5-Day Uyuni Salt Flats Tour from La Paz: Lagoons & Geysers

Five days crossing the world's largest salt flat and high-altitude lagoons

A 5-day tour from La Paz to Salar de Uyuni and the colored lagoons of the Altiplano, traveling by night bus and 4x4, with hotel pickup and drop-off, a bilingual guide, all meals, and overnight stays in Uyuni and the Los Lipez region. The itinerary covers the salt flats, Incahuasi Island, Laguna Colorada with Andean flamingos, Sol de Mañana geysers, thermal springs, and the stone tree formation. Rainy season (December–March) may affect access to Incahuasi Island.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Travel from La Paz to Uyuni

• Pick up from hotel in La Paz
• Board night bus to Uyuni at 8:30 p.m.
• Overnight on bus with dinner included

Day 2: Explore Uyuni Salt Flats

• Pick up from Uyuni bus station
• Breakfast and shower in Uyuni
• Visit Train Cemetery
• Stop at Colchani town and salt processing plant
• Enter Salar de Uyuni and visit waterholes
• Visit Playa Blanca Hotel
• Lunch in the middle of Salar de Uyuni
• Visit Incahuasi Island with giant cactus
• Watch sunset at Salar de Uyuni with wine
• Dinner and overnight at Salt Hostel

Day 3: Tour Laguna Colorada and surroundings

• Breakfast at Salt Hostel
• Visit San Juan Village
• Visit Salar de Chiguana
• Visit Laguna Cañapa
• Lunch at Laguna Hedionda
• Visit Laguna Chiarkota and Laguna Honda
• Visit Arbol de Piedra (stone tree)
• Visit Laguna Colorada and see flamingos
• Overnight at Basic Hostel near Laguna Colorada

Day 4: Return from Laguna Colorada to Uyuni

• Early breakfast
• Visit Sol de Mañana Geysers
• Visit thermal springs of Polques
• Visit Desert of Salvador Dali
• Visit White Lagoon
• Visit Green Lagoon at Licancabur Volcano
• Stop at Villamar Village
• Lunch en route
• Stop at Alota village to see llamas and quinoa fields
• Arrive Uyuni and take hot shower
• Transfer to bus terminal
• Board bus back to La Paz
• Overnight on bus

Day 5: Arrival in La Paz

• Arrive in La Paz at 7:00 a.m.

The experience

You leave La Paz in the evening on a reclining-seat night bus with a bathroom on board and a small dinner included, arriving in Uyuni early the next morning. After breakfast and a shower in town, the 4x4 journey begins at the Train Cemetery, then moves through Colchani to watch salt extraction at the artisan processing plant. By midday you're eating lunch in the middle of Salar de Uyuni itself, surrounded by white salt crust in every direction, then climbing Incahuasi Island to see the giant cacti that grow there. The day ends with sunset over the salt flats, accompanied by a courtesy wine.

Day three takes you deeper into the high desert toward Laguna Colorada. The route passes through San Juan village, smaller salt lakes, and the stone tree formation before arriving at the lagoon where high-altitude flamingos gather. You overnight in the Los Lipez region at a basic lodge. On day four you start before dawn to reach Sol de Mañana geysers, then move through thermal springs at Polques, the stark landscape of the Salvador Dalí Desert, and the White and Green lagoons at the foot of Licancabur Volcano. Lunch happens along the route, and by late afternoon you're back in Uyuni, where a hot shower precedes the return night bus to La Paz, arriving at 7:00 am on day five.

The bus company (TODO Tourismo) handles the long-distance transport with reclining seats and onboard facilities. Your guide speaks both English and Spanish. All meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) are included throughout, as are the overnight stays: one night on the bus cama on arrival, two nights in lodges (one in Uyuni with salt-room accommodation, one in the Los Lipez region), and one final night on the return bus. Hotel pickup and drop-off in La Paz bookend the tour.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in La Paz.
• round-trip night bus tickets with reclining seats and onboard bathroom.
• professional bilingual guide in English and Spanish.
• all breakfasts, lunches and dinners.
• overnight stays in Uyuni and the Los Lipez region.
• return bus to La Paz on the final morning.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 20:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (9 to 90 years) · Under 9: can't be booked

GroupUp to 12

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 30

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats availableInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Joker Expedition, Bolivia.

Is this one for you?Five days means you need a full week in La Paz or are combining this with a shorter stay elsewhere on the Altiplano. The early morning return to La Paz on day five leaves the rest of that day free. The rainy season (December–March) may limit access to Incahuasi Island, so confirm the current itinerary when booking if you're traveling then.

Traveler reviews

4.50★★★★★★★★★★

16 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can I visit Incahuasi Island if I go during the rainy season?

Incahuasi Island access is not guaranteed during the rainy season from December through March, though you will still visit Salar de Uyuni and the surrounding areas. The itinerary may change due to weather or other unforeseen conditions.

What's included in the meals on this tour?

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included every day: a small dinner on the night bus, then full meals at each stop and overnight location. Lunch on days two and three happens at the lagoons and along the route.

How does the night bus work, and is it comfortable?

The night bus from La Paz to Uyuni departs at 8:30 p.m. and features reclining semicama seats, a bathroom on board, and a small dinner. You sleep on the bus and arrive in Uyuni early the next morning for breakfast and a shower before the salt flats tour begins.

Are entrance fees to the attractions included?

Entrance fees to the sites are not included in the tour price and are paid separately.

What kind of accommodation do I get in Uyuni?

In Uyuni you stay at Hotel Boutique Atipax, which features salt-room accommodation. The lodge near Laguna Colorada is a basic hostel with private rooms and bathrooms.