Uyuni Salt Flats to Salt Hostel (Train cemetery Colchani Salt craft shops and salt factory)

Salar de Uyuni - Departing from the office at 10:00 am, we will first visit the Train Cemetery to see the remnants of 19th-century steam locomotives. Upon arriving in COLCHANI, we will tour the salt refinery where iodine is mixed with salt at various stages for national consumption. We will also visit the salt craft shops. On the edge of the salt flat, we will explore the salt eyes and the former salt hotel Playa Blanca, where we will have lunch featuring roast llama, beef, and vegetarian options. Next, we will head to INCAWASI ISLAND, located 100 km from Uyuni in the middle of the salt flat. This extraordinary place, covered in trichocerus cacti and surrounded by a flat white sea of salt with hexagonal shapes, seems otherworldly. In the heart of the salt desert, we will have a photo and video session with our expert driver guides for 1-2 hours, followed by a sunset viewing. We will then proceed to a 3-star salt hotel with private bathrooms. Upon arrival, you can enjoy tea, coffee, hot chocolate, dinner, and rest.

Train Cemetery - Located 3 kilometers south of Uyuni, the Train Cemetery features various types and models of 19th and early 20th-century steam locomotives from North America and England. This site showcases the high technology of the 19th century, which significantly impacted industrial development and mining in Potosi. It replaced the llama caravans that transported silver from the Huanchaca-Pulacayo mine to Antofagasta. It’s an excellent spot for artistic photography, with the driver guide assisting in taking pictures and providing information. The visit lasts 30 minutes.

Colchani - In the town of COLCHANI, adjacent to the Uyuni salt flats, Cooperativa Rosario operates the main salt iodization plant. This is the best place to observe the different stages of salt processing, including drying, crushing, mixing with iodine, and packing for commercialization in Bolivia. Our expert guide will explain the salt iodization process. We will also visit the artisanal salt market, where you can see and purchase items like flamingos and llamas carved from salt, medicinal salt, and other souvenirs.

Isla Incahuasi - We will then enter the majestic Uyuni Salt Flats. On the shore, you can visit the salt eyes, which are medicinal for rheumatism and arthritis, the Dakar monument, and the flags of the salar. We will also visit the former salt hotel Playa Blanca, now a salt museum made from salt blocks. After lunch, we will take photos and perspective videos with guidance from our expert bilingual driver guide. We will arrive at Incawasi Island (Casa del Inca), located 100 km from Uyuni in the center of the salt flat. This mountainous island, covered with giant cacti and surrounded by a white sea with hexagonal shapes and volcanoes like Tunupa, is populated by vizcachas and dominated by blue and white colors. It is an oasis with a unique and isolated ecosystem, featuring cacti ranging from a few centimeters to 7 meters high. We will then head to the west side of the salt flat to watch the sunset before going to a 3-star salt hostel for the night, where we will have dinner and rest.

Day 2: Salt Hostel / Laguna Colorada

Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve of Andean Fauna - On day 2, we will cover a distance of 350 km, ascending from an altitude of 3660 to 5000 meters over 9 hours. “Laguna Colorada” is known for its rich red coloration, derived from algae and plankton nourished by its minerals, and is lined with bright white deposits of magnesium and borax. The day’s attractions include:
• Chullpas cemetery, Chiguana desert, Ollague viewpoint
• Chain of lagoons: Cañapa, Hedionda (Lunch), Chiarcota, Honda lagoons
• Crossing the Siloli desert, where you can see 7 colors of volcanoes
• Visiting the stone tree and the red lagoon, with two viewpoints: a) Puntas Negras viewpoint b) Aguas Calientes viewpoint, where you can see three types of flamingos: Chilean, Andean, and Jamesi
• Later, we will visit the Sol de Mañana volcano to see geysers and fumaroles, and then arrive at the hot springs of Laguna Polques, where you can enjoy the hot springs, tea, dinner, and spend the night in a 2-star hotel.

Laguna Canapa - The Cañapa Lagoon is the first stop on the second day of the Uyuni 3-day tour, after spending the night at the salt hotel. The road from Uyuni is long and poorly signposted, with intense cold and incredible scenery along the way. More lagoons follow, culminating in Laguna Colorada and the Polques hot springs. You will see snow-capped mountains, brown and reddish hills, and a large lagoon with many flamingos. We will circle the lagoon to get the best shots of the flamingos, the lagoon, and the snow-capped mountains, creating a postcard-like landscape. Flamingos will take flight in a flock when approached, creating a beautiful image against the sky.

Laguna Hedionda - This highland lagoon offers the chance to see many flamingos, surrounded by snow-capped hills and volcanoes. It is a remote and cool location with an incredible landscape of lake and birds, bordered by mountains and volcanoes. The Hedionda lagoon has facilities for tourists, including a restaurant, bathrooms, and outdoor tables. We will have lunch here, prepared by our company Ande Salt Expeditions, before continuing through the desert to climb to 5000 meters in the Siloli desert.

