Uyuni – Colchani – Salt Hostel – Incahuasi Island

Train Cemetery - This is a resting place for trains and locomotives, so vast it seems as if all the trains in South America have been brought to Uyuni, Bolivia, for their final stop. Located just about 3 km from the Uyuni train station, the “Great Train Graveyard” (also known as Train Cemetery or ‘Cemeterio de Trenes’ in Spanish) is filled with rusted and hollowed-out train bodies and other remnants. It is situated on the otherwise deserted outskirts of Uyuni, a small trading area high in the Andean plain.

Uyuni has been recognized as a significant transportation hub in South America, connecting several major cities. In the early 19th century, there were ambitious plans to expand the train network from Uyuni, but the project was abandoned due to technical challenges and tensions with neighboring countries. The trains and equipment were left to rust and fade from memory. Visitors can freely approach the trains, often climbing on or entering the train cars to take photos.

Most of the trains in the Graveyard date back to the early 20th century and were imported from Britain. There are over 100 train cars with unique structures and occasional graffiti. In other parts of the world, these mighty steel trains might have fared better. However, the salt winds blowing over Uyuni, which hosts the world’s largest salt plain, have corroded all the metal. Without guards or even a fence, these pieces were picked over and vandalized long ago.

Colchani - Just outside the Salar de Uyuni salt flats lies the charming salt-processing village of Colchani. This small village of just over 600 residents is home to Bolivia’s largest salt-processing cooperative. Years ago, Colchani’s inhabitants exploited salt to trade with other indigenous communities. Packs of llamas would travel incredible distances (up to 560km to Tarija) carrying salt, returning with coca, maize, and other goods not produced in the Altiplano. This has changed with improved transport infrastructure, and the salt is now sold by the cooperative in Bolivia and Brazil.

The Salar de Uyuni contains an estimated 10 billion tonnes of salt, with an impressive 25,000 tonnes excavated and processed at Colchani annually. During a stop in Colchani, visitors can see handicrafts made of salt and textile art made of llama and alpaca. This is a perfect opportunity to purchase authentic Bolivian souvenirs.

The tour also includes a visit to a traditional salt factory where a local will demonstrate the process of salt extraction and refinement. Although the tour of the salt factory is free, visitors are encouraged to give a donation for the local’s time and effort. The tour is highly recommended for those interested in learning how salt ends up on their kitchen table.

A visit to the Salt Museum is also popular among those stopping in Colchani. This small yet picturesque space consists of salt bricks and numerous carved sculptures. It isn’t a typical museum, as it takes no longer than 5-10 minutes to see everything, making it a perfect quick stop for those passing through the town.

Salar de Uyuni - Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni is considered one of the most extreme and remarkable vistas in all of South America, if not the world. Spanning more than 4,050 square miles of the Altiplano, it is the world’s largest salt flat, left behind by prehistoric lakes that evaporated long ago. Here, a thick crust of salt extends to the horizon, covered by quilted, polygonal patterns of salt rising from the ground.

At certain times of the year, nearby lakes overflow, and a thin layer of water transforms the flats into a stunning reflection of the sky. This beautiful and otherworldly terrain serves as a lucrative extraction site for salt and lithium—the element responsible for powering laptops, smartphones, and electric cars. In addition to local workers who harvest these minerals, the landscape is home to the world’s first salt hotel and is frequented by road-tripping tourists.

Dakar Monument - The Uyuni Salt Flat, one of the tourist gems of the Andes, for the fifth consecutive year, awaits its stage of the Dakar Rally to showcase one of Bolivia’s greatest attractions when the fleet of motorbikes, cars, buggies, quads, and trucks races through this Saturday.

Uyuni’s salt desert in southwestern Bolivia is the world’s largest and highest, at an altitude of approximately 3,650 meters (12,000 feet) and covering close to 10,600 hectares (26,000 acres).

Since the world’s most famous rally set foot on Bolivian territory in 2014, it has consistently returned to this vast white plain surrounded by mountains every year. The Dakar Monument, created in 2014, has become a symbol of the desert and a must-see for tourists who arrive each year.

Lunch Stop

Isla Incahuasi - One of the highlights of a Salar de Uyuni tour is a hike around the spectacular Isla Incahuasi, also known as Inkawasi. It’s located in the heart of the salar, 80km west of Colchani. This hilly outpost is covered in Trichocereus cactus and surrounded by a flat white sea of hexagonal salt tiles.

