Salar de Tara
Salar de Tara
5
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Top ways to experience Salar de Tara and nearby attractions
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
5.0
2,240 reviews
Excellent
1,831
Very good
307
Average
81
Poor
12
Terrible
9
Erin M
Greenbelt, MD294 contributions
Jan 2018 • Couples
We did this tour (and all of our tours) with Cosmo Andino. And now that we've done it, I've got a few tips for a good experience.
First, you absolutely need a great tour company with great vehicles and great drivers. (I highly recommend Cosmo Andino.) When they say that you are driving "off-road", it is not the American definition of off-roading. They don't mean a dirt or gravel road. They literally mean that there is no road. You just drive off into the open desert that has no tire tracks. You cannot do this on your own.
Second, this is a HIGH altitude tour. We got up to 4800m (15,000ft)! I strongly recommend that you do a different high altitude tour before this to get acclimated. We were hurting on our first high altitude tour, but then we did much better on this one. I can't imagine what we would have felt like if this was our first high altitude tour.
Third, the sun is serious here. (Did I mention the altitude?) I am a woman in my thirties with lots of thick hair, and my scalp got burned through my hair! (Like, my whole scalp, not just an area that was exposed by a part.) Everyone should wear a hat. Luckily, it's a bit chilly up there, so you'll probably be wearing pants and long-sleeves and won't need much sunscreen except on your face and hands.
Fourth, bring binoculars if you have them. We saw lots of wildlife (vicunas, flamingos, llamas, birds) and it's great to see them up close.
Fifth, drink water! It's really really helps to start hydrated. Once you get the headache, there's no getting rid of it until you come back down to lower altitudes.
This was my second favorite tour. I know it can be pricey, but it's so worth it!
First, you absolutely need a great tour company with great vehicles and great drivers. (I highly recommend Cosmo Andino.) When they say that you are driving "off-road", it is not the American definition of off-roading. They don't mean a dirt or gravel road. They literally mean that there is no road. You just drive off into the open desert that has no tire tracks. You cannot do this on your own.
Second, this is a HIGH altitude tour. We got up to 4800m (15,000ft)! I strongly recommend that you do a different high altitude tour before this to get acclimated. We were hurting on our first high altitude tour, but then we did much better on this one. I can't imagine what we would have felt like if this was our first high altitude tour.
Third, the sun is serious here. (Did I mention the altitude?) I am a woman in my thirties with lots of thick hair, and my scalp got burned through my hair! (Like, my whole scalp, not just an area that was exposed by a part.) Everyone should wear a hat. Luckily, it's a bit chilly up there, so you'll probably be wearing pants and long-sleeves and won't need much sunscreen except on your face and hands.
Fourth, bring binoculars if you have them. We saw lots of wildlife (vicunas, flamingos, llamas, birds) and it's great to see them up close.
Fifth, drink water! It's really really helps to start hydrated. Once you get the headache, there's no getting rid of it until you come back down to lower altitudes.
This was my second favorite tour. I know it can be pricey, but it's so worth it!
Written 18 January 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
VG1302
Blue Mountains, Australia191 contributions
Aug 2017 • Couples
We visited Salar de Tara as part of a day tour in a small group from San Pedro. The visit to this spot is indescribable. To start with, it is located on the caldera of Vilama volcano. There is just not the Salar to look for here. The landscape is stunning, to say the least. To name a few, watch out for the out-of-the-world rock formations, unbelievable landscape colours & transformations. And guess what, you can also see Vicunas grazing! The landscape is reminiscent of Bolivia's altiplano but this one has its own charm. The drive around this site felt like driving on the sand dunes. The beauty of this site cannot be put down in words, they won't do any justice. Let me put it this way - if you are visiting San Pedro and have a day and some money to spare, you must do this! You could skip some of the other attractions, but this one is worth the money!
Tips:
------
1. This is a whole day affair, the tour kicks off early in the morning and finishes late in the evening. There is a lot of driving involved.
