on your planned route and budget. You will see the places in reverse, starting at the southern end of Bolivia near Laguna Colorada, making your way up to Uyuni. Make sure to know your immigration requirements and obtain the correct entry/exit passport stamps to avoid any future hiccups.

Tupiza

This is a 4-day tour as you’re farther away from the actual “starting” point. These tours tend to be a little more pricey because of the extra day as well as fewer tour operator options in town. This is a popular option for Argentine travelers as Tupiza is closest to that border.

Uyuni

As this is the most popular option, the pros of this are that 1) you can arrange your tour in La Paz or even the day off in the town of Uyuni, 2) you can bargain as the tour operators are competing for customers, 3) the transfers after to Sucre or even Chile are common so they can be easily arranged. The cons however are that you will follow the most generic route with groups of people doing the same exact thing. Let me tell you this though, even with the most “touristy” option for this tour, you won’t be disappointed.

It will take about 9 hours on an overnight bus to get to the town of Uyuni from La Paz on a “lie-flat” bus for anywhere between $15-25 (which is actually expensive for Bolivia). If 9 hours on the bus doesn’t sound like something you’d enjoy, there is a 1-hour flight between the two cities but prices can be as pricey as $100 which is almost as much as the whole 3-day tour. If you’d like even more options, here is a super informative post about the transport between the two cities. After the tour, you can return to La Paz or continue your journey to another Bolivian city like Sucre or even San Pedro de Atacama in Chile.

385 Bolivia — Exciting town of Uyuni. Trust me when I tell you there is nothing there.

Packing List for the Bolivian Salt Flats tour

On the majority of the tours, your luggage will live on the roof. It will be unloaded for the overnight stops so you will be able to access your things at night. However, grab a smaller backpack with things you might want during the car ride. As far as clothes, you will need warm things. The days will be mild in temperature but the night will be cold.

Absolute must-pack items: comfy shoes, trekking clothes, warm socks, warms things to sleep in, light jacket, bathing suit, for the hot springs, flip flops, towel, water, snacks, sunscreen, wet wipes, toilet paper, a camera, extra batteries in case you don’t have electricity, and most importantly sunglasses. You can hurt your eyes if you don’t wear them as the reflection is absolutely brutal. Food will be provided by your tour. Since the nights will get super cold, you should ask whether there is an option for renting a sleeping bag.

How do I find a good Uyuni tour provider?

Repeat after me: all tours take (almost) the same route. If anyone tells you otherwise, they’re lying. For an average base price is $120 (+/- $20) you’ll get the following: a Spanish speaking driver that will be your tour guide/cook, a car up to 6 people, basic accommodations in a private room on day 1 and a shared shitty and cold hostel in the middle of nowhere on day 2. What will drive the price higher (near the $200 range) is an English-speaking driver, fewer people on your tour, better accommodations, and further transfers after the trip.

There are many known tours in town like Red Planet, Quecha, Andes or luxury tours like Ruta Verde but I can’t speak for them since I didn’t take them. You can prebook a tour online but it will cost you a little more than in person. Instead, if you have some extra time in La Paz, go to different offices and negotiate on the price. If you want, you can even book a tour the morning off when you arrive in Uyuni.

My personal experience

I arranged my tour pretty last minute in La Paz based on a hostel recommendation. My tour ended up putting me with a 1-day group for the first part of the day and then transferring to a 3-day group that was coming from Tupiza at the end of the first day. My second driver spoke no English and with my basic Spanish I ended up as the group translator for the entire trip. You don’t really need the guide to speak English as the majority of the trip is looking at landscapes. My first driver didn’t care too much but the second one was phenomenal. Even though we were on the same route as everyone, he made sure to take us to places either before or after the crowds so we always had the spots to ourselves.

Don’t forget: Always tip your drivers (assuming the correct service was provided). Whatever you negotiate with the company has nothing to do with the person who will drive you around and your tip goes directly to his pocket. If you had an amazing experience, at the end of the day an extra couple of dollars that you’ll spend on beers anyway will be more useful for the driver and their family.

