Three days across the altiplano to the largest salt flat on Earth, ending in Bolivia rather than back in town.
- Free cancellationFree cancellation up to 24 hours before it starts
- Duration3 days
This is not a day trip and it is not really an Atacama tour. It is a three-day overland crossing that leaves San Pedro at dawn, climbs through the Bolivian border at over 4,000 m, spends two nights at altitudes higher than anything else on this site, and ends at Salar de Uyuni — at 10,000 km², the largest salt flat in the world and roughly three times the Salar de Atacama. You need a passport, you need to have acclimatised, and you need to understand that you finish in a different country.
Compare Atacama ToursKey facts
multi-day, crosses a border- Duration
- 3 days
- Meeting point
- Collected in San Pedro de Atacama at dawn on day one; you do not return to San Pedro unless you book the return leg
- Price
- CLP 335,818 per person
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before it starts
Included
- ✓ Pickup at the meeting point in San Pedro de Atacama
- ✓ Small groups
- ✓ Meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner).
- ✓ Drop-off at the Uyuni bus station or downtown.
- ✓ Shared transportation
- ✓ Accommodation in a basic hostel
- ✓ Spanish-speaking driver.
Not included
- ✗ Tips and personal expenses
- ✗ Meals not mentioned
- ✗ Park entrance fees (Bs. 186 per person).
- ✗ Entrance to the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve (Bs. 150 per person).
- ✗ Entrance to Polques Hot Springs (Bs. 30 per person).
- ✗ Entrance to Incahuasi Island (30 bolivianos per person).
- ✗ Access to restrooms along the route
Where it actually goes
Over the border at Hito Cajón, through the Eduardo Avaroa reserve with Laguna Verde and Laguna Colorada, across the Siloli desert, and out onto the Uyuni salt flat on the third day. The lagoons and the flamingos on days one and two are a genuine part of the trip rather than filler.
The altitude is the whole problem
You sleep two nights above 4,000 m, considerably higher than San Pedro's 2,407 m, and there is no descending to recover. The operator lists altitude-sickness prevention as a recommendation. Do this at the end of your Atacama week, never at the start.
Accommodation, honestly
Basic refugios, shared rooms, limited heating and limited hot water. That is the standard for this route across all operators, not a failing of this one. Vegetarian meals are available on request.
Which direction, and where you end up
This runs San Pedro to Uyuni. If you are travelling the other way there is a Uyuni-to-San Pedro version, and there are one-way and four-day variants. Choose by where your onward flight leaves from, because getting back overland is another two days.
What you need
A passport for the border crossing, warm clothing, and cash in bolivianos for the Bolivian park fee. Smoking is not permitted in the vehicles.
Who should not book this
- Anyone in their first days at altitude
- Travellers without a valid passport
- People who need private bathrooms and reliable heating
-
3-Day Uyuni Salt Flat Tour
CLP 296310About CLP 40,000 cheaper for the same crossing. Its listing reports 483 reviews, but that figure belongs to the operator's whole catalogue rather than to this trip, so treat it as unrated.
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Uyuni: 3-Day Salt Flats Expedition to San Pedro de Atacama
CLP 311126The same route in the opposite direction, for anyone arriving from Bolivia rather than leaving for it.
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Check prices & dates
Book your tickets in advance: popular time slots sell out.
Compare Atacama ToursHow to book
The button opens the operator's GetYourGuide listing to pick a departure date and pay. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Check your passport validity and your onward travel from Uyuni before you book, because this trip does not bring you back. This site earns a commission at no extra cost to you.
This site may earn a commission on bookings at no extra cost to you.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a passport?
Yes. The tour crosses into Bolivia on the first morning and the operator requires it.
How high do you sleep?
Above 4,000 m on both nights, well above San Pedro's 2,407 m. This is the most altitude-demanding thing sold from the town.
Does it come back to San Pedro?
Not this version. It ends in Uyuni. A separate product runs the route in reverse, and there are round-trip variants.