2. The cost varies between tour agencies, we were earlier booked in to do this with Cosmo Andino (almost double) but they did not have adequate numbers so we were transferred to Maxim Experience for around 50,000 CLP per person (nearly a year back).
3. There is some serious altitude here ~4000m. If you are visiting San Pedro from Uyuni (Bolivia), you should be okay (in our case), otherwise, it would be a good idea to acclimatise in San Pedro.
4. Carry adequate water, broad-brimmed hat, warm jacket, sunglasses, sunblock and sturdy boots.
Tips:
------
1. This is a whole day affair, the tour kicks off early in the morning and finishes late in the evening. There is a lot of driving involved.
2. The cost varies between tour agencies, we were earlier booked in to do this with Cosmo Andino (almost double) but they did not have adequate numbers so we were transferred to Maxim Experience for around 50,000 CLP per person (nearly a year back).
3. There is some serious altitude here ~4000m. If you are visiting San Pedro from Uyuni (Bolivia), you should be okay (in our case), otherwise, it would be a good idea to acclimatise in San Pedro.
4. Carry adequate water, broad-brimmed hat, warm jacket, sunglasses, sunblock and sturdy boots.
Written 1 July 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Caroline G
London, UK287 contributions
Jan 2018 • Couples
We rented a car in San Pedro (a 4wd) and had an amazing day driving up to Salar de Tara. The route is incredible and if you have your own car you can stop as often as you like to appreciate the views. As the altitude increases it gets colder so take layers! We then did some off-road driving around Monjes de la Pacana which was good fun and again, stunning scenery. Further on are beautiful lagoons and yet more volcanoes. It is very easy to find the way and to drive yourself. If you have a 2wd I wouldn't recommend going off-road but the roads would be fine.
Written 22 January 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
seeker372011
Sydney, Australia248 contributions
Apr 2014 • Couples
My wife and I loved this day out..make no mistake it's a full day.
We went with Cosmo Andino, and a very pleasant day it was indeed
the scenery is spectacular, the rock formations are memorable, the flamingos should you see any at the lake were a bonus, had a long range look at the ALMA site , managed a picture with a telephoto lens.
It's just so different from anything you have ever seen before
Nice touch was the Chilean wine that they produced at lunch time and a great meal.
I remember saying to my wife..we could be here under a clear sky and surrounded by this incredibly beautiful scenery..having a nice glass of wine to go with a nice lunch...or we could have just as easily been back back at work staring at a computer screen.
It's much more expensive than the other tours, but honestly I felt it worth it. Now I've been would I do it again? You bet.
Sadly the chances of ever going back, given where I live, are about 0 :(. But feel privileged to have visited this magical place.
Look if you can spare the money, go; and go with a tour operator who has a good vehicle and offers a decent lunch because it's a long bumpy drive .
BTW no toilets!
My wife was exposed to the joys of nature..ducking behind a rock..but fortunately for me I had alerted her to this before we left home.
Also , it's bloody cold. We went well prepared , so well prepared we were able to offer spare gear to others on our tour who were less prepared.
Take more than you think you need and you'll probably be fine
And make sure that camera battery is fully charged.
Years from today I will relive the moment through those images we took.
It is truly a wonderous place
We went with Cosmo Andino, and a very pleasant day it was indeed
the scenery is spectacular, the rock formations are memorable, the flamingos should you see any at the lake were a bonus, had a long range look at the ALMA site , managed a picture with a telephoto lens.
It's just so different from anything you have ever seen before
Nice touch was the Chilean wine that they produced at lunch time and a great meal.
I remember saying to my wife..we could be here under a clear sky and surrounded by this incredibly beautiful scenery..having a nice glass of wine to go with a nice lunch...or we could have just as easily been back back at work staring at a computer screen.
It's much more expensive than the other tours, but honestly I felt it worth it. Now I've been would I do it again? You bet.
Sadly the chances of ever going back, given where I live, are about 0 :(. But feel privileged to have visited this magical place.
Look if you can spare the money, go; and go with a tour operator who has a good vehicle and offers a decent lunch because it's a long bumpy drive .
BTW no toilets!
