We will travel with Jukil de los Andes on the Salar de Uyuni and Laguna Colorada Tour 3D/2N, one of Bolivia’s most stunning adventures. The 3 days 2 nights Uyuni Salt Flats and Lagoons tour will take us across endless salt plains, fiery lagoons, steaming geysers, and surreal deserts. The Uyuni Salt Flats, the largest in the world, stretch over 10,000 km² and offer unmatched beauty during both dry and rainy seasons. This is the ultimate Bolivian experience, raw, colorful, and unforgettable.
We will cross the Bolivian Altiplano, where flamingos fly over crimson waters and volcanoes crown the horizon. During the rainy season, the salt flats become a perfect mirror, blending earth and sky into one. We will stand in that reflection, camera in hand, capturing a once-in-a-lifetime scene. This is not just a day tour—it is a journey through the most surreal landscapes in South America.
We will encounter rock forests shaped by the wind, deserts painted like dreams, and lagoons tinted by minerals and algae. At night, we will rest in salt-built shelters or desert hostels, surrounded by silence and stars. Our guides will take us through national parks, volcanic fields, and wildlife sanctuaries few travelers ever reach. Every corner will surprise us.
This tour may change the way we see nature. It will challenge our senses with vastness, color, altitude, and isolation. In three days, we will travel from Uyuni to the edge of Chile, where flamingos wade through pink water and steam rises from ancient earth. We will not forget this. We will carry it.
We will begin our journey at 10:30 a.m. as we arrive in Uyuni and meet our tour guide. Our first stop will be the Train Graveyard, a haunting site filled with rusted locomotives once used to connect Bolivia’s mining cities. These twisted metal giants now rest in the desert, perfect for surreal photos and exploring forgotten history.
We will then visit Colchani, a small artisan town near the Uyuni salt flats. Here, we will watch salt miners at work and browse handcrafted goods made from salt, llama, and alpaca. Afterward, we will enter the Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt flat on Earth, spanning over 10,000 km².
On the salt flat, we will visit Ojos de Agua Salada, a bubbling spring of underground water, and the Salt Hotel Museum, built entirely from salt bricks. We will stop at the Flags of the World and Dakar Monument, then head to Incahuasi Island, a coral island covered with giant cacti. We may hike its trail for panoramic views of the salt flats.
As the day ends, we will take creative perspective photos and watch the sun dip below the white horizon. The light reflects off the salt, painting the landscape gold and pink. With a glass of wine in hand, we will enjoy a peaceful sunset before heading to our hostel in Agencha for dinner and rest.
After breakfast, we will leave Agencha and drive into the Chiguana Desert, on the salt flat’s southern edge. The terrain becomes rugged and volcanic. We will spot the Ollagüe Volcano, an active stratovolcano that steams in the distance from the Bolivia-Chile border.
We will continue to the Andean lagoons: Laguna Cañapa, Laguna Hedionda, and Laguna Chiarcota. These high-altitude lakes attract flamingos, vicuñas, and Andean foxes. The contrast between the blue water and red mountains is simply breathtaking.
After lunch in the wild, we will enter the Eduardo Avaroa National Park. Here, we will explore the Siloli Desert, known as the highest desert on Earth. This barren, wind-sculpted land holds the surreal Stone Tree, a giant lava rock carved by wind into the shape of a twisted tree.
Our final stop will be Laguna Colorada, a red lagoon filled with mineral-rich waters. Thousands of flamingos gather here during the wet season. We will walk along the shore, guided by local experts, and learn about the plankton that gives this lagoon its color. We will spend the night in a hostel in Huayllajara, sharing stories under the stars.
We will rise early, around 5:00 a.m., to reach Sol de Mañana, a geothermal field 5,000 meters above sea level. We will walk among steaming fumaroles and bubbling mud pots reaching temperatures over 200°C. The ground breathes here, giving us a sense of Earth’s raw power.
Our next stop will be the open-air hot springs, where we will bathe in 35°C water surrounded by mountains. The warmth will restore our energy before continuing into the otherworldly Dali Desert, a place of smooth hills and scattered rocks that resemble a surrealist painting.
We will then explore Laguna Verde and Laguna Blanca, glowing in green and white hues at the foot of Licancabur Volcano. These lakes contain toxic minerals that prevent life, but their color is simply mesmerizing. This area marks the border with Chile.
After a picnic lunch, we will return to Uyuni, stopping at Valle de Rocas and San Cristóbal Village. We will arrive in town around 6:30 p.m. Those traveling to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile, will cross the border at 10:30 a.m. with guide assistance.
The tour begins in Uyuni with visits to the Train Graveyard, Colchani, and the vast Uyuni Salt Flats. Day two explores the Eduardo Avaroa National Park, including high-altitude lagoons such as Laguna Colorada and Laguna Hedionda. Day three includes geysers, hot springs, the surreal Dali Desert, and Laguna Verde before returning to Uyuni or crossing to San Pedro de Atacama.
Night 1 is spent in a salt lodge in Agencha with private bathrooms. Night 2 is in a basic shared hostel in Huayllajara with communal restrooms. Accommodation is rustic but clean. Upgrades to private rooms are available at extra cost.
Yes, meals are included: 3 lunches, 2 breakfasts, and 2 dinners. Only 2 lunches are included if ending in San Pedro de Atacama. Vegetarian options are available upon request—notify your operator in advance.
Pack warm layers, especially for nights when temperatures can drop below freezing. Bring sunglasses, sunscreen, gloves, a warm hat, and a good camera. Comfortable walking shoes, a refillable water bottle, and lip balm are also recommended.
Most walks and activities are easy to moderate. However, altitudes reach up to 5,000 meters (16,404 ft), which may cause shortness of breath. It’s best to acclimate in La Paz or Uyuni at least one day before starting the tour.
Yes, transportation is provided in 4×4 Toyota Land Cruiser or Lexus vehicles with a maximum of six passengers per jeep.
Yes, you may end the tour in San Pedro instead of returning to Uyuni. This must be arranged in advance. Border assistance is provided at Hito Cajón on the third morning.
No. Entrance fees to Incahuasi Island, Eduardo Avaroa Reserve, hot springs, and public restrooms are not included and must be paid in Bolivianos.
This was hands down the most surreal experience of our South America trip! The Uyuni salt flats felt like walking on another planet. Laguna Colorada was absolutely breathtaking, and our guide from Jukil de los Andes made everything seamless. The sunsets, the flamingos, the geysers—every day offered something unforgettable.
The landscapes were unlike anything I had ever seen. From the mirror effect of the salt flats to the intense red of Laguna Colorada, it was all spectacular. The 4×4 was very comfortable, the meals were great, and our group felt very safe and well cared for. Highly recommended!
