Uyuni Salt Flats Bolivia: My Experience

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They say that in life you have to plant a tree, write a book, and have a child, I add (or substitute) visit the Salar de Uyuni, one of the most photographed places in South America. To this day I still can’t believe what I saw: Lagoons, Licancabur, Uyuni Salt Flats, Bolivia, and so much more. My trip was so vivid and adventurous that I remember it perfectly and want to explain what I experienced. Of course, words won’t do justice to the splendor of what I saw, but I’m going to try, I’ll tell you about my tour of Salar de Uyuni!

Before starting, we decided to spend 3 days in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile, to make the most of the trip. It was great because we had time to discover the Moon Valley, enjoy a swim in the Puritama Hot Springs, and stargaze with the astronomical tour. I recommend enjoying some of these activities in San Pedro de Atacama if you have time before visiting the Salar de Uyuni.

I took the 3-day tour to the Uyuni Salt Flat from San Pedro de Atacama. This tour ends in Uyuni Flats, Bolivia, but there are other options to visit this magical place. You can return to San Pedro, or even start from Uyuni itself. As so many options can be a bit confusing, I recommend taking a look at this page to see all the tours to the Uyuni Salt Flats.

Day 1: From Chile to Uyuni Salt Flats Bolivia

After a few very intense days in the Chilean city of San Pedro de Atacama, our starting point from which to begin the tour to the Salar de Uyuni, we decided to go to bed early the last night, at 4:00 am we would be picked up by the shuttlebus and the best plan we could think of was to try to rest. And thank goodness! They picked us up super punctual and the 12 people went together to the Chilean-Bolivian border, where we were divided into three groups.

The Chilean-Bolivian Border

Before arriving at the border with Bolivia, we had to fill out some documents listing the time we would spend in the country. After the paperwork, pancakes, coffee with milk, fruit, and sandwiches were waiting for us in the car that had taken us there, what a treat! The early start was worth it and we certainly managed to revive ourselves, we were hungry!

After recharging our batteries, the three cars we were waiting for arrived to continue with the tour of the Uyuni Salt Flat. We shared the car with a French couple, and a Brazilian mother and daughter, it was a lovely mix!

When we arrived at the border we got our passports stamped, so we were all signed in! In the middle of nowhere, we enjoyed incredible views of a huge volcano (I do not know if it was the Licancabur, the truth). When we got back in the car we could not stop looking out the window and sighing! How wonderful, the scenery was like a movie: desert, volcanoes, colorful lakes, majestic rocks, etc..

First Stops on Our Tour of the Uyuni Salt Desert

And we went from enjoying the views in the distance to enjoying them close up. First White Lagoon, then the Green Lagoon, and finally the Red Lagoon. We also passed the highest point we would be reaching throughout the tour in Salar de Uyuni: A geyser (impressive, you can imagine) at 13,123 feet above sea level (4,000 meters above sea level). Even if the excitement gets the better of you, don’t run towards it. I did it and I got quite dizzy due to the altitude and the toxic fumes it expels.
Conclusion: Don’t be in a hurry, the geyser is not going anywhere. Before resting for lunch we made the last stop at the Polques Hot Springs, and what a stop it was!

I was so excited to be in the Uyuni Salt Flats Bolivia that I forgot I was hungry! The waters were squeaky clean and from inside we were treated to some amazing views. The landscape was wrapped in a unique mix of colors and you could soak up all the natural splendor. Have you ever sat in paradise?

We had lunch on the porch of an old school and in the afternoon we saw the Colorada Lagoon, can you guess the reason for its name?

The lagoon was full of pink flamingos that mingled with the surrounding alpacas and llamas, it was a touching sight!

The End of Day One

Late in the afternoon, we arrived at the first accommodation, a very humble hostel run by locals. We were in the middle of the desert without any connection and the cities were hours away by car. Although far from a luxury hotel, it was a luxury to be there. We were treated with love and the food was delicious. Speaking Spanish was a great advantage of going on this Uyuni Salt Flats Tour because in the hostel and in the transport, neither the hosts nor the driver spoke English. You can imagine how difficult it was for the French couple to understand Willy, our driver. He spent a lot of time talking about the history of each location, the landscapes, etc. He was very expressive and tried his best to make everything clear!

