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Bolivia
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La Paz Department
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La Paz
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Tours & Activities
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4-Day Uyuni Salt Flats from La Paz to Atacama in Chile
4 days
About this activity
Itinerary
Day 1: La Paz Pickup - Night bus from La Paz to Uyuni
Stop At: Salar de Uyuni, Uyuni Bolivia
You will get picked up at your accommodation in La Paz and taken to the bus station. Take a night bus at 9:00 pm to the town of Uyuni in the southwest corner of Bolivia.
Note: There will be no tour leader to accompany you on the bus.
Duration: 1 day
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight in night bus (unguided)
Day 2: Uyuni - Train Graveyard - Colchani - Uyuni Salt Flats (Incahuasi Island) - Candelaria
Stop At: Salar de Uyuni, Uyuni Bolivia
Arrive at the Uyuni bus station and make your own way to the meeting point of the tour (within walking distance). Start off your 3D/2N tour at 11 am with a visit to Uyuni's 'train graveyard' to see the first locomotives in Bolivia. Then we will visit the small village of Colchani to visit a salt factory where they process the salt mined from Uyuni, have lunch, and enjoy some free time to explore the local museum or shop for souvenirs. Next we will continue to the great salt flats of Uyuni. Take photos as you cruise along the vast white expanse of salt, and visit a hotel made completely of salt. Next we will visit Incahuasi (Fish Island) where you will have time to take a hike to the top of the island to see giant cactus and rock formations made of petrified coral. Enjoy the stunning sunset over the salt flat before spending the night at the village of Candelaria in a salt hotel.
Note: During the rainy season, between January and April, the Fish Island tour will be replaced with a possible stargazing / During the monsoon season, between January and April, the Salt Hotel will be in Colchani Village.
Duration: 1 day
Meals included:
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight in Basic Dorm-Style Rooms with Shared Bathroom
Day 3: Sora Canyon - Andean Lagoons - Desert of Siloli - Red Lagoon - Sol de Mañana Geysers - Polques
Stop At: Salar de Uyuni, Uyuni Bolivia
Start off at 7:00 am for breakfast at the hotel and then head toward the villages of Julaca and San Agustin where we will take a short walk to the Sora Canyon to observe incredible views and flocks of llamas. Our next stop is at the Volcan Ollague viewpoint, where we will have lunch before heading to the beautiful Andean lagoons inhabited by 3 species of Andean flamingos. Visit the Desert of Siloli at 4550m (the highest and driest in the world) and take a photo next to the 'Rock tree', a lava rock formation. Before arriving to our final destination today, we will stop at the overlook point by the Red Lagoon to see more pink flamingos and admire this intense red-colored lake, and then at the Sol de Mañana geysers. In the evening we will enjoy the open air hot springs and take a bath in naturally 35 Cº water before spending the night in nearby Polques.
Note: During the rainy season, between January and April, the departure will be at 6:00 am.
Duration: 1 day
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight in Basic Dorm-Style Rooms with Shared Bathroom
Day 4: Dali Desert - Green Lagoon - San Pedro de Atacama
Stop At: Salar de Uyuni, Uyuni Bolivia
Get off to an early start around 7:30 to the Dali Pampas, where Salvador Dali found his inspiration from boulders sprinkled in the middle of the desert, and then to the Green Lagoon (toxic copper water at the foot of the big Licancabur volcano at 6000m, a few kilometers from the Bolivia-Chile border). Cross the border into Chile and change vehicle. Your local driver will meet you and take you all the way to San Pedro de Atacama, passing beautiful scenery along the way. Arrive in San Pedro de Atacama around noon.
Note: This itinerary is subject to change without prior notice according to weather conditions, strikes, roadblocks, or force majeure events which are beyond our control. We will always do our best to follow the itinerary as close as possible / During the rainy season, between Januart and April, the departure will be at 6:00 am.
Duration: 1 day
Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.
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Day 1: La Paz Pickup - Night bus from La Paz to Uyuni
Stop At: Salar de Uyuni, Uyuni Bolivia
You will get picked up at your accommodation in La Paz and taken to the bus station. Take a night bus at 9:00 pm to the town of Uyuni in the southwest corner of Bolivia.
Note: There will be no tour leader to accompany you on the bus.
Duration: 1 day
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight in night bus (unguided)
Day 2: Uyuni - Train Graveyard - Colchani - Uyuni Salt Flats (Incahuasi Island) - Candelaria
Stop At: Salar de Uyuni, Uyuni Bolivia
Arrive at the Uyuni bus station and make your own way to the meeting point of the tour (within walking distance). Start off your 3D/2N tour at 11 am with a visit to Uyuni's 'train graveyard' to see the first locomotives in Bolivia. Then we will visit the small village of Colchani to visit a salt factory where they process the salt mined from Uyuni, have lunch, and enjoy some free time to explore the local museum or shop for souvenirs. Next we will continue to the great salt flats of Uyuni. Take photos as you cruise along the vast white expanse of salt, and visit a hotel made completely of salt. Next we will visit Incahuasi (Fish Island) where you will have time to take a hike to the top of the island to see giant cactus and rock formations made of petrified coral. Enjoy the stunning sunset over the salt flat before spending the night at the village of Candelaria in a salt hotel.
Note: During the rainy season, between January and April, the Fish Island tour will be replaced with a possible stargazing / During the monsoon season, between January and April, the Salt Hotel will be in Colchani Village.
