Itinerary may vary according to weather conditions
Take your Uyuni adventure to the next level with this immersive 2-day journey that combines the iconic salt flats with the mystical Tunupa Volcano. This tour offers everything you love about the classic salt flats experience, plus the opportunity to explore ancient archaeological sites, witness pre-Columbian mummies, and sleep in a unique salt hostel with the majestic volcano as your backdrop. Trek to breathtaking viewpoints where the endless white expanse unfolds before you like a dream, discover flamingos wading in pristine lagoons, and immerse yourself in the rich cultural heritage of the region. With more time to explore, you’ll experience both the vastness of the salt desert and the intimate beauty of local communities. This is the perfect balance of natural wonder, cultural discovery, and authentic Bolivian hospitality – all wrapped into two unforgettable days.
Morning: Classic Salt Flats Exploration (10:30 AM departure)
Your adventure begins with a warm welcome from our experienced driver at your Uyuni hotel. After a thorough briefing about the journey ahead, we depart at 10:30 AM for two days of extraordinary experiences.
Train Cemetery – Our first stop takes you to this evocative graveyard of locomotives, where massive steam engines from Bolivia’s industrial heyday stand frozen in time. These rusting relics create a striking contrast against the clear blue sky and make for dramatic photography. Explore freely, climb aboard the old carriages, and feel the weight of history in this open-air museum.
Colchani Village – Step into the daily life of salt flat workers at this authentic community. Watch the time-honored, manual extraction process that has sustained families for generations. Local artisans demonstrate their skills creating intricate handicrafts entirely from salt crystals – from figurines to jewelry boxes. You’ll learn fascinating details about the salt crust’s remarkable thickness and the geology that created this natural wonder.
First Salt Hotel – A quick but memorable visit to the pioneering structure built entirely from salt blocks. Every element – walls, beds, tables, sculptures – showcases the incredible versatility of this humble mineral.
Incahuasi Island (Fish Island) – Prepare for one of the tour’s most magical moments. This rocky outcrop rises dramatically from the blinding white desert like a ship on a frozen sea. Ancient cacti, some over 1,000 years old and standing 10+ meters tall, dot the island’s surface. The hike to the summit is moderate but rewarding – with each step, the panorama expands until you’re surrounded by pure white in every direction. From the top, the 360-degree view of the salt flats stretching to meet the sky will leave you speechless. The silence is profound, broken only by the wind.
Lunch Break – Refuel with a delicious meal served right on the salt flats, surrounded by this otherworldly landscape.
Toward Tunupa Volcano – After lunch, we continue our expedition across the salt plains toward the impressive Tunupa Volcano. As we drive, the massive volcanic cone grows larger on the horizon, dominating the landscape with its commanding presence. The volcano is sacred to local communities and holds deep spiritual significance.
Arrival at Coquesa – We reach the small, traditional village of Coquesa, nestled at the foot of Tunupa Volcano. This remote community offers an authentic glimpse into life on the edge of the salt flats.
Evening at the Salt Hostel – Check into your unique accommodation for the night – a rustic but charming hostel constructed from salt blocks. As the sun sets behind the volcano, painting the sky in brilliant colors, you’ll enjoy a warm, home-cooked dinner. The silence of the high altitude desert at night is absolute, and the stars shine with incredible brilliance in the thin, unpolluted air.
Morning: Cultural Immersion
Breakfast with a View – Start your day with breakfast at the salt hostel, with Tunupa Volcano as your dramatic backdrop.
Chullpares Archaeological Center – After breakfast, we visit this fascinating pre-Columbian burial site. The ancient Chullpares (burial towers) contain remarkably preserved mummies from indigenous cultures that inhabited this region centuries ago. Your guide will explain the burial practices, spiritual beliefs, and daily life of these ancient peoples. It’s a powerful, moving experience that connects you to the deep history of the Andean highlands.
Tunupa Volcano Viewpoint Trek – Lace up your hiking boots for a memorable climb to one of the volcano’s viewpoints. The trail winds upward along the volcanic slopes, and though the altitude makes the hike challenging, every step is worth it. From the viewpoint, you’re treated to one of the most spectacular vistas in all of Bolivia – the entire Salar de Uyuni spreads below like an endless white ocean, its scale almost incomprehensible. Mountains rise in the distance, and on clear days, you can see for what seems like forever. Take your time here to capture photos and simply absorb the magnitude of this natural wonder.
Flamingo Viewing – We descend from the viewpoint and make our way to nearby shallow lagoons where elegant flamingos gather to feed. Watch these pink-hued birds wading gracefully through the water, their reflections doubling their beauty. Three species of flamingos inhabit the region – James’s, Chilean, and Andean – and seeing them in their natural habitat is a special treat.
Lunch – Enjoy your final meal of the tour before beginning the return journey.
Return to Uyuni – We make our way back across the salt flats to Uyuni, arriving around 5:00 PM. You’ll return with a camera full of incredible photos, a heart full of memories, and a deeper appreciation for one of Earth’s most extraordinary landscapes.
Fill out the reservation form above. We’ll get back to you with a confirmation and details to process the payment. You can either pay in full or with as little as US$20 to secure your spot. The remaining balance can be paid when the tour begins.
Yes, we do but the price can vary significantly. Many of our tourists reported that this is mainly a scenic excursion and they were ok without a guide who spoke the same language, but if you need us to arrange the tour in English, we got you covered. Click on this link to reserve your spot.
Yes, a reconfirmation from your end is needed. Failure to do so may result in cancellation of your reservation. You must inform us of your accommodation name and room number the day before your trip.
Travel insurance is NOT included in our services. We recommend that passengers have their own travel insurance against illness, injury, loss/damage to personal belongings, and inability to travel on the confirmed departure date.
We do everything possible to protect our clients; however, passengers should be aware that adventure tourism involves a higher than normal risk. We cannot be held responsible for personal injury or loss due to events beyond our control.
Our itineraries are correct at the time of publication and may differ slightly from what you see above, and that is usually due to weather conditions. Our itineraries change from time to time as improvements are made based on feedback from previous travelers and our own research.
