Salar de Uyuni Tour: My Experience from Chile

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Last Updated on 3 June, 2026 by Daniel Silvente

They say that in life you should plant a tree, write a book, and have a child. I would add, or maybe even replace all of that with taking a Salar de Uyuni Tour.

Even today, I still find it hard to believe what I saw, but I remember every landscape, every stop, and that feeling of traveling through one of the most incredible places in the world. I know words can only go so far, but I’ll try to tell you what my tour to the Uyuni Salt Flats from Chile was really like.

Before starting the route, we decided to spend 3 days in San Pedro de Atacama to make the most of the trip. It was the perfect decision because we had time to visit Moon Valley, relax at the Puritama Hot Springs, and stargaze on an astronomy tour. If you have a few days before visiting the salt flats, I definitely recommend adding some of these activities in San Pedro de Atacama.

I did the 3-day Salar de Uyuni Tour from San Pedro de Atacama, a route that starts in Chile and ends in Uyuni, Bolivia. That said, there are other ways to visit this magical place: you can return to San Pedro de Atacama, start from Uyuni, or choose a different tour length. If you’re still not sure which option is best for you, I recommend checking our complete guide with all the tours to the Uyuni Salt Flats.

Summary of the Salar de Uyuni Tour I Took

The Salar de Uyuni Tour I took was the 3-day route from San Pedro de Atacama, Chile, ending in Uyuni, Bolivia. It’s a perfect option if you’re traveling through northern Chile and want to cross into the Bolivian Altiplano without organizing separate transportation.

Over 3 days, we traveled by 4×4 through some of the most impressive landscapes on the route: Altiplano lagoons, the Salvador Dalí Desert, the Polques Hot Springs, the Sol de la Mañana geysers, Laguna Colorada, rock formations, a salt accommodation, and, of course, the Uyuni Salt Flats at sunrise.

It’s an intense tour, with long hours in the vehicle, altitude changes, and cold temperatures, but it’s also one of the most complete experiences for discovering southern Bolivia. In this case, the tour included pick-up in San Pedro de Atacama, 4×4 transportation, meals, and accommodation along the route.

Salar de Uyuni Tour Day 1: From San Pedro de Atacama to Bolivia

After a few intense days in San Pedro de Atacama, it was finally time to start our Salar de Uyuni Tour. Since the minibus was picking us up at 4:00 AM, we decided to go to bed early the night before. The best plan was to get as much rest as possible. And honestly, thank goodness we did.

They picked us up right on time, and the 12 people in the group traveled together to the border between Chile and Bolivia. Once there, we split into three 4×4 vehicles to continue the route.

Border Crossing and Breakfast

Before crossing into Bolivia, we had to fill out some documents indicating how long we would be staying in the country. After the paperwork, breakfast was waiting for us with pancakes, coffee with milk, fruit, and sandwiches. After such an early start, it tasted amazing.

Once we had recharged, the vehicles arrived so we could continue the tour to the Uyuni Salt Flats. We shared the car with a French couple and a Brazilian mother and daughter. It was a lovely group from the very beginning.

When we reached the border, our passports were stamped and we were officially in Bolivia. In the middle of nowhere, surrounded by volcanoes and endless landscapes, the adventure truly began.

Lagoons, Volcanoes, and Altiplano Landscapes

From the car, we couldn’t stop looking out the window. The landscape looked like something out of a movie: desert, volcanoes, colorful lagoons, huge rock formations, and a constant feeling of immensity.

The first stops were Laguna Blanca, Laguna Verde, and Laguna Colorada. Each one had a different color and a completely different landscape around it.

We also visited one of the highest points of the tour: the geyser field, located at more than 13,000 feet above sea level. It was impressive, but it’s important to take it slowly. I got excited, walked too fast, and ended up feeling a little dizzy because of the altitude and the gases coming from the ground. Conclusion: don’t rush, the geyser isn’t going anywhere.

Polques Hot Springs and Laguna Colorada

Before lunch, we made one of the most special stops of the day: the Polques Hot Springs. The water was incredibly clean, and from inside the pools, we had amazing views of the Bolivian Altiplano. For a moment, I even forgot I was hungry.

We had lunch on the porch of an old school, and in the afternoon, we visited Laguna Colorada. Its name says it all: the reddish color of the water, the pink flamingos, and the alpacas and llamas around the lagoon created a beautiful scene.

First Night in the Altiplano

By the end of the afternoon, we arrived at our first accommodation. It was a very simple hostel run by local people from the area. We were in the middle of the desert, with no connection and several hours by car from any city.

It wasn’t luxury accommodation, but for me, sleeping there felt like a luxury. They treated us with so much kindness, and the food was delicious.

Speaking Spanish was a big advantage, both at the accommodation and during the transportation. Neither the hosts nor our driver spoke English, so the French couple had a harder time following some of the explanations. Even so, Willy, our driver, made a real effort to make himself understood and explain the history of each place, the landscapes, and the curiosities of the route.

