4 Days in Salar de Uyuni – An Immersive Tour of the Salt Flat
One Planet Journey’s Ingrid Boucher finds herself in Bolivia, exploring the otherworldly salt flat, Salar de Uyuni, so big you can spot it from space. For a more authentic experience, Ingrid chooses the laid-back town of Tupiza as a base of exploration. Get the ultimate guide to plan your own adventure, including horseback riding, abandoned towns, gorges, volcanic lakes, flamingos, geysers, and one of the world’s highest deserts at 4550 metres.
In my mind, Bolivia always felt like uncharted territory. So during a four-month backpacking trip in South America, both my travel companion and I considered it non-negotiable to include it on our itinerary.
I believe the best way to travel on a deeper level, is to ask for tips from locals and those who walked the path before us. However, we only had about three weeks and needed to compromise between following the typical tourist trail and being independent explorers.
This decision ended up being less of a trade-off and more of a revelation, both about the nature of deep travel and Bolivia itself. The country, true to its reputation, offered us a love affair and a challenging adventure all in one.
Finding a base to explore El Salar de Uyuni
After a few weeks in the country, we spent the last days of our Bolivian adventure visiting the famous Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flat. Located in the Andes, before you cross the border into Chile, the Salar de Uyuni sits high at an elevation of 3,656 metres above sea level.
In order to visit the park on our own we discovered we needed to rent a 4×4 vehicle. However, with a limited budget, we looked into other options. Take the standard route to the town of Uyuni or try the seldom used path south. Both involved booking a tour shared by a minimum of four people to cover the cost. Looking for the route less-travelled, we found the perfect base for our adventure – Tupiza, capital of the Potosi district. It’s a 25 000 strong town in southern Bolivia with rugged rocks, sand blowing in the wind, and dogs barking in the distance.
Why Tupiza?
With the November air thick and hot, even in the early hours of the day, we arrived sleep-deprived in the town of Tupiza after a long journey across the country.
I’m a staunch advocate of “do-it-yourself” travel, but I resigned myself to the fact that we needed tour companies for at least some part of our trip. Before lunch, we booked a four-day/three-night trip to Salar de Uyuni, as well as a five-hour horseback excursion to the surrounding quebradas [gorges] with a local agency.
Tupiza, often-overlooked by visitors to Bolivia, sits 2,850 metres above sea level. It is a strategic place to acclimatise to the Salar’s higher elevation. The location’s warm climate and relative isolation didn’t detract from the laid-back atmosphere that offered a more authentic experience than many other Uyuni tours. If you wander around town, you’ll find Cholitas (Bolivia’s indigenous Aymara and Quechua women) carrying baskets and going about their day. There are also sightseeing hikes with views of the area’s natural wonders.
Accommodation and Heat
That same afternoon, once the heat subsided, we set out on a pre-sunset hike up Cerro de la Cruz, appropriately named for the cross marking its pinnacle. Leaving behind a small plaza scattered with bored teenagers, we crossed the main road and began walking to the hill, half an hour outside of Tupiza. We couldn’t find many markings, but eventually made it to the top, where a palette of warm colours greeted us, contrasting with the fading lights of the town below.
Tupiza’s amenities are few but affordable, with rooms ranging between 20 to 30 dollars a night. We stayed at the Mitru Express and had access to the hotel’s pool, which we considered a bonus given the intense heat even at the end of the day.
Searching for Butch Cassidy’s treasure
The next morning we rode through Quebrada de Palmira, a normally dry gorge surrounded by red-hued canyons and steep walls with palm-shaped formations. Our guide, a small ranch owner who lived his whole life in Tupiza, shared stories about his culture, including his love for Chicha (a traditional, fermented alcoholic drink) and his horses. My understanding of Spanish allowed me to converse with him and I tried my best to translate his explanations and tales to my friend.
As we galloped through rock formations and cacti, I could smell the hot dust rising in the air. Halfway through the Valle de los Machos, we left our horses for a quick climb up the valley. Near the top, the wide, expansive view made me feel like a speck of dust. And we hadn’t found the storied treasure of Butch Cassidy, the criminal outlaw that robbed banks and trains in the US and hid from justice down south.
Once back in Tupiza, I packed my bag in anticipation of our multi-day trip to the Salar de Uyuni.
Salar de Uyuni: A Surreal Painting
We left Tupiza around 10:00 a.m. with our guides, all natives from the area, and six other travellers. While all different, collectively we shared a desire to be away from the crowds.
Over four days, we crossed lunar landscapes, dry valleys, high plateaus, and dusty roads. While not your typical slow travel experience, the long hours of driving combined with the surreal terrains and the bonds we created with our companions made this trip a journey to remember.
Day 1: Geological Wonders
On the first day, we stopped for a few hours at the Quebrada de Palala. This deep gorge, lined by canyons etched with palm-shaped formations, set the tone for much of what this tour would offer: geological wonders, sculpted by millennia of rain and erosion.
As we ventured onward, we abandoned the red landscapes for ochre backdrops, passing needle-like stone formations called El Sillar and, eventually, into Ciudad del Encanto – easily the highlight of my day. This fortress of eroded rock pinnacles stood strong in the middle of the sand-swept desert and we explored the nooks and crannies created by endless seasons of weathering.
It took me a while to get used to the rhythm of our new journey, but I eventually relaxed into the cadence of longer, steady travel segments punctuated by shorter stops.
