Uyuni Salt Flats 3-Day Tour: Is It Really Worth It? A Review

Okay, picture this: an unending expanse of white, stretching as far as your eyes can possibly see. It is almost like you’re standing on another planet, where the sky blends right into the ground, totally blurring the horizon. Yep, it’s the Salar de Uyuni, also called the Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia, and I went on a three-day tour to really check it all out. Was it awesome? Yeah, definitely! But was it, like, perfect? Well, keep reading to find out what I actually thought.

What is the Uyuni Salt Flats 3-Day Tour All About?

Basically, the three-day tour gets you way beyond the main, super popular photo spots you always see. Of course, you do visit those, but this tour is really much more than just that. You get a great look at the incredible landscapes of the Bolivian Altiplano. You see multi-colored lagoons, rock formations created by fierce winds, and possibly even some wildlife! In short, it gives you, like, a really thorough experience of one of the most surreal places on earth. If you go with the right tour, it feels as if time just disappears because you’re way too interested to even think about how many days it’s been. So the length of time ends up going by really fast.

Oh, and a little travel tip for anyone planning to visit: Altitude sickness can really throw a wrench into the plans because the region sits at a seriously high elevation, usually over 11,000 feet. Make sure you drink enough water, try to get ahold of some coca leaves to chew on, and just take it a bit easy the first day so your body can sort of get used to things, more or less.

Booking the Right Tour: Things To Keep In Mind

Finding a good tour operator can either make or break your trip, believe me. Don’t automatically go for the really, really cheap ones; some are probably cheap for reasons you might not exactly love. Start by looking at what people are actually saying about certain tour companies online. Think TripAdvisor or other travel blogs. What’s nice is you usually discover a bit about things like the quality of the drivers, how well they keep up their vehicles, and how good the food is. Also, when you’re talking to them, it’s maybe a good idea to ask directly about things like their safety procedures and how they handle stuff if something goes wrong. That way, you can sometimes tell how prepared they truly are. When in doubt, spending a bit more on a reputable tour tends to be the play. That is, to get all the great memories you came for. So do your homework.

Keep in mind that tour styles actually do vary a little. Are you more of a social butterfly who loves hanging out with other travelers, or do you, maybe, prefer something a bit more private and relaxed? Plenty of tours run in small groups, which can be really awesome if you are traveling by yourself and want to meet people. However, if you are traveling with friends or your family, it might be beneficial to arrange a private tour, that way, it gives you some wiggle room in what you do and when. So it will allow you the chance to experience some things exactly how you like it.

Day-by-Day Highlights: What You Can Expect

Right, let’s actually get to the good bits, the days on tour!

Day 1: Train Cemetery and Salt Hotel

You usually kick things off by visiting the Train Cemetery. So many neat old locomotives are out there rusting away in the middle of nowhere. They were used to transport minerals back in the day, so this gives you this unique, old-school kind of photo opportunity. Get as many angles as you can, because you might not get the chance ever again. Then you typically drive to Colchani, that is the village where the locals process the salt. You get to see them actually scraping it, drying it, and packaging it up. Of course, there is also, usually, some local market to see what else they offer tourists passing through.

After lunch, the highlight of the day comes! You get to experience the vast salt flats themselves! Think endless photos of you looking really small, doing weird poses, and playing around with forced perspective. You typically visit Incahuasi Island too. It’s this rocky spot covered in giant cacti. From the top, the views of the salt flats stretching to the horizon are amazing. The night is generally spent in a salt hotel. As it suggests, it’s built almost entirely out of salt bricks! It’s actually quite a novelty. You can’t help but wonder, did you really get the full experience of where you are?

Day 2: Lagoons and Wildlife

Okay, this is where the scenery just goes completely wild. Prepare yourself! You go across these high-altitude deserts. Every now and again there are jaw-dropping views. The first main stop is normally the viewpoint at Volcán Ollagüe. Here, there is a volcano that straddles the border with Chile. Then, it’s onward to a few high-altitude lagoons, each more eye-catching than the previous one. The real standout tends to be Laguna Colorada. The lagoon is known for its reddish waters that come from the algae in it and is often home to hundreds, that is so many flamingos. It’s just something out of a nature documentary. This really just gives you one of those moments you won’t ever forget.

The other thing I remember pretty vividly was just how incredibly quiet it was. Aside from the sound of the wind, you don’t really hear much else, almost nothing at all. It’s, in a way, so refreshing after the usual noise of everyday life. Then, you huddle in for the night at a more basic accommodation. These are usually shelters somewhere in the desert. Expect basic conditions. Don’t plan on a shower.

Day 3: Geysers and Hot Springs

You wake up extremely early this day! Really early, I mean like, before sunrise early. It is totally worth it for seeing Sol de Mañana. These are geothermal fields where steam bursts and muddy pools gurgle. This kind of high-altitude geothermal place can look surreal when dawn is just starting to break. Just be prepared for the intense, eggy sulfur smell; it is pretty strong. Then, you head on to Termas de Polques. This is where you get to actually take a dip in some natural hot springs. Trust me, at that elevation and after those chilly nights, it is, like, seriously welcome. This will likely be your last major stop. After, depending on your next destination, you either head back to Uyuni or to the border with Chile.

And it’s worth reminding people: prepare yourself to not only experience altitude sickness but also pretty intense temperature changes. This trip really can fluctuate rapidly from day to night! Think warm layers, windproof gear, and sunglasses because that sun at high altitude can actually feel brutal on your skin. Bringing moisturizer could potentially stop the dryness that high altitude always causes. So many good little preventative measures can mean all the difference to your experience.

My Personal Highlights and Lowlights

There was loads to like about the Uyuni Salt Flats tour. Staring out over the endless white of the salt flats, that was just one-of-a-kind. I also really enjoyed seeing the flamingos in their natural setting. Seeing them waddle around those brightly colored lagoons felt so special and removed. However, I guess one downer had to be the rather basic accommodations at times. I mean, I didn’t really expect luxury, so that part was more or less OK. But it can get pretty cold at night. Bring, that is, bring plenty of warm clothes.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the roads can actually get bumpy. So if you’re, maybe, someone who gets motion sickness, take some medicine before you leave so you’re set and don’t have to worry. I would still suggest, and will maintain the importance of choosing a tour group really well! Your enjoyment rests on who you are driving around with and being guided by.

Is the 3-Day Uyuni Salt Flats Tour Worth It?

Definitely, yeah. A thousand times, yeah. It’s something you will remember for many years, in a way that can really be worth its weight in gold, you know? Yes, there may well be some challenging times; think altitude and basic accommodation. It’s possible that even your photos don’t quite catch what you saw! Regardless, all that pales in comparison to how amazing the scenery is. Just going there, totally disconnecting from daily life, and just feeling like you’re exploring another planet? Yes, please. If you’re thinking about it even a little, take this as your sign: go for it!