Salar de Uyuni Tour Day 2: On the Way to the Salt Accommodation

The next day, our first stop was Italia Perdida and the Valley of Rocks, a desert full of rock formations with impossible shapes. Some of them looked like natural sculptures. The one that caught my attention the most looked like a camel.

We also visited the Inca Canyon, a huge rock in the middle of a canyon that looked like something out of a movie. At times, it felt like we were inside a scene from The Lion King.

Valley of Rocks and Fauna Sora

Before lunch, our guide showed us a short 10-minute path to Fauna Sora. When we arrived, we found a beautiful little corner surrounded by ducks, colorful vegetation, and rock formations everywhere.

We walked around the area for a while, enjoying the peace of the landscape, and then met up with the rest of the group again to continue the route by car.

Lunch and Stop in San Agustín

At lunchtime, we arrived at a small bar located along the route to the Uyuni Salt Flats. Several groups gathered there, and each driver prepared lunch for their own travelers.

The food was delicious, and our group had a great time. After that, we continued to San Agustín, where we saw an old train station and took the chance to try a couple of quinoa beers at a local craft beer bar.

A little later, we got back in the car and continued toward the salt accommodation in Uyuni.

Arrival at the Salt Accommodation

When we arrived, our first impression was a little confusing: the salt accommodation seemed to be made of bricks. Before anyone panicked, Willy explained that because of the heavy rainy season in Uyuni, it’s impossible to keep the outside of the building made of salt.

That’s why the exterior is covered with brick, but inside, it is completely built with salt.

We loved the accommodation. Plus, each couple in the group had a private room, which we were not expecting at all. After a long day on the road, finding a place like that in the middle of the desert felt like a real luxury.

Shortly after arriving, they served us an afternoon snack, followed by an early and very tasty dinner. It was time to rest early, because the next day one of the most special moments of the Salar de Uyuni Tour was waiting for us: watching the sunrise over the salt flats.

Salar de Uyuni Tour Day 3: Sunrise at the Uyuni Salt Flats

In the morning, although it was actually still dark, the whole group was right on time. We loaded the car and started driving toward one of the most anticipated moments of the Salar de Uyuni Tour: watching the sunrise in the middle of the salt flats.

We decided to start near Incahuasi Island so we could visit it right afterward. Waiting for the sunrise there was spectacular. It was freezing cold, but as soon as the first ray of sun appeared, we could feel the warmth almost immediately.

Incahuasi Island and Giant Cacti

After watching the sunrise at the Uyuni Salt Flats, we visited Incahuasi Island. It is a strange, beautiful, and fun place at the same time: an island full of stone paths and giant cacti in the middle of an endless salt desert.

As you can imagine, we took a thousand photos. It’s one of those places where it’s hard to put the camera away because everything looks different from any landscape you’ve seen before.

Breakfast in the Middle of the Salt Flats

When we came down from Incahuasi Island, Willy was waiting for us with a salt table set up and an amazing breakfast. There was cake, coffee with milk, cookies, and more food to recover energy after the early start.

We were starving, and everything was delicious. At that point, we were starting to think that, besides a tour through incredible landscapes, we were also enjoying a small food tour.

Photos at the Uyuni Salt Flats

The next stops were inside the Uyuni Salt Flats themselves. This was the perfect moment to take the famous perspective photos and some really fun group pictures.

Before saying goodbye to this incredible landscape, we also visited the Dakar Monument, one of the best-known stops inside the salt flats.

Colchani and the Train Cemetery

After that, we left the Uyuni Salt Flats behind and headed to the village of Colchani, known for its souvenir market. We bought a few small gifts for friends and family before continuing the route.

Before lunch, we visited the famous Train Cemetery in Uyuni. It’s one of those curious and photogenic places where it’s impossible not to take out your camera. For a little while, we felt like improvised influencers.

End of the Tour in Uyuni

To finish the route, we had lunch at a restaurant where I tried llama meat for the first time. It was delicious, although there was also a vegetarian option.

After lunch, they took us to the operator’s office, where we had internet access in case we needed to make a call or send an urgent message. There, we said goodbye to Willy and the rest of the group, who after three days on the road already felt almost like friends.

And that’s how our Salar de Uyuni Tour from Chile ended: tired, happy, and with the feeling of having lived one of the most incredible experiences of the trip.

Is the Salar de Uyuni Tour from Chile Worth It?

Yes, absolutely. Taking the Salar de Uyuni Tour from San Pedro de Atacama is definitely worth it if you’re traveling through northern Chile and want to continue your route into Bolivia. In just 3 days, you’ll travel through completely different landscapes: colorful lagoons, geysers, hot springs, deserts, rock formations, the salt accommodation, Incahuasi Island, and, of course, the immense Uyuni Salt Flats.

It’s an intense tour, with early starts, long hours in the vehicle, and altitude changes, but every stop makes the effort worth it. It’s also a very practical way to cross from Chile to Bolivia without having to organize transportation, accommodation, and meals on your own.

If you’re thinking about living this experience, you can check out the Salar de Uyuni Tour from Chile with Howlanders and book the route that best fits your trip.