Budget
What a Uyuni tour really costs: prices, park fees and cash
· 6 min read
Uyuni prices are quoted in US dollars, collected in bolivianos at the entrance gates, and advertised in a way that hides the second half. Here is the whole bill, in the order you will actually pay it.
What we charge
| Tour | Shared, per person | Private, per vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| 1 day | $69 | $390 |
| 3 days | $209 | $1,190 |
| English guide supplement | +$25 / +$50 | Included |
The shared price is per traveller and the private price is for the whole vehicle, up to four people — a party of four pays less per head in a private 4x4 than two people do. Meals are included on both tours, and on the three-day both nights of accommodation are too.
What nobody includes — the fees on site
These are collected by the communities and the national reserve, in cash, in bolivianos, at the gate. No operator in Uyuni includes them, and any price that claims to should be read twice.
| Fee | Amount | Which tour |
|---|---|---|
| Incahuasi Island | 30 BOB | Both |
| Eduardo Avaroa reserve | 150 BOB | 3 days |
| Polques hot springs | 30 BOB | 3 days |
| Sleeping bag rental | 120 BOB | 3 days, optional |
| Rubber boots | 15 BOB | Wet season |
| Bus to San Pedro de Atacama | 120 BOB | 3 days, optional |
Budget around 100 BOB of cash for the 1-day tour and 350 to 500 BOB for the 3-day. Withdraw it in Uyuni: there is no cash machine anywhere on either route, and the machines in town run empty on busy weekends.
Why some tours cost half
You will find three-day tours advertised in Uyuni for well under our price, and the difference is not magic. It comes out of somewhere: seven passengers in a six-seat vehicle, a driver working a third consecutive circuit without a rest day, an older 4x4 on a route with no garages, thinner meals, the coldest room in the refuge. None of that is illegal and some of it is fine. It is simply worth knowing what the number is made of before comparing two of them.
Tipping, and the rest
- Tipping the driver-guide is customary but not obligatory. Travellers who tip usually leave 50 to 100 BOB per person on the three-day circuit.
- Water, snacks and any drink beyond meals are on you. Buy them in Uyuni; the shops on the route are two shelves in a front room.
- Showers in the refuge are sometimes charged separately, a few bolivianos, when there is hot water at all.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I pay for the tour in cash on arrival?
- No — the tour is paid online by card when you book, and the seat is confirmed immediately. Cash is only for the entrance fees on site, which are collected in bolivianos.
- Are the park fees ever included by anyone?
- Not in Uyuni. The communities and the reserve collect them at the gate from each traveller, which is also why the amounts are the same whichever operator you book with.
- Is a private 4x4 worth the difference?
- For three or four travelling together, the per-person cost is close to a shared seat and you gain an English-speaking guide and control of the pace — how long you stay for the photographs, when you move on. For one or two, the shared 4x4 is the sensible choice.