Uyuni Salt Flat Private Tour: Train Cemetery & Lunch

Lunch arrives in the middle of the salt flat, served on the white expanse itself.

A full-day private tour of the Salar de Uyuni from Uyuni covers the Train Cemetery, Colchani Village salt works, Incahuasi Island and Pucara de Ayque, with a professional guide in English or Spanish, hotel pickup, lunch and all park fees included. The tour runs eight hours and requires a minimum of two people per booking.

Step-by-step itinerary

Full day tour of Uyuni salt flat

• Visit the Train Cemetery
• See salt processing and buy crafts
• Explore Incahuasi Island and view salt flat

The experience

Eight hours is what it takes to move through the major stops of the salt flat without rushing. You start at the Train Cemetery, where locomotives from the 19th and 20th centuries sit abandoned on the altiplano, then move to Colchani Village to watch how salt is extracted and processed directly from the flat, and to pick up handcrafts from local vendors. The route then cuts into the salt itself, where lunch waits on the white expanse before you continue to Incahuasi Island, a rocky outcrop in the middle of the flat crowned with giant cacti and a vantage point back across the salt toward the Thunupa Volcano foothills.

This is a private service, meaning your group travels alone with the guide and driver rather than joining a shared van. A professional guide who speaks English or Spanish narrates the stops and handles the logistics: hotel pickup and drop-off, the park entry fees, all transport by private vehicle. Lunch is included. Vegetarian options are available if you request them at booking. Bottled water comes with you throughout the day.

The physical demand is moderate: you'll walk around the Train Cemetery, stand on the salt flats and climb to the cacti on Incahuasi Island, but none of it is strenuous. Infants can sit on an adult's lap during transport. The altitude of the altiplano (around 3,656 meters or 12,000 feet) is the real factor: acclimatization matters more than fitness.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off.
• private vehicle and professional guide in English or Spanish.
• entry to the National Park.
• lunch served on the salt flat with a vegetarian option available on request.
• bottled water throughout the day.
• all taxes and fees.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 10:00

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (11 and older) · Under 11: can't be included in the booking

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 18 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical levelInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Hidalgo Tours

Is this one for you?Book this private tour if your group wants to move through the salt flat's main sites without joining other travelers, and if you prefer a fixed itinerary that covers the Train Cemetery, the salt works, lunch on the flat itself and Incahuasi Island in a single eight-hour day.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is the Train Cemetery in Uyuni?

The Train Cemetery is a graveyard of locomotives and rail cars from the 19th and 20th centuries, abandoned on the altiplano after the tin mining industry declined. You walk among the rusted trains and can climb on some of them for photographs.

Can I see how salt is actually harvested on this tour?

Yes. In Colchani Village, the tour stops to show the salt extraction and processing methods used directly in the flat, and you have the chance to buy local handicrafts made by the people who work there.

Where do we eat lunch, and what if I'm vegetarian?

Lunch is served in the middle of the salt flat itself, surrounded by the white expanse. Vegetarian options are available. Just let the operator know when you book if you need one.

What is Incahuasi Island, and why is it in the middle of a salt flat?

Incahuasi Island is a rocky outcrop rising from the salt flat, covered with giant cacti and offering a panoramic view back across the salt toward the Thunupa Volcano foothills. It's a geological formation that sits above the salt layer.

Do I need to be very fit to do this tour?

A moderate level of physical fitness is recommended. You'll walk around the Train Cemetery, stand on the salt flats and climb to the cacti on Incahuasi Island, but the walks are not strenuous. The altitude of the altiplano is more of a factor than the physical exertion.

Is this tour just for my group, or will I share the vehicle with other travelers?

This is a private tour, so your group travels alone with the guide and driver. A minimum of two people per booking is required, but the vehicle and guide are reserved for your party only.