Duration: 1 day
Meals included:
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight in Basic Dorm-Style Rooms with Shared Bathroom
Day 3: Sora Canyon - Andean Lagoons - Desert of Siloli - Red Lagoon - Sol de Mañana Geysers - Polques
Stop At: Salar de Uyuni, Uyuni Bolivia
Start off at 7:00 am for breakfast at the hotel and then head toward the villages of Julaca and San Agustin where we will take a short walk to the Sora Canyon to observe incredible views and flocks of llamas. Our next stop is at the Volcan Ollague viewpoint, where we will have lunch before heading to the beautiful Andean lagoons inhabited by 3 species of Andean flamingos. Visit the Desert of Siloli at 4550m (the highest and driest in the world) and take a photo next to the 'Rock tree', a lava rock formation. Before arriving to our final destination today, we will stop at the overlook point by the Red Lagoon to see more pink flamingos and admire this intense red-colored lake, and then at the Sol de Mañana geysers. In the evening we will enjoy the open air hot springs and take a bath in naturally 35 Cº water before spending the night in nearby Polques.
Note: During the rainy season, between January and April, the departure will be at 6:00 am.
Duration: 1 day
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight in Basic Dorm-Style Rooms with Shared Bathroom
Day 4: Dali Desert - Green Lagoon - San Pedro de Atacama
Stop At: Salar de Uyuni, Uyuni Bolivia
Get off to an early start around 7:30 to the Dali Pampas, where Salvador Dali found his inspiration from boulders sprinkled in the middle of the desert, and then to the Green Lagoon (toxic copper water at the foot of the big Licancabur volcano at 6000m, a few kilometers from the Bolivia-Chile border). Cross the border into Chile and change vehicle. Your local driver will meet you and take you all the way to San Pedro de Atacama, passing beautiful scenery along the way. Arrive in San Pedro de Atacama around noon.
Note: This itinerary is subject to change without prior notice according to weather conditions, strikes, roadblocks, or force majeure events which are beyond our control. We will always do our best to follow the itinerary as close as possible / During the rainy season, between Januart and April, the departure will be at 6:00 am.
Duration: 1 day
Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.
Included
- 2x Breakfast
- 2x Dinner
- 2x Lunch
- Accommodation included: 3 nights
- Bus from La Paz - Uyuni (no tour leader on bus)
- Uyuni salt flats & desert tour with transfer to San Pedro de Atacama including:
- 1 night in a double room hostel and 1 night at a shared family lodging
- Transportation in 4WD vehicle with rooftop luggage rack during tour (group size is up to 6 people per car)
- Local driver & English-speaking guide on tour
- Cook and cooking equipment on tour
- Meals: 2 breakfasts / 2 lunches / 2 dinners / snacks
Not included
- Entrance Fees: Isla Incahuasi (30Bs*), Reserva Eduardo Avaroa Protected Area (150Bs*) (*Please note that these costs are subject to change without prior notice.
- Additional snacks & Water bottles
- Toilets along the Way (20 Bs)
- Hot Shower (10 Bs)
- Gratuities for guide, driver and cook (optional, however keep in mind that tipping is common in Latin America and would be greatly appreciated)
- Transfer to La Paz Bus Station (please make your own way)
- In/Out airport transfers
- Personal expenses
- Travel insurance
- Bus station pickup in Uyuni
- Sleeping bag
- Entry/Admission - Salar de Uyuni
Additional
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking, unless booked within 7 days of travel. In this case confirmation will be received within 48 hours, subject to availability
- This itinerary is subject to change without prior notice according to weather conditions, strikes, roadblocks, or force majeure events which are beyond our control. We will always do our best to follow the itinerary as close as possible.
- During the rainy season from January to April, the salt flats fill up with water so it is not possible to cross them in the same way as during dry season. As a consequence, the itinerary is modified during that period. The main changes are usually as follows: Instead of stopping at the Incahuasi (Fish Island), we stop at a place where the water reflects the sky and where it seems that the sky and the ground merge into one. On day 2, we might sleep at another location. We visit the Sol de Mañana Geyser and hot springs at the end of day 3 instead of in the morning of day 4.
- Altitude: This trip takes place at a very high altitude. The salt flats are around 16, 500 feet (5,000 meters) above sea level, and most guests will be able to feel the effects. We recommend acclimating yourself to above 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) before the trip and bringing along medication for headaches and tablets for altitude sickness in case you feel unwell. And remember, the real key is to drink lots of water!
- Accommodation / Facilities on Tour: The reality of visiting a remote area and immersing yourself in nature is that you will be far from modern facilities and the services will sometimes be slow and quite basic. Due to the harsh terrain, vehicle breakdowns are not uncommon, but the drivers are very used to fixing them and wait times are rarely excessive. The accommodations will be very basic, with cots and shared rooms, and the electricity and running water in the National Park are not as dependable as they are back at home. Toilet facilities will be available only on the first day and may have a small local cost. Make sure to bring snacks, some water, toilet paper, and plenty of warm clothes. That said, with some patience, preparation, and an appetite for adventure, this trip will certainly be a positive and unforgettable experience.
- Suggested packing list: Sun hat, sunglasses (to protect your eyes from the bright glare off the salt plains), sunblock, coat, gloves, wool hat, trekking shoes, warm socks, swimsuit and towel for hot springs at Sol de Manana Geysers, extra bottles of water (we recommend bringing a 5 liter bottled water so you can have enough water for the whole trip), snacks, personal medication. Flashlight/torch, camera, extra batteries and memory card, charger (electricity available in most hotels), hand sanitizer, personal first aid kit. You will be sleeping up to 14,190 feet (4,300 meters) above sea level and depending on the season, temperatures can drop well below freezing (reaching below 5 degrees Fahrenheit (-15 degrees Celsius), in the winter months of June and July) and the wind chill can be harsh, so bring plenty of warm clothes like a scarf and wool hat for the chilly evenings.
Features
Tourism
95%
Cultural
55%
Aquatic
30%
