5-Day Uyuni Salt Flats and Desert Adventure from La Paz

5 days Not CancellableMeet on locationInstant confirmationMin age 7+Guided by Urban Day Trips
5-Day Uyuni Salt Flats and Desert Adventure from La Paz5-Day Uyuni Salt Flats and Desert Adventure from La Paz5-Day Uyuni Salt Flats and Desert Adventure from La Paz5-Day Uyuni Salt Flats and Desert Adventure from La Paz5-Day Uyuni Salt Flats and Desert Adventure from La Paz5-Day Uyuni Salt Flats and Desert Adventure from La Paz
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Not CancellableMeet on locationInstant confirmationMin age 7+Guided

Why we love it?

This 5-day Bolivia tour begins with a night bus journey from La Paz to Uyuni, where you'll explore the vast Uyuni Salt Flats and visit Incahuasi Island, known for its giant cacti and panoramic views. The itinerary includes stops at the Train Graveyard and the village of Colchani before heading into the Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve, home to colorful lagoons such as the Red Lagoon and Green Lagoon, as well as the Sol de Mañana geyser field. Along the way, you’ll pass through the Dali Desert and Pia Pia Island, experiencing the unique landscapes of the Chiguana Desert and natural thermal hot springs at high altitudes between 4,000 and 5,000 meters. The tour provides 4WD transport with an English-speaking guide for some experiences, meals including breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and overnight bus transfers between La Paz and Uyuni. This itinerary suits travelers interested in remote natural wonders and high-altitude desert environments in southwest Bolivia.

Inclusions

  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
  • Lunch
  • 1 overnight trip in tourist bus from La Paz to Uyuni
  • 1 overnight trip in tourist bus from Uyuni to La Paz
  • 4WD transport on tour (max 7 people per car)
  • Transport as per itinerary
  • English-speaking guide for some experiences
  • Shared Salt Flats Excursion

Exclusions

  • Toilets along the Way (10 Bs)
  • Gratuities
  • Personal expenses
  • Travel insurance
  • Toiletries (towels, toilet paper, soap, etc)
  • Entrance fee to Incahuasi Island (approx. 30 Bs)
  • Entrance fee to Eduardo Avaroa Reserve (approx. 150 Bs)
  • Sleeping bag (must be requested in advance rental available for 50 Bs)
  • Hot shower at the lodges (approx. 30 Bs)
  • Private room during Uyuni Expedition (approx. price - subject to availability)
  • Change to Vegan Meals
  • Change to Gluten Free Meals

Itinerary

Day 1

La Paz Pickup - Night Bus from La Paz to Uyuni

  • You will get picked up at your accommodation in La Paz to be taken to the bus station. Take a night bus at 9:00 pm to the town of Uyuni in the southwest corner of Bolivia.

    Note: There will be no tour leader to accompany you on the bus.

  • Overnight bus to Uyuni

Day 2

Uyuni - Train Graveyard - Colchani - Uyuni Salt Flats (Incahuasi Island) - Pia Pia Island - Candelaria(L/D)

  • Arrive at the Uyuni bus station and start your 3D/2N tour at 10:30 am with a visit to Uyuni`s `train graveyard` to see the first locomotives in Bolivia. Then we will visit the small village of Colchani to visit a salt factory where they process the salt mined from Uyuni, have lunch, and enjoy some free time to explore the local museum or shop for souvenirs. Next we will continue to the great salt flats of Uyuni. Take photos as you cruise along the vast white expanse of salt, and visit a hotel made completely of salt. Next we will visit Incahuasi (Fish Island) where you will have time to take a hike to the top of the island to see giant cactus and rock formations made of petrified coral. Then, you’ll head to Pia Pia island, to see the beautiful sunset over the salt flats. Finish off at the village of Candelaria, and enjoy the unique experience of spending the night in a hotel made almost entirely of salt.

    Note: During the rainy season, between January and April, the Fish Island tour will be replaced with a possible stargazing / During the monsoon season, between January and April, the Salt Hotel will be in Colchani Village.

  • Salt Hotel (seasonal)

Day 3

Chiguana Desert - Lagoons - Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve - Red Lagoon (B/L/D)

  • Start off at 7:00 am for breakfast at the hotel and then head towards the Chiguana Desert, located on the south side of the Uyuni salt flats. It is surrounded by volcanoes. Our next stop is at the Volcan Ollague viewpoint, where we will have lunch before heading to the beautiful Andean lagoons inhabited by 3 species of Andean flamingos. Visit the Desert of Siloli at 4550m (the highest and driest in the world) and take a photo next to the `Rock tree`, a lava rock formation. Before arriving to our final destination today, we will stop at the overlook point by the Red Lagoon to see more pink flamingos and admire this intense red-colored lake. Stay the night at a shared family lodging.

