Train Cemetery

Tour Duration: 9 hours Departure: 9:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Distance: 260 km (161 miles) 4x4WD expedition / 2 hours of hiking. Altitude: 3660 m (12007.87 ft) Difficulty: Moderate (high altitude) Departure daily, year-round Service in English.French,Spanish Duration 3 days/2 nights Age 5 to 65 years old Our expedition begins at 9:30 a.m. (pick-up must be coordinated with our team) from your hotel, airport, or bus terminal. From the Andes Salt Expeditions office, the tour departs at 9:30 a.m. in a Toyota Land Cruiser 4x4. We will visit the Train Cemetery, where you can see the remains of steam locomotives from the 19th and early 20th centuries, an excellent spot for artistic photographs with an explanation from our local guide.

Colchani

The expedition continues with a visit to Colchani, located 5 km from the Uyuni Salt Flats, where there are 25 salt refineries. We will visit one of the refineries to learn about the salt iodization process, including salt drying, crushing, iodine mixing, and bagging for distribution in Bolivia. You will also find salt crafts to buy as souvenirs, such as salt llamas and small packets of medicinal salt for rheumatism.

Salar de Uyuni

On the edge of the salt flats are some of the world's only salt hotels: Palacio de Sal, Luna Salada, Cristal Samana, and others. This is where the real adventure begins as we enter the Salar de Uyuni. Here, we'll visit the "Salt Eyes" (underground pumps of saltwater that emerge under high pressure, forming salt crystals), the Plaza de las Banderas (Plaza of the Flags), and the monument to the Dakar Rally, which crossed the salt flats in 2015. We'll visit the former Playa Blanca hotel, built entirely of salt, where you'll have time to take photos and admire the rooms, the kiosk, and the dining areas. We'll then venture deeper into the salt desert to enjoy lunch in the middle of the Salar. Afterward, we'll leave the crowds of other tour groups behind with our driver-guide for a photo session and some fun videos with our expert professional driver-guide

Fish island

Continuing, we'll visit Incahuasi Island (House of the Inca), also known as the Island of Giant Cacti, located in the center of the salt flats, 130 km from Uyuni. It's the main destination for most salt desert tours. It's an extraordinary and otherworldly place, a mountainous landscape covered in salt. A sea of giant cacti surrounded by a white sea of salt, populated by vizcachas (Andean rodents) that inhabit its rocky slopes, is an oasis with a unique ecosystem. The island is full of giant cacti that can measure from 5 centimeters to 10 meters in height. This island features an immense coral reef where you can appreciate beautiful scenery. It has the best views of the Salar de Uyuni; From the summit, you can appreciate the 360-degree panorama of the salt flats, including the Tunupa volcano. The tour on this island lasts about an hour. You must walk with great care and wear hiking boots and jeans for your safety.

Afterward, we will travel 100 km across the salt flats to observe the mirror effect. We will watch the sunset there and enjoy a snack of red wine, cookies, and Pringles. We will end the first day's tour at 7:30 pm at your preferred hotel. Arrival and check-in at an exclusive 4-star hotel in Salt, which includes use of the spa and other activities. 8:30 pm, a buffet dinner at the hotel to end the day. Important information: During the rainy season from January to March each year, the salt flats flood, and due to safety measures, it is not possible to access Incahuasi Island or the Tunupa Volcano, as saltwater damages vehicle electrical systems. Restrictions: Not suitable for overweight individuals, pregnant women, people with altitude sickness, people over 65 years of age, or people with heart conditions.

Salar de Uyuni

Duration: 10 hours Departure: 4:00 am to 7:30 am (sunrise visit). This sunrise tour is optional to avoid interrupting your rest and comfort. Distance: 260 km (161,557miles) Hiking: 1 hour Altitude: From 3,660 meters to 5,000 meters above sea level. Difficulty: Moderate to moderate. The Day 2 tour begins with sunrise over the salt flats. From the salt flats, you'll have the opportunity to see the Milky Way and reflect on being part of the stars in the universe. It's a beautiful spot for taking photos of the stars and the sunrise from the salt flats.

Volcan Ollague

After sunrise, you will have a buffet breakfast at the hotel reserved. At 9:30 am, departure for the lagoons, the flamingos, and the Siloli Desert. We will pass through towns like Ramaditas, San Cristobal, and Alota, before visiting the Valley of Rocks. We will then visit the Ollagüe Volcano from the viewpoint, where you can observe the fumaroles and explore the petrified lava field with its fascinating formations.

Laguna Hedionda

Continuing south, we will visit Cañapa Lagoon, where you can see the first flamingos on a plain surrounded by borax. Further south, we will visit Hedionda Lagoon, home to even more flamingos, where you can enjoy taking photos and videos.

Siloli Desert

We will also see herds of vicuñas. The driver and guide will prepare lunch. Afterward, we will continue to the Siloli Desert, arriving to rest at the Hotel Ojito de Perdiz on the Tayca Line. Throughout this tour, our local guide will provide explanations and descriptions of each attraction along the way. The 3-star Hotel Ojito de Perdiz, Tayca Line the best in the area, is located in the heart of the inhospitable Siloli desert. This same desert, on the Chilean side, is called the Atacama Desert. From here you can watch the sunset and the stars of the Atacama Desert after dinner.

