AltoPlano Tour - Uyuni, Bolivia to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

The following are previous posts:

I really would love to visit Salar de Uyuni. I have heard that there are many travel agencies who offer trips, but that a lot of them are quite bad. I would like to make a four day trip.

I would say that they are all quite similar. I have never heard a bad story. A great thing to do is go to the tourist information centre ( attached to a very good restaurant as well ), there you can fill in a form which asks questions about your priorities of the company e.g. how important to you is food hygene/quality, that they carry oxygen etc. Then they will search database and give you a choice of 5 companies according to your needs. Also if you turn up at about 7:00 hours, you can book a tour and go on it at about 9:00 hours that same day.

The Salt Flats tour is certainly a highlight of Bolivia. It is a bit lucky dip with tour operators, even if you book with one, you could get shuffled to another to fill up a vehicle. Mostly the food is pretty basic, accommodation even more basic. Buy some snacks/drinks in Uyuni before you go. Hire a sleeping bag through the tour agency if you do not have one. If there is one going without the full complement of six passengers, that would be better, the very back seat that holds three people is incredibly cramped. Also if you are heading to Chile, then get one with a transfer to San Pedro rather than head back to Uyuni. Do not forget your sunglasses, lots of glare.

My wife and I recently (July 2007) did the Salar de Uyuni tour, starting and finishing at Uyuni. We found it quite confusing beforehand to come by any useful advice, particularly regarding which tour company to use, so perhaps others might benefit from what little we have learned. It turns out that quite recently all the tour companies in Uyuni have agreed on a US$100 per person standard price for the tour with 6 people in a 4x4, $120 per person for an English speaking guide. Nonetheless, a lot of the companies will offer $85 per person, though persistent questioning will reveal that they are simply leaving out some of the things that the $100 per person companies include. Mineral water is one such item, also the national park entrance fees can be included for $100 per person. It seems quite difficult to get an English-speaking guide, although we managed it. I should point out that even at that, the guide was shared between two 4x4 groups. Whenever we arrived at a point of interest, both groups would get out and he would speak to us all at once. The tour company we used was called 'Sumaj Jallpha'. I can recommend them quite highly; our guide, Fabian, spoke excellent English and was perfectly knowledgable. The driver, John, was competent and friendly, while the Land Cruiser was in very good condition. Food and accommodation does not really vary by tour company, as far as I could tell. So, be prepared to pay around the US$100 mark. I found that the most common complaints from other travellers concerned either the driver, if you have not paid extra for a guide, or the condition of the 4x4. Everything else seems fairly standard. Ask lots of questions and be a little suspicious. Unfortunately, there is a tendency for owners to promise all sorts, heating for example, then simply disappear when the disgruntled traveller returns after three days. I hope some of my ramblings are helpful!

Jorge Daniel Barchi.
Buenos Aires.

Do a search on this post!

Many people are looking to stretch their dollars for an extended tour of South America, or to keep things affordable while exploring all of Bolivia, or are primarily trekking anyway: because of these reasons and others, most people are only looking for the most basic level of accommodations. I just want to be sure you understand that, because you aren't going to find anything like a Marriott. If you and your wife don't mind staying in the most rudimentary of hostels and squatting in a shared loo, then you'll be fine, but otherwise it might not be what you're looking for.

If you want to stay in nicer hotels with private bathrooms and showers while doing the tour, try Todo Turismo, who do a fabulous custom tour that can put you up at the various Tayka hotels, and include some great local meals. It'll cost a lot more, but if you've only got 4 days and can afford it, it'll really extend the experience as you stay in the good salt or stone or volcanic hotels (there's also some not-so-good salt hotels, and about 3 new ones that may be opening around the time you arrive). The hotels really turn the whole tour into a non-stop treat. I believe Fremen (who indirectly owns the hotels) also offers it, but they seemed a bit big for their britches to me. Empexsa and Hidalgo can also do it, but they're a little harder to deal with over long distances.

I contacted Ivan at Todo Turismo's Cochabamba office (their head office) beforehand from home, and then dealt with them in person at their Uyuni office (also very nice staff), and felt I was always their first consideration. Their phone number at the head office is: 4-450-5384, or they have a website something like 'touringbolivia.com' (or very close to that). I won't (and haven't) benefited from this endorsement in any way, but I did the same tour last November and wanted to try out these new hotels, have some better food, and more time to explore, so I needed that kind of variation on the normal tour. If that's not what you were looking for, apologies in advance for the rant.

The RankingBolivia office (they're also reachable via hotmail) mentioned above is also an excellent avenue to explore, and I second the above recommendation.

