Salar de Uyuni without a tour

Visiting the Bolivian salt flats doesn’t have to be done with a tour, you can do it alone. Salar de Uyuni is located in southern Bolivia, in the department of Potosí. For those tourists who are not fans of guided tours, then this article will help you to plan your trip to Salar de Uyuni.

To reach Salar de Uyuni you will likely to be coming from well-linked places, below is a guide on how to reach the closest town of Uyuni and what to do from there!

Daily buses depart from Sucre to Uyuni and the journey takes about 8 hours. Two companies operate this route, Expreso 11 de Julio who use normal seated buses and 6 de Octubre who use the semi-cama buses. 

La Paz has three options for travelling between Uyuni. The first is by flying, which takes less than 1 hour but is as usual the most expensive choice. The flights are frequent which makes it a good choice for those on a strict timeframe. The bus is the second option, which is less expensive than flying, takes about 8-10 hours overnight and again is frequent. Travelling by overnight bus will save you on accommodation. The final choice is by train, which is less frequent and involves a bus from La Paz to the train station 3 hours away but it is a good choice if you want to experience the Bolivian scenery. 

Santa Cruz de la Sierra and Cochabamba are some of the cities you might be travelling from in Bolivia. You can fly from Santa Cruz de la Sierra on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays and flights take just over 1 hour, buses will involve a change in Sucre. Buses from Cochabamba take 12 hours direct and leave in the evening. 

Many tourists in the region will be looking to travel from the north of Chile to Uyuni. San Pedro de Atacama and Antofagasta are two places where travellers will be likely to travel from and Calama is the best city to transfer in. Buses depart from Calama to Uyuni every day with two companies, Cruz del Norte and Trans Salvador who both provide semi-cama. The journey takes around 8 hours.

The north of Argentina borders Bolivia so it makes sense to travel between the two. Salta is the capital of the province of Salta and a gateway for tourists who want to visit Purmamarca, Las Salinas Grandes and Huamahuaca. To reach Uyuni, you need to travel through the north of this province to the border town of La Quiaca which is reachable by bus from Salta or towns such as Tilcara and Purmamarca. From here you must cross the border into Villazon, Bolivia. From Villazon you will catch either the bus or train. The bus takes 7 hours and departs in the morning and evening. You can take the train which takes about 9 hours and departs on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at about 15:30.

Tours aren’t for some people because of many reasons, such as cost or not wanting to be part this type of commerciality. Not taking a tour means you probably won’t see as much, but you’ll still be amazed by what you do see. The options are limited, but they exist. 

Uyuni is served by local public buses which travel to nearby towns which border the salt flat. One of these towns is Llica, which the bus must travel across the salt flat to reach. Check with locals to find out the times of the buses. This bus leaves Uyuni and travels across the salt flat, passing the famous Isla Incahausi which you can be dropped off at if you wish. You will be able to explore this island and the surrounding salt flat. You can try to catch a bus that then goes onto Llica, where you could stay for the night to hike the surrounding area, or you can return back to Uyuni. Returning to Uyuni can be done by bus, or if you are lucky you’ll find a 4x4 tour with some space for you!

Another town served by the local bus is Colchani. You could also try to hitchhike to here as it is on a main road. Once in the town, there are some hotels such as the Palacio de Sal and Hostal Dulce Salada which are located right on the edge of the salt. You can use these accommodations as a base for a night to explore and if you there in the rainy season, take those mirror images!

We can’t say what you should do during your travels, that is your choice. This has been written as a guide to help those who would prefer to explore Salar de Uyuni without a tour! There are costs and benefits to both a tour and no tour and you must weigh them up. By choosing a tour you will be provided with a guide who knows the area and you will see many fascinating places that are not accessible without a tour. Travelling without a tour will mean that you can go at your own pace, spend less but see less also. Whatever you choose, Salar de Uyuni will not fail to disappoint.