This aims to be the most comprehensive guide to choose the best Salar de Uyuni Tour as well as the best tour operator for this experience thanks to our more than 15 years’ experience selling this unique trip in Bolivia. We will discuss all relevant factors that our customers have asked to us in all these years. We hope you will find them very helpful.

WHEN TO GO? DRY SEASON (MAY-NOV) OR RAINY SEASON (DEC ~ APR)

So which is really the best time of year to take a Salar de Uyuni tour? The answer is both seasons are great. It only depends on what you want to see and experience. If you want to be able to drive across the vastness of the salt flats and climb one of its many islands such as Isla Incahuasi, then visit in the dry season but do not expect to see the ‘mirror effect’ caused by the flooded surface which occurs only in the rainy season. During the rainy months, the surface is covered by a few inches of water which allows for surreal reflection views known as the “mirror of the sky” by some. During the latter, feel free to put on your water boots and walk as much as you like but don’t expect to drive more than a few kilometers due to the corrosive nature of brine, nor reach the above mentioned island.

WHICH TOUR? ONE, TWO, THREE OR MORE DAYS?

This totally depends on your time (and budget) but there is no shortage of interesting places to visit in the region. However, the most common is the three-day tour that involves spending a full first day in Uyuni Salt Flats and two more days traversing the inhospitable and remote deserts and lagoons south of the Salar. If time is an issue, consider a one-day tour that focuses on the salt flats only. If you would like to get deeper under the skin of the country and experience even more remote but gorgeous places, (and spend more time getting active than just driving) consider a five or six-day Salar de Uyuni tour from La Paz that slowly makes its way to Uyuni often via Sajama National Park (lesser-known national park).

WHEN TO BOOK? BEFORE OR AFTER ARRIVAL IN UYUNI

You will read several mixed accounts of travelers recommending booking in advance while others who advise booking on the spot for better prices. We can totally guarantee that booking last minute in Uyuni is a hit or miss, while booking in advance gives you the highest probability of going with a reputable company. Indeed, if you are on a truly tight budget you might save a couple hundred Bolivianos (BOB) by booking upon arrival in Uyuni as you will be offered plenty of Salar de Uyuni Tours by all the smaller outfits that are desperate to earn your business, thus competing on price but not quality. Taking your time to research your chosen operator and booking some time in advance ensures that you can travel stress-free and be certain that your spot in a tour will be guaranteed. Our carefully curated list of Uyuni tour operators and their reviews will help you to make an informed decision as well as our fair-price guarantee that ensures you pay only what is fair for a safe and reliable tour.

WHICH COMPANY? WHERE SHOULD THE TOUR OPERATOR BE BASED

Given the large number of small (and unreliable) outfits that make Uyuni their base, you may be recommended to avoid booking with those and look for more reputable companies based elsewhere (e.g. La Paz). While this is mostly true, it is not entirely so because most (not all) companies based in La Paz or other cities such as Santa Cruz and even San Pedro de Atacama will almost always certainly subcontract a reliable tour operator based in Uyuni as this is common practice. For example, eight out of every ten of the bigger and reputable La Paz ‘tour operators’ are merely intermediaries that hire an Uyuni operator. This is truer in the other cities mentioned. Be sure that the company you book with is the real operator of the trip. That is not to say that booking with an intermediary is always bad, as they will often book you with their preferred (but often well-researched) partner and will put their reputation at stake which means they will do their best effort so you can have a great time. On our Salar de Uyuni tours page, we help you to view and compare both types of operators and clearly recognize their real area of expertise so you can book well informed.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A SALAR DE UYUNI TOUR OPERATOR?

Reviews (online and word of mouth) are of course the best way to learn about a company’s performance. Unfortunately, they cannot always be trusted nor reliable. Generally, those that get constantly positive but only a few bad reviews are proven to be a good choice. Most relatively new operators are also striving to be known so are going above and beyond to offer a great service. Older companies are also well-experienced but may not have the best vehicles since they want to make the most of their older assets (except those that renew their fleet). The most popular ones may not always be the best choice as you may only end up being another number to them. Finally, you can trust in a company like Travexplora to have already done the homework for you and only offer Salar de Uyuni tours by reliable tour operators. You can trust that we are definitely on your side and want your total satisfaction so we can earn your loyalty.

We truly hope this guide will help you make the best, informed decision when choosing the best Salar de Uyuni Tour and a Tour Operator. Feel free to let us know your questions in the comments section below.