Travel from Chile’s Atacama Desert to the otherworldly Uyuni salt flats on one of South America’s great overland journeys.
Begin in San Pedro de Atacama, exploring the world’s driest desert: walk amongst towering cacti and dramatic canyons, watch the Tatio Geysers erupt at sunrise, cycle through lunar valleys, and ride across the desert.
Then, set off with a guide and driver for the three-day 4×4 crossing of the Bolivian Altiplano, passing steaming geysers, emerald and crimson lakes filled with flamingos, remote Andean villages and abandoned mining settlements, with overnights at comfortable mountain lodges. The journey culminates on the vast white expanse of the Salar de Uyuni, where the final days are spent walking and cycling on the salt flats, climbing Tunupa volcano, meeting local communities and getting to grips with its remarkable scale and silence.
Every journey we design is tailor-made; consider this itinerary as merely a starting point to inspire your own.
WHEN TO TRAVEL
Year round
SUGGESTED LENGTH
8 nights
DAYS 1-4
San Pedro de Atacama
The adventure begins in the Atacama Desert, the driest place on Earth – a haunting lunar landscape dotted with salt lakes, lagoons, immense volcanoes and spouting geysers.
Upon landing at Calama Airport, a private transfer takes you to San Pedro de Atacama, a little oasis town of dusty streets, straw-and adobe houses and lively markets set at 2,407 metres above sea level. Here, you’ll stay at one of our favourite desert lodges.
Spend the next three days exploring on your terms with a guide and 4×4. By day, venture to the Tatio geysers and the breathtaking lagoons that glow pink with flamingos, traverse the Licancabur Volcano that sits on Chile’s border with Bolivia, hike and ride through deep canyons, or float over the dunes by hot air balloon at sunrise. For those drawn to the stars, Atacama’s low humidity and clear night skies make it one of the world’s most extraordinary astronomical experiences.
DAYS 5-6
Crossing the Bolivian Altiplano
Leaving behind the oasis, set off with your driver and guide towards the Chile-Bolivia border crossing at Hito Cajón, where a new landscape and altitude await. Entering the Bolivian Altiplano, the route passes the Sol de la Mañana geysers, then reaches the bright-red waters of Laguna Colorada. Here, thousands of flamingos can be seen wading through its shallows. Stop for lunch before continuing towards Ramaditas, where you can watch the sun sink behind the mountains and settle into your mountain lodge for the night.
The following day, press on along a route dotted with abandoned mining towns, valleys and colourful lakes teeming with birdlife. Take lunch at Turquiri Lagoon and spend the afternoon exploring the region in greater depth with your guide, then continue on to Chituca, where tonight’s mountain lodge is located.
After breakfast, explore the lodge’s surroundings. Roam the nearby cactus forest and the ancient agricultural terraces, or visit the village of San Pedro de Quemes, which has stunning panoramic views of the Altiplano and the salt flats. Drive on towards the Gruta de Las Galaxias, a cave with rare geological formations where you’ll learn and experience a fascinating part of Andean history. Back in the 4×4, continue driving until you reach the salt flats.
Explore Pescado Island by foot, by bike or by 4×4 before making your way to Explora Uyuni, set on the slopes of the Tunupa volcano.
DAYS 7-8
Uyuni Salt Flats
Covering more than 10,000 square metres, the mesmerizingly bright, white Salar de Uyuni is the world’s largest salt flat. Located in in the southwestern Altiplano region at over 3,653 metres (11,985 ft) above sea level, here you will find otherworldly pentagons of crystalline salt, set against a backdrop of lagoons, volcanoes, flora, flamingos and boundless skies. It skews perspective, kindling the imagination and providing incredible displays of light as reflections change throughout the day according to the position of the sun.
Spend the day discovering the expansive, natural beauty of the salt flats. Visit the Ojos de Sal (natural springs that bubble up through the salt crust), hike up Tunupa Volcano to find a cave that’s home to seven preserved, ancient mummies, or bike through villages and quinoa plantations learning about life in this remote part of the world. As dusk falls, return to the Salar with a telescope to learn about the constellations and Andean cosmology with your guide. The sheer scale and silence of Uyuni make for an experience unlike any other.
Stay a Little Longer…
Although this journey stands perfectly well on its own, it also combines naturally with other parts of Chile and Bolivia. From Uyuni, we often suggest flying to La Paz for a couple of nights before continuing overland to Lake Titicaca and into Peru’s southern highlands – another of our favourite journeys in the Andes. If you’re flying via Santiago, a few days in Chile’s surrounding wine valleys – or, with more time, Patagonia – provide a complete change of pace and scenery.
Our Approach
Crossing from Chile’s Atacama Desert into Bolivia is one of South America’s great journeys. We’ve travelled it ourselves and understand the practicalities of exploring such a remote and high-altitude region: how to choose the right guides and drivers, which lodges to stay at, how to pace a trip to allow for acclimatisation, and striking the right balance between time on the road and time to explore.
All of our trips are built from the ground up, designed around how you like to travel. We take care of everything behind the scenes, including your driver, expert local guides, accommodation and all logistics along the route, and our team is available round the clock while you travel to ensure the journey feels seamless from beginning to end.
CONTACT US
Bespoke journeys across Latin America and Antarctica, designed by specialists.
Conde Nast Traveler Specialists every year since 2017
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