Self-Launched: Buenos Aires to La Paz via Uyuni Salt Flats (16 Days)
16 days · Argentina, Chile & Bolivia
HI Travel South America charges £1,429
No-markup version: ~£1,180 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of HI Travel South America's Buenos Aires–Salta–San Pedro de Atacama–Uyuni–La Paz route, rebuilt for independent travellers using long-distance coaches, local day tours and hostel dorms. You get the same headline experiences — Buenos Aires tango, Cafayate wine country, the Tatio geysers, the altiplano lagoons and the Uyuni salt flat crossing — booked yourself through GetYourGuide, local agencies in San Pedro and direct hostel bookings. Costs are approximate backpacker rates in GBP; the 3–4-day Uyuni overland is the one section that's genuinely hard to DIY, so budget for a shared 4x4 tour from a San Pedro or Uyuni agency.
Day-by-day
Arrive Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Land at Ezeiza (EZE) and make your own way into the city — the official Tienda León bus to downtown is around £9, or use a remis/cab for £25–30. Check into a Palermo or San Telmo hostel. Spend the evening wandering San Telmo's plazas and eating empanadas. Pick up a SUBE card at a kiosco for cheap city transport.
🚌Tienda León airport bus ~£9
🛏Hostel dorm, Palermo or San Telmo (£12–18)
- →Airport transfer into Buenos Aires
- →Evening walk in San Telmo
Buenos Aires city highlights on foot
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Do the classic circuit independently: Plaza de Mayo and the Casa Rosada, the Metropolitan Cathedral, then the Sunday San Telmo feria if timing lines up. Walk or bus to La Boca for the Caminito colours (daylight only), then Recoleta Cemetery (free to enter, ~£2 for a guided map) and the Palermo parks. A free walking tour (tips ~£5–8) covers much of this if you want context.
🚌SUBE card buses/subte ~£3
🛏Hostel dorm, Palermo or San Telmo (£12–18)
- →Plaza de Mayo & Metropolitan Cathedral
- →San Telmo & La Boca walk
- →Recoleta Cemetery
- →Free walking tour (tip-based)
Tango show and dinner
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Book a tango dinner-and-show yourself via GetYourGuide or directly with a venue like El Viejo Almacén or La Ventana in San Telmo — dinner shows run £45–70 including transfers if you choose. Cheaper option: a milonga in San Telmo with a group class (~£10) and eat beforehand.
🚌Local bus/subte ~£2
🛏Hostel dorm, Palermo or San Telmo (£12–18)
- →Bookable tango dinner show
- →Optional San Telmo milonga class
Overnight coach to Salta
Buenos Aires → Salta
Day free in Buenos Aires, then take the evening cama/semi-cama coach to Salta (~20 hours). Book with Flechabus, Balut or Andesmar online or at Retiro station — full-cama seats are worth the extra. Buses are comfortable with meals and reclining seats.
🚌Buenos Aires–Salta coach ~£45–60 (cama)
🛏Overnight coach
- →Free day in Buenos Aires
- →Overnight long-distance coach
Arrive Salta
Salta, Argentina
Arrive mid-afternoon and check into a hostel near the main plaza. Explore the colonial centre, the MAAM high-altitude archaeology museum (the Llullaillaco mummies, ~£5) and the cable car up Cerro San Bernardo for sunset views (~£3).
🚌Walkable centre; taxi from bus station ~£2
🛏Hostel dorm, Salta centre (£10–15)
- →Salta colonial centre walk
- →MAAM museum
- →Cerro San Bernardo cable car
Salta free day / Quebrada day trip
Salta, Argentina
Optional full-day trip to the Quebrada de Humahuaca or the Salinas Grandes salt flats via a local agency on the plaza (~£35–45) — book the day before. Otherwise slow down: markets, cafés and the San Lorenzo riverside.
🚌Local buses ~£2
🛏Hostel dorm, Salta centre (£10–15)
- →Optional Quebrada de Humahuaca tour
- →Optional Salinas Grandes day trip
- →Market browsing
Cafayate wine country
Cafayate, Argentina
Take a local bus or book a full-day Cafayate excursion (~£30) through the Quebrada de las Conchas with stops at the Devil's Throat rock formations. Visit a torrontés winery in Cafayate for a tasting (£5–8). Return to Salta in the evening, or stay over in Cafayate if you prefer.
🚌Shared tour van or local bus ~£30 incl. stops
🛏Hostel dorm, Salta centre (£10–15)
- →Cafayate Gorge / Devil's Throat stops
- →Torrontés winery tasting
Salta to San Pedro de Atacama
Salta → San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
Cross the Andes by bus: the Salta–San Pedro de Atacama route (via Jama pass) runs with local operators for ~£40–55 and takes 10–12 hours, or split it via Jujuy/Purmamarca. Book with Geminis or a Salta agency a day ahead. Altitude climbs to 4,000m+ — hydrate and take it easy. Border formalities at Jama.
🚌Salta–San Pedro bus ~£45
🛏Hostel dorm, San Pedro (£15–22)
- →Andean border crossing
- →Arrive San Pedro de Atacama
El Tatio geysers at sunrise
San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
Book a half-day El Tatio tour locally in San Pedro (~£30–40) — departures are 4:30–5am to catch the geysers steaming at dawn. Stops at the geothermal field, fumaroles and Machuca village with its llama and flamingo snacks. Warm layers essential; it's well below zero at dawn at 4,300m.