When we stopped at the abandoned town of San Antonio de Lípez, we were past 4,250 metres above sea level. According to our guide, this once-prosperous mining centre suffered years of misfortunes, causing its population of 150,000 to steadily dwindle. Various sources blame greed, violence, ghost sightings, and even a pact with the devil that went wrong.
We called it a day in Quetena where we all shared a single room, tucking ourselves into our sleeping bags after marvelling at the vast, undisturbed night sky. I felt free.
Day 2: Lakes and Flamingos
We arrived at the first stop, Laguna Kollpa, two hours south of Quetena. Locals use these waters as a source of borax for soap-making. Before driving north and closing in on the Chilean border, we enjoyed a picnic prepared by our amazing cook, with the Volcano Licancabur standing in the background as a natural frontier. Laguna Verde sat at the foot of the volcano. It took my breath away in the most literal sense because of the elevation, but also from the pure beauty of its emerald green and blue waters. Because of the volcanic nature of the region, each lake has a different array of colours, varying depending on the minerals present.
After taking millions of photos, we set off through the lunar landscape of the Desierto de Dalí, named for its close resemblance to the surrealist artist Salvador Dalí’s paintings.
A Technicolour Experience
Despite the morning coffee, I caught myself dozing off by the time we arrived at “Sol de Mañana” Geysers park but, once out of the car, an alien landscape greeted me. While the smell of sulphur tickled my senses, what first struck me were the colours of the craters, which ranged from vibrant yellow to deep red to bright orange. These colours result from the difference in temperature between the air and the hot steam. They are also the source of the park’s name, which translates to “Morning Sun Geysers.” While fairly free to roam around, the steam and occasional bursts of geological activity kept us on our toes.
Last but not least, we arrived at the Laguna Colorada, our group’s favourite destination. From green to red, the waters stretched as far as our eyes could see. Llamas and flamingos adorned almost every surface, creating a dreamlike sight. Nobody wanted to leave, but reality called.
That night, in the small town of Huayllajara, I slept so soundly that I came close to missing my alarm the next morning.
Day 3: A Western movie set
Early in the morning, we headed for the Desierto de Siloli. As we crossed the desert, rock formations of all shapes and sizes appeared, including the famous Arbol de Piedra. Although its name translates to “stone tree,” this formation resembles a football trophy more. Our group used this stop as inspiration to film a few comedic shorts, inspired by American Western movies, much to the amusement of our guides.
At Laguna, Negra rocks shared limited space with moss and bushes on the high, wet plateau, while alpacas and black ducks turned to watch as we made our way through the oasis-like environment.
Nearing Salar de Uyuni
By late afternoon, our group reached a checkpoint that signalled we were, indeed, nearing the much-anticipated Salar de Uyuni. We unloaded the cars at our hostel in Chuvica. They built half of this hostel, known as the “salt hotel”, from blocks of salt, including the walls, chairs, beds, and tables.
The descending rays of the sun gave the textured salt beds an almost ethereal appearance as the mountains on the horizon seemed to close in on us. Excited for the next day, everyone shared tips and bragged about who would take the best pictures.
That night, our guides explained that thousands of years ago, several prehistoric lakes began evaporating. Over time, they slowly deposited compact layers of salts rich in minerals such as lithium and magnesium. Today, the remnants of those lakes form the Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt flat in the world.
Day 4: Sunrise over the Salt Flats
We woke before dawn, the crisp Bolivian air enveloping me as I walked to our car on Incahuasi Island, the highest of 14 such islands in Salar de Uyuni. December to April is the wet season, and due to the rain, some parts of the salt flat are inaccessible. The salt flat becomes one enormous breathtaking mirror, giving it a surreal effect. Incahuasi is the meeting point for most tours to the Salar. It is also what remains of an ancient coral reef, covered with fossil corals and seashells, as well as giant cacti that reach heights of up to 12 metres.
We spent a few hours taking photos, trying out different perspectives and mostly failing. But we enjoyed every minute and the salt flat left a lasting impression on all of us.
The rising sun signalled the end of our tour. We drove to the tiny town of Colchani, home to the country’s largest salt-processing company and one of the few places near the Salar to purchase locally made souvenirs.
We reached Uyuni around 10:00 a.m. and stopped for a ride in Cementerio de Trenes, full of old trains and wagons left to their fate. Like children in a playground, we explored, climbed, and made one last video: a slow-motion tribute to Butch Cassidy being chased on a train by the police.
Adventure and Authenticity in Salar de Uyuni
It’s hard to describe in a few words what we experienced during the 4 days in Salar de Uyuni. A surreal visit to a different planet wouldn’t be far off, and for sure a place that lingers in my soul.
While writing this article I spoke to my friend and remembered how much I cherish these memories. We learned about the country and its culture from our guides and from each other, too.
Our travel choices made it possible to combine the practicalities of joining a small organised tour and uncovering the wonders of the Potosí region. While I prefer independent travel and avoiding overly touristic places, this trip taught me that the right local tours add value. Alone, I can discover off-the-beaten-path spots, but would I have been able to immerse myself in the culture as much as I did without the help of my guides?
Have you visited the salt flat of Salar de Uyuni? What else did you do in the region? Let us know in the comments. Subscribe to our newsletter and benefit from travel guides, sustainable tourism and luxury travel tips, insightful interviews, and inspirational places to visit. One Planet Journey – The World’s First Deep Travel Magazine.
