Embrace a mesmerizing photographic journey through the Salar de Uyuni, the world's largest salt flat, nestled in the heart of Bolivia's Altiplano. This high-altitude plateau, shaped by the dynamic forces of the Andes Mountains, shares its elevation with downtown La Paz, Bolivia, standing tall at 3,650 meters (12,000 feet) above sea level.

Located in the Departments of Oruro and Potosí in southwestern Bolivia, near the border with Chile, the Salar de Uyuni spans over 10,000 square kilometers (3,900 square miles), making it a truly unparalleled natural wonder. Millennia ago, this area was part of Lake Minchin, a colossal prehistoric lake that, over thousands of years, evolved into the shallow Paleo Lake Tauca. As Paleo Lake Tauca dried up, it left in its wake two modern lakes, Poopó and Uru-Uru, as well as two immense salt deserts, with Salar de Coipasa to the north and the expansive Salar de Uyuni.

This vast plateau is a mosaic of fresh and seasonal saltwater lakes, interspersed with numerous smaller salt flats, devoid of any drainage outlets. During the rainy season, minerals and salts carried by rainwater and mountain snowmelt cascade down from the surrounding peaks and dormant volcanoes, forming a 10-meter-deep layer of salt.

The Salar de Uyuni is famed for its transformation during the rainy season, from mid-December to late March/early April. When calm winds prevail, a thin layer of water covers the salt flats, creating an awe-inspiring natural mirror. This remarkable landscape, first glimpsed by American astronaut Neil Armstrong from space, is surrounded by rugged terrain, including the formidable peaks of the Andes, part of the Pacific Ring of Fire.

Throughout our journey, we'll stay in various accommodations strategically chosen to provide diverse perspectives and access to rarely seen imagery. These locations include salt hotels, sites with pre-Inca mummies, the slopes of majestic volcanoes, concealed caves, encounters with wild vicuñas, and sightings of vibrant pink flamingos during the wet season.

While the Salar de Uyuni dazzles visitors year-round, the experience varies with the seasons. During the dry season, from April to December, the salt flats may not be covered in water but instead feature large puddles. Nevertheless, the ethereal beauty of the Uyuni Salt Flats remains unchanged, captivating all who visit. This enchanting destination is a bucket-list-worthy experience, offering a glimpse of the surreal and austere beauty of an otherworldly landscape.

Please note that this tour is available year-round and is not limited to the rainy season. Whether you visit during the wet or dry season, the Salar de Uyuni promises a magical and unforgettable adventure. 

We continue with the tour-de-force and head north to Sajama National Park next to the border with Chile.

Sajama National Park is a stunning natural reserve located in the Altiplano region of Bolivia. It is Bolivia's oldest national park (est. 1939) and is known for its breathtaking landscapes, diverse wildlife, and unique geological features.  It covers an area of approximately 1,000 square kilometers (386 square miles) and is part of the larger Andean region.  The park's namesake is the Sajama Volcano, which is the highest peak in Bolivia, reaching an elevation of 6,542 m (21,463 ft) above sea level and is a prominent feature of the park's landscape.  This arid park is home to a variety of high-altitude plant species adapted to the extreme conditions of the Altiplano. The iconic queñua trees, a type of Andean evergreen, are found in the park and provide vital habitat for local wildlife and form the highest forest in the world at close to 4570 m (15,000 ft).  The wildlife include vicuñas, foxes, puma, skunks, armadillo, ducks, flamingos, condors, falcons and eagles.

One of the unique features of Sajama are the natural hot springs, where visitors can relax and enjoy the therapeutic benefits of the mineral-rich waters while taking in breathtaking views of Sajama volcano.  The park is inhabited by local Aymara communities who live a traditional way of life including small-scale farming and animal husbandry for llamas and alpacas, both providing abundant and high-quality wool.

Due to its high-altitude location and barely existent light pollution, Sajama National Park is an excellent destination for stargazing. The clear, dark skies provide an ideal backdrop for observing the night sky, including the Milky Way.

