A Trip Across the Salt Flats of Uyuni, Bolivia

A tour across the salt flats has quickly become an essential part of every South American itinerary.

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The most common choice is a three-day tour from San Pedro de Atacama, Chile, to Uyuni, Bolivia (or vice versa). Myriad agencies offer the same trip, and many will end up sharing vehicles. There are some horror stories about drunk drivers and rickety jeeps, but as long as you are not expecting to travel in the lap of luxury, the experience will be one in a lifetime.

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On the first day, you leave San Pedro and make the steep climb to the border with Bolivia, before making your way to Laguna Verde, home to groups of flamingos. Next, your jeep will pass bubbling mud pools, which signal the presence of spectacular geysers, before reaching the Laguna Colorada. The landscape is completely unspoiled, with extreme rock formations giving way to wide open plains.

After a long morning bumping along in the car, a lunch stop at a hot spring provides a welcome chance to relax under the hot sun. Make the most of the heat now, because the moment the sun goes down you will be running to your bed to keep warm.

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The second day takes you past more flamingo-populated lakes to an area of otherworldly rock formations. Later, you will pass over a set of lonely railway tracks which stretch as far as the eye can see. Aside from other jeeps in the distance, the scene is entirely desolate.

Day three provides the highlight of the tour: a day on the salt flats themselves. Play around with perspective in your photos on the dazzling white salt flats, marveling at the crunchy salt which stretches for miles. Round off the tour with a trip to train cemetery before finishing up in Uyuni.