Starts and ends in downtown Uyuni: day 1 at 10:30 at the Train Cemetery, day 2 at 7:30.
Three days are enough to cross the whole country of colors: the white of the Salar de Uyuni, the red of Laguna Colorada and the green of Laguna Verde, in the Sud Lípez. You start day 1 at 10:30 at the Train Cemetery, sleep in a shared-room refuge in Uyuni, and spend the second night in a high-altitude lodge at about 4,300 m, next to Laguna Colorada, also in a shared room. On day 3 you wake up at the Sol de Mañana geysers and head back to Uyuni. The price includes a 4x4 with driver-guide, 2 nights and full board.
Highlights
- Salar de Chiguana and Ollagüe volcano. The day 2 road toward the Cañapa, Hedionda, Honda and Ramaditas lagoons, where flamingos are often seen.
- Árbol de Piedra and Laguna Colorada. A rock sculpted by the wind in the Siloli desert, and a lagoon stained red by sediments and microorganisms.
- Sol de Mañana. Geysers and fumaroles at sunrise, with a stop at natural hot springs.
- Laguna Verde and Laguna Blanca. At the foot of the Licancabur volcano, beyond the Salvador Dalí desert.
What does the itinerary look like?
- Day 1 · Colchani and the Salar de UyuniEverything starts at 10:30 at the Train Cemetery, among rusted 19th-century locomotives, and continues in Colchani, where salt is worked the way it always has been.
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The salt eyes open up the white desert. Then come Isla Incahuasi (depending on the season), lunch and sunset. If there is water on the salt flat, the sky reflects on the ground. A surprise aperitif closes the day.
Dinner and a night in a refuge in Uyuni, at 3,656 m, in a shared room.
- Day 2 · Lagoons of colorDeparture at 7:30 toward the Salar de Chiguana, with the Ollagüe volcano in the background, and on to the Cañapa, Hedionda, Honda and Ramaditas lagoons, where flamingos are often seen.
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The Siloli desert and the Árbol de Piedra come before the arrival at Laguna Colorada, stained red by sediments and by the microorganisms that feed the James's flamingo.
The night is spent in a high-altitude refuge at about 4,300 m, in a shared room, with intense cold and a sky free of artificial light. Full board included.
- Day 3 · Geysers at sunriseThe earth is still alive beneath the altiplano: at sunrise, the geysers and fumaroles of Sol de Mañana (about 4,850 m) prove it, before a stop at natural hot springs.
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The Salvador Dalí desert gives way to Laguna Verde and Laguna Blanca, at the foot of the Licancabur volcano.
The return goes through the Valle de Rocas and past Laguna Negra before reaching Uyuni. Breakfast and lunch included. Arrival between 17:30 and 18:00.
Route map
The 3-day route. Tap the points to see each stop. The line is indicative: tracks can change with the weather and road conditions. View the map full screen
What is included in this tour?
Included
- 4x4 with driver-guide
- Fuel planned for the route. If there is a shortage, we will tell you about the alternative plan before departure
- 2 nights in a refuge, in shared rooms: one in Uyuni and one at altitude, next to Laguna Colorada
- Lunch and dinner on day 1, full board on day 2, breakfast and lunch on day 3
Not included
- Admission to the Eduardo Avaroa Reserve: 30 Bs for Bolivians, 150 Bs for foreigners, approximate, paid on site
- Admission to Isla Incahuasi: 30 Bs for foreigners and 15 Bs for nationals, only if the island is accessible, approximate, paid on site
- Admission to the hot springs: 10 Bs, approximate, paid on site
By time of year
This is the most comfortable time for the route.
The Salar de Uyuni can fill with water (mirror effect, not guaranteed) and some sections of the route may close.
Nights can drop below -10 °C. By day, in the sun, the weather is much more bearable.
What do you need to know before booking?
Altitude and health
This is a high-altitude route, with a night in a high-altitude lodge at about 4,300 m. The highest point of the route, around the Dalí desert, is about 5,000 m. Sol de Mañana sits at about 4,850 m.
- Hydration. Drink water constantly.
- Alcohol. Avoid it on the first day.
- Medical history. Check with your doctor if you have a history of heart or respiratory problems.
What to bring
Layered thermal clothing, a hat and gloves, sunglasses, sunscreen and lip balm, a water bottle and cash in bolivianos for the admission fees.
Phone signal
For hours there is little or no signal. Let your family know and download what you need before leaving.
Laguna Colorada and the reserve
Laguna Colorada sits at 4,278 m, covers about 54 km² and is only 35 cm deep on average. Its color, from brown to deep red, comes from sediments and from the pigments of certain algae. It is a place where all three species of Andean flamingos can be seen.