Day 2: Salt Hotel

The next day the first stop was in the so-called Lost Italy and the Valley of the Rocks, a desert of steep rocks in a thousand shapes reminiscent of a stone village.
We made another stop to see rocky monuments, the one that caught my attention was in the shape of a camel. We also visited the Inca Canyon, a rock in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of a canyon. This location seemed to be the inspiration for that scene in The Lion King with the stampede! Before lunch, we made a stop where our guide took us on a 10-minute walk to the Fauna Sora. We discovered an idyllic corner surrounded by ducks, grasses of a thousand colors, and rocky shapes everywhere.

We enjoyed our time strolling through the flora and fauna before meeting up with the group to take the car to a bar in the middle of the Salar de Uyuni. At lunch time we got a bunch of groups together and each driver served their guests the food they prepared. Lunch was delicious and our group had a great time.

After lunch, we went to San Agustin, where there was an old train station. We tried a couple of quinoa beers at a local craft beer bar. Shortly after, we got in the car and headed for Hotel Sal in Uyuni. When we arrived at the hotel we were initially unimpressed. The Hotel de Sal was made of bricks! We were told it was a hotel made of salt. Do you see our confusion? Before panicking Willy explained to us that, due to the heavy rainy season in Uyuni, it is impossible to maintain a building made of salt on the outside. So the facade is comprised of brick, meanwhile the inside is completely made of salt! The hotel was beautiful and each couple in the group enjoyed a private room without expecting it. It was a pleasant surprise because it was so unimaginable to find such a luxury in the middle of a desert.

We were served a snack shortly after arrival and a delicious early dinner so that we could wake up early the next day and watch the sunrise over the Salar de Uyuni.

Day 3: Sunrise at the Uyuni Salt Flats Bolivia

In the morning (actually, it was still dark) the whole group was very punctual and we loaded the car to start the tour.
We decided to start near Incahuasi Island so we could visit it as soon as we finished watching the sunrise. It was a spectacular moment to see the beginning of the day from such a unique place. It was very cold while we waited for the sunrise, so be sure to bring a comfy sweater (desert nights drop to very cold temperatures and rise again with the sunrise) but as soon as the first ray of sunshine came out we felt the intense heat.

After watching the sunrise in the Salar de Uyuni we visited Incahuasi Island. It was a strange and funny place at the same time. It was full of little stone paths to the top and full of giant cacti in the middle of a giant salt flat. Of course, we took a thousand pictures.

When we got off the Incahuasi Island, Willy was waiting for us at a little salt table with an incredible breakfast that included sponge cake, coffee with milk, cookies, etc. We were hungry and everything was delicious. What a gastronomic tour we were having!

The next stops were inside the curious Salar de Uyuni, and we took hilarious group photos at each of the stops.

Closing Out Our Uyuni Salt Flats Tour

And finally, before saying goodbye to this magnificent place, we visited the Dakar monument. We left the Salar de Uyuni behind and headed for the town of Colchani, known for its large souvenir market. There, we bought a few small gifts for friends and family until Willy told us it was time to leave. Before lunch we visited the famous Train Cemetery in the town of Uyuni and took lots of pictures, we were influencers for a moment. It was great to recharge our batteries in a restaurant where I tried llama meat for the first time, it was delicious! (there was also a vegetarian option).

After lunch, we were taken to the tour operator’s agency, where we were given access to the internet to make any urgent calls or send messages. This was also where we said our goodbyes to Willy and the rest of the group, who by then felt like close friends. This marked the end of an incredible journey and one I’ll never forget.

Reflections

I never imagined that such breathtaking, awe-inspiring, and almost magical places existed beyond the pages of fantasy stories, but Bolivia, Salt Flats, Uyuni, and the many places we visited in between proved otherwise. The vast, surreal landscapes of the Salar de Uyuni left me speechless, offering a sense of disconnection from the rest of the world that was deeply refreshing. Those days felt like stepping into another realm—a parenthesis of peace and reflection.

Have you ever felt the urge to visit the Salar de Uyuni? Are you curious or have any questions about what to expect from this once-in-a-lifetime destination? Let me know, I’d love to help!