Arbol de Piedra

Tour duration: 7 hours, departing at 6:00 a.m., arriving in San Pedro de Atacama between 2:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m., and arriving in Uyuni at 8:00 p.m. Tour departure time: 6:00 a.m. Distance: 200 km to the Hito Cajones border marker (Bolivia-Chile border). Important note: During the rainy or snowy season (December to February), Chilean customs may close the border without prior notice for safety reasons. Distance: 550 km to the city of Uyuni Land Cruiser 4x4 WD Hiking: 1 hour and 30 minutes Altitude: from 3660 m (11,975 ft) to 4980 m (16,338 ft) Difficulty: Moderate (High Altitude) Breakfast at the hotel at 5:30 a.m. Departure at 6:00 a.m. We begin by crossing the Siloli Desert towards the Stone Tree. At the end, we will observe the Stone Tree, sculpted by the wind and formed from petrified volcanic lava (volcanic ignimbrite). Surreal landscapes abound in this Andean mountain range, with its multicolored ash from the pyroclastic flows of these inactive volcanoes.

Laguna Colorada

Next, we'll discover the region's most important attraction, Laguna Colorada, nominated as one of the natural wonders of the world. Before entering, you must register your entry with your passport and pay an entrance fee of 150 bolivianos. For the Bolivian government, it's a breeding center for the world's largest pink flamingo population. The lagoon covers 60 square kilometers, and its most striking feature is the vibrant red color it acquires thanks to phytoplankton algae interacting with sunlight, minerals, and other algae, which tint its waters. We'll have ample time to visit the lagoon's main viewpoint and photograph the scenery. The route, with its astonishing erosion and surreal landscapes, traverses spectacular scenery with multicolored volcanic rock formations and reaches an altitude of 5,000 meters. Along the way, and the shoreline is lined with brilliant white deposits of sodium, magnesium, borax, and gypsum.

The lagoon is home to 40,000 flamingos, with three species breeding there. The Chilean flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis) reaches just over a meter in height and has a white beak with a black tip, dark blue legs, red knees, and salmon-colored plumage. James's flamingo (Phoenicopterus jays) is the smallest of the three species. The Andean flamingo (Phoenicopterus andinus) is the largest of the three and has pink plumage, yellow legs, and a yellow and black beak.

Geiser Sol de la Manana

Sol de Mañana Volcano Along the way, we will visit the "Sol de Mañana" volcanic zone. At 4,850 meters, there is a basin of geysers, fumaroles with bubbling mud pots, infernal fumaroles, and a dense aroma of sulfur fumes. This is a site of intense volcanic activity. Inside a small crater, we will observe boiling lava, a reminder of the era in which the Earth was formed

Aguas Termales De Polques

. Polques Lagoon Hot Springs - We will arrive at this magical hot springs location in Polques Lagoon at 12:00 noon. We will enjoy these hot springs located in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by surreal beauty, and you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in thermal pools at an altitude of 4,350 meters. This place is truly magical. Enjoy the views while you are in the water. The hot springs are beautiful and offer a magnificent view of the lagoon with flamingos in the surrounding area. The experience is like being with them in the hot springs. The temperature of the thermal water is 35-38°C. We will have lunch here.

Salvador Dali Desert

Afterward, we will head to the Salvador Dalí Desert, which resembles the surreal paintings of the Spanish painter Salvador Dalí. We will stop to contemplate the giant stones of this desert, taking photos and videos with the background of volcanoes full of pyroclastic flows on the way to Laguna Verde (border with Chile), full of intense colors, impressive mountains, and unusual hues. After visiting the Salvador Dalí Desert, we arrived at the edge of Laguna Verde.

Laguna Verde

Laguna Verde. - After visiting the Salvador Dalí Desert, we arrived at the edge of Laguna Verde, the last stop on the tour before reaching Hito Cajones, the border with Chile. This beautiful green lagoon is an excellent opportunity to take photos with the Licancabur volcano in the background. Flamingos are not seen due to the high arsenic content in its waters. The green color of this lagoon is due to the high concentrations of lead, sulfur, and calcium carbonate, originating from the Licancabur volcano (5,960 meters). Laguna Verde is located next to Laguna Blanca, where some flamingos can be found. The Licancabur volcano borders Bolivia to the south and Chile to the west; it is a truly surreal sight.

San Pedro de Atacama

Afterwards, we have two options to end the tour in San Pedro de Atacama Chile, with a private transfer. Another option is to end the tour with a return to Uyuni. OPTION 1: ENDING IN SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA, CHILE, AT 3:00 PM: With a private transfer operated by a transportation company from San Pedro Chile, which costs USD 160 and ends in San Pedro at 3:00 PM. OPTION 2: RETURN TO UYUNI: With two stops at tourist attractions, lunch at midday, a visit to the Valley of Rocks, and a brief stop in San Cristóbal for a break, where we can see a colonial-era church. On the return journey, you may also see llamas and birds. We finish in Uyuni between 8:00 PM and 9:00 PM with a 7-hour drive from Laguna Verde to Uyuni.