The 15 Best Salt Flat Tours in Chile

1.Piedras Rojas, Altiplanics Lagoons & Salar Full-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 592 reviews · 10 hours · from $85Our pick

Join a small group of up to 14 for a long Atacama day with guides such as Cheryl, Christian, Camila, or Mauricio. You’ll visit Miscanti and Miñiques Lagoons, Piedras Rojas, Chaxa Lagoon, Socaire, and Toconao, with breakfast and lunch included. Expect cold mornings, strong sun, high altitude, and outstanding photo stops.

“We enjoyed the whole tour. It’s lot to learn about different places and our tour guide Carolina helped us to know more about the places. She also took some beautiful pictures of ours. We highly recommend everyone for this tour and our tour guide Carolina and her companion driver”

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2.Full Day Tour to Ruta de los Salares

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 105 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $70Top rated

Travel from San Pedro de Atacama into the high Andes with guides such as Nicolás, Francisco, or Ulysses. See Licancabur, Monjes de La Pacana, and three remote salt flats, with outdoor breakfast, lunch, wildlife, geology, and wide-open desert views. The group is limited to 18 people.

“The actual landscape of the salt flats and the views on the journey there and back were amazing .”

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3.3 D. Tour Uyuni and Back to San Pedro

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 61 reviews · 3 days · from $750

Cross from San Pedro de Atacama into Bolivia on a three-day, small-group journey through colored lagoons, geysers, flamingos, the Siloli Desert, and Uyuni Salt Flats. English-speaking guides such as Freddy explain the geology, wildlife, and Bolivian culture, while skilled drivers handle the rough roads. Expect early starts, basic hotels, high altitude, and spectacular sunsets.

“This was an excellent activity. Our guide Freddy was extremely informative about the places we visited, the history of Bolivia together with excellent knowledge of culture, economics and political aspects of both Bolivia and South America. His anecdotes were hilarious. Our driver Christian was amazing navigating us safely through the desert. We had a fantastic time and I would fully recommend this trip. The sunset over the Uyuni salt flats is one of those pinch me moments in life.”

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4.Uyuni Salt Flats 4-days tour from Atacama> private room available

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 44 reviews · from $325

Travel from San Pedro de Atacama into Bolivia with a Spanish-speaking driver-guide, crossing the Andes in a seven-seat 4x4. You’ll visit geysers, lagoons, flamingos, hot springs, Incahuasi Island, and the Uyuni Salt Flats, with three meals a day and hostel stays. Private rooms may be available.

“Les paysages sont à couper le souffle. À la limite de l’irréel … très fatiguant mais à faire absolument. Attention à bien tenir compte des méfaits de l’altitude, nous etions pas préparé et la première journée a été très dure. Cela manque de précision dans le descriptif. Certains Read more”

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5.Cejar Lagoon, Tebenquiche Lagoon and Ojos del Salar

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 17 reviews · 5 hours · from $49

Travel from central San Pedro de Atacama to Cejar Lagoon for a saltwater float, then visit the underground pools of Ojos del Salar and the white salt fields of Tebenquiche Lagoon. A Spanish- or English-speaking guide, hotel pickup, and snack are included. Entrance tickets and extra drinks cost more.

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6.Atacama Desert and Salt Flats Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 17 reviews · 7 hours · from $106

Spend seven hours above San Pedro de Atacama visiting Licancabur Volcano viewpoints, the Quepiacó River, Pacana’s Monks, Aguas Calientes and Quisquiro salt flats, and Crystal and Black lagoons. Breakfast, lunch, transport, and a Spanish or English-speaking guide are included. Guides such as Sarah and Francisca have earned warm praise for their friendly, clear explanations.

“Basically you stay on one road. Drive to a certain point and then drive back again. It is completely possible to do this on your own and get better time efficiency. A lot of time spent on pick ups, waiting and on meals which are good but not the reason for going to Atacama”

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7.The Salt Flats Route, Full day

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 15 reviews · 6 hours · from $78

Leave San Pedro de Atacama at 8:00 for Chile’s high border country. You’ll see Licancábur, flamingo-filled lagoons, the Moai of Tara, the Cathedrals of Pakana, and the Salar de Tara area with a bilingual guide. Pickup, shared transport, breakfast, and a snack are included. Guide Pedro has earned especially warm praise.

“Pas de mensonge par exemple… sur l’activité il est écrit qu’on va au salar de Tara, dans la réalité on n’y va pas…. Nous avons été pris les derniers donc, au fond, on entend pas bien les questions posées et encore moins les réponses, et on peut difficilement poser de questions. C’est donc plutôt 3,5 que 4”

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8.Salar de Atacama and altiplanic lagoons

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 15 reviews · 7 hours · from $78

Start early from San Pedro de Atacama for the Miscanti and Miñiques Lagoons at about 4,200 meters, then visit Socaire, Chaxa Lagoon, and Toconao. A small group of up to 10 travels with an English or Spanish guide, breakfast, and hotel pickup. Guides such as Rafael have been praised for thoughtful timing and lively explanations.

