Enjoy the wonders of Uyuni on an unforgettable tour specially designed for backpackers.

This magical and surreal place has become a must-see destination for those traveling through South America with a backpack. The itineraries are designed to match the backpacker style: budget-friendly, authentic, and full of adventure.

The Uyuni Salt Flats are one of the most spectacular places you can visit in Bolivia — an experience that will leave you amazed by the beauty and grandeur of nature.

Schedule

Physical Demand

medium

Moderate physical effort. Includes longer walks or uneven terrain. Reasonable fitness recommended.

between 6:30 and 7:00 am - Pick up from your hotel in San Pedro

About 100 kilometres from Calama, the world's driest desert hides a small oasis called San Pedro de Atacama. It's an adobe town and dirt roads that have stolen the hearts of thousands of tourists for the charms of Atacameña and Spanish culture contained in each of its buildings. What do you say you come with me and we go around

Minibus transfer to Hito Cajón (Chile – Bolivia border)

Lagunas de Colores

We will stop to appreciate this lagoon whose name comes from the reddish and pinkish tones that the water acquires due to the presence of microorganisms and minerals, which gives it a surprising and unique appearance. Laguna Colorada is famous for being the home of numerous species of flamingos, especially the Andean flamingo, which congregate here to feed and rest. These beautiful pink birds add an even more picturesque touch to this place.

Laguna Blanca

The Blanca Lagoon is a body of surface water located on the border between the Department of Potosí, Bolivia, and the Antofagasta Region, Chile. It is the equilibrium point of a large endorheic basin that is bordered to the west by the Laguna Verde basin (Bolivia) (this basin has its own Laguna Blanca (Bolivia)), to the east and south by

Laguna Verde

We will be impressed by the intense green tones that its water takes on, due to the presence of high concentrations of minerals, such as magnesium and arsenic, in combination with the sunlight that falls on it. Laguna Verde is located at an altitude of around 4,350 meters above sea level. Its location on the slopes of the Licancabur volcano, which is reflected in its waters, creates an impressive sight.

Dali Desert

This beautiful area gets its name due to its resemblance to the surreal landscapes painted by the famous Spanish artist Salvador Dali. It is characterized by its rocky and sandy terrain, with rock formations and mountains sculpted by erosion and natural elements. The rocks and formations seem to have been sculpted in a surreal manner, reminiscent of the works of Salvador Dali.

Polques hot springs

The contrast between the low temperatures of the high plateau and the comforting sensation of the thermal water makes visiting this place an especially rewarding experience. The hot springs of Polques are known for their healing and relaxing properties, thanks to the warm temperature of the water, which remains at a pleasant level for bathing throughout the year. These waters come from underground geothermal sources that are heated due to volcanic activity in the region.

Morning Sun Geysers

High temperatures and geothermal activity create a surreal and spectacular landscape, with bubbling mud, boiling water and steam emissions reaching several metres high. It is an impressive and unique natural spectacle that attracts tourists and photographers from all over the world.

Accommodation in one of the shelters near Laguna Colorada

Siloli Desert

The Siloli Desert is famous for its rock formation known as the “Stone Tree” or “Tree Stone.” This rock formation has been sculpted over thousands of years by wind erosion and natural elements, and its shape resembles a twisted tree. It is one of the most photographed and iconic icons of the region. In addition to the “Stone Tree,” the Siloli Desert offers stunning landscapes of hills, mountains, and desert plains. It is also known for its altitude and extreme weather conditions, so it is important to be prepared for cold temperatures and sudden changes in the weather, especially at night.

Stone Tree

The Stone Tree, which was declared a natural monument, is a geomorphological formation of the rocky mushroom type due to wind erosion that stands out from a set of volcanic rocks of different shapes located in a sandy area, Siloli desert, at the entrance of the Eduardo Avaroa National Andean Fauna Reserve in southwestern Bolivia, located in the department of

Altiplanic lagoons Cañapa, Hedionda and Chiarcota

These three lagoons are part of the tourist routes that explore the Salar de Uyuni region and its surroundings. Visitors can enjoy stunning natural scenery, unique wildlife and unforgettable photographic experiences.

Chiguana Desert and Puerto Chuvica

It is known for its desert plains, rock formations and arid landscapes that stretch as far as the eye can see. In this desert, we will experience the feeling of being in a remote and virtually unexplored environment.

Accommodation in Salt Hostel

Staying in a salt hostel is a unique experience, as it allows you to fully immerse yourself in the surroundings of the Salar de Uyuni and experience being surrounded by salt everywhere.