DSC03434 Bolivia — Everyone makes the same stops, on the same route. You will see the same people for 3 days.

How to continue your travels after the tour?

If your start your tour in Uyuni, you’ll also end your tour there too, unless you request a transfer to Chile. From there, you can return to La Paz or continue your journey to Potosi or Sucre. All those transfers can be arranged through your tour company or you can just buy a bus ticket at the bus stations. My personal journey continued to Sucre on an overnight bus. Buses leaving from Uyuni “station” are a bit of a hectic mess. The buses leave between 9-10 pm and arrive in Sucre around 5-6 am. They go through Potosi, cost you around $10, and are not very comfy. Often though, this will be the option that makes the most sense after the tour.

I traveled with Trans 6 de Octubre, and I’d be lying if I said the journey was easy. The driver locked the bathroom door and the “lie-flat” seats slightly reclined back. I’ve never been happier than the moment we stopped in the dark, in the middle of nowhere for a pee break. Yes, I peed on a side of a dirt road with 10 other Bolivian ladies within 10 feet of me. Let me just tell you, now I know why their skirts are so wide 🙂

The second annoying thing is that if that’s your only option, you’ll be arriving in Sucre at 5 am. It is not ideal either unless you pay for an extra night at your accommodation and have a bed waiting for you. I wanted to save money and not pay for the extra night and let me tell you what a mistake that was. I tried to take a nap on the hostel couch and since my bed wasn’t ready until 2 pm, I struggled really hard to do anything. If I just booked it, I would’ve slept till 2 and still had the day to myself.

Miscellaneous things worth knowing before embarking on a Bolivia Salt Flats tour

Extra fees to expect: The entrance fee to the National Park is not included in your tour is roughly $22 USD. There is also another smaller fee (~$4 USD) for the fish island and this is something you’ll definitely want to do. Don’t forget your tip money for your driver as well.
Make sure to have some sort of camera with extra juice available. You may or may not get a chance to change things. My driver let us use his car outlet but don’t expect that from everyone.
The food will be cooked by your driver or provided at the overnight stays. It is delicious and you will love it. However, there will be no snacks or anything to munch on in between.
You will be spending a ton of time in the car with your tour group. Even if you have a pain-in-the-ass tourist in yours (like my group did), just accept it because it’s not worth ruining your experience. Establish a rotating system for the front seat and be respectful. People in these groups tend to be from different countries and have different customs. Understand that.
Unless you’re paying $700 for a personal provider and staying in upscale accommodations, this will be a rough and tiring experience. That should not stop you from taking a tour. Simply knowing that at the end of the day this is a driving tour through one of the poorest countries in South America should give you some perspective.

Ok, that was all the logistics that you need to know about taking the Bolivian salt flats tour. The next part of my guide will focus on the stops you’ll make along the route. If you’re undecided about taking the tour, I hope the next part convinces you that this is simply a must-do in your life. However, if you’ve already decided and don’t want that part spoiled for you, don’t scroll down. You’ve been warned.

Bolivian Salt Flats Tour

The itinerary below follows the route that most tour guides in Uyuni follow. There might be minor variations in the order of the stops as the route depends on the driver’s preferences. You might make a couple of bonus stops depending on the driver but don’t expect it. If you start in Chile, you’ll do this backward, if you start in Tupiza, your first day will include stops between Tupiza and Uyuni and then you will follow the route below.

Tours leaving from Uyuni start around 10 am allowing people to arrive in town. Buses start arriving around 6 or 7 am and flights from La Paz land around 8 am. Those who want to negotiate on the spot can spend an extra day in town but honestly, there is nothing to do there aside from touristy restaurants. It is totally possible to arrive in Uyuni at 7 am, find a tour, and leave at 10 am.

