Tunupa Volcano & Uyuni Salt Flats: Private 4x4 Tour from Uyuni

Climb to Tunupa's ridge and watch the world's largest salt mirror stretch to the horizon.

A private full-day tour from Uyuni climbs Tunupa Volcano and crosses the Salar de Uyuni in a 4x4 vehicle with a certified guide, starting with the Train Cemetery and ending at sunset on the salt flats. Hotel pickup and drop-off, lunch, and a complimentary wine toast are included. The guide speaks English, Spanish or Portuguese.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Train Cemetery30m
2. Salar de Uyuni3h
3. Tunupa Volcano30m

Volcano Tunupa and Uyuni Salt Flats Tour

• Pickup at hotel at 10:00am
• Visit Train Cemetery with photo stop
• Drive to Colchani to enter Salar de Uyuni
• Visit Salar de Uyuni with photo stop
• Visit museum of stones in Chantani village
• Visit cave of mummies on Tunupa slopes
• Short hike to vantage point on Tunupa
• Lunch served in open field
• Visit Isla Incahuasi to see giant cactus
• Watch sunset at Uyuni Salt Flats with toast
• Return to Uyuni, tour ends about 7:00pm

The experience

The route picks you up at your hotel at 10:00am and heads first to the Train Cemetery, an open-air museum of old locomotives where you stop for photos. From there the 4x4 continues directly to Colchani to enter the Salar de Uyuni itself: the world's largest salt flat, a landscape so flat and reflective it erases the horizon. You move across it toward Tunupa Volcano, stopping at the village of Chantani to visit a stone museum, then climbing to Coquesa to explore a cave of mummies on the volcano's slopes before a short hike to a vantage point where the Andes open up in front of you.

Lunch is served in the open field at a convenient spot along the route. Afterward, the tour heads to Isla Incahuasi, known as Fish Island, to see the giant cacti, then returns to the salt flats to watch the sunset. A complimentary wine toast marks the end of the day on the flats themselves, and the service wraps up around 7:00pm back in Uyuni. The private vehicle means no shared schedule and no waiting for other groups. The guide handles the route and the stops, and you move at a pace that lets you absorb each site.

Bring gloves, a hat, sunscreen, sunglasses, and warm clothing: the altitude and the exposure on the salt flats demand it. Extra camera batteries and good storage for photos are worth the space in your pack. If you have dietary needs or allergies, let the operator know when you book.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• private 4x4 vehicle for the full day.
• certified professional guide in your choice of English, Spanish or Portuguese.
• lunch served in the field.
• complimentary wine for the sunset toast on the salt flats.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 10:00

Book up to12h before

AgesUp to age 80

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Portuguese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 22 pickup points.

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

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportInfant seats availableInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Joker Expedition, Bolivia.

Is this one for you?This is a private tour, so you travel without other groups and set your own pace at each stop: ideal if you want flexibility and the guide's full attention. The 10-hour day is full and covers high altitude terrain, so it suits travelers comfortable with a long drive and a short hike rather than a leisurely half-day.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Portuguese.

What is the Train Cemetery and why is it the first stop?

The Train Cemetery is an open-air museum near Uyuni filled with old locomotives abandoned from Bolivia's mining era. It serves as an introduction to the region's industrial history before you head out onto the salt flats, and it gives you a chance to photograph the rusted trains against the desert landscape.

How high does the hike on Tunupa Volcano go, and what do you see from the top?

The hike is short and reaches a vantage point on the volcano's slopes where you can see the mummies cave at Coquesa and view the surrounding Andes landscape. The operator describes it as a short walk, suitable for all fitness levels, and the views extend across the altiplano.

What happens at sunset on the Salar de Uyuni?

The tour returns to the salt flats to watch the sunset and includes a complimentary wine toast served on the flats themselves. This is where the day ends before you return to Uyuni around 7:00pm.

Is this tour private, and does it include meals?

Yes, the tour is private. You travel in your own 4x4 with a professional guide and no other groups. Lunch is included and served in the field during the day, along with complimentary wine for the sunset toast.