San Pedro to Uyuni · 3 Days
San Pedro de Atacama to Uyuni in 3 days: from the Chilean border to the Salar
Three days and two nights to go from Chile to Bolivia and end in Uyuni. You leave San Pedro de Atacama early in the morning, cross the border and visit Laguna Blanca, Laguna Verde, the Dalí Desert, Polques, the Sol de Mañana geysers (about 4,850 m) and Laguna Colorada, in the Sud Lípez. On day 3 you cross the Salar de Uyuni at sunrise.
From USD 429 per person
Updated October 25, 2026.
- Duration3 days / 2 nights
- AltitudeFrom about 3,650 to about 5,000 m
- Moderate: altitude, cold and many hours on the road
- PriceFrom USD 429 per person
- GroupShared, up to 5 per 4x4; private, 2 to 4
- LanguagesSpanish-speaking driver-guide; English-speaking guide optional
- EndIn the center of Uyuni, around 1:00 or 2:00 p.m. on day 3.
Pickup at your lodging in San Pedro de Atacama, approximately between 6:00 and 7:00 a.m. We confirm the exact time when you book.
At a glance
The tour runs in a 4x4 with a Spanish-speaking driver-guide and a cook. It includes all meals, 2 nights in basic lodging with a private room and hot shower, and sleeping bags. From USD 429 per person, in a shared group of up to 5 people per 4x4. The private tour, for 2 to 4 people, is quoted on request.
Highlights
- Two countries in one tripYou leave San Pedro de Atacama, cross the Chilean border and end in the center of Uyuni, without retracing your steps.
- Lagoons and desert on day 1Laguna Blanca, Laguna Verde, the Dalí Desert and the Polques hot springs, with a soak while lunch is prepared.
- About 4,850 m at the geysersSol de Mañana, around 1:30 or 2:00 p.m., is the highest point of the tour. Then one hour at Laguna Colorada.
- Salar de Uyuni at sunriseOn day 3 you cross it (about 3,650 m) in the first light, with stops at Isla Incahuasi if the water allows, at Colchani and at the Train Cemetery.
- Comfort versionBasic lodging, a private room with hot shower and sleeping bags.
Choose your format
- SharedFrom USD 429 per person. Up to 5 people per 4x4, with the group filled out with other travelers. Private room with hot shower. We confirm the departure date when you book.
- Private2 to 4 people, quoted on request. Your group on its own, with no standard schedule for stops and photos. Room with private bathroom. Send us your dates and we will prepare the proposal.
- English-speaking guideOptional, with a surcharge. The driver-guide speaks Spanish. If you prefer an English-speaking guide, the surcharge is charged per group and covers the whole trip.
- Single roomSurcharge on the shared tour, available in that format. We give you the amount when you book.
Prices are per person, in US dollars. Entrance fees are not included: budget about Bs 220 in total, in bolivianos and in cash (approximate amount).
Itinerary
Day 1
From San Pedro to Laguna Colorada
Chilean border in the morning and, from about 9:30 a.m., the circuit in Bolivia: lagoons, Dalí Desert, Polques, geysers and Laguna Colorada.
We pick you up at your lodging in San Pedro between 6:00 and 7:00 a.m. It is approximately 1 hr by road to the border, then 1 hr to 1 hr 30 min of waiting at the Chilean immigration office. That time changes from day to day. Around 9:30 a.m. you enter Bolivia and the tour begins.
First, Laguna Blanca and Laguna Verde. About 40 min of road later, the Dalí Desert. Around noon you reach Polques, where you soak in the hot springs while lunch is prepared. About 30 min further on are the Sol de Mañana geysers, around 1:30 or 2:00 p.m., at about 4,850 m, the highest point of the tour. The day ends with one hour at Laguna Colorada.
Night in Huayllajara, near the lagoon, in basic lodging with a private room.
Day 2
Siloli, lagoons and the Salar at sunset
Departure at 7:30 a.m., after breakfast, through the Siloli Desert and past the lagoons, until you enter the Salar de Uyuni at sunset.
The route passes through the Siloli Desert and the Árbol de Piedra, Laguna Kara and Laguna Kachi, and Laguna Turquiri or Laguna Negra, where black Andean ducks live. You go through the villages of Julaca and Alota.
