Uyuni Salt Flat (3 days)
If you cancel your booking until 24 hours before the beginning of the activity, we will refund 100% of the advance you paid for the booking.
You can reschedule your booking without any additional cost until 24 hours before the beginning of the activiity.
3 days group tour to the Uyuni Salt Flat, beginning in San Pedro de Atacama and ending in Uyuni. It includes transportation, basic accommodation and meals.
Prices
- Price for Uyuni Salt Flat (3 days): US$ 209 per person.
How to book
- Select the departure date from the calendar.
- Select the number of people.
- Click on "Add to cart".
- Pay online an advance deposit of the total price of the program.
- The pending balance must be paid in cash (American dollars) the previous day of the tour before 2:00 pm, in San Pedro de Atacama.
- You can reschedule or cancel the tour (with 100% refund), until 24 hours before it starts.
Included
- Hotel pickup in San Pedro de Atacama.
- Drop off at downtown Uyuni.
- Shared transportation (minibus in Chile and 4x4 for 6 people in Bolivia).
- Spanish-speaking driver.
- All meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner).
- Basic accommodation:
- 1st night at a hostel in Villamar, triple or quadruple room, subject to availability, with a shared bathroom (showers with cold water. You may pay an additional Bs. 10 if you would like hot have hot water).
- 2nd night at a hostel in Colcha K, in double, triple or quadruple room (according to availability), with shared bathroom (showers with hot water).
Optional services
- Private room & bathroom for all accommodation nights:
- 1 person: US$ 55.
- Group of 2 or more people: US$ 25 per person.
- English-speaking driver:
- 1 person: US$ 150.
- Group of 2 people: US$ 75 per person.
- Group of 3 people: US$ 50 per person.
- Group of 4 people: US$ 38 per person.
- Group of 5 people or more: US$ 30 per person.
Not included
- Drop off at the hotel.
- Round trip shuttle between Calama's airport and San Pedro de Atacama.
- Entry tickets to parks (Bs. 186 per person).
- Entrance to Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve (Bs. 150 per person).
- Entrance to Polques Hot Springs (Bs. 6 per person).
- Entrance to Incahuasi Island (Bs. 30 per person).
- Access to toilets on the way (approximately Bs. 6 each acces).
- Wellies (needed in caso of rain; rent for Bs. 20 per person).
- Health insurance.
- Sleeping bag.
- Water.
Restrictions
- Due to most of this tour is made above 13,000 feet of altitude and in a narrow vehicle, the following people cannot take it:
- Children until the age of 6
- Adults over the age of 65
- People that weigh more than 100 kg
- Pregnant women
- People with high blood pressure, heart failure, asthma or similar.
- It is mandatory to enter to Bolivia, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, to present 2 copies of a vaccination certificate with at least 2 shots, 15 days from the second dose applied.
What to bring
- Comfortable and warm clothing.
- Comfortable shoes (ideally trekking shoes).
- Swimsuit and towel (for Polques Hot Springs).
- Sunglasses.
- Sunscreen.
- Toiletries.
- Toilet paper.
- Sleeping bag (see FAQ's).
- Towel.
- Flashlight.
- Water (1 litre per person, for the first day. The rest of the days you can buy it on the road).
- Passport or ID card. If your a foreigner resident in Chile you should take both to show them in customs
- Between Bs. 350 and Bs. 500 for expenses not included on the tour (entrance fees, taxes, bathroom, water and souvenirs, among others).
Itinerary
Start: Day 1 at 7:00 am at your hotel in San Pedro de Atacama.
End: Day 3 at 3:00 pm at downtown Uyuni.