Uyuni Salt Flats

The Salar de Uyuni is known for its incredible and extensive landscapes, where the whiteness of the salt flat blends with the blue sky, creating a visual illusion that seems infinite. In addition, in the middle of the Salar, there are some islands, such as Incahuasi Island and Fish Island, which are covered with giant cacti and offer impressive panoramic views.

Great Incahuasi Island

Incahuasi Island is located in the middle of the Salar de Uyuni and is characterized by being completely covered with giant cacti, some of which can reach up to 10 meters in height. The island is an oasis in the middle of the white salt desert and offers an impressive and unique landscape.

Ojos del Salar

The "eyes of the salt flat" in the Salar de Uyuni are circular depressions on the surface of the salt flat that contain fresh water. These eyes of water are small natural lagoons that are formed due to an accumulation of underground water at certain points of the salt flat. They offer a unique opportunity to see the contrast between fresh water and salt in the middle of one of the most amazing and surreal landscapes in the world.

Salt Museum

This small museum displays a collection of llama statues, many of them made from salt collected from nearby plains.

Colchani village

Near the shores of the Salar de Uyuni is Colchani, a small town that is characterized for being the main producer of salt in the country and from where the condiment that reaches almost every Bolivian home comes from.

Train graveyard

The Uyuni Train Cemetery is known for its desert and rusty atmosphere, which gives it a particularly photogenic and attractive environment for tourists and photographers. The locomotives and wagons lie in disarray, creating an impressive and surreal image in the middle of the arid and sandy landscape.

Uyuni

Uyuni is a municipality and tourist city in southwestern Bolivia, capital of the province of Antonio Quijarro in the department of Potosí. It has a population of 20 958 in 2012.1 Being a tourist center in the region, Uyuni is connected to the country's main cities by the Joya Andina Airport (opened in 2011). During 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017,

Last night at a hostel in the town of Villa Mar

Depart 6:00 am - Transfer from Villa Mar to Hito Cajón (Chile–Bolivia Border)

13:00 hrs - Arrival in San Pedro de Atacama

Included

Transfers
In Chile with a van and in Bolivia with a 4x4 vehicle
Driver (only spanish speaking)
Serves as coordinator during the trip
Accommodations according to program
Expert advice and coordination
Personalized guidance and coordination of your experience via phone, email, webchat, WhatsApp, and scheduled video calls.
Booking Fee – Reservation Management
Administrative costs associated with managing and confirming your reservation, including payment processing and coordinating services with local operators.

Not Included

Visas and visa processing if required
Guide/Translator
It can be requested for an additional cost for the group.
Tickets to parks and museums
Park tickets are subject to change without prior notice, so it is recommended to reconfirm before leaving for the tours.
Medical, accident or travel insurance

General Conditions

Recommended Minimum Age: 12 years

Itinerary and Weather

The itinerary may be modified without prior notice due to weather conditions, road blockades, or other force majeure events beyond our control.

During the rainy season (January to April), the Uyuni Salt Flats may be covered with water, making it impossible to cross them in the same way as during the dry season. In such cases, the program may be adapted, with accommodation in the town of Uyuni and visits to the salt flats as far as conditions safely allow.

Altitude and Health

This trip takes place at high altitude, above 3,650 meters (11,975 ft) above sea level, reaching up to 4,300 meters (14,100 ft).

We recommend:

Acclimatizing beforehand at altitudes above 2,000 meters (6,560 ft)
Drinking plenty of water
Bringing medication for altitude sickness

Accommodation and Services

The tour takes place in remote areas, where services are basic.

Simple accommodations with shared rooms (double or triple)
Limited electricity and running water
Showers available only on the second night (may require a small additional fee)

During winter (June–July), temperatures can drop to –15°C (5°F), so bringing very warm clothing is strongly recommended.

Transportation

Transportation is provided in 4x4 vehicles (Toyota Land Cruiser or similar).

Due to the rough terrain, occasional vehicle breakdowns may occur; however, drivers are experienced in handling repairs.

The driver also serves as a local Spanish-speaking guide. An English-speaking guide is available upon request for an additional fee.

Commercial Conditions

Cancellation Policies

Cancellations with 7 days or more before arrival: 90% refund.
Cancellations with 6 days or less before arrival are not eligible for a refund.