In the late afternoon you enter the Salar de Uyuni to watch the sunset and return to the lodging, in Villa Candelaria. We confirm the length of each stop and the meals of the day when you book.
In the rainy season, if the salt flat has a lot of water, you do not sleep in Villa Candelaria: the night moves to Uyuni or Colchani.
Day 3
Salar, Incahuasi and arrival in Uyuni
You cross the Salar de Uyuni (about 3,650 m) early, to see the sunrise, and reach the center of Uyuni around 1:00 or 2:00 p.m.
You visit Isla Incahuasi, with 14 small islands inside the salt flat and the Ojos de Agua around it. Then Colchani, where salt is processed and alpaca or llama wool garments are sold, and the Train Cemetery.
The departure time on this day and the exact stops depend on the condition of the salt flat. With a lot of water, Isla Incahuasi cannot be visited.
Rain and a flooded salt flat
The rainy season is normally from December to April. If the salt flat has a lot of water, Isla Incahuasi is not visited and the night of day 2 is spent in Uyuni or Colchani. The guide explains the changes before you start.
What’s included
Included
- 4x4 transport with a Spanish-speaking driver-guide and a cook.
- Pickup at any lodging in San Pedro de Atacama.
- 2 nights in basic lodging, in a private room with hot shower (Comfort version).
- Sleeping bags.
- All meals during the tour.
- Emergency oxygen.
Not included
- Entrance fees: about Bs 220 in total for the whole tour (approximate amount), in bolivianos and in cash.
- Public restrooms: Bs 5 to 7 per use, where they exist.
- English-speaking guide (optional, with a surcharge per group).
- Single room on the shared tour (surcharge).
- Travel insurance.
- Tips (voluntary, no minimum).
By time of year
Rain, normally December to April. The salt flat can fill with water. Isla Incahuasi may not be accessible and the night in Villa Candelaria moves to Uyuni or Colchani.
Cold, May to July. Nights can drop below -10 °C. During the day, in the sun, it is much more comfortable.
All year, nights at altitude. The first night is next to Laguna Colorada, above 4,000 m. Cold before dawn is the rule, not the exception.
Practical information
Border between Chile and Bolivia
This is the least predictable part of the first day. It is approximately 1 hr by road to the border and 1 hr to 1 hr 30 min of waiting at Chilean immigration, but that wait varies with the day and the line. Keep your passport handy and check the entry requirements for Bolivia for your nationality before you travel; you will find the details in the guide to preparing your trip to Bolivia. We confirm the exact procedure at the border when you book.
Altitude and cold
You leave San Pedro, which is much lower, and on the first day you climb to about 4,850 m at Sol de Mañana. You sleep next to Laguna Colorada (4,278 m). That is the main difference from starting in Uyuni: here the altitude arrives on the first day, with no earlier acclimatization stage.
- Hydration. Drink water steadily.
- Alcohol. Avoid it on the first day.
- Layers. Thermal clothing, a hat and gloves. It is very cold before dawn.
- Symptoms. If you have a strong headache or nausea, tell the driver-guide. More detail in the altitude sickness guide.
Lodging
There are 2 nights in basic lodging: the first in Huayllajara, near Laguna Colorada, and the second in Villa Candelaria, next to the salt flat.
On the shared tour you have a private room (double or twin for 2 people) with a hot shower in the room. On the private tour, the room is a double or twin (2 people), a triple (3) or two double or twin rooms (4), each with a private bathroom.
We provide sleeping bags. We do not promise heating: above 4,000 m the nights are very cold, so bring warm clothing for sleeping too. We confirm the name of the lodging when you book.
What to bring
Warm clothing in layers, comfortable shoes, sunscreen, sunglasses, toilet paper, a towel and personal toiletries. Also bring cash in bolivianos for entrance fees and public restrooms.
Phone signal
For hours at a time there is little or no signal. Tell your family before you leave and download whatever you need.
What about the opposite direction?
If you prefer to start in Uyuni and end in Chile, there is the reverse 3-day tour. Starting in Uyuni gives you more time to adapt to the altitude.