Thank you for the positive suggestions. Did you take Todo Turismo from Bolivia into Chile? Thier website doesn't seem to cover that possibility - we are keen to do than and takein lagunuColarada and verdi then on to San pedro de Atacama. Anyone with advice on this as an add-on to the salt lakes tour in and out of Uyuni??

I'm not positive if Todo Turismo does that, but probably half the tour companies do, as the Laguna Colorada is literally right at the border, and the main road turn-off for Chile was something like 20 minutes or so before the Laguna. It shouldn't be hard to negotiate, but my guess is that tour companies might only do it once a week or something (more in peak season), and you'd need to leave at the right time with other people needing same.

Check with Todo, Empexsa, Hidalgo and Fremen for the really nice tour to see when they can do it, or Andreas and then the same original three (Todo, Empexsa, Hidalgo) for the cheapo version that can drop you off. Worst case is probably that you do your last day with a different group that is making that connection.

This is a common dilemma though - someone must know for sure...

Thanks for all your help - much appreciated

As for "knowing for sure", sorry but that is almost impossible. Or worse yet you will be told that whatever is for sure that when the time comes the for sure evaporates because a reason not forseen according to the sayer of the for sure. This is not meant as a negative comment but rather to be reallity. Altho I had my own SUV, I did not take it onto the Salar [read in another post why]. We were four, and I did not find the cost for a private vehicle onerous.
When you arrive in Uyuni, as I have posted before, ALL of the Agencies donot have their own vehicles, they are contracted for that specific trip only, altho some of the Vehicle owners & drivers do tend to work with only a few of the agencies [ 2 or3] {there are probably more than 20 agencies} Your enjoyment of your trip around Uyuni [ and to Chile] will be very dependant upon your driver [and some do speak very good English and a Guide is superfulous to them] I can not emphasis this enough and the only way to ensure as best as possible, is go to the high pressure wash place about 4 blocks east of the town clock and 1 block north [ there are two] ALL vehicles returning from the Salar that day go here [ otherwise their vehicle only lasts a year instead of 5 or more because of the salt corrosion] Choose your driver and vehicle here - he will not cut you a better deal, but will work you then thru the agency he likes best, but you have chosen your driver and vehicle first. This all happens about 6 pm. Also the you can make youir arrangements for Chile, even thru your driver for another if he does not do the Chile trips. tHis way you will avoid the pitfalls so many get at Uyuni on this post. Altho you may be only 2 people you have the alternetive of contracting for you own personal use the Driver and vehicle. You, if you have contracted a driver, may then choose companions to pay their shar for whatever portions of the trip [or all but I would separate this into three parts with Uyuni as center} 1. one day trip to the Salar, Park Mummie cave returni ng to your Hotel [reccomend Sol ] 2. Trip to the Lagunas and return to Uyuni then go to Chile the next trip/day [this means you have doubled back on a five hour drive instead of going to Chile with the same trip - you can do that but only if you get the Driver you are satified with, the one day trip on the Salar will make your decision. The drivers are not quick buck artists but the agencies tend to be that way to one degree or another. This way you stay somewhat in control of your destiny. Also visit your Hotel before confirming / paying There are only a few good ones, most donot have proper/good heating for instance. All the places in Uyuni are within a three block radius. At restaurants see what others have been served before you decide. At one pizza Joint a18" pizza had 8 small pieces of ham and 12 small pieces of pineapple on their Hawaiian. Uyuni is very much a "Tourist" place and today its reason d'etre. take the flight on AerSur from Cochabamba to add to your personal expedition scenario!
Enjoy, it will be memorable and one of the better experiences in your life.

Thankyou schmuck for your additional advice - very helpful. Sounds like there is little point in booking ahead through say Todo Tourismo as dlj has suggested but rather get to Uyuni the day before to arrange. I had thought to take the o/night Tod Tourismo bus from la paz and then book through them for the tour. Alternatively if we take the bus/train (expresso del sur) it doesn't arrive until 2230 - too late for the wash place but to stay an extra night in Uyuni seems like a waste and we don't really have the time. Any further suggestions?

Am planning to do a trip in July (I know - COLD) with 2 others
Got a quote from Todo Turismo for the standard tour, $110 pp - seems like standard price - this is not with guide by the way, nor with entrance fees
They haven't said how many join up, though I'd guess 3 others
Of course we could pay double and have the 4WD to ourselves - not sure how many do this
Doesn't seem so easy to set up 'more luxurious options - perhaps they just don't exist?
Like you we'd rather not spend a whole day in Uyuni (though could use to see sunrise/sunset on the salar I guess?) to check out the car wash, so might just take pot luck

I'd be interested in knowing how you go.

Good luck