It is part of the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve, created in 1973, which covers about 714,745 hectares.
3 days or 4 days?
The 3-day route is a loop from Uyuni, tighter on driving hours. If you prefer fewer kilometers per day and more time at each place, look at the 4-day tour, which starts in Tupiza and ends in Uyuni, from USD 397.
- 3 days. From USD 249, 2 nights, Sol de Mañana and Laguna Verde, back in Uyuni on day 3.
- 4 days. From USD 397, 3 nights, private room and bathroom, sunrise at Isla Incahuasi.
Altitude and health
It is not recommended in case of pregnancy, heart or respiratory disease, uncontrolled hypertension or significant vertigo. Minimum age: 5 years. Prior acclimatization: the basic rules apply; see the altitude sickness guide for details. We advise you to stay well hydrated, avoid alcohol on the first day and check with your doctor before booking. If symptoms of altitude sickness appear, the guide may decide to descend, for your safety.
Before you book: payment, cancellation and the unexpected
Payment and booking
When you book, you pay 30% of the total: 15% as a booking payment (arras, non-refundable) and 15% as a deposit. Then a second deposit of 20% 30 days before departure and the remaining 50% 7 days before departure. If you book 15 days or less before departure, you pay 100% of the total when you book and it is non-refundable. If a payment does not arrive by its due date, the booking is cancelled automatically. You can pay in foreign currency with Libélula, RedEnlace and Revolut, or by bank card, QR code or bank transfer; the payment provider may charge transaction fees.
Cancellation and date changes
More than 45 days before departure: 100% of the deposit (15%) is refunded, less bank fees for the money transfer; the booking payment (arras) is not refunded. From 45 to 31 days: 50% of the deposit is retained, which corresponds to the pre-payment of lodging, transfers or others. From 30 to 8 days: 100% of what you paid is retained. From 7 days to 24 hours: everything you paid is retained. Less than 24 hours, and in case of a no-show: the full price is due. Date change: possible depending on the availability of the company and of our providers, with a new quote; sums already paid to providers are not refundable and must be paid again. If Terra Alta cancels or postpones the trip, you choose a new date at no extra cost or a refund of what you paid, except costs already paid to providers that cannot be recovered.
Prices
Prices are in US dollars per person, based on a group of 6 people, in a shared departure.
Blockades, closed roads and weather
A flooded salt flat (roughly December to April) is not a reason to cancel: the tour goes ahead with an itinerary adapted by the guide, with the mirror effect, and Incahuasi island may not be reachable; no refund is due for the visits that change. If a dangerous external event (a storm, heavy snowfall or another natural event) or social unrest or a blockade requires it, Terra Alta may modify, postpone or cancel the trip to protect travellers; what applies is what is provided for a cancellation by Terra Alta.
Tips and expenses
Tips are not included and are voluntary. Entrance fees listed in bolivianos are approximate and may change; they are paid on site, in cash.
Insurance
Terra Alta does not include travel insurance. If you wish, we recommend taking out a policy with medical assistance and repatriation from high altitude.
Frequently asked questions
How cold does it get at night?
Nights can drop below -10 °C, especially from May to July. By day, in the sun, the weather is much more bearable.
At what altitude do you sleep?
The second night is in a high-altitude lodge at about 4,300 m, next to Laguna Colorada. The first is in a refuge in Uyuni, at 3,656 m. Avoid alcohol on the first day and drink water often.
What is the high-altitude lodge like, and are there bathrooms?
The accommodation is a high-altitude refuge, in a shared room. Full board is included.
Which admission fees are not included?
The Eduardo Avaroa Reserve (30 Bs for Bolivians, 150 Bs for foreigners), Isla Incahuasi (30 Bs foreigners, 15 Bs nationals, only if accessible) and the hot springs (10 Bs). They are paid on site, in cash, and the amounts are approximate.
What if I want to cancel, or there are blockades?
Payment, cancellation, date change, fuel shortage and blockade conditions are in the Before you book section, further down this page.
Guides to prepare your trip: guide to the Sud Lípez and Laguna Colorada · complete guide to the Salar de Uyuni 2026 · when to visit the Salar de Uyuni · altitude sickness (soroche) in Bolivia
From USD 249 / person
If you prefer fewer kilometers per day and more time at each place, look at the 4-day tour from Tupiza, from USD 349. Uyuni · 4 Days
Not sure between 1, 2, 3 or 4 days? Compare the Uyuni tours