Altitude and health
It is not recommended in case of pregnancy, heart or respiratory disease, uncontrolled hypertension or significant vertigo. Minimum age: 5 years. Prior acclimatization: the basic rules apply; see the altitude sickness guide for more detail. We advise you to stay well hydrated, avoid alcohol on the first day and check with your doctor before booking. If symptoms of altitude sickness appear, the guide may decide to descend, for your safety.
Before you book: payment, cancellation and the unexpected
Payment and booking
When you book, you pay 30% of the total: 15% as a booking payment (arras, non-refundable) and 15% as a deposit. Then a second deposit of 20% 30 days before departure and the remaining 50% 7 days before. If you book 15 days or less before departure, you pay 100% of the total when you book and it is non-refundable. If a payment does not arrive by its due date, the booking is canceled automatically. You can pay in foreign currency with Libélula, RedEnlace and Revolut, or by bank card, QR code or bank transfer; the payment provider may charge transaction fees.
Cancellation and date changes
- More than 45 days before departure. 100% of the deposit (15%) is refunded, less bank transfer fees. The booking payment (arras) is not refunded.
- From 45 to 31 days. 50% of the deposit is retained, which corresponds to the prepayment of lodging, transfers or others.
- From 30 to 8 days. 100% of what you paid is retained.
- From 7 days to 24 hours. Everything you paid is retained.
- Less than 24 hours, and in case of a no-show. The full price is due.
Date change: possible depending on the availability of the company and of our providers, with a new quote. Sums already paid to providers are not refundable and must be paid again. If Terra Alta cancels or postpones the trip, you choose a new date at no additional cost or a refund of what you paid, except for expenses already paid to providers that cannot be recovered.
Prices
Prices are in US dollars per person. The shared tour takes up to 5 people per 4x4. The private tour, for 2 to 4 people, is quoted on request.
Blockades, closed roads and weather
A flooded salt flat (roughly December to April) is not a reason to cancel: the tour goes ahead with an itinerary adapted by the guide, with the mirror effect, and Isla Incahuasi may not be accessible. No refund is due for the visits that change. If a dangerous external event (a storm, heavy snowfall or another natural event) or a social conflict or a blockade requires it, Terra Alta may modify, postpone or cancel the trip to protect travelers; what applies is what is provided for a cancellation by Terra Alta.
Tips and expenses
Tips are not included and are voluntary. Entrance fees listed in bolivianos are approximate and may change; they are paid on site, in cash.
Insurance
Terra Alta does not include travel insurance. If you wish, we recommend taking out a policy with medical assistance and repatriation at altitude.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the tour from San Pedro de Atacama to Uyuni cost?
From USD 429 per person on the shared tour, with up to 5 people per 4x4, in the Comfort version. The private tour, for 2 to 4 people, is quoted on request. Entrance fees are not included: about Bs 220 in total, in bolivianos and in cash.
What time do I leave San Pedro and how long does the border take?
Pickup is approximately between 6:00 and 7:00 a.m., at your lodging. It is 1 hr by road to the border and 1 hr to 1 hr 30 min of waiting at Chilean immigration. Around 9:30 a.m. you enter Bolivia. The wait changes from day to day, so we cannot guarantee the time.
What altitude will I reach and how do I prepare?
On the first day you climb to about 4,850 m at Sol de Mañana and sleep next to Laguna Colorada, at 4,278 m. The salt flat is at about 3,650 m. Because you start from a lower place, there are no acclimatization days. Drink water, avoid alcohol on the first day and tell the driver-guide if you feel unwell.
What is the lodging like in the Comfort version?
It is basic lodging with a private room and a hot shower in the room. We provide sleeping bags. We do not promise heating, and we confirm the name of the lodging when you book. Nights at altitude are very cold.
What happens in the rainy season?
Normally from December to April. If the salt flat has a lot of water, Isla Incahuasi is not visited and the night of day 2 is spent in Uyuni or Colchani, not in Villa Candelaria. It is not a reason to cancel: the guide adapts the itinerary.
What is not included, and what language does the guide speak?
Not included are entrance fees (about Bs 220), public restrooms (Bs 5 to 7 per use), insurance and tips. The driver-guide speaks Spanish. If you want an English-speaking guide, there is a surcharge per group, for the whole trip.
Guides to prepare your trip
Book
From USD 429 per person.
If you want a private tour with higher-category hotels, see Uyuni Luxe, which departs from Uyuni.
