If you dream of walking on the world’s largest mirror but worry about altitude, cold nights and tourist traps, this post is for you. We started our Bolivian adventures (read all about our Bolivia trip here) with a 3-day Uyuni Salt Flats tour from San Pedro de Atacama and went from 2,400 m to almost 4,900 m in just a few hours. In this guide, I’ll share our exact route through Bolivia’s Andean highlands and altiplano landscapes, the altitudes we slept at, how our group dealt with altitude sickness, and what lithium extraction is doing to this fragile landscape.
Day 1: San Pedro de Atacama to Mallku – a shock of extreme altitude
🏔️ Altitudes: 2,407 m (7897 ft) – 4,900 m (16,076 ft) 🛏️ Accomodation: Hostel Tierra Oculta*
The starting point of our tour was San Pedro de Atacama in Chile at about 2,400 meters (7,875 ft). Five days in this Chilean village near the Bolivian border allowed us to slowly acclimatize at around 2,407 meters of altitude. Of course, we also explored the Atacama Desert before crossing the border to Bolivia.
Right after San Pedro de Atacama, our jeep climbed steeply toward the 4,400-meter-high Bolivian border (14,435 ft). The ascent was rapid and caused altitude sickness to one of our Chilean tour participants. The girl remained in the car during most stops and tried to relieve her headache by chewing coca leaves.
Near the base of Licancabur Volcano, we passed by the surreal green Laguna Verde. This lagoon sits at about 4,350 m (14,270 ft) in a high-altitude desert. In front of the nearby Laguna Blanca, I avoided the stairs uphill because I also felt my legs heavy.
Shortly after, we reached one of the highest points of this tour: Sol de Mañana geysers at about ~4,900 m (16,076 ft). It’s one of the highest geothermal fields in the world. I imagined the cold mornings there. Despite the boiling mud, the steam vents were freezing in the early afternoon.
Just before lunch, we reached Laguna Salada at 4,394 meters (14,383 ft). There, some tour participants enjoyed a relaxing bath at the Termas de Polques, a hot spring pool with mineral-rich waters. I would probably have slept directly after a bath and, therefore, skipped it. Simply walking in front of the lake made me feel like an astronaut on the moon. My steps were so heavy and slow there.
After lunch, we drove to flamingo paradise. Although lower than the geysers, I started struggling in front of the beautiful Laguna Colorada at 4,278 m (14,035 ft). This colorful lake is known for its red water and flamingos, it’s a highlight of the Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve. I admired the uncountable birds in this tranquil environment, but also struggled walking all the way back to our car. It cost me all my energy to capture some of the beautiful views with my camera.
As most tours, we settled down at the small Andean town Mallku (Malcu) Village* for our first night. It’s located between 3,900–4,200 m (12,800–13,780 ft) and felt like the highest point of our trip to me personally. That night, I experienced the worst migraine. Only some very strong ibuprofen calmed it down.
Day 2: Mallku to Uyuni – a beautifully relieving descent
🏔️ Altitudes: 3,656 m (11,995 ft) – 4,200 m (13,780 ft) 🛏️ Accomodation: Hotel Rustico Casona de Sal*
After breakfast at the hostel, we headed to the nearby Tomas Lakha. This surreal rock formation area at about 4,150 m (13,615 ft) resembles a stone city. The landscape is very Martian-like, but what struck us most were the pre-Inca rock paintings.
Along the way, we stopped in Lost Italy (Italia Perdida) at about 4,150–4,200 m (13,615–13,780 ft). These bizarre rock formations resemble ruins of an ancient Italian city. There were so many tourist groups, all taking endless photos for their Instagram or other social media. Nevertheless, it was a beautiful place where I could have spent much more time. But our planning for the day was quite full again, and so we continued after almost an hour.
Before descending toward lower altitudes, we adored Vinto Lagoon (Laguna Vinto) at about 4,200 m (13,780 ft). It’s smaller, peaceful lagoon that often reflects flamingos and mountains on clear days.
Then we headed to the Anaconda Canyon (Cañón de la Anaconda) at about 4,100 m (13,450 ft). It’s a winding canyon with a green river weaving like a snake, hence the name. Our lookout point offered panoramic views over the canyon and river bend. As so often outside Europe, we noticed the risks. Back at home, similar viewpoints would never get cleared for security reasons. One wrong step, and you just enjoyed one of the most beautiful but also last views of your life.
