Andean South America Loop
A three-country high-desert overland corridor - Salta's colonial Andean Northwest, San Pedro de Atacama's geysers and dunes, the multi-day Laguna Route jeep crossing into the Salar de Uyuni, and La Paz's cable cars and markets - built around two remote international border crossings rather than a single country's highlights.
8–14 days · Point-to-point
When to go
- WeatherBolivian and Atacama wet season (Dec - Mar) — Rain can flood or wash out the unpaved Laguna Route tracks between San Pedro and Uyuni, occasionally suspending the jeep crossing for days; the Salar itself floods into its famous mirror surface in this window, but reaching it and driving on it both get harder.
- VisaTwo international border crossings (AR to CL, CL to BO) — carry your passport at all times - the CL/BO crossing is a remote high-desert post with limited hours
- NoteHigh altitude throughout — Every stop after Salta sits above 2,400m and La Paz/Uyuni exceed 3,600m; altitude sickness is common without acclimatization time, and it compounds fast on the unheated overnight legs of the Laguna Route.
This is the desert route, not the lake-and-colonial-cities route: Salta's Andean Northwest into San Pedro de Atacama's otherworldly geyser fields, then the signature Laguna Route jeep crossing - three days of red and green lagoons, flamingos and steaming vents - onto the vast white Salar de Uyuni, before ending in La Paz. It touches three countries and two remote border posts, and it deliberately skips Titicaca, Potosi and Sucre (Bolivia's other big loop) and stays out of Peru entirely.
This route's vibe
What you get across the whole trip, blended from each stop's strengths.
Stop by stop
The route
Adjust trip length, budget, and travel style — the stops, transport, and cost update to match.
- 1
Salta
2 nightsThe trip's natural gateway: a colonial Andean Northwest city with direct flights from Buenos Aires, a relaxed base to acclimatize before the desert crossing begins.
View Salta guide→Getting there· ~352 kmBorder crossingBusRecommendedDaily international coaches over the Paso de Jama high pass (~4,830m), roughly 10-11h including the border stop.
Book: Pullman Bus / local terminal counters — the border-post queue can run long and buses do not wait for slow customs lines - keep your passport out and accessible
Book busesCarPrivate transfer or shared 4x4, ~9-10h door to door, with the flexibility to stop for photos in the high-altitude salt-flat and lagoon scenery en route.
Book: hotel desk / local operator
- 2
San Pedro de Atacama
2 nightsA desert oasis town used as the launch point for Valle de la Luna, El Tatio geysers, and - the reason most travelers come this way - the multi-day jeep crossing into Bolivia's Laguna Route.
View San Pedro de Atacama guide→Getting there· ~317 kmBorder crossingCarRecommendedThe classic 3-day/2-night Laguna Route 4x4 tour through red and green lagoons, flamingos and geysers before reaching the Salar. Almost everyone does this leg as a package tour, not point-to-point transport.
Book: San Pedro de Atacama tour agencies - book a few days ahead in high season — cheap operators cut corners on vehicles and drivers for this remote, unpaved crossing - check recent reviews rather than picking on price alone
BusA direct minivan crossing straight to Uyuni town in ~10-12h, skipping the lagoons entirely - faster but far less scenic.
Book buses - 3
Salar de Uyuni
3 nightsThe trip's centerpiece: the 3-day/2-night Laguna Route 4x4 crossing through red and green lagoons, flamingo colonies and steaming geyser fields, ending on the blinding-white salt flat itself.
View Salar de Uyuni guide→Getting there· ~410 kmBusRecommendedOvernight bus, ~10-11h, the standard budget way to make this leg.
Book: local bus terminal — pay for the 'cama' (reclining) seat class - standard seats make for a rough, cold overnight on this route
Book busesFlightA short ~1h hop (Amaszonas / BoA), the easy way to skip the overnight bus if time is tight.
Book: airline website
- 4
La Paz
3 nightsBolivia's high-altitude capital and the trip's endpoint - ride the Mi Teleferico cable-car network over the city, browse the Witches' Market, and day-trip to the Tiwanaku ruins.
View La Paz guide→
Lodging + daily spend only — excludes flights & intercity transport.
What to skip
Don't try to bolt on Bolivia's Titicaca/Potosi/Sucre altiplano loop or push on into Peru's Cusco/Machu Picchu circuit on the same trip - both are substantial routes of their own, and cramming them in turns this desert crossing into a rushed transport slog.
Practical tips
Spend at least one full day in San Pedro or Salta before starting the Laguna Route to blunt the altitude jump, carry cash (small Bolivianos) for the crossing since there are no ATMs en route, and pack real warm layers - the salt-flat nights drop well below freezing even though the days are hot and dry.
Best for
Common questions
Do I need a visa for Bolivia on this route?
Depends on nationality - many travelers (including US citizens) need an advance visa or pay a reciprocity/visa-on-arrival fee. Sort this before the Laguna Route tour, since there's no way to arrange it mid-crossing.
Can I do the Laguna Route independently instead of a tour?
Almost nobody does - it's a fixed 3-day, unmarked desert circuit with no fuel, food or lodging outside the tour camps, so a licensed agency 4x4 is effectively the only practical way to cross.