Uyuni Salt Flat tour from San Pedro de Atacama: our complete 4-day experience

The tour to the Uyuni Salt Flat, the largest salt flat in the world, is high on the bucket list for many travelers. Ask people afterwards what they thought of it, and you'll hear a variety of stories. For some, it's the absolute highlight of their trip, while for others, it's mainly exhausting. And to be honest, the many hours in the car are quite tough. In this blog, we share our experience of the four-day tour to Uyuni in Bolivia. Spoiler alert: we thought the trip from San Pedro was absolutely worth it. Hopefully, our story will help you decide if this tour is right for you.

Booking a tour from San Pedro to Uyuni

In San Pedro de Atacama, there are several organizations that offer multi-day tours to Bolivia. Roughly speaking, you have two options: a three-day tour that starts in San Pedro and ends in Uyuni, or a four-day tour that brings you back to San Pedro on the fourth day.

Almost all organizations follow the same route and make the same stops. The group size is also the same everywhere: a maximum of six people per car. However, the prices vary considerably. This is logical, because a four-day tour is more expensive than a three-day tour. In addition, the difference is mainly in the type of accommodation and the meals offered. We chose Cordillera Traveller. This organization had good reviews and we received friendly service when we visited their office in San Pedro. Our experience was positive. The price per person was reasonable: 282,000 CLP (approximately €260) for four days. The accommodations were comfortable, the meals basic but fine, and the drive

When is the best time to do the Uyuni tour?

The best time to visit the Uyuni salt flats depends on what you want to see. During the rainy season (roughly December to March), there is often a thin layer of water on the salt flats, creating the famous mirror effect. This is magical for photos, but some areas may be more difficult to reach (such as the cactus island).

In the dry season (April to November), the flats are often completely dry, allowing you to drive further into the area. This is also the best period for stable weather.

We visited the salt flats in early December and didn't see a drop of rain. The salt flats were completely dry. This did not detract from the impressiveness of the flats and the surrounding area.r professional and experienced. We would definitely recommend this organization.

What should you bring for the tour to Uyuni?

During the tour, it is useful to bring two bags. One bag or suitcase with items you don't need during the day; this will be placed on the roof of the car from the Bolivian border onwards. You should also bring a smaller bag with items you want to keep handy. We recommend bringing at least the following:

• 350 Bolivianos per person in cash for entrance fees to national parks, snacks, water, toilets, and possibly a tip for the driver. The organization advised us to bring 300 Bolivianos, but for four days that turned out to be just a little too little.

• The tourist card (PDI document) that you receive upon arrival in Chile at the border post, together with your passport. You hand in this ticket when you cross the border from Chile to Bolivia.

• Water for the first day. After that, you can buy water at most places along the way.

• Swimwear and a towel for visiting the thermal baths.

• Covering clothing, such as a long-sleeved shirt, long pants, and a cap or hat. The sun is very strong here, and the sunlight reflects extra brightly on the salt flats. Sunglasses are not a luxury.

• Warm clothing for the mornings and evenings. Once the sun goes down, it cools down quickly.

• Enough snacks for the road. You will be spending a lot of time in the car and sometimes there will be quite a long time between meals.

• Toilet paper. Not every toilet is equipped with paper, if there is a toilet at all.

• Toiletries essentials, such as sunscreen and Vaseline to protect your lips from dryness.

What are the four days of the Uyuni tour like?

Whether you do the tour in three or four days, the first three days are the same for everyone. If you do the tour from Uyuni, you will make the same stops but in reverse order. Below you can read what to expect each day during the four-day Uyuni tour from San Pedro.

Day 1 – From San Pedro de Atacama to Laguna Colorada

The first day of the Uyuni tour starts early. At 6 a.m., we were picked up at our hotel in San Pedro de Atacama by a minibus. We picked up four other travelers along the way, then headed for the Chilean border. Within an hour, we were already at the border post, which wouldn't open until 8 a.m. The driver explained that we had arrived early on purpose: those at the front of the line would get through the formalities more quickly later in the morning. We stayed in the bus for a while to rest, because it was freezing outside. We were already at an altitude of almost 5,000 meters, which was immediately noticeable in the temperature.

The Chilean customs went smoothly. A few kilometers further on, the Bolivian border post was waiting, which also opened at 8:00 a.m. It is only an hour earlier here than in Chile, so we had to wait a while. After getting our stamps, it was time for breakfast, provided by the organization. Then our luggage was transferred to a Landcruiser, the 4x4 we would be traveling in for the next few days. With seven people including the driver, the car was exactly full.

