Salar de Uyuni Tour, Bolivia: Complete guide
My experience visiting Salar de Uyuni and its mind-blowing landscapes: How to get there + what you'll see on a guided tour to world's largest salt flats.
Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia are the largest salt flats in the world, with an extension of 10,582 kilometers and an altitude of 3,660 meters (12,000 ft) above sea level. This area is so big that it can be seen from space!
This incredible place has been on my bucket list for a long time, so we decided to book the Salar de Uyuni 3 days jeep tour as part of our Peru + Bolivia off the beaten track itinerary.
My experience on the Salar de Uyuni Tour 3 Days / 2 Nights
When planning the Salar de Uyuni tour, we were really undecided between the 1-day and 3-day excursions. The 1-day tour only covers the Salar de Uyuni itself, while most 3-days tours go all the way south until the Chilean border, in the remote area of the Sud Lipez desert.
We visited in April/May when the rainy season is usually over. We knew that most likely we wouldn’t see the famous water mirroring effects, therefore, we decided to book the Salar de Uyuni 3D / 2N tour to explore beyond the salt flats and discover the surrounding desert as well, which we were told was mind-blowing.
How to get to Salar de Uyuni
What makes this place really unique is its remote location. The town of Uyuni in Bolivia is where most Salar de Uyuni tours begin. There’s not much to see and do in this city besides some hotels, cafés and restaurants. We decided to not spend a night here.
What’s the best way to get to Uyuni? If you are travelling from La Paz, the fastest way is the direct flight La Paz-Uyuni. There are a few flights per week operating this route. If you are looking for a cheaper option (like we did) it’s also possible to get there by night bus.
In this blog post I shared my (mixed) experiences travelling by bus in South America. From La Paz to Uyuni and return we’ve travelled with the bus company Todo Turismo. We were very happy with the service, safety and reliability.
The bus arrived in Uyuni early morning of the first day and departed back to La Paz on the third day at the end of our excursion.
Price
We paid 180 USD per person for the 3 days Salar de Uyuni tour in Spanish, with private room, showers and all meals included. We joined a group of four people plus the driver.
Comparing between different operators can be overwhelming. Here are some tips:
Tours in Spanish are usually much cheaper than English tours
Some operators offer packages with shared rooms or with private rooms (for couples) at an extra cost
Not all packages include access to shower facilities, this needs to be paid separately in some cases.
Access to some places needs to be paid separately
A deposit was not necessary in our case. We had to pay the full amount in cash before departure.
If you are travelling on a budget, you might be able to negotiate the price a little bit. Make sure that you still get the same value for money!
TIP: It’s best to clarify these points in writing before arriving in Uyuni to avoid bad surprises once you are there.
What we saw
During the Salar de Uyuni 3 days tour we saw some of the most incredible and remote landscapes. I won’t go into too much detail as part of the experience is seeing the landscapes with your own eyes 🙈 If you want to skip to the next section, click here.
Day 1: Salar de Uyuni
The train cemetery near Uyuni
Driving through the largest salt flats in the world and enjoying the unobstructed views
Lunch break at the Salt Hotel
Capturing funny pictures and videos with our group
Small hike on the Incahuasi island between thousand-year old cactuses and rock formations
Happy hour at sunset
Days 2 and 3: The Lipez Desert
During these two days we reached the southernmost point of the desert, bordering with the Chilean border
We saw volcanoes, colored lagoons, rock formations made of solidified lava
Throughout the journey we stopped to observe the unique wildlife including flamingos, vizcachas, vicunas, and more.
Had an early morning walk by the mighty geysers located at 5,000 mt (16,400 ft) above sea level
We also stopped for a bath at the thermals (outside temperature 4/5°C, water temperature 37°C)
On the negative side, the return journey back to Uyuni on the third day felt very long, with few interruptions. Sitting in the car for such a long time can get uncomfortable due to the bumpy road.
Accessibility
We spent most of the time in the car, with some breaks in between and small walks / hikes (optional). Despite the little physical activity, we still felt some effects of high altitude, especially at night when it was difficult to catch sleep.
It’s highly recommended to be in good shape and already used to high altitudes in order to fully enjoy this trip.
Facilities
Simple accommodations, yet well equipped. We’ve slept both nights in private rooms with own bathroom and showers, and both nights we had hot water.
On the second night electricity was only available for 3 hours (6-9pm), but that was enough for everyone to recharge their phones and cameras.
The rooms were very cold at night, especially on the second night. We were sleeping at 4,600 mt (15,000 fr) above sea level in an area where temperatures can drop up to -28°C (-82°F) at night (!). Our beds had very thick blankets and we had sleeping bags with us, but it’s essential to wear warm clothes.
Food
Breakfast, lunch and dinner were included in our package. The food was good, with a nice mix of main dishes to pick from. Vegetarian options were also available. We had the feeling the portions were not particularly generous, but we also had snacks with us to eat during the day.
Weather in Salar de Uyuni and the Desert
The rainy season in Salar de Uyuni goes from November to March, and the dry season from April to October.
We traveled in the beginning of May and the weather was mostly sunny with no rain. This means there was no water mirroring effect on the salt flats, but we knew that. Temperatures were relatively mild during the day, and cold when the sun went down.
Summary
Visiting Salar de Uyuni and the surrounding desert in Bolivia was a once in a lifetime experience. It’s easy to understand why this place is on the bucket list of most travellers.
If you are travelling to South America, I would totally recommend adding this destination to your itinerary, either one day (during the rainy season) or three days (during the dry season). Be prepared to cover long distances, but it will be totally worth it. Enjoy!
Full Salar de Uyuni itinerary + Highlights on Google Maps
Premium subscribers have access to the Google Maps version of my full itinerary + highlights of the Salar de Uyuni Tour, Bolivia.
Click here to see my full itinerary on Google Maps.
About me:
As a passionate traveler and airline & hospitality expert I've been lucky to experience travel from behind the scenes -From crossing the Andes by bus, to flying Business class to the Maldives.
Some fun facts about my trips:
I’ve visited 5 of the 7 New World Wonders
Lowest point I’ve reached: Death Valley, California at -86 mt (-282 ft) altitude
Highest point I’ve reached: The Andes, 5,050 mt (16,568 ft) altitude
I've stayed at 100+ accommodations, from a tent in the Savannah to a houseboat on a French river
I’ve travelled 350,000+ km across 45+ countries and 5 continents by bus, car, boat, bike, hiking and so much more…
In my blog Beating Jetlag I share my travel experiences, insider tips and behind-the-scenes content for smart adventurers, as well as travel marketing recommendations for Creators. You can read more about me here.