Private Tour Uyuni Salt Flat and Lagoons - Calama

Day 1

• The tour starts by picking you up from your Hotel in Uyuni Town, Uyuni Bus Station or Uyuni Airport. If you arrive early in the morning by bus or by plane, we can pick you up from the Uyuni Airport or the Bus company office that will transport you to Uyuni. We will then take you to our office in Uyuni where you can leave your luggage and have some free time before starting your tour.
• The Private tour begins at 10:30 a.m. The first stop of the tour is the Train Cemetery, located about 3kms. from the town of Uyuni. These trains were purchased during the administration of President Aniceto Arce, a great visionary of the mining industry. Unfortunately the exportation of minerals from Bolivia to Europe failed due to the resistance of the natives who did not want their lands invaded.
• After a brief visit to the abandoned locomotives, we will take you to the village of Colchani, at the entrance of the Uyuni Salt Flat. Here you can buy some handicrafts made from salt and observe the manual processing of the salt extracted from the salt flat.
• Continuing the journey we will show you the "ojos del salar" (eyes of the salt flat), small openings where the water flowing beneath the salt is revealed. This water has some healing properties due to its high mineral content. We will extract some salt crystals formed inside these eyes.
• On our way to the Incahuasi Island we will make a short stop at the former Salt Hotel Playa Blanca, now converted into a cafe. This Hotel has been closed by the authorities due to the environmental impact it had inside the salt flat. Here you will have some free time to take spectacular photos of the salt flat. Close to the former Salt Hotel is a small mound with many flags from all over the world. These flags have been left by travelers passing by the Majestic Uyuni Salt Flat.
• Lunch. The lunch includes a main course, dessert and drinks (sodas, water). Vegetarian menu is available at no extra charge.
• After lunch we will visit the Incahuasi Island, home to hundreds of giant cacti gracing the landscape. The island is in the middle of the salt flat, visiting it means little physical effort. From the peak of the Incahuasi Island there are outstanding views of the Uyuni Salt Flat and the Tunupa Volcano.
• There will be some extra time here for resting and taking even more pictures.
• At the end of the journey we will transport you to your Hotel.
• Accommodation of choice. We can offer you accommodation at a basic hotel in Atullcha with double and triple rooms with private bathroom, hot water showers located outside the room and no heating or we can provide you accommodation at one of the iconic Salt Hotels: Hotel Luna Salada, Hotel Palacio de Sal, Hotel Cristal Samaña, Hotel de Sal Tayka. The selected accommodation will depend on your budget and preferences.
• Dinner will be served in the hotel in Atullcha if it is the one you choose. If you decide to stay in one of the Salt Hotels, you can order dinner in the restaurant of the selected hotel.

Day 2

• The second day of the Private tour will start after breakfast.
• The expedition will take you to Chiguana Salt Flat, a deserted spot with smaller salt concentration. From here, you will take a scenic drive through a countryside that features stunning deserts and breathtaking lagoons.
• You will make a short trek to the Ollague Volcano viewpoint with marvelous panoramic views of the Ollague Volcano and other high mountains. (This tourist spot cannot be visited during the rainy season.)
• Lunch. The lunch includes a main course, dessert and drinks (sodas, water). Vegetarian menu is available at no extra charge.
• After lunch we will take you to visit the minor Lagoons Cañapa, Hedionda and Honda. All of them feature pink flamingo populations that share the space with other Andean birds.
• Traveling south we will find the Siloli desert located at 4550 m.a.s.l. (highest and driest in the world) where the Stone tree / Arbol de Piedra is located. This rock is unique because it resembles a tree.
• Before ending this day we will pass through the viscachas canyon where you will have a wonderful time watching these cute animals. The viscachas that live in this canyon love the tourists and are always in good mood for pictures.
• We can offer you basic lodging in the Huayllajara shelter where we will provide you a room with shared bathroom and no hot water showers/heating or you can stay overnight at the Hotel del Desierto Tayka. The Hotel features double, triple and quadruple rooms with private bathroom, hot water and heating. The electricity power, heating and hot water are available until 21:00 hrs. At this point of the tour you are in an isolated spot and the Hotel provides electricity with its own generators and hot water with solar heaters.
• Dinner will be served in the Huayllajara shelter if it is the one you choose. If you decide to stay at Hotel del Desierto Tayka, you can order dinner in the Hotel restaurant.

