As I promised I am back to talk more about my salt flat experience.
The Salt flat in Bolivia surprised me positifly AND Chile + Argentina corresponded very well to my high expectations… Ahahah
I have no words to describe the moments and the people I met during these 2 weeks and if I have to advise someone about traveling, for sure, the salt flat experience would be one of my first choices. Blue sky dilueded with the salt flat; the mountains full of snow; the color lagoons with flamingos… Everything is purely beautiful 😊
So what did I visit in 2 weeks?
The 3 biggest salt flats in the world:
- Uyuni in Bolivia
- Atacama in Chile
- Grandes Salinas in Argentina
So, let’s get start and talk about every secret, detail and tips you need for this kind of trip.
Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia 
As I shared before I fell in love for Bolivia. The landscapes are crazy beautiful and the salt flat was another piece of the nature I did not expected that beautiful.
It was great to take funny pictures and once again I was very lucky with my girls group.
3 days in Uyuni
How to arrive in Uyuni…
There are many ways to get to the salt flat. By land you can arrive from Potosi, La Paz or even from Atacama in Chile. Everything depends where you are but it is easy to find information (it is by far the most visited place in Bolivia).
In my case I took a night bus from the capital to the village (the bus ride was 10 hours and I paid less than 15€). I arrived at 6 am (as I wished) because I wanted to start my 3 days trip on that morning. Mainly, every agency starts at 10.30 am.
Price: around 100€
The price included the transport, the food (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and accommodation
Important details – price did not include: hot showers – toilet paper, entrace at the national park and the spring waters.
In general, agencies form groups of 6 people in each car.
Day 1
- Visiting the cemetery of trains
- Having lunch in the salt restaurant
- Visiting different parts of the salt flat
- Having dinner and sleeping in the salt hotel
Day 2
- Visiting volcanic desertscapes
- Visiting the red and the green lagoons both with flamingos
- Having lunch in front of one of the lagoons
- Visiting the rock formations such as the rock tree
- Having diner and sleeping in a hostel in the national park (entrance cost is 20€)
Day 3
- Visiting the hot geyser fields
- Enjoying the hot springs (cost 1€)
I finished the trip in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile (the trip can also be finished in Uyuni). For the record, the transfer to Chile is around 7€.
I had a great experience but I would not recommend the agency I took (Sumaj Hallpa). I paided for a Guide and I ended up having just a driver. I have to paid for shower and to have hot water. AND: the driver drunk the 2 nights. Bahhhh
Important: In general, Bolivian agencies are much cheaper than Chileans but I have to admit the service is not as good. Very often, agencies tell you one thing and you end up paying more or getting a bad service.
Important (discrimination): If you do not know speak Spanish, you will for sure be more charged as if you are European. While traveling in Bolivia a lot of people thought I was Argentinian but as soon as they knew I was from Portugal they wanted to charge me more for the same service. It is a sad reality.
San Pedro de Atacama
I was dying to arrive in Chile after Bolivia. Although I loved Bolivia so much, the treat of the tourist, the food, the people, the conditions… I was tired and I wanted to arrive in a place with wifi, nice food and kind people.
Atacama was not perfect because of the spring storms but I had a good time.
I spent 5 days in the city: relaxing and doing organized trips almost everyday.
Some people say after Uyuni is difficult to be amazed and i have to admit it is quite hard but: nothing is impossible. And I totally advice red rocks tour. Yes: you are going to see the salt flat, the mountains, the lagoons of Chile but it is different: believe me!
1. The Red Rocks
Price: around 50€
It is an one day tour and the price includes transport, breakfast, entrance in the different places, lunch and the guide.
Morning
- Visiting Atacama desert – this salt falt is very mixed with other sediments so it is totally white as Uyuni
- Having breakfast in los flamingos national reserve – this place is so so so beautiful…
- Visiting a lagoon in the reserve and enjoying the view to the mountains around – the highest point of the day: more than 4 000 meters
Afternoon
- Having lunch in the red rocks – the red rocks are so warm so you want to lay down on them and stay there forever
- Enjoying the transparent lagoons in front of the red rocks – without any doubt the most beautiful and transparent water I have seen in all my life
- Visiting another lagoon on the way back to Atacama village
The fauna in Chile is some how more visible than in Bolivia
I took Flamengo travel agency and I totally recommend it. They were very pontual and professional. The tour was made in 3 languages: EN, ES and FR.
2. The Moon Valley
It is called the moon valley for its physiognomy people say the sunset here is quite fantastic.
I did it without agency and I am very glad I chose that. I rented a bike and I rode all the way (30km). I went to the valley at 11am and I have to admit I was dying because it was very very hot (a lot of sun cream for those who chose to bike).
Here you can see the dunes, some salty fields mix with other sediments and the famous sand and stone formations. The most famous one: Las Tres Marias formed by salt and clay.
Price of the entrance: less than 5€ The price of renting a bike: less than 5€ a day
3. The Lascar Volcano
It was expensive. Hiking the active volcano costed me more than the 3 days in Bolivia but it was totally worth it.
The cold, the hiking, the high… I had moments I thought I could not finish the hike: the last 100 meters were so hard… I was crying to arrive at the top; I was crying of happiness of doing such a different thing (hiking the 5th almost active volcano of Chile with more than 5 000 high); I was crying for the difficult; I was crying for the cold; I was crying for keep challenging my body and my mind during this amazing trip. But I had of of the greatest time of my life!
Price: 110€
This tour is an one day tour and includes the transport from Atacama to the volcano, breakfast, snacks during the hike and 2 official guides to help you during the trekking. The groups are usually very small (no more than 5 people).
Again, I totally recommend Agency Pachamama. They borrowed me all the equipment, explained all the details for the hike and they were by far the cheapest ones I could find. The guides were great and very attentive to the physical limits of each participant.
If you have the chance, try at least once in your lifetime: Hiking mountains is such a different sport! You are definitely in contact with the nature.
Grandes Salinas
The last but not the least, the Grandes Salinas in Argentina.
My goal was to start my salt flat experience here and do my way up to Atacama and finally Uyuni. It did not work that way and I ended up with Grandes Salinas. It is the smallest one from the 3 but it deserves all the respect.
The tour can be done by yourself if you have a car otherwise you can take a car or a van to the salt flat.
Price: 15€
It includes the transport go and return from Purmamarca and if you are lucky the driver can become a guide. Ahahha It is a 3 hours tour.
The 3 most important sport of the trip:
- A view point to take pictures of the mountains around
- The highest point (more than 4 000 meters) where you can buy artesant things
- The salt flat and the famous squares to take all the funny pictures
The Salinas are a MUST VISIT but Purmamarca is also worth to spend some time. From here you can see the 7 colors mountain and do its trek of 40 minutes. Tilcara is another city not very far and with a lot of social activities to do.
The ruins and the cactus are the mark of the city.
I hope you enjoyed this long post about the salt flats and all you can do around them.
Beijinho,
Daniela