Other Conditions

The company reserves the right not to carry out any of these excursions for reasons of force majeure.
Passengers must return to the vehicle at the times defined by the guide during the excursion, in addition to complying with the recommendations and instructions, being their responsibility to be at the indicated meeting point at the indicated time, otherwise the passenger must pay and coordinate their return transportation. In the event of no-show at the time of departure, without prior documented cancellation, or late arrival, this would result in the TOTAL loss of the amount of the SERVICE.
The company is not responsible for any accident and/or personal injury caused by any imprudence of the passenger.
The passenger understands that this is a trip that takes place over 4,000 meters above sea level and that this may result in so-called altitude sickness.
The passenger is responsible for being in good health or having undergone medical examinations prior to the trip.
The company is not responsible for the loss of personal items left inside vehicles and accommodations.
Entrance fees to parks and museums are NOT INCLUDED, unless expressly included in the program.
Entrance fees to parks may be subject to change without prior notice. Therefore, it is recommended to re-confirm before leaving on the tours.
Values subject to change without prior notice.
Reservations are valid once the requested payment and/or deposit has been made.

Our apply on everything not mentioned before.

Last updated:

This document is a translation of the original Spanish version. In the event of any conflict or discrepancy between the two, the Spanish version shall prevail.

Great Chile SpA – Great Chile

These terms and conditions regulate the purchase of tourism services offered by Great Chile SpA (hereinafter “Great Chile”), through its digital platforms, websites torresdelpaine.com, sanpedroatacama.com, uyuni.cl, and other websites, sales channels, or associated sales representatives.

By making a reservation or purchasing tourism services, the client declares that they have read, understood, and fully accepted these terms and conditions.

1. General Conditions

All prices published by Great Chile are subject to change without prior notice until the reservation is confirmed and paid.
The prices published by Great Chile correspond to the final value of the service and include applicable taxes and administrative costs associated with the booking management (booking fee), unless expressly stated otherwise.
Tourism programs include only the services expressly indicated in the description of each product.
It is the passenger’s responsibility to evaluate their health condition and physical fitness before booking, ensuring it is compatible with the level of difficulty of the excursion or activity.
Many activities take place in high-altitude areas or locations with particular geographic conditions; therefore, consulting a health professional beforehand is recommended if there are any doubts.
Great Chile is not responsible for accidents resulting from imprudence, negligence, or failure to follow safety instructions by the passenger.
Likewise, the company is not responsible for theft, loss, or damage to personal belongings during transfers, excursions, or tourism programs.

2. Customer Responsibility

The customer or passenger is responsible for:

Providing accurate and complete personal information for all passengers when making the reservation.
Informing relevant medical conditions that could affect participation in an activity.
Complying with schedules, meeting points, and safety instructions provided by guides or service providers.
Possessing valid travel documentation, including passport, visas, or other immigration requirements when applicable.

Great Chile will not be responsible for unused services due to delays, lack of documentation, or failure to comply with schedules by the passenger.

Likewise, Great Chile will not be responsible when delays in the provision of a service — for any reason, including weather conditions, operational issues, or force majeure — affect the performance of other services or reservations contracted by the passenger.

Great Chile will not be responsible for additional expenses, loss of services, travel modifications, or interruptions caused by circumstances beyond its control, such as adverse weather conditions, natural events, delays or cancellations of air, sea, or land transport, strikes, social unrest, decisions of authorities, operational failures of third parties, or other force majeure events.

Furthermore, Great Chile is not responsible for costs incurred by the passenger if, due to personal reasons, medical issues, accidents, or any other circumstance unrelated to the company, the passenger must abandon the program before completion or requires assistance, rescue, or evacuation during the trip.

For such situations, Great Chile strongly recommends purchasing travel insurance that covers cancellations, trip interruption, medical expenses, evacuation, repatriation, and other contingencies related to tourism activities.

3. Reservations and Confirmation

Reservations made through the website or digital channels are subject to confirmation once payment has been received.
Reservations that are not fully paid at the end of the purchase process may be automatically cancelled by the system without manual intervention.
If a new reservation is made later, prices may vary compared to the initial quotation.
The reservation confirmation sent by Great Chile constitutes the official proof of the contracted service and will be considered valid evidence in the event of reviews, payment disputes, or verification by financial institutions.

4. Reservation Modifications

Once the reservation is confirmed, it is not possible to modify passenger information for online purchases.
Pre-established programs do not allow route changes, name changes, or refunds unless expressly authorized by the final service provider.
In exceptional cases where date or schedule changes are authorized, penalties or additional charges may apply according to the policies of the tourism provider.

All modification requests must be submitted in writing to:

reservas@greatchile.com

5. Cancellations

Cancellations of tourism services will be subject to:

The cancellation policies defined by the final operator or service provider, which are published on the product description page.
Administrative and banking fees associated with processing the reservation.

Cancellation requests must be made before the start date of the service. Otherwise, the service will be considered used and will lose its validity.

