Uyuni & Lake Titicaca 3-day tour: Salt flats & temples

Cross two countries and two landscapes: Lake Titicaca's temples, then the world's largest salt desert

A 3-day tour from Puno that combines Lake Titicaca (Peru) with the Salar de Uyuni (Bolivia), traveling by bed bus and 4x4 vehicle with a bilingual guide. Day one covers Copacabana and Isla del Sol, where you visit ancient temples and the Fountain of Youth; day two is a full exploration of the salt flat: train cemetery, salt extraction site, salt eyes, Incahuasi Island and sunset lunch in the middle of the white desert; day three returns you to Puno. Hotel pickup and drop-off in Puno are included, as are all transport, guide services and park entry to Isla del Sol.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Puno to Isla del Sol and La Paz

• Pick up from hotel in Puno
• Transfer to Puno bus station
• Board bed bus to Copacabana
• Arrive in Copacabana and city tour
• Visit cathedral and local markets
• Tour Isla del Sol by boat
• Visit Fountain of Youth and Inca temple
• Return to Copacabana
• Travel to La Paz and board night bus to Uyuni

Day 2: Explore Salar de Uyuni

• Arrive in Uyuni and rest
• Receive tour induction
• Board 4x4 vehicle at 10:00
• Visit Train Cemetery
• Explore salt town of Colchani
• See Eyes of Salt and Dakar Monument
• Enjoy country buffet lunch on salt flat
• Ascend Incahuasi Island for panoramic views
• Watch sunset over salt flat
• Return to Uyuni and board night bus to La Paz

Day 3: La Paz to Puno via Copacabana

• Arrive at La Paz bus station
• Board semi-bed bus to Copacabana
• Free time in Copacabana village
• Board bus to Puno at 13:30
• Cross border to Peru
• Arrive in Puno and transfer to hotel

The experience

Hotel pickup in Puno starts at 06:30, and you board a 160° bed bus at the station by 07:00 for the four-hour crossing into Bolivia. The bus arrives in Copacabana around 11:30 (Bolivian time), where a bilingual guide meets you for a walking tour of the cathedral, local markets and representative streets. After lunch you sail across Lake Titicaca to Isla del Sol, visiting the Fountain of Youth, the Inca steps, the temple of the Sun and walking the island's perimeter for views across the water. By evening you return to Copacabana, then head to the bus station to board the bed bus to Uyuni, departing at 21:30 with guide support throughout the journey.

Day two is the full-day Salar de Uyuni experience. You arrive early morning and rest at the local agency before boarding a 4x4 at 10:00. The train cemetery (hundreds of rusted locomotives scattered across the salt flat) is your first stop, where you can walk freely among the aged steel and photograph the contrast against the white expanse. From Colchani you learn about salt extraction methods firsthand, then move to the salt eyes, crystal-clear water bubbles rising from the desert floor. At noon you eat a country buffet lunch in the middle of the salt flat itself, watching the landscape stretch endlessly around you. In the afternoon you climb Incahuasi Island, a rocky oasis with giant cacti, for 360° views of the salt desert. The day closes with sunset turning the salt reflection gold and pink before you return to Uyuni and board the night bus to La Paz.

Day three brings you back north. From La Paz you board a semi-bed bus with reclining seats and panoramic windows for views of the Andean range at sunrise. In Copacabana you have 60 minutes free to walk the seawall and find a local coffee before the semi-bed bus departs at 13:30 for Puno. You cross the border as the highland landscape shifts, arriving in central Puno at 16:30 where staff transfer you directly to your hotel.

What’s included

• Bilingual guide (Spanish and English) for Copacabana and Isla del Sol.
• Spanish-speaking guide for the Salar de Uyuni.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in Puno.
• bed bus transport from Puno to Uyuni and Uyuni to La Paz.
• semi-bed bus from La Paz back to Puno.
• 4x4 vehicle and full team for the salt flat day.
• admission ticket to Isla del Sol.
• country buffet lunch in the middle of the Salar de Uyuni.
• guide support throughout overnight bus journeys.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 06:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (20 to 50 years) · Senior (51 to 70 years) · Youth (11 to 19 years) · Child (4 to 10 years) · Infant (1 to 3 years): free

GroupUp to 10 · max 6 per booking

Live guideSpanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Titicaca Magic Tours

Is this one for you?This tour suits travelers arriving in Puno who want to see both Lake Titicaca and the Salar de Uyuni without arranging separate bookings, and who are comfortable with overnight bus travel as part of the journey between destinations.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (11 to 19 years); Child (4 to 10 years); Infant (1 to 3 years): free.

What is Isla del Sol and what will I see there?

Isla del Sol is an island in Lake Titicaca with ancient Inca ruins. You visit the Fountain of Youth, the Inca steps, the temple of the Sun, and walk the island's perimeter for views across the water and surrounding landscape.

What happens at the Salar de Uyuni on day two?

The full day in the salt flat includes a 4x4 tour of the train cemetery (hundreds of rusted locomotives), the salt extraction town of Colchani, the salt eyes (crystal-clear water bubbles), a country buffet lunch in the middle of the salt, and Incahuasi Island with its giant cacti and 360° views. The day ends with sunset before you return to Uyuni.

How much time do I spend on buses during this tour?

You travel by bed bus from Puno to Uyuni (departing day one at 21:30, arriving early day two) and from Uyuni back to La Paz (departing day two evening, arriving early day three). The return from La Paz to Puno on day three is by semi-bed bus with reclining seats. All transport is included.

Is the guide English-speaking?

The guide is bilingual (Spanish and English) for Copacabana and Isla del Sol on day one. On day two in the Salar de Uyuni, the guide speaks Spanish. Your bilingual guide from day one provides support during the overnight bus journey to Uyuni.

What is included in the price?

Hotel pickup and drop-off in Puno; bilingual guide for Copacabana and Isla del Sol; Spanish-speaking guide for the salt flat; bed bus transport Puno to Uyuni and Uyuni to La Paz; semi-bed bus La Paz to Puno; 4x4 vehicle and full team for day two in the salt flat; admission to Isla del Sol; and country lunch in the middle of the Salar de Uyuni.

Do I need to arrange my own transport between Puno and the bus station?

No. Hotel pickup in Puno at 06:30 includes transfer to the Puno bus station on day one, and on day three staff transfer you from the bus station directly back to your hotel after arrival at 16:30.