  • Stay the night at a shared family lodging. (note: electricity only at certain times 18:00 hrs to 21:00 hrs)

Day 4

Sol de Mañana Geyser - Dali Desert - Green Lagoon - Uyuni - Night Bus to La Paz (B/L)

  • Get off to an early start around 5:00 am, take breakfast and start with a visit to Sol de Mañana Geyser, at 5,000m. You’ll walk alongside fumaroles, and steaming craters filled with boiling pots of mud at 150-200 Cº. Continue to the open-air hot springs, and take a bath in 35ºC water. Continue with a visit to the Dali Pampas, where Salvador Dali found his inspiration from boulders sprinkled in the middle of the desert, and then to the Green Lagoon (toxic copper water at the foot of the big Licancabur volcano at 6000m, a few kilometers from the Bolivia-Chile border). Then head back to Uyuni passing by beautiful scenery along the way and eat a picnic lunch along the roadside. Arrive by 5:00 pm 6:30 pm and make your own way to the Uyuni bus station to catch your night bus back to La Paz.
    Note: There will be no tour leader to accompany you on the bus.

  • Overnight bus to La Paz

Day 5

Arrival in La Paz

  • Arrive in La Paz around 8:00 am and make your own way to the accommodation of your choice from the La Paz bus station. Your once-in-a-lifetime adventure comes to an end. We hope to see you soon for your next adventure!

    Note: This itinerary is subject to change without prior notice according to weather conditions, strikes, roadblocks, or force majeure events which are beyond our control. We will always do our best to follow the itinerary as close as possible.

Please Note

  • This itinerary is subject to change without prior notice according to weather conditions, strikes, roadblocks, or force majeure events which are beyond our control. We will always do our best to follow the itinerary as close as possible.
  • During the rainy season from January to April, the Salt Flats fill up with water so it is not possible to cross them in the same way as during dry season. As a consequence, the itinerary is modified during that period. The main changes are usually as follows:
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Not stroller accessible
  • Instead of stopping at the Inca Wasy (Fish Island), we stop at a place where the water reflects the sky and where it seems that the sky and the ground merge into one.
  • On day 2, we might sleep at another location.
  • Not suitable for pets
  • We visit the Sol de Mañana Geyser and hot springs at the end of day 3 instead of in the morning of day 4.
  • No public transportation nearby
  • Altitude: This trip takes place at a very high altitude. The salt flats are around 5,000 meters above sea level, and most guests will be able to feel the effects. We recommend acclimating yourself to above 3,000 meters before the trip and bringing along medication for headaches and tablets for altitude sickness in case you feel unwell. And remember, the real key is to drink lots of water!
  • Infants must not sit on laps
  • Accommodation / Facilities on Tour: The reality of visiting a remote area and immersing yourself in nature is that you will be far from modern facilities and the services will sometimes be slow and quite basic. Due to the harsh terrain, vehicle breakdowns are not uncommon, but the drivers are very used to fixing them and wait times are rarely excessive. The accommodations will be very basic, with cots and shared rooms, and the electricity and running water in the National Park are not as dependable as they are back at home. Toilet facilities have a small local cost. Make sure to bring snacks, some water, toilet paper, and plenty of warm clothes. That said, with some patience, preparation, and an appetite for adventure, this trip will certainly be a positive and unforgettable experience.
  • Infant seats unavailable
  • Suggested packing list: Sun hat, sunglasses (to protect your eyes from the bright glare off the salt panes), sunblock, coat, gloves, wool hat, trekking shoes, warm socks, swimsuit and towel for hot springs at Sol de Manana Geysers, extra bottles of water (we recommend bringing a 5 Liter bottled water so you can have enough water for the whole trip), snacks, personal medication. Flashlight/torch, camera, extra batteries and memory card, charger (electricity available in most hotels), hand sanitizer, personal first aid kit. You will be sleeping up to 4,300 meters above sea level and depending on the season, temperatures can drop well below zero (reaching less than -15 degrees Celsius in the winter months of June and July) and the wind chill can be harsh, so bring plenty of warm clothes like a scarf and wool hat for the chilly evenings.
  • Please bring only the necessary material & clothes during the tour
  • Please inform us of any dietary restrictions. This voucher is not the final confirmation and will not be valid to board the bus or join the tour Important: Please contact Bamba Experience at [ ] to confirm your departure information at least 1 week prior to your first day of travel. Bamba will make sure to send you a formal confirmation with all the information that you need in order to get your bus tickets and board your trip. Altitude: This trip takes place at a very high altitude (5,000 m). We recommend acclimating yourself to above 3,000 meters before the trip and bringing medication for headaches and altitude sickness in case you feel unwell. Remember to drink lots of water! Packing list: Water (we recommend bringing a 5 Liter bottled water so you can have enough water for the whole trip), snacks, personal medication, toilet paper, sun hat, sunglasses (to protect your eyes from the bright glare off the salt panes), sunblock, coat, gloves, wool hat, trekking shoes, warm socks, swimsuit and towel for hot springs at Sol de Manana Geysers, flashlight/torch, camera, extra batteries and memory card, charger (electricity available in most hotels), hand sanitizer, personal first aid kit. It can get very cold especially during the winter months (June and July) so bring extra warm clothes, like a scarf and wool hat to keep warm

Know Before You Go

  • Passport required

Cancellation Policy

Non-refundable booking

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