Our final destination for day 2 was Uyuni at about 3,656 m (11,995 ft). After two days on the rugged altiplano, dusty Uyuni felt like reentering civilization. And yet, our first stop there showed Bolivia’s ancient trains.
Day 3: Uyuni Salt Flat
🏔️ Altitudes: 3,656 m (11,995 ft) 🛏️ Accomodation: Hostal Nichkito*
On our last day, we left at about 5:30 am to see the famous Salar de Uyuni. It’s the world’s largest salt flat with an extension of more than 10,582 square kilometers (4,086 sq mi). This slat flat consists of a thick salt crust, which covers brine, rich in lithium. During and after rainy season, salt water covers the salt flat, making it the world’s largest mirror.
Unfortunately, we had misunderstood our driver the day before. We should have ordered boots with him before dinner. As a consequence of our silence, he didn’t have any boots for us in the car. We had to walk through the salty water in our hiking shoes or sneakers. At some points, the water was so high that I simply removed my shoes and waded through the water barefoot, a painful but supportable peeling.
Due to floodings after rainy season, we could unfortunately not visit Incahuasi Island. It’s located in the center of the salt flat and owns bizarre limestone rocks and giant cacti.
❗The salt flat’s lithium attracts the “green” movement. It’s a key component in rechargeable batteries, especially lithium-ion batteries used in consumer electronics (laptops, smartphones, etc.), electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy storage systems (e.g. solar and wind). These products allow the “green” economies to decarbonize transport, generate and store renewable energy and reduce fossil fuel dependency. Unfortunately, the extraction of lithium slowly destroys the natural wonder of the Uyuni Salt flats nowadays. For now, the Bolivian government has declared that only 2% of the salt flats will be used for lithium extraction. Many others like Salar de Atacama in Chile are affected as well.
Before returning to Uyuni, we visited the the town of Colchani. There is a salt museum and plenty of shops to buy salt or alpaca products. That was a perfect closing end of our trip: Armed with locally produced souvenirs like salt, hats and pullovers, we were able to continue our trip through Bolivia, a country still little developed but incredibly beautiful. You can read all about our Bolivia trip here.
Practical tips before your Uyuni Salt Flats tour
This 3-day Uyuni Salt Flats tour was one of the most intense parts of our year away: tough on the body with headaches, heavy legs, short breaths and very little comfort, but unforgettable with its uniquely surreal lanscapes. The landscape turns into a crash course in altitude, geology and climate justice: from hot springs and geysers to lithium extraction. It reminded us that real “adventure” often means choosing discomfort on purpose.
If you’re sensitive to altitude or worried about the cold, that’s completely normal. Prepare well (see packing list and altitude tips below), listen to your body and be honest with your guide if you feel unwell. You don’t need to be an athlete to do this tour, but you do need to respect your limits.
To make your Uyuni Salt Flats tour safer, more enjoyable, and more sustainable:
- Choose your tour operator carefully: Look for companies that limit group size, pay local staff fairly and are transparent about safety (oxygen in the car, radio/phone, properly maintained vehicles).
- Ask about the route and altitudes: Not all tours spend the same time at 4,500–4,900 m. If you know you struggle with altitude, pick an itinerary with a slower ascent and more time to acclimatize beforehand (e.g., a few days in San Pedro de Atacama).
- Pack for real winter, even in “summer”: Temperatures drop below freezing at night. A warm hat, gloves, thermal layers and a good windproof jacket make a huge difference.
- Bring cash: You’ll need small bills for park entrance fees, toilets on the way, hot springs, snacks and tips. We exchanged a good amount in San Pedro de Atacama before leaving, which was the best thing to do. No card payments were accepted anywhere until Uyuni.
- Travel responsibly: Ask your agency how they deal with waste, don’t leave trash, and be mindful around wildlife (especially the flamingos). Just because there are no fences doesn’t mean it’s all free for humans.
If you have questions about the route, altitude sickness or choosing a tour agency, feel free to ask in the comments. I’m happy to help.
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