Day 1: We will pick you up at your hotel and we will leave in a minibus from San Pedro de Aatcama to go to the border between Chile and Bolivia. After passing by the border stations and make the corresponding procedures, we will change the vehicle to a 4x4 for 6 people. During this day, we will visit places of the Bolivian High Plato, like the Blanca Lagoon and Verde Lagoon, located near the Licancabur Volcano. We will continue visiting the Salvador Dalí Desert and the Polques Hot Springs, where we will have some time to bathe. Also, we will visit the Sol de Mañana Geysers, intermittent sources of water that flow at a temperature of 90°C. Finally, we will visit the Colorada Lagoon, nesting center of more than 30.000 flamingos. This night you will stay in a hostel in Villamar.
Day 2: After breakfast, we will take the route to Tomas Lakha, where you will be able to see the cave paintings from before the Incas. After that, we will visit Italia Perdida, place where the volcanic rock is shaped with what happens to be an abandoned city. Then, we will go to Vinto Lagoon and Catal Lagoon, where you will be able to walk and see the typical fauna of the Bolivian Altiplano. Later, we will visit the Anaconda Canyon and also the Sora Canyon, before going to the Chiguana Salt Flat ang getting to Colcha K where you will stay the second night.
Day 3: Early in the morning, we will take our vehicle and go to the salt flat, same thing that we do on the third day of the Uyuni Salt Flat (4 days) tour. We will see the sunrise over the white cloak build-up of salt, so then we can go to the Incahuasi Island. Here we will be able to make a small walk by this limestone formation that has giant cactus and from where you can have a great perspective of the salt flat. After that, we will visit the Salt Museum and we will leave the salt flat through the town of Colchani, where we will make a stop to buy craftwork. Then, we will go to the train cemetery to take some pictures, before reaching to Uyuni, where we will end our tour.
*The pickup service included does not operate to nor from accommodations located outside the urban area of San Pedro de Atacama, accommodations located in ayllus near San Pedro de Atacama (Quitor, Yaye, Checar, Sequitor, Solor, and Coyo), nor accomodations in the town of Toconao.
Altiplanic winter
During the months from January to April, it takes place the weather phenomenon known as the Altiplanic winter, rain season in the central Andes. Due to this, is is possible that the described itinerary is modified as follows:
- The places visited in Day 2 are replaced for the following: Italia Perdida, Vinto Lagoon, Anaconda Canyon and Rocks Valley.
- The second night it is not in a hostel in San Juan del Rosario, but in a hostel in Uyuni.
- The Incahuasi Island is not visited because it is in the center of the salt flat, place where there is the largest concentration of water during the rain season.
Force majeure changes
This is a reference itinerary. The route to get to the salt flat, the places visited, the indicated order and the end time will always be subject to changes according to weather conditions, demonstrations and accommodation availability. The confirmation of the itinerary is obtained in the briefing that the local supplier gives a day before the beginning of the activity, which does not mean that it will not be modified due to the happening of the situations already mentioned once the tour has already begun.
Frequently Asked Questions
What days of the year can I make this excursion?
The tour has confirmed departures all days of the week, the whole year. During low season, departures are confirmed with a minimum of 3 people.
How far in advance should I book the activity?
Due to high demand of the activity, we recommend to book at least a week in advance.
When is it possible to see the mirror effect on the Uyuni Salt Flat?
The mirror effect occurs when there is water on the salt flat. This happens only in rainy periods (January and February) and after them (March).
Is it possible to do the tour with a driver in another language?
Yes, but only in English. The English-speaking driver service has an additional cost of US$ 150 per group. You can select it as an optional service during the booking process.
Is it possible to do the tour staying in hotels instead of refugios and hostels?
If you want to do the tour with superior accommodation please check our tour Superior Uyuni Salt Flat Tour (3 days).
What kind of vehicles are used in this activity?
The activity is made on a minibus in Chile and on a 4x4 (Toyota Land Cruiser) in Bolivia in a group of 6 people each.
Why all the restrictions to make the tour?
The tour is made in the Altiplano area, at an altitude above 9,842.5 ft. Just with this, our body is submitted to an abnormal stress, which can cause discomfort and risk in people with the conditions mentioned in the restriction’s section. Moreover, the tour does not have health insurance and there are not health centers to treat this kind of situations in a proper manner on the route.
