A three day tour of Salar de Uyuni and the Bolivian Altiplano
If you need a break from the hustle and bustle of city life, a tour to Salar de Uyuni and the Bolivian Altiplano is an ideal adventure. With breath-taking views of brightly coloured natural mineral lakes, flamingos in the wild, the world’s largest salt flat and endless hours of driving through the Andes. This will be three days you will not regret, despite having no Wi-Fi connection for 3 days, it is a great opportunity to disconnect!
Here’s our guide to a full three-day tour to Salar de Uyuni and the Bolivian Altiplano.
Day 1 – Getting to Uyuni
Uyuni is a very small town, with a population of around 30,000. In this small town, you should look to book your three-day tour. If you’re coming from the capital city of La Paz, Panasur is the recommended bus operator to use. They offer an overnight bus service with fully reclining seats, allowing a very comfortable night’s sleep. Buses typically depart from La Paz bus station at 8pm, arriving at Uyuni at 6am the following morning.
The first day of the tour is a visit to an eerie Train Cemetery (Cementerio de Trenes) and of course the spectacle that is the salt flat itself. Your first night will be an unforgettable experience staying in a hostel made entirely of salt!
#FLODown: A recommended tour operator when you arrive at Uyuni is ‘Sol Andino’. They are extremely popular, so it’s recommended you go straight there to book. If you are visiting in January or February, note that this is the busiest time to visit as it’s the best time for rain to fall on the salt plains creating a mirror effect!
It’s advised that you know enough Spanish to get you by, as typically non-Spanish speakers are charged more for the tour, plus additional fees for an English speaking guide!
Don’t forget to buy water in the town of Uyuni for the trip.
Day 2 – Entering the middle of nowhere in the Andes
Although Day 2 consists of mainly driving, the views are absolutely unforgettable. The journey begins travelling south towards the Reserva Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa – towards the border with Chile. The road is non-existent and very rocky, and there are almost no towns or villages in sight as you slowly ascend to 5,000m above sea level. The beauty of the lagoons, flamingos and vicuñas is unmatched. Note that you will have to pay Bs 150 to enter the national park – this fee is fixed and non-negotiable. The highlight for Day 2 is Laguna Colorada – an inspiring natural red lagoon of 60km2 .
Your second night will most likely be shared accommodation, in an extremely remote location with limited water and electricity.
#FLODown: It’s recommended you take your own soap, wipes and battery pack charger for your essential devices! Don’t take this as a negative by any means – the lack of electricity is compensated for by the millions and millions of stars in the sky as you lay in the warm volcanic thermal baths. A personal highlight of the trip.
Day 3 – The descent
Upon booking the tour, you can decide to continue your journey past day 3 to enter Chile, and see the wonders of the San Pedro de Atacama desert. Otherwise, you can opt to travel back to Uyuni for the more bearable altitude of c.3,000m above sea level. Upon approaching the Chilean border, the stunning Laguna Verde and Laguna Blanca will be seen. If you’re lucky and you are blessed with strong winds, the Laguna Verde will transform itself into a stunning fluorescent bright green colour.
#FLODown: Ask for Coca leaves (hojas de coca) when the altitude gets too much! Simply keeping the leaves in your mouth and chewing on them relieves the pain of the high altitude.
Shout out to Martín from Sol Andino for an unforgettable trip!
Photography and Words by Ayisha Paw