“Incroyable ! Le meilleur tour de loin, un guide au top & de belles petites attentions”

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9.San Pedro de Atacama Day Trip: Atacama Desert and Salt Flats

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 14 reviews · 7 hours · from $85

Travel from San Pedro de Atacama into the desert for breakfast near Lickancabur Volcano, Quepiacó River, Monjes de Pacana, salt flats, and Crystal and Black lagoons. An English- or Spanish-speaking guide leads the 7-hour outing, with transport, breakfast, and lunch included. One recent departure was led by Sheryl.

“This was the best trip of all from San Pedro de Atacama. Sheryl was a fantastic guide who was happy to share all the relevant information and to answer any questions. The driver was great as well and the both the breakfast and lunch were delicious. It was so good to visit all the places and to see all of the nature without there being hundreds of other people around!”

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10.Andean Saltflats full-day with breakfast and lunch

★★★★★★★★★★3.6 · 6 reviews · 7 hours · from $81

Spend about seven hours above San Pedro de Atacama visiting Licancabur Volcano, Queipiaco wetland, Monje de La Pacana, Aguas Calientes, Quisquiro, and Black Lagoon. Breakfast and lunch are included, with English and Spanish guidance. Denny and Alvaro have earned especially warm praise for their guiding, driving, timing, and food.

“Très satisfaite de la prestation du guide,j'ai passée un très beau moment”

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11.3 days to Uyuni Salt Flat

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 5 reviews · 3 days · from $340

This three-day shared tour takes you from San Pedro de Atacama across the Bolivian border to Uyuni. You will ride a six-person 4x4, visit Laguna Verde, Sol de Mañana, Laguna Colorada, Incahuasi Island, and the train cemetery, and sleep two nights in basic shared accommodation. Spanish-speaking guides, meals, and pickup are included.

“Les trois jours ont été formidables! Léo , notre guide était patient ( à propos de notre espagnol approximatif), prévenant et très sympathique . Je recommande vivement.”

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12.Roundtrip to the Uyuni Salt Flat and the Colored Lagoons

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 4 reviews · 4 days · from $458

Join a small group of up to six for a four-day 4x4 journey from San Pedro de Atacama across Bolivia’s highlands. Visit Laguna Colorada, Sol de la Mañana, Incahuasi Island, salt hotels, hot springs, and desert lagoons. Spanish-speaking guides provide basic English, with Zima praised for thoughtful explanations and care.

“We had the most incredible experience! Zima from Kantuta Tours really made our trip special and memorable - he genuinely wanted to show us everything his country had to offer, made us feel very comfortable and took the time to explain things in both Spanish and English which we really appreciated. You’re able to see everything you’d want to in Bolivia, with so much more than just the salt flats! It was extremely well organised, with both safe and comfortable transport/accommodation. Be prepared for early starts, various altitudes with travelling and bring lots of layers and you’ll have the best time! Highly recommend!”

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13.Cejar & Tebenquiche Lagoons Tour with Ojos del Salar Atacama

★★★★★★★★★★3.4 · 3 reviews · 5 hours · from $45Best value

Spend five hours exploring the Atacama Salt Flat from San Pedro de Atacama. Float at Piedra Lagoon, visit Cejar and Tebenquiche, see the freshwater Ojos del Salar, and finish with a desert cocktail. English and Spanish commentary is provided, but English explanations may be limited at times.

“Awesome guide (!!), great group, fun swimming, nice landscapes, but the worst pick-up service from the very unorganized company.”

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14.Cejar Lagoon, Tebenquiche & Ojos Salar

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 3 reviews · 5 hours · from $58

Travel by bus or minibus from San Pedro de Atacama to Cejar Lagoon, the Ojos del Salar sinkholes, and Tebenquiche Lagoon. You can float in Cejar’s salt-heavy water, see the blue Ojos, and enjoy an aperitif at sunset. A Spanish or English-speaking guide leads this five-hour outing. Entry costs extra.

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15.The Salt Flats Route, Full Day

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 3 reviews · 6 hours · from $78

Travel from San Pedro de Atacama toward Paso de Jama with a bilingual Spanish and English guide. You’ll see Licancábur volcano, high-altitude lagoons, flamingos, ostriches, Pakana rock formations, and Salar de Tara. Breakfast and a snack are included, but bring warm layers and plan for no toilets along the route.

“I think that this tour is an easier (shorter, extra hours of sleep) option to see the salt lagoons and their inhabitants. It also takes you to Pakana rock formations, which are amazing. The tour starts with a decent breakfast, but get ready for cold winds. The big issue to note is that there are no toilets available along the whole way.”

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