Once a remarkably lonely, otherworldly place, it now receives large numbers of visitors daily due to salar tours. Nonetheless, it remains a beautiful sight if one can overlook the crowds. An entry fee is required to climb the hill (B$30), and tour groups explore the hiking trails, seeking the perfect photo of cacti and salt. It’s a 15-minute walk to the top of the island, with a trail that loops back, but it’s worth it. Note that during the wet season when the salar is flooded, the island is inaccessible.

Salar de Uyuni - After witnessing the sunset, the tour proceeds to the hotel made of salt blocks where the night will be spent.

Ollague Volcano – Siloli Desert – Red Lagoon

Siloli Desert - Visitors should be properly acclimatized before visiting the highest desert in the world at an elevation of 15,000 feet (4550 meters). Dusty, barren, and isolated, many wonder if they have reached the end of the world.

Arbol de Piedra - A psychedelic oddity, this 22-foot (7-meter) tall stone tree lies on the edge of the Siloli Desert. Its unusual shape is due to strong winds that have eroded its soft sandstone stem over millions of years.

Laguna Colorada - Situated around 14,000 feet (about 4,300 meters) above sea level is Laguna Colorada, Bolivia’s stunning white-speckled, red lake. Part of Bolivia’s salt wonders of the altiplano, the lake and its nearly-extinct flamingo population draw visitors to the bizarre, otherworldly landscape. Besides flamingos, the area is home to various fauna including llamas, alpacas, Andean foxes, cats, and pumas.

The colors of Laguna Colorada are immediately striking. Tinged with red algae and other microorganisms, the water is a deep orange-red hue. Perfectly contrasted, the salt lake is dotted with large white pools caused by massive borax deposits on the lake’s surface. Combined with the rolling mountains and craggy rock shores, Laguna Colorada is an immaculate and beautiful wildlife area. Laguna Colorada is part of the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve, and in 1990 it was listed as a “Ramsar Wetland of International Importance.”

Besides tourists, a rare breed of flamingo has also flocked to the area for centuries. James’s Flamingo, also called the puna flamingo, is native to the Andes and the Altiplano area. Although they seem plentiful on the shores of Colorada, they are in fact very rare. During the mid-1950s, scientists had all but written them off as extinct, until a pack was found roaming South America. Today their habitat is continually threatened, and they are classified as an endangered species.

The night will be spent in basic accommodation.

Polques Lagoon – Green Lagoon – White Lagoon – Uyuni

Geiser Sol de la Manana - Meaning “morning sun” in English, this series of impressive geysers is best observed at first light. Pools of boiling mud abound while the strongest geyser sprays pressurized steam up to 160 feet (50 meters) in the air. There are no safety barriers in place, so caution is advised when getting close for a selfie.

Desierto Dali - Named after the surrealist master himself, the Dali Desert is famous for its otherworldly landscapes. Hues of brown and ochre contrast sharply with the deep blue sky and the snowy peaks of nearby volcanoes. Meanwhile, random piles of rocks inexplicably scattered around the desert complete the dreamy scene.

Laguna Verde - Nestled beneath the ominous Licancábur volcano lies one of Bolivia’s most colorful attractions. Although not as green as it was years ago (a process blamed on climate change), the lagoon still boasts a vibrant hue and a dramatic setting.

Licancabur - Visitors will pass many volcanoes on the tour, but none are quite as menacing as Licancabur. This 19,555-foot (5960-meter) giant can be climbed by energetic tourists for an additional fee, but be warned, NASA has carried out experiments on the peak to prepare for future missions to Mars, so the environment is not exactly hospitable to human life.

• First Aid Kit
• Tea and Coffee
• Round Trip Transport
• Lunch
• Dinner
• Breakfast
• 02 Night’s Accommodation (basic ones)

• Entrance to Isla Incahuasi (Bs 30)
• Transfer to San Pedro de Atacama - Chile (130 Bs each))
• Parque Eduardo Avora (Bs 150)
• private rooms extra payment usd35 p/p both nights optional.
• hot springs (swimming) 6 bob p/p
• Hot Shower in the hostels 15Bs, each. To rent sleeping bags 50 bs. each. To rent towels 20bs each

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.