A Complete Guide to the 3-Day Bolivian Salt Flats Tour from San Pedro de Atacama
Key Takeaways: Your 3-Day Salt Flats Tour
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| Editor’s Note (2025): This popular guide was written 9 years ago. While the itinerary and landscapes are timeless, please be aware that prices, tour company details, and safety conditions may have changed. Always double-check with tour operators for current information. |
Are you in San Pedro de Atacama and looking for an unforgettable adventure? The 3-day Bolivian Salt Flats tour is one of the most epic road trips in South America, and it starts right from Chile.
This first-hand guide covers everything you need to know about the Salar de Uyuni tour from Atacama, including the full itinerary, what to pack, how to handle the altitude, and how to choose the right tour.
Where Are The Bolivian Salt Flats?
The Salar de Uyuni (Bolivian Salt Flats) is located in southwest Bolivia, in the Potosí department. They are the world’s largest salt flats and are situated on the Altiplano, a high plateau near the crest of the Andes Mountains.
Atacama Desert & Bolivian Salt Flats
Tour Starting Points: San Pedro (Chile) vs. Uyuni (Bolivia)?
The tours tend to leave from San Pedro in Chile and end at Uyuni in Bolivia or vice versa. There is no benefit to starting at one town rather than the other. I was heading north, so it made sense to start at San Pedro.
How to Book Your Salar de Uyuni Tour
Whether you are in San Pedro or Uyuni, you can book with the many tour operators there. In doing so, it also gives you the flexibility of booking with a recommendation or with friends whom you meet on the way. However, if you wish to book beforehand, I would suggest any of the companies below;
What’s Included in a 3-Day Tour?
You would be forgiven to think that the salt flats are the only thing to see in this part of Bolivia, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. The southern part of Bolivia is incredibly unique and offers a diverse range of sites and attractions. I hadn’t done enough research to get excited, so every time we stopped, I was awe-struck as I just didn’t expect to see the things I did. I would suggest the 3-day tour, which takes in the following sites:
- Geysirs & Hot Springs
- Green Lagoon
- Laguna Colorada
- Canyon Anaconda
- Train cemetery
Atacama Desert & Bolivian Salt Flats
How Much Does the Tour Cost?
You can sign up for a 3-day tour for as little as $120, but I would keep your expectations very low and possibly be worried for your safety. Going with a recommendation or a tour operator who is highly commended will be so much more beneficial! Expect to pay between $200 – $250.
Atacama Desert & Bolivian Salt Flats
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Best Time to Visit (For the ‘Mirror Effect’)
To get the best experience, you should aim to be at the Salts Flats between December and March. This will give you the mirrored image that everyone loves. I was there at the end of January, and the weather was perfect. Outside of these months, it gets significantly colder.
Booking the Tour & Altitude Warning
I left from San Pedro de Atacama, a which is another worthwhile experience in itself, but the trip can also be done in reverse from Uyuni. I booked at the last minute with a company called White & Green. They were good, but I was in a jeep with a party of Israelis who couldn’t speak much English, not their fault!
One thing I remember about the trip was the incredible climb in altitude, and something my body didn’t agree with. I think we were over 5000m above sea level within just a few hours.
Tour Itinerary: Day 1 (Lagoons & Hot Springs)
Once we passed through the smallest immigration office I have ever seen, it was officially the start of the tour. Our first stop was Laguna Verde, which is a Salt lake in an endorheic basin not far from the Chilean border. Shortly after, we enjoyed a bit of time in the Hot Springs before stopping off at some geysers. We have only been driving for a few hours, but the change in landscape is like nothing I have ever seen.
After the geysers, it was onto Laguna Colorada before again going higher and higher. Here, the driver stopped and bought a packet of coca leaves, which are known to help with altitude sickness. Well, I had plenty and can safely put this down as an old wives’ tale! As soon as I got to the accommodation, I was out for the count. I slept for 15 hours that night and still struggled to wake up in the morning.
Atacama Desert & Bolivian Salt Flats
Tour Itinerary: Day 2 & 3 (Canyon & Salt Flats)
The following day, we made our way further north to Anaconda Canyon. Another amazing site within a landscape not like anything we had seen the day before. Our last day would be spent checking out the train cemetery and, of course, the salt flats. I know I say this all too often, but the scale of the salt flats just blew me away.
Atacama Desert & Bolivian Salt Flats
SALT FLATS
The following day we made our way further north to Anaconda Canyon. Another amazing site within a landscape not like anything we had seen the day before. Our last day would be spent checking out the train cemetery and of course the salt flats. I know I say this all too often but the scale of the salt flats just blew me away.
RATINGS….
- PEOPLE – 7/10
- BACKPACKING – 8.5/10
- SAFETY – 8/10
- WEATHER – 7/10
- THINGS TO DO – 7/10
- FOOD – 4/10
SUMMED UP….
- HIGHLIGHT – The landscape
- LOWLIGHT – Altitude sickness
- VISIT AGAIN – Yes
- RATING – 8/10
FINAL THOUGHTS
Thinking about South America as a whole, I would easily put this tour within the top 5 things to do, and having visited almost every country in the continent, it says a lot!
FAQ’s
1. Are the Atacama Salt Flats (Chile) the same as the Bolivian Salt Flats (Uyuni)
No. They are two different locations. The Atacama Salt Flats (Salar de Atacama) are in Chile, near San Pedro. This post is a guide for the Bolivian Salt Flats (Salar de Uyuni), which is a popular multi-day tour that starts from San Pedro de Atacama.
2. What lives in the salt flats?
The Salar de Uyuni is famous for its large flocks of pink flamingos, which feed in the shallow lagoons like Laguna Colorada. You may also see vicuñas (a relative of the llama).
3. When is the best time to see the “mirror effect” on the salt flats?
The “mirror effect” (where the water-covered flats perfectly reflect the sky) is best seen during the rainy season, from December to March.
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79/229
This post is part of The Southern American Series, click to explore or for episode 1 click here.
Question Time
- Have you been to Bolivia?
- Did you do this tour?
- What was your highlight?
- Did you do anything while in Bolivia that you recommend?
Let me know in the comments below . . .
