San Pedro de Atacama to Uyuni by jeep: one way or back to Chile, the 4 tours of 4 to 6 days (2027)
Four jeep tours from San Pedro de Atacama to the Salar de Uyuni: which one can end in Uyuni, which returns to Chile, and what none of them includes.
Prices are not written in this text: each card below shows the current checkout price per person, and that is the one that counts. Payment is made online on this site.
Four jeep tours leave San Pedro de Atacama for the Salar de Uyuni: a 4-day/3-night, a shared 4-day/3-night run by a different operator, a 5-day/4-night and a 6-day/5-night. All cross the border into Bolivia and sleep there. The cards of all four list the return to San Pedro, except that the <strong>4-day/3-night can end in Uyuni instead, and it comes out a little cheaper</strong>; the exact difference is confirmed when you book. What none of them covers: the Bolivian park entrance (paid in cash), your nights in San Pedro, flights to Calama and the Calama to San Pedro transfer, tips and travel insurance.
Want to finish in Uyuni: the 4D/3N. Want to come back to Chile: any of the four. Want days in San Pedro before going up: the 5D or the 6D.
The four tours, what each one brings
- 4-day/3-night from San Pedro: 4x4 with a maximum of 6 passengers per jeep, all meals with water, emergency oxygen, 3 nights in Bolivia (2 in Villa Alota, 1 in the Hostal de Sal Infinita, subject to salar conditions). Can end in Uyuni.
- Shared 4-day/3-night with return to San Pedro: 4x4, guide, the same 3-night pattern, meals according to the programme. A different operator from the one above.
- 5-day/4-night Altiplánico: Tatio sunrise and Valle de la Luna sunset in San Pedro first, then 3 nights in Bolivia, one of them guaranteed in a salt hostel.
- 6-day/5-night Altiplánico: Baltinache lagoons, Valle de la Luna, Tatio and a stargazing night in San Pedro first, then 3 nights in Bolivia, one guaranteed in a salt hostel.
Experiencia: tour-salar-de-uyuni-4d3n-desde-san-pedro-de-ata-1 — Desde $270.000
Experiencia: salar-de-uyuni-4-dias-3-noches-compartido-con-r — Desde $288.996
Experiencia: tour-altiplanico-atacama-uyuni-1 — Desde $345.000
Experiencia: tour-altiplanico-6d5n-san-pedro-uyuni-ventura — Desde $400.000
One way to Uyuni or back to Chile
The card of the 4-day/3-night tour describes the route as leaving San Pedro and returning to San Pedro on day 4. For travellers who are heading on into Bolivia, the tour can instead finish in Uyuni, at a slightly lower price than the round trip. That is confirmed at booking, so say it before you pay. For the shared 4-day/3-night, the 5-day and the 6-day, the cards only list the return to San Pedro, and this guide does not promise a one-way option for them.
Day by day on the 4-day/3-night, as the card lists it: day 1 crossing the border and the high-altitude lagoons (Blanca, Verde, Colorada), night in Villa Alota; day 2 the Sora canyon, Valle de las Rocas and Colcha K, night in the salt hostel if the salar allows it; day 3 sunrise on the salar, Incahuasi, train cemetery and Uyuni, night in Villa Alota; day 4 the way back to San Pedro, or the end of the trip in Uyuni if you chose that.
Why 4, 5 or 6 days
The 5-day adds two outings in San Pedro before the border, Tatio at sunrise and Valle de la Luna at sunset, and the card asks you to arrive a day earlier, so you spend more nights in town before going up. The 6-day adds the Baltinache lagoons and a night astronomy tour on top of that. Both guarantee one night in a salt hostel; on the 4-day/3-night it depends on the state of the salar. There is no 3-day tour from San Pedro in this selection: the 3-day/2-night one starts and ends in Uyuni town, and you can read about it in <a href="https://uyunisalar.com/guias/uyuni-salt-flats-tours-from-uyuni-town-1-2-or-3-days">the guide to tours from Uyuni town</a>. If altitude is what worries you, <a href="https://uyunisalar.com/guias/uyuni-altitude-san-pedro-route-heights-by-day-sickness-and-acclimatising">this guide shows the heights day by day</a>.
Language of the guide
Jeeps on these routes always carry a guide who speaks Spanish and English. A French or Portuguese speaking guide can be arranged on request, with an extra cost that depends on the number of people and on whether a car is available.
Rainy season and the salt hostel
When it rains the salar can fill with water and give the mirror effect, but the cards warn that the mirror, Isla Incahuasi and the night in the salt hostel are not promised together: you get the ones the conditions allow on your date. In the dry season the usual route with Incahuasi and the salt hostel is normally done. The route itself is tentative, because many stops depend on weather and park availability.
What to have ready
- A passport valid for at least 6 months to cross into Bolivia (4D/3N and 6D cards).
- Cash in Bolivian currency for park entrances and public toilets: cards are not accepted there.
- Swimsuit and towel if you want to use the Polques hot springs.
- Warm layers: Bolivian hostels have no heating or Wi-Fi, and power cuts happen. Bring your own toilet paper.
- Arrive in San Pedro the day before: on the 4D/3N card the departure is between 4:00 and 6:00 a.m. depending on the border crossing.
Next step: pick the card above that matches how you want to end the trip, and read <a href="https://uyunisalar.com/guias/uyuni-altitude-san-pedro-route-heights-by-day-sickness-and-acclimatising">the altitude guide</a> before choosing between 4, 5 and 6 days.
Frequently asked questions
Can I end the tour in Uyuni instead of going back to San Pedro?
Yes on the 4-day/3-night from San Pedro: it can finish in Uyuni and costs a little less than the round trip. The exact amount is confirmed when you book. For the other three tours, the cards list the return to San Pedro and a one-way option is not confirmed here.
Is there a 3-day tour from San Pedro de Atacama to Uyuni?
Not in this selection. The tours from San Pedro last 4, 5 and 6 days. A 3-day/2-night tour exists, but it starts and ends in Uyuni town.
What is the difference between the two 4-day/3-night tours?
They are run by different operators. Both cards describe the same type of route with 3 nights in Bolivia and the return to San Pedro. Compare the included list on each card: the first one lists all meals, water and emergency oxygen; the shared one lists meals according to the programme.
Will the guide speak English?
Yes. Jeeps to Uyuni always carry a guide in Spanish and English. French or Portuguese is possible on request, with an extra cost depending on the number of people and car availability.
What is not included in these tours?
Bolivian park entrances (cash), the nights in San Pedro, flights to Calama, the Calama to San Pedro transfer, tips and travel insurance. On the 5-day and 6-day the Tatio and Valle de la Luna entrances are also extra.
How many days should I choose?
Four if you want the shortest way to the salar. Five or six if you want to spend more nights in San Pedro first and see its main sights; the altitude guide explains what that does and does not do for acclimatisation.
Will I see the mirror effect?
It is not guaranteed. In the rainy season the salar may fill with water, but then access to Isla Incahuasi or the salt hostel may be lost. In the dry season the usual route is normally done.
Do I need to arrive the day before in San Pedro?
Yes. The cards ask for it because departures are very early.