Arbol de Piedra - After lunch, we will continue through the desert, climbing to 5000 meters in the Siloli Desert. The route passes through spectacular landscapes with multicolored volcanic rock formations, reaching a height of 5000 meters before entering the Eduardo Abaroa National Reserve, where the Stone Tree is located. This natural formation is petrified volcanic lava eroded by wind and rain. We will stop in the desert to observe the 7 colors of volcanoes with their pyroclasts. In Bolivia, this desert is called Siloli, while in Chile, it is known as the Atacama Desert.

Laguna Colorada - We will arrive at Laguna Colorada around 4:00 p.m. Located 151 km south of San Juan at an altitude of 4278 meters, this 60 km2 lagoon has a rich red coloration from algae and plankton nourished by its minerals, with bright white deposits of sodium, magnesium, and borax along the shoreline. The lagoon’s red tint is due to algal blooms, and it is home to many flamingos. We will visit the lagoon from two viewpoints: Puntas Negras and Aguas Calientes. Laguna Colorada is known for its beautiful colors and pink flamingos. We will then continue along the slopes of the Pabellon volcano to reach the Sol de Mañana volcano and see the geysers and fumaroles.

Geiser Sol de la Manana - We will visit the volcanic area of Geysers “Sol de Mañana” at 4850 meters, where you can see bubbling clay pots, fumaroles, and sulfur fumes. This site of intense volcanic activity features a small crater with boiling lava, reminiscent of the earth’s formation. You can take photos and videos, especially of the bubbling mud and steam. Remember to bring warm clothes, as it gets very cold at sunset. This geyser in the desert is an incredible sight, with steam columns rising into the air. We will then descend to the Polques lagoon to enjoy the hot springs and spend the night in a 3-star hostel at the Piedra hotel.

Aguas Termales de Polques - We will arrive at the hot springs of Laguna Polques at 6:30 pm, where we will settle in before enjoying the hot springs. Surrounded by surreal beauty, you can immerse yourself in thermal pools at 4410 meters. You can enjoy the thermal water before or after dinner, or the next day before continuing the tour. This magical place offers stunning views and the opportunity to enjoy the night sky while in the water. The hot springs have a great view of the lagoon with flamingos nearby, creating a unique experience.

Salvador Dali Desert, Laguna Verde, Transfer out to San Pedro or Uyuni.

Salvador Dali Desert - After breakfast, we will depart from the hot springs to Laguna Verde at 8:00 AM, crossing the Salvador Dali Desert. We will stop to see the green lake, whose color comes from high concentrations of lead, sulfur, and calcium carbonate, and the Licancabur Volcano at 5960 meters. You have two options:

1st OPTION: Continue to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile, arriving at 1:00 PM.

2nd OPTION: Return to Uyuni, visiting the Villamar community for lunch. We will then head to San Cristobal to see a colonial-era church, pass through the Villa Alota canyon, and continue to the Valley of Rocks to see petrified volcanic lava. We will also visit the Catal canyon to see llamas and birds, and the Villa Mar lagoon and Italy lost natural formation of giant rocks, before ending in Uyuni at 5:00 PM.

Salvador Dali Desert - Continuing the expedition, we will leave for Laguna Verde, stopping in the Salvador Dali desert. This beautiful desert, named after the famous artist, features unique shapes and colors of mountains and rocks. The setting, surrounded by towering volcanoes, is as surreal as Dalí’s paintings. The rocks in the desert sand resemble Dalí’s artwork. This 3-day/2-night tour, accompanied by our expert guides from Andes Salt Expeditions, includes a great stop and viewpoint. The colors and otherworldly scenery must be seen to be believed. However, the trip is not for the faint of heart, as the Altiplano, at over 10,000 feet, gets very cold at night, and accommodations are not heated, only providing many blankets.

Laguna Verde - After visiting the Salvador Dali desert, we will reach the edge of Laguna Verde, the last stop before the Chilean border at Hito Cajones. This lake has a beautiful green color due to high concentrations of lead, sulfur, calcium carbonate, and arsenic from the Licancabur Volcano at 5960 meters. Laguna Verde is next to Laguna Blanca, which has some flamingos. The Licancabur volcano borders Bolivia to the south, Argentina to the west, and Chile. This surreal sight offers a great photo opportunity with the volcano in the background. We will then transfer clients to the Hito Cajones border for those ending the tour in Chile, while others will return to Uyuni.

San Pedro de Atacama - From Laguna Verde, we will travel about 20 minutes to the Hito Cajones border between Bolivia and Chile. Those ending the tour in Chile will pass through Bolivian and Chilean migration at 4400 meters. Tourists have two options: 1st OPTION: Continue to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile, arriving at 1:00 PM. 2nd OPTION: Return to Uyuni, visiting the Villamar community for lunch, and continuing to the Villa Mar lagoon and Italy lost natural formation of giant rocks, where we can see flamingos, llamas, and other birds.

• Breakfast
• Lunch

• Transfer out ticket to San Pedro de Atacama Chile of 20 USD
• Entradas 186 bob
• saco de dormir
• Agua