Bolivia · Desert Adventure

2-Day Uyuni Salt Flats Tour with Incahuasi Island and Hedionda

2 Days Round trip from Salar de Uyuni Easy pace

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The journey

Trip highlights

01 Explore the haunting Train Graveyard on the outskirts of Uyuni
02 Visit Colchani's salt miners workshops and browse salt and wool handicrafts
03 Hike Isla Incahuasi among giant cacti and petrified coral formations
04 Watch a beautiful sunset over the salt flats with a glass of wine
05 Enjoy nighttime stargazing in Agencha
06 See flamingoes at Cañapa and Hedionda Lagoon

Explore the bright-white Uyuni Salt Flats on a 2-day journey through Bolivia's surreal desert landscapes. Visit the Train Graveyard and the salt-mining settlement of Colchani, cross the vast salt expanse to Isla Incahuasi with its giant cacti and petrified coral, and enjoy sunset and stargazing in Agencha. On the second day, continue to the Ollagüe Volcano lookout point, Galaxy Cave, Devil's Cave, and the lagoons of Cañapa and Hedionda, where flamingoes can often be seen, before returning to Uyuni.

Hike to the top of the island to see giant cacti and rock formations made of petrified coral.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 2 Days

Tour type Private

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Included · Standard

Transport Included

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Uyuni - Colchani - Incahuasi Island - Ajencha

Start your tour off at 10:30 am with a drive out to the Uyuni Salt Flats.
Stop at the haunting "Train Graveyard’, which is found on the outskirts of Uyuni.
See the first locomotives in Bolivia and learn about their history, which connected several major cities. Now, corroded over time from the strong salt winds that run through this desert area, this makes for a great photo setting.
Visit the small settlement of Colchani (salt miners workshops next to the salt flats). Find handicrafts made of salt and textile art manufactured of llama and alpaca wool. These make excellent souvenirs to bring back home.
Take photos as you cruise along the vast white expanse of salt, wade through “Ojos de Agua Salada” (saltwater eyes), and visit a hotel made completely out of salt which is currently used as a museum.
After a morning of exploration, lunch will be served near “Isla Incahuasi” (Fish Island).
Hike to the top of the island to see giant cacti and rock formations made of petrified coral.
Take proportion-distorted photos set on the blinding white surface of the salt flats, playing around with the scene; you can be sure to take some funny and memorable shots!
Head to a spacious area for the unique experience of seeing a beautiful sunset over the salt flats, spreading its dazzling colours all over the salt flats, enjoying it with a glass of wine.
Arrive at Agencha town to have dinner and night stay in the hostel.
At 10:00 p.m., enjoy star gazing to enjoy the sky; return to the hotel.

Accommodation: Agencia - 3-beds, 4-beds, 5-beds, and 6-bed rooms + Private toilets

Day 02

Ollagüe Volcano – Cañapa Lagoon – Hedionda Lagoon

Have breakfast and start the tour to Ollagüe Volcano lookout point, which is still active.
Visit the Galaxy Cave (rock formations were created when the salt flats was still a sea and the Thunupa Volcano came into contact with the water about 225 million years ago) and Devil’s Cave, which contains a cemetery or chullpar with human remains.
Continue along the rocky road that is called “El Pasito Tuntun”.
Later, visit Cañapa and Hedionda Lagoon where you can spot flamingoes.
Finally, arrive in Uyuni town, and end of the tour.

Where this trip takes you

Train Graveyard, Colchani salt miners workshops, Isla Incahuasi giant cacti

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map — Round trip from Salar de Uyuni 1 city · 2 Days

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

Accommodation and airport or bus station pickup in Uyuni City.
1 night's accommodation.
Private transportation in a 4WD with a rooftop luggage rack.
Private local driver.
Private English-speaking guide.
Meals: 2 lunches / 1 dinner / 1 breakfast.

What's Not Included

Entrance fees: Isla Incahuasi (30 Bs*)
Toilets on the way (20 Bs).
Drinks.

What to bring

Sunblock.
Sunglasses.
Bottle of water.
Long-sleeved T-shirt.
Sun hat / woolly hat
Sunglasses
Sunscreen
Coat
Gloves
Trekking shoes
Warm clothes
Hand sanitizer
Bottled water (2L.)
Snacks
Camera
Batteries

Know before you go

Start time: 10:30 a.m.
Finish time: 06:30 p.m.
Departure point: Customer hotel in Uyuni City / Airport / Bus Station / Office in Uyuni City
Return point: Perla de Bolivia Office in Uyuni City
During the rainy season from January to April, the Salt Flats fill up with water, so it is not possible to cross them in the same way as during the dry season. As a consequence, the itinerary is modified during that period.
Instead of stopping at Incahuasi (Fish Island), the tour stops at a place where the water reflects the sky and where it seems that the sky and the ground merge into one.
The itineraries provided above work only as guidelines so you may know what to expect; however, these are subject to change with little or no notice according to weather conditions, force majeure events such as road blocks and strikes, acts of God, and things beyond our control.

Logistics