Itinerary
- Day 1
San Pedro de Atacama to Villamar
You'll leave your hotel early and drive toward the Bolivian border at 4,400m altitude. Once you reach the border at Hito Cajón, you'll switch from a minibus to a 4WD jeep for the rest of the day. The drive takes you through several highlights including Laguna Blanca, a white salt lake with mineral-rich waters. Next you'll cross through the Desierto Salvador Dalí, a surreal landscape of rocky formations and colored earth that really lives up to its name. After that, you have the chance to soak in thermal hot springs and see the geysers in action. Your day wraps up in Villamar, a small settlement where you'll spend your first night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Laguna Blanca
- Explore Desierto Salvador Dalí
- Visit Termas de Polques
- View Geyser Sol de Mañana
- Visit Laguna Colorada
Optional Activities
- Visit Laguna Verde on return journey
Landmarks/POIs Laguna Blanca Desierto Salvador Dalí Termas de Polques Geyser Sol de Mañana Laguna Colorada Laguna Verde - Day 2
Altiplano Lagoons and Highlands
This morning starts by heading through the Stone City, where natural rock formations have been carved by wind and erosion into wild shapes. You'll then travel across the high plateau to reach the Altiplanic Lagoons, particularly Laguna Catarpe and Laguna Vinto, where flamingos and other bird species hang out around the water. After that, Anaconda Canyon is on your list to spot llamas and other Andean wildlife in their natural habitat. Before ending at Puerto Chuvica for the night, you'll pass through typical highland towns to get a feel for how people live at this altitude.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Explore Stone City
- Visit Altiplanic Lagoons (Laguna Catarpe and Laguna Vinto)
- Observe wildlife including flamingos
- Explore Anaconda Canyon
- Visit typical highland towns
Landmarks/POIs Stone City Laguna Catarpe Laguna Vinto Anaconda Canyon - Day 3
Salar de Uyuni
You'll wake up early to catch the sunrise over Salar de Uyuni, the world's largest salt flat. Once the light hits right, you trek up Incahuasi Island where giant cacti and petrified coral rock stick out from the white salt crust. You'll have plenty of time to take perspective photos on the salt surface before heading to Ojos del Salar and the Salt Museum. Later, check out Colchani to see traditional salt harvesting and local crafts. The historic Uyuni Train Cemetery is your next stop, where Bolivia's first locomotives sit abandoned. You get a 2-hour break in Uyuni to walk around and grab lunch or shop for souvenirs before the drive back to Villamar.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Sunrise at Salar de Uyuni
- Hike to top of Incahuasi Island
- View giant cacti and petrified coral rock formations
- Visit Ojos del Salar
- Tour Salt Museum
- Explore Colchani town and traditional salt crafts
- Visit Uyuni Train Cemetery
Landmarks/POIs Salar de Uyuni Incahuasi Island Ojos del Salar Salt Museum Colchani Uyuni Train Cemetery - Day 4
Return to San Pedro de Atacama
Starting early in the morning, you'll head back toward the Chile-Bolivia border at Hito Cajón. You'll transfer from the 4WD jeep back to a minibus for the drive, retracing your route across the high plateau. By midday, you'll arrive back in San Pedro de Atacama on the Chilean side, concluding your tour through the Bolivian altiplano.
