Salar de Uyuni & San Pedro

Awaken bright and early at 7:30am to begin your altiplano adventure! We’ll make our way from San Pedro de Atacama to Bolivia’s frontier in a comfortable minibus, stopping by immigration offices in Chile and Bolivia. Our first day is jam-packed with fantastic sites, so once we reach the Bolivian border, we’ll transfer to a 4WD Jeep and head straight for the Bolivian High Plateau. This dramatic landscape is otherworldly with wide-open spaces, towering mountains, crystal lakes, and exotic wildlife. Our first stop is at White Lake and Green Lake, both situated at the foot of Licancabur Volcano. Don’t forget your camera for the breathtaking scenes awaiting you! Our journey then continues with a visit to the Salvador Dalί Desert, the hot springs in Polques, and the steaming geysers. We’ll end the day at Laguna Colorada, a nesting center for more than 30,000 flamingos. Situated 14,764 feet (4500 m) above sea level, this is the perfect place to witness colorful flora and fauna, vicuñas, and many other wild animals.

After breakfast we’ll make our way to the Siloli Desert to observe the “Tree of Stone”, a large impressive rock of volcanic origin, before heading to the high plateau lakes of Honda, Chirarcota, Hedionda, and Cañapa. With reflective lakes, mountains towering at 16,400 feet (5000m) above sea level, wild vicuñas, and vivid flamingos, this remote paradise is bound to take your breath away. Afterwards, we’ll visit the little Chiguana Salt Flat at San Juan Village where we’ll stop at the Salt Hotel, made entirely of salt bricks, for an overnight stay in double rooms with private bathrooms.

Today we’ll visit the gem of Bolivia’s natural splendor! Departing at 6:00am from your hotel, we’ll make our way to the world’s largest salt flat, Salar de Uyuni. Once a lake which went dry, Salar de Uyuni features otherworldly, blinding white landscapes and makes for an unforgettable experience. While at the flats, we’ll also visit Incahuasi Island in the center of the Salar Flat which is characterized by a formation of calcareous rocks and, of course, plenty of cacti! Next we’ll visit Colchani Village to browse souvenir stalls and explore the salt museum, which boasts salt sculptures and is made entirely of salt! We’ll arrive at Uyuni City around 3pm to explore and relax for a couple of hours before a return transfer towards a High Plateau Village called Villa Mar for a night’s stay.

Unfortunately, today is the final day of the tour, and it’s time to return to San Pedro! We’ll leave at 4:30am in a direct transfer to the Bolivian frontier (around a four-hour drive). At the border we’ll change cars to return to San Pedro de Atacama. We hope you’ll leave this tour with fond memories of an exceptional altiplano experience!