Is there any restriction for the places reached by the pickup service?
The pickup service is nor carried out from/to accommodations located outside the urban area of San Pedro de Atacama, accommodations located at ayllus close to San Pedro de Atacama (Quitor, Yaye, Checar, Sequitor, Solor and Coyo) nor accommodations in the town of Toconao.
It is necessary to have tourist visa to enter Bolivia?
It depends on the passenger’s nationality. Passengers from Chile and the rest of South America, and passengers from Western Europe do not need tourist visa, while the passengers from United States, Central America, Asia and Africa do need tourist visa, which price is US$ 100 or US$ 160 according to the country (you can check the price per country here). The visa is obtained directly in the border, where along with the payment of the visa in cash (bolivianos or US dollars in good condition), the passengers will have to present their passport and two wallet-size photographs. In case you are a foreign person resident in Chile, besides your passport, you should take your ID card, so you can prove your residence to the police authorities in customs.
Do I need to be vaccinated against yellow fever for the tour?
The vaccine against yellow fever is not required for the tour to the Uyuni Salt Flat. It is only required if you subsequently plan to visit the Bolivian jungle.
How many bags or suitcases can I bring?
Each passenger may carry at most one bag or suitcase of 18 kilos and one sleeping bag, which will go above the 4x4.
What type of sockets have the accommodations?
The accommodations have sockets type C, compatible with the types E and F. Anyway, our recommendation is that you carry an adapter to avoid any inconvenience.
Is it necessary to bring sleeping bag?
It is not essential, because the accommodations have blankets. Anyways, consider the information about the weather according to your trip’s date, and if you believe that you will feel cold, we recommend you bringing your own sleeping bag with a temperature rating of 32 ºF.
How is the weather along the tour?
In summer (December to March), the temperature ranges from about 4 °C as a minimum, to 23 °C maximum. In winter (June to September) the temperature ranges from about -20 °C as a minimum, to 16 °C maximum.
How much money should I bring to the tour?
We recommend to bring at least Bs. 500 per person for expenses not included in the tour, as entrances to parks, border tax, access to toilets and water.
Where can I exchange money to bolivianos?
In Toconao Street, in San Pedro de Atacama (intersection with Caracoles Street), you will be able to find some exchange offices where you can obtain bolivianos to take for the tour.
How likely is suffer "puna" or altitude sickness during the tour?
Most of the tour is made above 13,123 ft. of altitude so it is quite likely to suffer from altitude sickness specially the first day of the tour. To avoid or reduce the general feeling of discomfort, we recommend acclimate to the altitude one or two days above 8,202 ft., drink lots of water before and during the tour, eat light meals (avoid meat) the previous days, and do not drink alcohol the night before the beginning of the tour.
What is it about the meals?
The meals are varied, and includes tea, coffee, bread, cookies and fruit for breakfast, and meat, pasta, rice, soup and vegetables for lunch and dinner. In case you need a vegetarian menu, you must mark your preference during the booking process.
What about the tour in case it rains?
In case of rain, the order of the places visited, the possibility to see the sunrise and the accommodation places are subject to change, because some of the roads might be closed. Added to the previous information, water in the Uyuni Salt Flat is an important obstacle and the Incahuasi Island (located in the center of the salt flat) remains closed. This means the Incahuasi Island cannot be visited and we enter to the salt flat only for a certain distance, so the passengers are safe.
Do I need to be vaccinated against Covid-19?
To be able to enter the parks you it is mandatory a vaccination certificate or a negative PCR exam made 69 hours tops before your trip.
How is the infrastructure in every refugio?
Colcha K refugio has doble, triple and quadruple rooms (according to availability), with private bathroom and hot shower, while Huayllajara refugio has shared rooms of maximum 6 people, shared bathroom without shower (Bs. 20 for hot shower, payment in cash). Non has internet included.
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