Uyuni Salt Flats Classic Full Day Tour
Explore the iconic Uyuni Salt Flats on a full day journey from Uyuni, visiting the Train Cemetery, the salt village of Colchani and the striking Incahuasi…
Destinations: Uyuni
Operator: La paz on foot
About this journey
This full day Uyuni Salt Flats tour begins and ends in the town of Uyuni, taking you across one of Bolivia's most distinctive landscapes. The route starts at the Train Cemetery, before continuing to Colchani, a settlement on the edge of the salar where salt is harvested and processed for consumption throughout the Andes. From Colchani, the journey continues onto the Uyuni Salt Flats, with the landscape changing from the settlement's salt processing activities to the immense open expanse of the salar. The highlight of the day is Incahuasi Island, also known as Fish Island because of its shape. Rising directly from the salt flats, the rocky island is covered with enormous cacti and provides the setting for lunch and a hike. The tour is classified as high difficulty because of the high altitude, intense sun and low night time temperatures. Sunblock and sunglasses are recommended for the conditions. The tour is available as a private option as well. Trip Highlights - Explore the Uyuni Salt Flats on a classic full day excursion. - Visit the historic Train Cemetery outside Uyuni. - Stop in Colchani, where salt is harvested and processed. - Hike at Incahuasi Island, also known as Fish Island. - See the enormous cacti covering Incahuasi Island. - Experience the high altitude landscape of Bolivia's salar. - Enjoy a box lunch during the excursion.
About the location
The Uyuni Salt Flats are located in Bolivia's high altitude Altiplano and form the central landscape of this full day experience. The salar is surrounded by a distinctive desert environment, while settlements such as Colchani remain connected to traditional salt harvesting and processing. The region also contains unusual landmarks such as the Train Cemetery and Incahuasi Island. Incahuasi rises from the middle of the salt flats as a rocky island covered with enormous cacti, creating a sharp contrast with the surrounding expanse of salt. For travellers interested in Bolivia's landscapes, local salt production and high altitude environments, Uyuni provides a focused introduction to one of the country's most recognisable destinations.