Salar de Uyuni Full Day Tour: Photos on Salt Flats

Cruise the salt flats and hike an island of giant cacti for perspective photos

A full-day tour of Salar de Uyuni, the world's largest salt flats in Bolivia's Altiplano, starts at the train graveyard and moves through salt miners' workshops before reaching the flats themselves at 3,650 meters. You'll visit a salt hotel turned museum, hike Isla Incahuasi to see petrified coral and towering cacti, take proportion-distorted photos across the white expanse, and watch the sunset before returning to Uyuni by 6:30 pm. Lunch and 4WD transport with an English-speaking guide are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Uyuni Salt Flats and surroundings

• Start tour at 10:30 am from office
• Visit Uyuni train graveyard
• See Colchani salt miners’ workshops and handicrafts
• Explore Uyuni Salt Flats and Los Ojos de Agua Salada
• Visit salt hotel museum
• Lunch break
• Hike Isla Incahuasi and see giant cacti
• Take perspective photos on salt flats
• Watch sunset over salt flats
• Return to Colchani village
• Return to Uyuni by 6:30 pm

The experience

Salar de Uyuni sits at one of the world's highest deserts, ringed by mountains and volcanoes that climb to 5,000 meters. The tour departs at 10:30 am from the office and begins at Uyuni's train graveyard, where Bolivia's first locomotives sit abandoned. From there you move to Colchani, a small settlement where salt miners work next to the flats. You'll see handicrafts carved from salt and textiles woven from llama and alpaca fiber before stepping onto the salt itself.

The flats stretch at 3,650 meters, a vast white expanse where you'll see Los Ojos de Agua Salada (salt water eyes) and visit a hotel built entirely of salt, now operating as a museum. After lunch, the route heads to Isla Incahuasi, a rocky island rising from the salt where you hike to the summit past giant cacti and petrified coral formations. This is where the proportion photos happen: the scale tricks the camera into making you and your group look tiny or enormous against the white backdrop. You'll then move to a quiet spot to watch the sunset over the flats before finishing in Colchani and returning to Uyuni by 6:30 pm.

The 9-hour day includes a local driver and English-speaking guide, 4WD transport with a rooftop luggage rack, and lunch. Pickup is from your accommodation or the bus station. Note that during the rainy season (November to April), Isla Incahuasi may not be accessible, though the island can sometimes be visited if the day stays dry. Winter season (May to August) closes access to Eduardo Avaroa National Park, but alternative stops like the black lagoon and rock valley may be substituted depending on weather and road conditions.

What’s included

• Lunch.
• local driver and English-speaking guide.
• 4WD transportation with rooftop luggage rack.
• pickup from your accommodation or bus station.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 10:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (7 to 77 years) · Under 7: can't be booked

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 3 pickup points.

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

Paid on siteUS$ 27

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by Bamba Travel

Is this one for you?The 9-hour commitment leaves the rest of your day free if you arrive in Uyuni early, but fills the daylight hours completely. Plan to return tired and ready for an early dinner. Rainy season (November to April) may limit access to Isla Incahuasi, and winter (May to August) closes the red and green lagoons, so the itinerary shifts based on when you travel and the weather that day.

Traveler reviews

4.68★★★★★★★★★★

25 verified traveler reviews

5 ★20

4 ★3

3 ★1

2 ★1

1 ★0

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What is the train graveyard at Uyuni?

Uyuni's train graveyard holds Bolivia's first locomotives, now abandoned and open to visitors as the tour's opening stop before heading to the salt flats.

Can I hike on Isla Incahuasi?

Yes, Isla Incahuasi includes a hike to the island's top, where you'll see giant cacti and petrified coral rock formations rising from the salt flats. The hike is part of the afternoon itinerary.

What happens if it rains on the day of my tour?

During rainy season (November to April), Isla Incahuasi may not be accessible, though the island can sometimes be visited if the day stays dry. Winter season (May to August) may substitute alternative stops like the black lagoon and rock valley depending on weather and road conditions.

What should I bring for the salt flats?

Bring sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sunblock), warm layers (coat, gloves, wool hat), trekking shoes, warm socks, a water bottle, snacks, a camera, and any personal medication. The bright glare off the salt requires strong eye protection.

Does the tour include meals?

Lunch is included in the tour price. You'll eat after the morning stops and before heading to Isla Incahuasi in the afternoon.

What time does the tour end?

The tour returns to Uyuni by 6:30 pm, making it a 9-hour day from the 10:30 am departure.