After a couple of nights in Sajama’s clear Andean skies we return to La Paz on the final day to our nice hotel and a farewell dinner.  We will arrange airport transfers based on your flight schedules any time after dinner.

Airport Arrival

Depending  on your international flight schedule you will arrive very early in the  morning (between 2-6 AM) at El Alto International Airport. The airport  is in the city of El Alto which is on the edge of the Altiplano at  4,023m (13,200’) above La Paz.  You are now at high altitude; so, you  need to be aware of the effects of altitude on your body; you may feel  light-headed and short of breath, but that’s normal.  Once we drop down  900m (3,000’) in elevation to your hotel at 3,100m (10,200’) you should  feel much better.

Immigration & Customs

Upon  arrival, you go through Bolivian Immigration for your tourist visa  (issued upon arrival) then Customs (Aduana).  Your guide will be waiting  for you at the general passenger meeting point, just look for the sign from Sergio Photo Tours.  Once everyone is together we will head to our private vehicle for the hotel transfer.

Private transport to the hotel

We  will collect your bags then board our private vehicle for the 45-minute  drive to the hotel.  We’ll have plenty of bottled water in the vehicle  which helps with the acclimatization process.  We’ll be heading down a  winding mountain road with breathtaking views of the valley below. We  head to Hotel Mitru Sur (5*) located in Calacoto-Achumani neighborhood.   You’ll check in and rest until lunch time (on your own) at the hotel.

The  best way to acclimatize to altitude, is to move slowly, drink plenty of  water and rest when you are tired.  Acclimatization time is a very  personal affair, some do it quickly, and others take more time. It can  take a few hours or a few days.  Listen to your body.  We design all  high-altitude itineraries with acclimatization time built in.

 La Paz city tour after lunch

At  2 pm we’ll begin a 4-hour city tour of this fascinating city deep in  the heart of the Andes; visiting open air markets, colonial  neighborhoods, the witches’ market and take in the vast canyon of La Paz  from breathtaking viewpoints.  After the city tour concludes you can  freshen up and rest a bit before our welcome dinner at a local  restaurant. 

Group dinner and upcoming travel plans

During  dinner we will get to know each other better and talk about the  upcoming days and clear up anything you may have questions about.  We  recommend a light dinner, avoid alcohol and caffeine before bedtime.   During the day you may want to enjoy a Mate de Coca (coca tea), a local  herbal tea that helps with acclimatization, but refrain from it at  night.  Anise and chamomile teas help with digestion as well.

Keep drinking water, it’s very important for acclimatization.

Hotel: Casa Grande Suites (5*)

Meals Included: D

Breakfast and AM departure

We  hope you rested well and enjoyed a hearty breakfast at the hotel. Today  we depart at 8 AM to Lake Titicaca, the jewel of the Andes.  Our aim is  to take you to see Bolivia from generations past.  En-route we will  enjoy magnificent views of the Cordillera Real above Lake Titicaca with  waterfowl along the lake shore as we visit small hamlets and villages  and seeing the campesinos work their agricultural lands.

Lunch on the shore of Lake Titicaca

Our  lunch spot has great views of the lake where traditional Bolivian  dishes are served, soups, fresh trout and local vegetables.  We have a  few choice restaurants with views and proper bathrooms.  After a casual  lunch and a brief walk, we begin our return to La Paz.   

Return to La Paz & Dinner on your own

We  will return towards La Paz at an appropriate time to avoid the traffic  of the city of El Alto.  Our drive should be about 2 hours from our  restaurant to the hotel.  En-route we may have some opportunities for  some photos as there is always something interesting to see on this  route.  Dinner is on your own tonight; we will present you with a  curated list of nice restaurant options and help you decide which is a  good fit. 

