Overland route from La Paz to Salar de Uyuni to Salta. Help!

Hi there,

I wanted to bounce off what was the best way to get from La Paz to the Salar de Uyuni and then to Salta in 6 days!

My proposed itinerary so far...
On Sunday night, take overnight bus from La Paz to Uyuni (apparently the Tudo Turismo is available?)
OR is the Warawara train via Oruro better?

If bus arrives on time the next Monday morning in Uyuni, are there 1 day 4x4 tours of the Salt flats available that I can take right away?

then.... what is the best way to get to Salta? I would like to spend a couple days there and see humahuaca as well. I need to catch a flight to Buenos Aires from Salta.

Is 6 days enough time?? Please advise on the most efficient use of time.

Thank you soooooo MUCH for you help!!!!

The train doesn't go every day, so you should check the timetable, for example over here. I guess, you checked that already, as you mentioned sunday.
The train starts in Oruro, so it requires a bus and traintrip, and a taxi...it is a bit of a walk from bus to trainstation in oruro.
Daytrips are available, and probably available right away in the morning, but it depends on the time you arrive. some of the trips go very early to enjoy the sunrise, the best time of the day actually.

From Uyuni, you could leave with a nightbus or train to Tupiza or to the border at La Quiaca. I guess you could be in Salta the next day around noon or a little later.

As Michael has already said, it can be done.

We got an overnight bus from La Paz to Uyuni, we arrived at 5am or so and arranged a 4 day tour of the salt plains leaving that day at 9am. We did the 4 days, got back to Uyuni and got on the night train to Tupiza (we booked our train ticket through the company we did the Salar tour with). Arrived into Tupiza at 5am again. You can then get a bus to La Quiaca/Villazon at the border, I think this took around 4-5 hours. From here you can get a bus to Salta

Bear in mind to check the bus you get on carefully which is heading to Salta, some take 8 hours and are direct, others like the one we mistakenly got on took more like 12 hours and we had to change buses.

[ Edit: Edited on Oct 24, 2008, at 6:21 AM by loubylou ]

Thanks for your responses!

loubylou- Did you have to book your La Paz to Uyuni bus beforehand? Where/how did you book this?

Utrecht- Do you have more information on the nightbus from Uyuni to Tupiza? I can not seem to find any information online. Does this need to be booked beforehand?

I would like to get into Uyuni, do the tour and leave Uyuni the same night to Tupiza. I am wondering if that is possible.

We booked in advance by going to the bus station the day before, we just walked around and saw which companies went to Uyuni and then chose by which bus looked better in the pictures!

To be honest apart from the Salar, there isn't a lot to do in Uyuni, so you won't be missing much by getting in and out like you are planning! I'd recommend Minuteman restaurant for the breakfast and pizza...the apple pancakes are HUGE!

We were advised to get the train out of Uyuni, Ithink it took about 5 hours and left at 11pm (maybe a little earlier)

[ Edit: Edited on Oct 24, 2008, at 8:04 PM by loubylou ]