Uyuni Salt Flats Adventure

From La Paz, Bolivia to La Paz, Bolivia
  • Bolivia
  • Wildlife and Nature
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Tour Description

Discover the extraordinary beauty of the Uyuni Salt Flats, the largest in the world - a place that has to be seen to be believed! Combine this with a stay in La Paz, for a fantastic adventure to Bolivia!

 Resting on the Andes’ Altiplano plateau at more than 3,500m above sea level, arrive into the city of La Paz, for 3 nights. Explore this fascinating city, its witches markets, where traditional cultures blend with the modern. Ride the“Teleférico" cable car and explore the stunning Valley of the Moon. Take a tour out of the city to explore Tiwanaku ruins, of one of the most important pre-Inca civilizations.

Fly to Uyuni, for more iconic Bolivian sights; the famous train cemetery, and of course the Uyuni Salt Flats. The largest salt flat in the world offers a stark yet awe-inspiring vista, considered one of the most remarkable in South America. In the dry season the dazzling salt desert stretches as far as the eye can see, and is a great time to explore as much as possible, including Incahuasi Island, an oasis covered with giant cacti up to 10 metres high.  Or, if you are there in the wet season, rain can mean there is a thin layer of water sitting on top of the salt flat reflecting the sky in stunning ways - a photographers dream!

Two nights at the unique Palacio de Sal hotel made from salt will round out this bucket list experience. 

Viva's Best Bits...

Explore the the archaeological ruins of the city of Tiwanaku, capital of a powerful pre-Hispanic empire that dominated a large area of the southern Andes and beyond

Explore the largest slat flats in the world. Here, a thick crust of salt extends to the horizon, covered in striking patterns. In the rainy season sometimes a thin layer of water covers the salt plains, resulting in beautiful reflections.

Stay in a Salt hotel for a unique experience, the Palacio was constructed using more than one million blocks of salt.

Tour Itinerary

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Day 1
Arrival La Paz

El Alto airport in La Paz is currently the highest international airport in the world at 4,080m/13.115 ft above sea level. Transfer from airport to hotel, via a short highway.

Overnight in La Paz

Day 2
La Paz tour

Embark on a city tour through La Paz, wandering through the street markets rich in handicrafts, weavings, and witchcraft items, followed by a visit to the colonial section of the city. Then, descend into the more modern, southern part of La Paz to reach and visit the Valley of the Moon, where a clay mountain has been impressively shaped by erosion. Ride by cable car for an excellent and beautiful view of La Paz.

Your tour will be conducted by a local English speaking guide and you will be joined by a 'Lustracalzado' or a shoeshiner, who can found on most street corners of the city. Often the lustras will wear a balaclava or face covering to hide their identities and the social stigma and discrimination that their profession attracts. We work with a social project, that helps to employ the lustras as tour guides. This allows them additional income and the project has even paid for some of them to pursue further study and learn English. We hope that by you taking a tour with a lustra guide that this will help break down the social stigmas in place and give them a better future.

Day 3
Tiwanaku ruins tour

Tiwanaku is a 1.5 hour drive from La Paz (72 km/45 miles), throughout which the highlands are passed and the Aymaran way of life can be seen. Tiwanaku dating back to 400AC - 1100AC, was one of the most important pre-Inca civilizations and considered to be among the most developed at the time. The main constructions visited during this tour are: Kalasasaya temple and the Gate of the Sun constructed out of stone, Ponce and Fraile monoliths; Akapana pyramid and semi-underground temple. Two local museums to view pottery, stone work and learn about the culture are also included on this trip.

Day 4
La Paz Uyuni

Transfer to La Paz airport and fly to the town of Uyuni, gateway to the Uyuni Salt Flats

Uyuni salt flats – Colchani
Our Salt Flats tour begins with the visit of the famous Train Cemetery, located only 8min away from Uyuni town. This place is known for the remains of steam locomotives that have persisted since the 19th and 20th centuries.

Later, in Colchani we will observe the salt extraction methods used by the local people in their artisanal fabrics.  

We will then enter the incredible Uyuni salt flats, with more than 12,000 km2 of pure salt. Visit the “Stairs to heaven” which is one of the works of the renowned Bolivian artist Gaston Ugalde. It is a staircase made of salt that is located in the middle of the Uyuni salt flat. It is an interesting stop to have nice pictures. Then, we will see the “Eyes of the Salt”. These are the outlets for subterranean rivers flowing under the Uyuni Salt Flat. The waters flowing from inside the salt flat have particular acidic concentrations and are considered medicinal waters by the locals.

Continue our journey to Incahuasi Island, which is a unique oasis and isolated ecosystem that is populated by giant cactuses up to 10 meters high, amazing! 

A unique experience having lunch in the middle of the salt flats await us!  

Included: Picnic lunch in Uyuni Salt flats

Overnight at the Palacio de Sal hotel

Day 5
Colchani – Coqueza Uyuni

Colchani – Coqueza - Uyuni
After breakfast, we continue the trip direction north until we arrive at the feet of the majestic Tunupa volcano. We will visit Coquesa and their famous “mummies”, which are from pre-Columbian time. Also, on the same salt flats we will have the chance to take the funny “perspective” pictures. Our driver and guide will help us. They are already experts in this subject.

Finally, when returning to Uyuni, we will enjoy a beautiful sunset, which is one of the most beautiful moments that we will see in this place. The effect caused by the colors of the sun together with the salt make us have a spectacular landscape. It's a great time to get great photos.

Lunch included today

Overnight at the Palacio de Sal hotel

Day 6
Uyuni La Paz

Transfer Colchani- Airport Uyuni for your return flight to La Paz

Your tour ends at the airport mid morning.

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What’s Included

Accommodation
  • Included Copy 20 3 nights accommodation in a standard hotel
  • Included Copy 20 2 nights in a Salt Hotel
Food
  • Included Copy 20 Breakfast daily, and other meals as outlined in the included sightseeing tours
Fees & Services
  • Included Copy 20 Internal flights as part of this itinerary
  • Included Copy 20 Sightseeing outlined in the tour itinerary with English speaking guides
  • Included Copy 20 All entrances fees
  • Included Copy 7 International Flights, Visa and reciprocity fees (if applicable), tips, travel insurance

Activities

  • Included Learn about pre Incan civilizations at Tiwanaku
  • Included Explore La Paz, its churches, witches markets and moon valley
  • Included Stay in a Salt Hotel, explore Salar de Uyuni - the world’s largest salt lake.
  • Included Visit a train cemetery
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Click here for dates & prices
Duration

6 days

Price from

$2,365 USD

Per person, sharing

Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays all year round
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