Day 3

• The tour will start at 05:00 a.m. after breakfast.
• We will transport you to visit the Colorada Lagoon. This stunning Lagoon contains islands, whose white color contrasts with the reddish color of its waters, which is caused by red sediments and pigmentation of some algae. James's pink flamingos abound in the area. Also it is possible to find Andean and Chilean flamingos, but in a smaller quantity.
• We will continue our trip taking you to Sol de Maniana, a volcanic zone where you can see geysers. This endless supply of water is spitted out of the ground at a temperature of 90 C, through fumaroles and cracks through which sometimes even volcanic lava erupts. It is recommended for everyone's personal safety to observe this from a distance, mostly because of the sensitivity and lack of stability of the ground.
• Continuing with our trip you will spend some time in the Polques hot springs where you can take a relaxing bath in a small pool of natural thermal water.
• Lunch. The lunch includes a main course, dessert and drinks (sodas, water). Vegetarian menu is available at no extra charge. The lunch this day will be simpler than the other days. At this point of the tour we are far away from everything so your driver will prepare lunch for you.
• The next stop in our trip is the Salvador Dali desert, the Laguna Verde / Green Lagoon located at the feet of the Licancabur Volcano (5,868 m.a.s.l.). The intensity of the green color of this Lagoon depends on the wind in the area. If there is no wind, then you will enjoy a clear reflection of the Licancabur Volcano in the Lagoon. The Licancabur Volcano is the landmark that indicates the border line between Chile and Bolivia.
• We will transport you to Hito Cajones (Bolivian/Chilean border) where you will pass through migration and will change your 4x4 Bolivian vehicle for a similar Chilean vehicle that will transport you from Hito Cajones to Calama. The travel time between Hito Cajones and Calama is about 5.5 hours.
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• Once in Calama we will drop you directly at your Hotel.

Additional Information:

• This is a private tour, meaning that you won't share the vehicle with other travelers.
Our customers can choose depending on their budget the type of accommodation to be included during the tour. We recommend you to choose to stay at the suggested Hotels, especially during the winter. The temperatures in the area go down dramatically at night and heating will be appreciated.
• Meals are served with a variety of vegetables and fruits. There is a special menu for vegetarians.
• Please dress appropriately: comfortable walking shoes, sunglasses and hats are recommended. Sunblock is a must. Do not forget your swimming suit to enjoy the thermal waters.
• During winter carry gloves, scarf and warm clothes. (May, June, July and August).
• The company rents sleeping bags during the route at extra charge.
• This tour does not include traveler insurance. If you want to purchase it, please contact us.
• The service doesn't include tips or extra beverages.
• If an English speaking guide will be included in the service he/she will use an extra seat in the vehicle.

IMPORTANT

• We are a serious Tour provider of tours around the Uyuni area. We make sure that our clients will take a tour with responsible drivers and tour guides. Our drivers NEVER drink alcohol during the tour.
• The Uyuni area is very remote and road conditions are bad. This may cause vehicles to be damaged. Please be patient if a wheel needs to be changed, the drivers are experienced and will get the job done quickly.
• It is important that you get a medical health check in your country before taking this tour. The tour reaches high altitudes that might affect your blood pressure. Even though there is a first-aid kit in the car, we recommend you take with you basic medications for headaches or stomach problems.
• Please note that the tour will take you to remote areas where emergency medical help may not be available. The nearest health center is in the town of Uyuni. There are no health services inside the Eduardo Avaroa National Park.
• Due to weather or road conditions the itinerary might vary without notice to ensure traveler safety. Please take the previous detailed itinerary only as a reference.
• We aim to notify customers about major changes in the itinerary during the rainy season, but sometimes the weather changes dramatically and we are not able to inform them with (lots of) anticipation.
• During winter there may be some snow, obliging us to change the route to ensure the safety of our clients.

We can also arrange for you:

• Direct Flight La Paz - Uyuni
• Flight Santa Cruz - Uyuni
• Bus Tickets: La Paz - Uyuni
• Bus + Train: La Paz - Oruro - Uyuni
• Train Tickets: Oruro - Uyuni - Oruro: Expreso del Sur and Wara Wara del Sur
• Travel Insurance