This is where the real adventure began. The first stops of the day were Laguna Blanca and Laguna Verde. Laguna Blanca lived up to its name: milky white water, caused by minerals and salt deposits, contrasting sharply with the barren landscape. Laguna Verde looked deep blue that day. The green color for which the lake is known only appears in strong winds, when the mineral-rich sediment is stirred up.

We then drove on to the Salvador Dalí desert. The bizarre rock formations and the empty, almost alien landscape explain the name, although this area made less of an impression on us than the Valle de la Luna near San Pedro. Ten minutes later, we arrived at the Polques Hot Springs. These hot springs are located at an altitude of about 4,300 meters: bathing in water around 40 degrees Celsius while the air is freezing cold. We were allowed to stay here for an hour, which was wonderful for warming up.

After bathing, lunch was ready: potatoes, meat, and vegetables—simple but nutritious. In the afternoon, we visited Sol de Mañana, an active geothermal area at an altitude of over 4,800 meters. The earth literally bubbles and hisses under your feet here, with mud pools, plumes of steam, and a strong smell of sulfur that constantly reminds you of the volcanic activity in the area.

The last stop of the day was Laguna Colorada, which was also the highlight of the day for us. The lake has a deep red hue due to algae and minerals in the water, and is inhabited by bright pink flamingos. We also saw vicuñas walking around. We took a short walk along the lake, first along the top for a panoramic view and then closer to the water. The wind was strong here, but with the tailwind back to the car, we quickly warmed up again.

The first night is spent at Villa Mar. From Laguna Colorado, it takes about four hours to drive to Villa Mar. The accommodation at Villa Mar was excellent. We had a private room with our own bathroom.

Day 2 – Valle de Rocas and southern Bolivia

The second day started more quietly. We were expected at breakfast at 8:00 a.m. Around 9:00 a.m., we drove into the Valle de Rocas, a vast area full of bizarre rock formations. Wind and erosion have carved strange shapes out of the landscape here over thousands of years. We made several stops, including at a rock that strikingly resembles a camel and at Ciudad del Italiano, a collection of rocks reminiscent of an abandoned city. We had plenty of time to walk around and climb the rocks.

Just before lunch, we stopped at the Anaconda viewpoint. From here, you can look out over a river that winds its way deep below you. The many bends make the river look like a snake moving through the landscape.

After lunch, we took a walk through a valley where a large herd of llamas was grazing, including young ones. It was special to walk among them, right in the middle of the landscape.

At the end of the valley, the driver was waiting for us again and we drove on to Julaca, a small village where we took a short break. On a terrace, you could order local specialty beer, made with ingredients such as quinoa, cactus, or honey.

Not much later, we arrived at Hotel de Sal, a hotel built of salt bricks, located on the edge of the Uyuni Salt Flat. Here, too, we had a private room with our own bathroom. We went to bed early, because the alarm clock would go off at 4:30 a.m. the next morning so that we would be on the salt flats in time for sunrise.

Day 3 – Uyuni Salt Flat

In the dark, we drove towards the salt flat, the absolute highlight of the tour. Before sunrise, the driver parked the car in the middle of the flat. The ground was bright white and crunched under our feet. Everywhere we looked, we saw hexagonal patterns in the salt, created by the drying of water.

Slowly, the sky turned pink and orange, until the sun rose around 6 a.m. and everything warmed up at once. The view was impressive and felt almost surreal, there in the middle of this endless emptiness.

After sunrise, we visited Incahuasi Island, a rocky island covered in enormous cacti. We climbed to the top via a hiking trail, where you can enjoy a view of the salt flats stretching as far as the eye can see.

Afterwards, breakfast was served at the car and there was time to take photos. Our driver turned out to be surprisingly creative and helped us take perspective photos that are only possible on the salt flats.

We stopped at the Dakar monument and then in Colchani, a village where salt is processed and sold. Here we bought a small souvenir.

The last stop on the tour was the Train Cemetery near Uyuni, where rusty locomotives serve as reminders of Bolivia's railway history.

We had lunch in Uyuni and said goodbye to the rest of the group. They continued their journey through Bolivia, while we returned to Villa Mar that afternoon for our last night.

Day 4 – Back to Chile

The last day started early again. At 4 a.m., we left for the Chilean border. In the morning light, we stopped for breakfast at the thermal baths we visited on day one, this time with flamingos in the water and steam hanging over the lake.

The border formalities took some time, especially on the Chilean side because of the baggage checks. Around 11 a.m. Chilean time, we boarded another colectivo to San Pedro de Atacama. We arrived at our hostel around 12:30 p.m. All in all, the return trip went surprisingly smoothly, and after four intense days, we spent the rest of the day relaxing.

Final tip: if you have the opportunity, we recommend keeping the day after the tour free. We were really tired after these four days and were grateful that we hadn't planned anything immediately afterwards.