Day 1

Train Cemetery

Your first stop is the train cemetery or Cemeterio de Trenes, a creepy and random place. The old rusty European trains located in the middle of a Bolivian dessert with backdrops of mountains make this a rather apocalyptic site. Here is a quick backstory on them if you’re interested. When on tour, you’ll notice that all the jeeps will stop here and let you explore the grounds for about 30 or so minutes. It’s a cool place to take pictures and climb the old train. Since this is one of the first stops, be careful to not fall off or twist your ankle or your entire Salar trip will end before it even starts 🙂 I was lucky because my driver took us there twice, at the end of the last day he wanted us to experience this place without any crowds.

Colchani

A small little salt processing village, Colchani is your entrance point to the Salar. Most companies make their stop here before taking you into the Bolivia Salt Flats. It’s basically a local bazaar where you’re encouraged to either buy things you forgot to pack or silly souvenirs from your trip. People who take a one-day tour like this place because they can do their shopping. For someone going on a 3-day trip, this might not be the perfect time to buy useless things.

As I previously mentioned, I had two drivers and the first one wasn’t the greatest. He ended up leaving us there for an extended period of time to the point where my group had to call the Uyuni office to get him back. With that experience, always remember to note the phone number to the office and always take a picture of the car and license plate before you start the tour.

Salt Hotel

This is your resting place and lunch spot. Again, most tours stop here collectively and everyone eats together in a salt dome. Food is pretty good and you get some bonding times with the other travelers too. Afterward, you can check out the hotel too if that’s something that interests you. I don’t think you can stay there anymore but there are a couple of salt hotels in the area.

The coolest part about this stop is the flags outside. It’s nice for people from all over the world to walk around and look for their country flags in the middle of the Bolivian desert. Something as small as that brings a sense of unity and is just simply cute.

Uyuni Salt Flats

It’s no surprise that this stop is the centerpiece of this entire tour. There is nothing more breathtaking on this trip than seeing the Bolivia Salt Flats for the first time. The endless salt tiles take a second to process. The contrast between the baby blue sky and bright white salt is honestly mindblowing. I took a minute to just silently walk around to absorb it all.

A good tour driver will find a remote spot where you will be able to take photos without any people in the background. Most do but don’t be afraid to speak out if you have 5 jeeps surrounding you. This is the part where everyone takes silly pictures and just runs around the salt flats. It’s fun and if you have a good group, you’ll also coordinate some cool shots.

Isla del Pescado or Isla Incahuasi

This place is just trippy. Imagine an empty land of salt. You’re driving and see something in the distance that looks like a fish from far away. Then you pull up to discover a small hill filled with cacti. How random! That’s Isla del Pescado and you will be amazed at the views you can catch from there. Entry is not included in your tour but for around $5 you should certainly not skip this stop. I don’t remember exactly but the amount of time you get there is sufficient to comfortably explore it. There are snacks and water on this stop too.

Salar sunset and drive to accommodation

If you took a one-day tour, this is where it would end. But trust me this is the last thing you want to do as days 2 and 3 offer a ton more attractions. After Isla del Pescado, our driver took us to a place to see some water on the salt flats since we were traveling during the dry season. We then drove to the first accommodation which was quite pleasant. We had dinner and drinks with our fellow travelers, bonded, and went outside to watch the stars.

Day 2

Morning

After breakfast, you will start your drive into the southern part of the country with the Chilean border right on your side. Some notable stops here will include Gruta de las Galaxias and the sister salt flat called Salar de Chiguana. The next chunk is a lot of driving but you enjoy the distant Volcan Ollague and many other natural spots along the way.

Afternoon

Then you will stop at the salt lakes which honestly is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. They include Cañapa Lake, Laguna Hedionda, Laguna Hond and Laguna Ramaditas. Lunch will be outside, cooked by your driver with the lake and mountains in the background. This is honestly one of the best lunch spots I have ever eaten in. On this part of the journey, you’ll see those pink flamingos everyone also talks about too.

Evening

The night will be spent in one of the most remote places on this trip. It will be in the middle of nowhere, there will be no shower, it will be freezing inside the room and you will also share it with 6 other people. Did I sell you on this yet? Well, it’s like a fraternity initiation part of the trip. Everyone experiences the same thing, you get to talk about this part for the rest of your life, and don’t worry, your driver will wake you before sunrise to continue the journey 🙂