Hotel: Casa Grande Suites (5*)

Meals Included: B, L

Breakfast & AM departure to the Uyuni Salt Flats

After  a good night’s rest and a hearty breakfast, we head south towards the  Uyuni Salt Flats…in the heart of the Altiplano.  We depart at 8 AM and  drive out of the canyon of La Paz onto the rim of the Altiplano in about  an hour, rising from 10,200 to 13, 300 ft.  Our direction is  south on the main paved road that will take us to Oruro and continue to  the town of Challapata for lunch.  Continuing southwest we pass by the  town of Salinas de Garci Mendoza then we begin the dirt road portion of  today’s journey.   A couple of hours later dirt roads brings us to the  northern edge of the Salar de Uyuni –  Earth’s Celestial Mirror – sitting below the gaze of Mt. Thunupa, an  extinct volcano rising to 5,335m (17,500’).  We  pass via the villages of Jirira, and Coquesa then arrive in the village  of Tahua.  Depending on our arrival time and the current weather  conditions we can either check-in or head to the edge of the salt flats  for sunset.  Before your eyes is the world’s largest salt flat – over  4,000 square miles of salt located at 12,000 ft above sea level – the  same height as downtown La Paz.  We return after sunset to freshen-up  before dinner.  Dinner and overnight at Hotel Tayka de Sal.

Hotel: Tayka de Sal (4*)

Meals included: B, L, D

Sunrise at the salt flats

Hopefully  you got bed early and had a good night’s rest.  We depart pre-sunrise  for a 10-minute drive to the edge of the salt flats today. There are few  things more spectacular than watching the sun rise over the eastern  horizon and reflecting on the flooded salt flats of Uyuni! The sun rises  quickly at these latitudes so after our sunrise photo session we return  to the hotel for a proper breakfast. After a brief rest, we depart  inland to the caves of Chiquini, where we will see ancient formations of  petrified plants in sheets hanging from the ceiling – a surreal  experience. The route winds across canyons and overlooks where you will  see the different faces of the salt flats. We will have a picnic lunch  en-route and return to the hotel for a brief rest in the afternoon. 

Mt. Thunupa volcano and mummies and sky-high view of the Salar de Uyuni

After  a rest we drive up the flanks of Mt. Thunupa, an extinct volcano seen  from every angle in the region as it dominates the skyline at 5,335m  (17,500’) and is used for navigation. Upon arrival to the end of the  road we take a 5-minute walk around the flanks to a hidden cave where  mummies lie from the pre-Inca period. The volcano was active during the  Pleistocene era with lava flows constructing the layers of the volcano  and there are signs that it was once glaciated until about 15,000 years  ago.  It has signs of being an island on prehistoric Lake Minchin and  Lake Tauca which were once part of the Altiplano. The jaw-dropping views  from this height will show you that you still cannot see the edges of  the world’s largest salt flat. We head down to the edge of the salar for  sunset and then return to the hotel for dinner and rest. Overnight at  Hotel Tayka de Sal.

Hotel: Tayka de Sal (4*)

Meals included: B, L, D

Last salt flats sunrise and north to Sajama National Park

Our  last morning in the salt flats. Every day there is a new sunrise  spectacle, and we aim to see as many as we can. We return to the hotel  for breakfast then depart soon thereafter for our journey north around  Mt. Thunupa and towards Bolivia’s first National Park, Sajama. We  retrace our route as we head north to Challapata then towards the  western border of Bolivia with Chile. En-route we will see countless  volcanoes across the vast Altiplano with many landscapes that few people  ever see – rivers, lagoons, lakes, undulating scrubland, bofedales  (high-altitude wetlands) and lots of wildlife; vicuñas, eagles, Rheas,  ducks, fox, etc. 

Lunch en-route and visit Cities of Stone

We  will have a picnic lunch at a pre-determined location in a city of  stone called Pumiri where we will take time for a nice walk and see  amazing natural lava flows and rock formations that look like animals,  monsters, and strange beings. We continue north along remote roads  before arriving at the south-western entrance to Sajama National Park.  After checking-in at the park, we head to the lagoon below Mt. Sajama  (Bolivia’s tallest mountain).  This strato-volcano is reflected in the  lagoon and is the perfect location for both sunrise and sunset.  It  rises quickly to 6,542m (21,460’) and creates its own weather patterns  since there is nothing close to it in height in the immediate area.   Depending on the current weather conditions we can stay for sunset or  head to the NW corner of the park to our hostel for the night in the  village of Tomarapi which is about 45 minutes away. Upon arrival in  Tomarapi, we will check-in to our hostel and freshen up before dinner.  The hostel we are staying at is a community-owned enterprise that was  founded in 2003 with the hopes of developing a sustainable business to  support the tourism sector in the Sajama region. Overnight in Hostal  Tomarapi.

