Departures: Everyday
Duration: Full Day
The Salar de Uyuni or “salt flats” is a one of the highlights of a trip to Bolivia and shouldn’t be missed as it is a unique place in the world.The terrain in this areaand the desert areas beyond, is harsh and conditions are basic so you should not expect a lot of comfort but the rewards are well worth it. No one knows for sure how much salt makes up the salt flats (salar de uyuni) but it is estimated at many millions of tons & it has been widely publicized in recent years as the worlds largest source of lithium.If you search for salt flats (salar de uyuni) and lithium on the internet you will find thousands of articles about these lithium deposits and the salt falts (salar de uyuni) themselves. Apart from the incredible salt flats (salar de uyuni) themselves a multiday tour will visit red and green colored lakes with flocks of flamingos, hot geyser fields, hot springs and pass by barren volcanic desertscapes with surreal rock formations.
Itinerary
Departure at 10:30 a.m. in a Toyota land cruiser 4×4. We will first visit the Train cemetery where you will be able to walk around taking photos of the forgotten locomotives. Afterwards, we stop at the small village of Colchani to see the salt processing factories and peek into handicraft shops. We then head into the Salar, stopping at the salt pyramids where locals collect the salt for production, as well as the eyes of the Salar – where water bubbles up through the salt crust. We will stop at a salt hotel to enjoy lunch before heading to Incahuasi Island in the middle of the Salar, where a petrified coral reef serves as a home to hundreds of cacti. Heading north, we then visit the small town of Coquesa at the base of Tunupa (a dormant volcano) where flamingoes can be seen wading through shallow pools of water. Making our way back to Uyuni, we will stop to take in the gorgeous sunset that is on display each night.
We will make frequent stops for pictures of the Salar, giving visitors the opportunity for the popular perspective shots.
Included
Includes:
Food, shared transportation, bilingual (Spanish – English) guide
Not Included:
Entrance fees (30 Bs for Incahuasi Island)
Recommendations:
Sunglasses, sun block, warm clothes for the night, toilet paper, snacks, a hat if you want, extra water, money for park entrances fee and toilets on the way.