The client acknowledges and accepts that refund determinations will be defined by the final tourism service provider according to their operational and cancellation policies.

6. Booking Fee – Reservation Management

The booking fee corresponds to administrative costs associated with the management and confirmation of the reservation, including but not limited to:

payment processing
availability verification
reservation management
coordination of services with operators or local providers

This charge forms part of the total service price and corresponds to administrative costs incurred in the reservation process.

Unless expressly stated otherwise, the booking fee is non-refundable.

7. Refund Policy

If a refund authorized by the service provider applies:

Great Chile will apply administrative and banking fees associated with payment processing and refund management.
These charges correspond to:
- 5% of the total service value for cancellations due to weather conditions or force majeure, corresponding to the booking fee associated with the reservation management.
- 10% of the total service value for cancellation requests made by the client within the allowed cancellation period.

Refund Conditions

• Refunds will be issued through the same payment method used for the original purchase whenever possible.
• If this payment method is not available, additional costs associated with the alternative refund method must be assumed by the client.
• In such cases, the refund amount may be affected by additional processing costs, which will be communicated to the client beforehand.

Processing Time

The estimated time to process authorized refunds is up to 30 business days.

8. No Show

If the passenger does not appear at the scheduled time or meeting point, the service will be considered No Show, and there will be no right to refund or rescheduling.

9. Operational Changes

Great Chile and its providers reserve the right to:

modify departure times
change the order of activities
substitute services with others of equal or higher category when possible

when necessary for operational, weather, safety, or availability reasons.

10. Weather and Natural Conditions

Excursions and tourism programs may be affected by weather conditions, natural events, or decisions by local authorities.

In the event of cancellations due to safety reasons or force majeure, the activity may be:

rescheduled, or
replaced with an equivalent service, subject to availability.

The client acknowledges that many destinations offered by Great Chile are remote natural areas where weather, operational, or safety conditions may change unexpectedly. In such cases, itineraries may be modified by operators to ensure passenger safety without generating additional compensation.

Great Chile is also not responsible for the total or partial loss of contracted services when this results from delays, cancellations, or changes in flights, buses, boats, or other transportation used by the passenger to reach the destination or service starting point.

11. Force Majeure

Great Chile shall not be responsible for cancellations, modifications, or interruptions resulting from force majeure events such as:

extreme weather conditions
natural disasters
strikes
social conflicts
closures of parks or protected areas
decisions by local or governmental authorities
pandemics or health emergencies

12. Payment Methods

Great Chile accepts the following payment methods:

bank transfers within Chile
national and international credit cards
national and international debit cards
national and international prepaid cards
payments via PIX processed through virtual payment platforms (Virtual POS)
payments in US dollars (USD) processed through the Stripe payment platform

In the case of international payments processed through Stripe, the charge may be processed through NG Mundo Group, which acts as a payment processor or intermediary for international transactions associated with Great Chile.

Depending on the payment method used, the charge on the customer’s statement may appear under the name Great Chile, NG Mundo Group, or the corresponding payment platform.

For international payments, the final amount charged may vary slightly due to bank fees, currency conversions, or exchange rate variations applied by the card-issuing bank.

13. Payment Disputes and Chargebacks

By making a reservation or purchase with Great Chile, the client expressly authorizes the charge corresponding to the contracted service through the selected payment method.

If the client files a dispute or chargeback with their bank or card issuer, Great Chile reserves the right to:

present the reservation confirmation, payment receipts, communications with the client, and acceptance of these terms and conditions as supporting documentation
provide additional evidence of the contracted service, including the participation of NG Mundo Group as the payment processor
suspend or cancel future services associated with the client until the dispute process is resolved
take legal action in the event of unjustified chargebacks

The client agrees to contact Great Chile first to resolve any issues related to the reservation before initiating a dispute with their financial institution.

14. Travel Insurance

Great Chile strongly recommends that all passengers purchase international travel insurance covering:

trip cancellations
transport delays or interruptions
medical expenses
baggage loss
contingencies related to tourism activities

The purchase of this insurance is the sole responsibility of the passenger.

15. Jurisdiction and Applicable Law

These terms and conditions are governed by the laws of the Republic of Chile.

Any dispute arising from services contracted with Great Chile shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of Santiago, Chile, with the parties waiving any other jurisdiction.

16. Company Information

Company Name: Great Chile SpA
Tax ID (RUT): 76.978.647-3

Address:
Av. San José María Escrivá de Balaguer 13,105
Office 717
Lo Barnechea
Santiago – Chile

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Uyuni Backpackers Classic

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