Hotel: Hostal Tomarapi (3*)

Meals included: B, L, D

Sunrise in Sajama National Park

To experience  one of Bolivia’s greatest locations, we need to depart early this  morning so we can arrive at the lagoon before sunrise. We depart in the  dark for about 45 minutes and head southwest to the lagoon below Mt.  Sajama and where the volcanic twins called “Payachatas” are located on  the Bolivia-Chile border.  Sajama is Bolivia’s first National Park (est.  1945) and is named for the strato-volcano rising to 6,542m (21,460’).  The volcano is the centerpiece of this spectacular, high-altitude region  where extensive herds of domesticated llamas and alpacas feed in the  scrublands.  Surrounded by volcanoes and puna wetlands and cut by  ice-cold rivers draining from the summit glaciers, this region has many  surprises. It has the world’s highest forest made up of the native  Queñua tree with the tree line being close to 16,000 ft. It has a geyser  field tucked into a canyon high on the slopes at around 4,572m  (15,000’) where the water is hot enough to boil eggs! Caution is  advised!  It is the resting place for Aymara leaders that are buried in  funerary towers made of mud, straw and stone called “chullpas”.

Wildlife and Volcanic Landscapes

This  wilderness is home to wild vicuñas (camelids), cute viscachas (a cross  between a large rabbit and a squirrel), eagles, hawks, the Suri  (American Rhea) a large flightless bird that looks very much like an  ostrich but with beige and brown feathers.  Condors, also call this  wind-swept region home.  We will have breakfast in the village of  Sajama, before heading to visit some of the nearby natural wonders. We  amble our way slowly east to Tomarapi for lunch and rest.

In  the afternoon we head to the remote corners of the park to look for  wildlife and other fabulous Altiplano landscapes. We plan to see the  sunset at the lagoon near the village of Sajama before heading back to  Tomarapi for dinner and rest. There will be time to freshen-up before  dinner. Overnight at Hostal Tomarapi.

Hotel: Hostal Tomarapi (3*)

Meals included: B, L, D

Final morning in Sajama National Park

Our  last sunrise in Sajama. The sun lights up the eastern flank of this  strato-volcano and the church in Tomarapi. We will get access to see the  inside of this church and enjoy the frescoes and art that adorn the  inside. After breakfast we depart on a dirt around around Mt. Sajama  that takes us to the southern edge of the park onto the paved road  between La Paz and Arica, Chile. Our route heads east and crosses the  Altiplano via canyons and river valleys and the extensive Altiplano  landscape. We will stop and visit some “chullpas” (funerary towers) on  the way north to La Paz.  We should arrive in La Paz in time for a  late lunch.  After checking-in at Hotel Mitru Sur, you can rest and  relax for the rest of the day. The afternoon is FREE for you to enjoy La  Paz at your leisure.  Now would be a good opportunity for some personal  shopping time.

Farewell dinner in La Paz

We  will get together for a final group dinner at 7 PM at a local  restaurant and enjoy one last session of recounting stories of this  journey where landscapes, people and wildlife were an integral part of  our adventure on the flooded Uyuni Salt Flats and Sajama National Park.  We return to the hotel for some rest.

Hotel: Casa Grande Suites (5*)

Meals included: B, L, D

**If  you depart tonight (or very early in the AM tomorrow) we will pick you  up for your departure flight three (3 hours) ahead of time.

Based on your flight schedule, we will coordinate a departure time  from the hotel. The ride from hotel to the airport takes 45 minutes.  Domestic flights require 1.5 hours before departure and international  flights require 3 hours before departure.

Hotel: none

Meals included: none

End of our services.