From Uyuni: Red Lagoon & Uyuni Salt Flats 3-Day Guided Tour
Potosí Department, Bolivia
Explore Uyuni Salt Flats and its surroundings on a 3-day trip with transport, meals, and an English-speaking guide. See the Salt Flats, Red Lagoon, Isla Incahuasi, deserts, and more.
Overview
This 3-day guided tour explores the Uyuni Salt Flats and surrounding lagoons in Bolivia, ideal for nature lovers and photographers.
Highlights
- Certified English-speaking guide included
- Explore the Uyuni Salt Flats and colorful lagoons up close
- Observe flamingos in their natural habitat
- Opportunity for unique photography during the tour
Description
Day 1: The tour begins at 10:30 a.m. with a drive to the Uyuni Salt Flats. Visit the Train Graveyard on the outskirts of Uyuni, followed by Colchani, a small settlement known for salt miners’ workshops and handicrafts made from salt and llama/alpaca wool. You will also explore the vast salt flat, wade through “Ojos de Agua Salada,” and see a salt hotel used as a museum-restaurant, Flags of the World (where you can add your own), and the Dakar racing monument.
Lunch is served en route. Afterward, hike to the top of Incahuasi Island to see giant cacti and petrified coral rock formations. Later, enjoy taking creative perspective and proportion-distorted photos on the white salt surface. End the day watching the sunset over the salt flats accompanied by a glass of wine.
Accommodation: Atulcha Salt Hostel in a shared 6-bed room with shared toilets; no Wi-Fi available.
Day 2: Breakfast at 6:30 a.m., then visit the Chiguana Desert on the southern edge of the salt flats, surrounded by volcanoes including the active Ollagüe. Continue to Cañapa, Hedionda, and Chiarcota lagoons to see flamingos. After lunch, enter Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve and visit the Siloli Desert, the driest and highest desert worldwide, and photograph the ‘Rock Tree’ lava formation. Stop at the Red Lagoon overlook to see more flamingos and the striking red-colored water.
Accommodation: Huayllajara Hostel in a shared 6-bed room with shared toilets; no Wi-Fi available.
Day 3: Early start at 5:00 a.m. to visit Sol de Mañana geyser and walk among fumaroles and steaming craters with boiling mud. Then bathe in open-air hot springs with water at 35°C. Next, visit the Dali Desert and Green and White Lagoons.
The return trip to Uyuni includes a picnic lunch by the roadside, a stop at Rock Valley, and a brief toilet break in San Cristobal Village. Arrival back in Uyuni is between 5:45 and 6:45 p.m.
Optional: Upgrade hostel accommodation for an extra fee during payment.
Includes
- Two nights’ accommodation shared in 6-bed rooms with your jeep group
- Transportation in 4WD vehicle with rooftop luggage rack
- Local driver and professional tour guide
- 3 lunches, 2 dinners, and 2 breakfasts
Excludes
- Entrance fee to Isla Incahuasi (30 BOB)
- Entrance fee to Eduardo Avaroa Reserve (150 BOB)
- Entrance fee to Galaxy Caves (15 BOB)
- Entrance fee to Hot Springs (6 BOB)
- Toilet fees along the route (30 BOB)
- Personal expenses (approx. 150 BOB)
- Drinks not included
- Optional sleeping bag rental (50 BOB)
- Optional rain boots rental (20 BOB)
Important Information
- The tour starts and ends in Uyuni City.
Cancellation Policy
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Booking Tips
Bring warm clothing, sun protection, and a camera for photography. The best time to visit is during the dry season for optimal visibility and road conditions.