🚌Tour pickup from hostel included
🛏Hostel dorm, San Pedro (£15–22)
- →El Tatio geysers sunrise tour
- →Machuca village stop
Valle de la Luna or altiplano lagoons
San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
Free morning, then a Valle de la Luna sunset tour (~£22) for dunes, salt caves and the amphitheatre, or the altiplanic lagoons (Miscanti, Miñiques) tour (~£30). San Pedro's tour agencies on Calle Caracoles all run these daily — no need to pre-book.
🚌Tour pickup included; local walk
🛏Hostel dorm, San Pedro (£15–22)
- →Valle de la Luna sunset tour
- →Or Altiplanic Lagoons tour
Overland: San Pedro to the altiplano lagoons
San Pedro → Bolivia (Laguna Colorada area)
Start the classic 3-day Uyuni overland with a local San Pedro agency (shared 4x4, ~£150–190 per person for 3 days incl. food and basic accommodation — the one part of the trip worth booking as a package). Cross at Hito Cajón beneath Licancabur volcano and hit Laguna Blanca, Laguna Verde, the Sol de Mañana geysers and Laguna Colorada with its flamingos. Sleep in a basic altiplano refuge (4,300m+).
🚌Shared 4x4 overland (3-day tour)
🛏Basic altiplano refuge dorm (£15–20, included in tour)
- →Hito Cajón border crossing
- →Laguna Blanca & Verde
- →Sol de Mañana geysers
- →Laguna Colorada
Overland: Siloli Desert and Laguna Escondida
Siloli Desert, Bolivia
Second day of the overland: the Árbol de Piedra rock formation, the Siloli Desert with its red-and-yellow lagoons, Laguna Honda and Laguna Escondida, and the Anaconda River canyon viewpoint. Final night in a salt-hotel style lodge on the edge of the Salar. Very cold at night — pack thermals.
🚌Shared 4x4 overland
🛏Salt hotel berth (included in tour)
- →Siloli Desert & Árbol de Piedra
- →Laguna Escondida
- →Anaconda River canyon
Uyuni Salt Flat to La Paz
Uyuni → La Paz, Bolivia
Sunrise on the Salar de Uyuni — breakfast on the salt with the mirror effect if you're there in the wet season, plus the Train Cemetery and Colchani salt village. Arrive Uyuni around midday. Rather than waiting for a late bus, take an afternoon flight Uyuni–La Paz on Amaszonas/BoA (~£60–80) or the 10–12 hr overnight bus (~£10–15, semi-cama).
🚌Uyuni–La Paz flight ~£70 or overnight bus ~£12
🛏Hostel dorm, La Paz (£8–14)
- →Uyuni Salt Flat sunrise
- →Train Cemetery
- →Colchani salt village
La Paz
La Paz, Bolivia
Ease into altitude in the world's highest capital. Ride the Mi Teleférico cable car network for city views (~£0.40 a ride), wander the Witches' Market, Plaza Murillo and take the free walking tour (tips ~£5). Acclimatisation day for the 3,600m altitude — drink coca tea, take it slow.
🚌Cable car & local minibuses ~£3
🛏Hostel dorm, La Paz (£8–14)
- →Mi Teleférico cable cars
- →Witches' Market
- →Plaza Murillo
- →Free walking tour
Tiwanaku ruins day trip
Tiwanaku, Bolivia
Take a shared minibus or local bus from La Paz's Cementerio terminal to Tiwanaku (~1.5–2 hrs, £1.50 each way) and pay the site entry (~£10). The pre-Inca ceremonial complex, Gate of the Sun and monoliths are best with a guide — hire one at the entrance for £8–10. Return to La Paz by late afternoon.
🚌Local bus La Paz–Tiwanaku ~£3 return
🛏Hostel dorm, La Paz (£8–14)
- →Tiwanaku archaeological site
- →Gate of the Sun & monoliths
- →Local guide at entrance
End in La Paz
La Paz, Bolivia
Breakfast, then onward travel: El Alto airport for flights out, or buses to Copacabana/Lake Titicaca and Peru. If you're continuing solo, La Paz is a great base for Death Road cycling or Coroico before moving on.
🚌Airport transfer ~£5
🛏—
- →Departure / onward travel
- →Optional Lake Titicaca extension
Self-launched vs. HI Travel South America
| This itinerary (self-launched) | HI Travel South America | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,180 | £1,429 |
| Duration | 16 days | 16 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £249 per person (17%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more HI Travel South America-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,180
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched: Buenos Aires to La Paz via Uyuni Salt Flats (16 Days) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,180 per person for 16 days in Argentina, Chile & Bolivia. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with HI Travel South America?+
Yes — HI Travel South America charges around £1,429 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,180 — a saving of roughly £249 (17%) per person.
How long is the Argentina, Chile & Bolivia trip?+
This itinerary runs 16 days, covering 16 day-by-day stops through Argentina, Chile & Bolivia.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, backpacker trip through Argentina, Chile & Bolivia, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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