FFU Editorial Team · AI-assisted research, human-verified. Facts verified August 2026.
Start from Uyuni if coming from La Paz or Peru and wanting lower prices; start from San Pedro de Atacama for landscapes that build toward the Salar finale, off-peak timing at each stop, and a lower-altitude first night. The sights themselves are identical either direction.
Verdict table: price, direction, altitude, crowds, onward travel
| Starting in Uyuni | Starting in San Pedro de Atacama | |
|---|---|---|
| 3-day tour price | US$150–280 shared | US$180–350 shared |
| First night’s altitude | 3,700 m (Uyuni) | 2,400 m (San Pedro) |
| Trip structure | Salar first, colored lagoons build to a border finish | Lagoons and altiplano first, Salar de Uyuni is the closing set-piece |
| Crowds | Larger, more budget-tour volume | Smaller, skews toward higher-spend travelers |
| Onward travel | Buses/flights to La Paz, Sucre, Peru | Buses to Calama, flights to Santiago |
The two routes mapped: what you see each direction
Tours departing Uyuni spend day one on the Salar itself — the train cemetery, Colchani, Incahuasi Island — then push south over days two and three through San Juan, the Eduardo Avaroa Reserve’s Laguna Colorada and Sol de Mañana geysers, before crossing the Chilean border at Hito Cajón and dropping into San Pedro de Atacama on day three. The Salar comes first; the landscape gets progressively stranger and higher until the final descent to San Pedro’s low desert.
Tours departing San Pedro run the sequence in reverse: the Atacama’s own geysers and lagoons first, a climb up through the altiplano to Hito Cajón, then two days working north through Eduardo Avaroa toward Uyuni, with the Salar itself saved for the final morning. Travelers who want their trip to peak on its last day, rather than its first, generally prefer this direction.
Price difference explained: Bolivian vs Chilean operator pricing
The consensus across current listings is that Uyuni-origin 3-day tours run roughly US$150–280 for a shared group, while the same circuit booked from San Pedro typically runs US$180–350. The gap comes down to currency and cost structure rather than a different itinerary: Chilean operators price in a stronger economy with higher wages, insurance and vehicle-import costs than their Bolivian counterparts, and quote in Chilean pesos or US dollars rather than the boliviano, which has moved sharply off its historic peg in 2026 and keeps Bolivian-side costs comparatively low. Travelers on a tight budget coming from Peru or Bolivia should book from the Uyuni side; travelers already in Chile for whom a slightly higher price is a rounding error often just book locally in San Pedro for convenience.
Altitude: why the direction of travel matters more than the itinerary
San Pedro de Atacama sits at 2,400 meters; Uyuni sits at 3,700 meters, and the tour’s own route peaks well above both, with Eduardo Avaroa’s geyser fields and lagoons sitting between 4,200 and 5,400 meters. Starting in San Pedro means a gentle first night before climbing into thin air over the following two days — a genuinely easier acclimatization curve for anyone arriving from sea level. Starting in Uyuni means the body is already at 3,700 meters before the tour even begins, which is harder if this is a traveler’s first days at altitude, but is a non-issue for anyone arriving via La Paz (4,061 m at the airport), where the acclimatization has already happened by the time they reach Uyuni.
Border crossing at Hito Cajón, step by step
Hito Cajón sits at roughly 4,480 meters and is a jeep-only crossing with no public transport — it only exists as a stop on the organized tour route. Bolivian exit or entry formalities are handled at the pass itself; Chilean customs and immigration are located about 45 kilometers away, closer to San Pedro, and tour vehicles stop at both in sequence. Passengers should carry their passport in hand (not packed away) for both stops and confirm their entry or exit stamp before the vehicle moves on, since unstamped passports have caused problems for travelers days later.
Entry rules on the Bolivian side changed meaningfully in December 2025: citizens of the US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, Japan and South Korea now enter visa-free for stays of up to 90 days, replacing what had been a costly advance-visa requirement for Americans specifically. That visa-free status does not remove the separate requirement to complete Bolivia’s SIGEMIG online migratory pre-registration before arrival — this applies to every foreign visitor regardless of nationality, takes roughly 8–10 minutes, and generates a QR code checked at the border; it should be completed within the 30 days before travel, not on the day itself if avoidable. On the Chilean side, most Western passport holders still receive a Tourist Card (Tarjeta de Turismo) on entry for stays of up to 90 days, a small paper that should be kept until departure.
One-way vs round-trip, and luggage logistics
Nearly everyone doing this route books one-way, using the tour as transport between two countries rather than returning to the starting point — it is, in effect, cheaper and more interesting than a return flight or bus. The practical catch is luggage: jeeps carry six passengers plus gear on the roof, so anything beyond a single soft bag is awkward, and hard-shell suitcases are genuinely difficult to strap down for three days of salt-flat and gravel roads. Travelers continuing into Chile or onward through Peru typically ship or store excess luggage in La Paz or Cusco before the tour and travel light for the crossing itself.
For everything else about the Salar side of this trip — seasons, areas, day trips and costs — see the Uyuni city guide, and for the country beyond the salt flats, the Bolivia travel guide. Travelers continuing into Chile after the crossing should check the Chile travel guide for what comes next on that side of the border.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which direction is cheaper, Uyuni or San Pedro de Atacama?
Starting from Uyuni is consistently cheaper — roughly US$150–280 for a shared 3-day tour versus US$180–350 from San Pedro — because Bolivian operators price in a weaker currency with lower costs. Travelers coming from Peru, La Paz or elsewhere in Bolivia save the most by booking on the Bolivian side.
Do I need a visa to cross from Chile into Bolivia at Hito Cajón?
Citizens of the US, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, Japan and South Korea have entered Bolivia visa-free since December 2025 for stays up to 90 days. Every foreign visitor, regardless of nationality, must also complete Bolivia’s free SIGEMIG online pre-registration before arriving, including at land borders.
Which direction has better altitude acclimatization?
Starting in San Pedro de Atacama (2,400 m) and climbing gradually toward Uyuni (3,700 m) over three days is gentler for anyone arriving from sea level. Starting in Uyuni matters less if travelers have already spent time in La Paz, which sits even higher at 3,640–4,150 meters.
Can I do a one-way tour and skip returning to my starting point?
Yes, and most travelers do exactly this, using the tour as one-way transport between Bolivia and Chile rather than a round trip. Pack light, since jeeps carry limited roof space for six passengers’ luggage over three days of rough terrain.
Is the scenery different depending on which direction I travel?
The sights themselves are identical either way; what changes is the order. Starting in Uyuni puts the Salar first and the high lagoons last; starting in San Pedro reverses that, saving the Salar for the final morning.