My wife was exposed to the joys of nature..ducking behind a rock..but fortunately for me I had alerted her to this before we left home.
Also , it's bloody cold. We went well prepared , so well prepared we were able to offer spare gear to others on our tour who were less prepared.
Take more than you think you need and you'll probably be fine
And make sure that camera battery is fully charged.
Years from today I will relive the moment through those images we took.
It is truly a wonderous place
Written 16 May 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Birdsocks
Boston, MA119 contributions
Feb 2018 • Friends
This was one of my favorite spots in the Atacama - partly because it is absolutely breathtaking, and partly because it was one of the less crowded spots I visited. It's location makes it impossible to access with a bus - so it is limited to a handful of sprinter vans and camp trucks like mine at any given time.
This is accessed via the Monks (Monjes de Pacana) and there is no "road" leading to it. For those not part of a tour, who are looking for the Monks and Salar de Tara on their own - here's some important advise: There weren't any signs letting you know you were close to the Monks...or any signs for the site at all, on the road from San Pedro. The cartoony map from town had them in a slightly different spot on the curves of the road than where they were - we were worried we'd missed a turn off. But not to worry - they are there and you really cannot miss them - they're adjacent to the road and very recognizable.
Side note: You will be sharing the curvy and mostly uphill road from SPdA to this location with LOTS of trucks transporting cars to Bolivia/Argentina (maybe from the coast?). They are super slow on the hills and you'll be often stuck behind them when the road is too curvy to pass.
Once at the Monks - to get to Salar de Tara requires a 20-30min off road drive. There are lots of car tracks going every which way - some may lead to completely different places, so I would not suggest trying to find this on your own. Even with a GPS app, it is not a direct route, and tourists get lost in the area a lot trying to find the site. We followed one of the sprinter van tours from Monjes de Pacana, and then did the same thing to get back afterwards. The tour guides seem very kind and happy to lead the way so you don't get lost!
At the Salar, there are lots of animals, a gorgeous landscape, a baño, and smaller crowds - definitely worth the drive!
This is one of the higher altitudes in the area - the weather is super dodgy/undpredictable! We saw sun, rain, hail, and snow on our day trip to visit these. A guide advised that rain often starts in the area around 2 or 3pm, and suggested leaving by that time. He was spot on, as it started raining around 2pm as we headed out.
This is accessed via the Monks (Monjes de Pacana) and there is no "road" leading to it. For those not part of a tour, who are looking for the Monks and Salar de Tara on their own - here's some important advise: There weren't any signs letting you know you were close to the Monks...or any signs for the site at all, on the road from San Pedro. The cartoony map from town had them in a slightly different spot on the curves of the road than where they were - we were worried we'd missed a turn off. But not to worry - they are there and you really cannot miss them - they're adjacent to the road and very recognizable.
Side note: You will be sharing the curvy and mostly uphill road from SPdA to this location with LOTS of trucks transporting cars to Bolivia/Argentina (maybe from the coast?). They are super slow on the hills and you'll be often stuck behind them when the road is too curvy to pass.
Once at the Monks - to get to Salar de Tara requires a 20-30min off road drive. There are lots of car tracks going every which way - some may lead to completely different places, so I would not suggest trying to find this on your own. Even with a GPS app, it is not a direct route, and tourists get lost in the area a lot trying to find the site. We followed one of the sprinter van tours from Monjes de Pacana, and then did the same thing to get back afterwards. The tour guides seem very kind and happy to lead the way so you don't get lost!
At the Salar, there are lots of animals, a gorgeous landscape, a baño, and smaller crowds - definitely worth the drive!
This is one of the higher altitudes in the area - the weather is super dodgy/undpredictable! We saw sun, rain, hail, and snow on our day trip to visit these. A guide advised that rain often starts in the area around 2 or 3pm, and suggested leaving by that time. He was spot on, as it started raining around 2pm as we headed out.
Written 22 February 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pascal
Bassersdorf, Switzerland34 contributions
Apr 2019 • Couples
We drove with our rental car all the way to the Monjes de la Pacana where we also did some off-road driving. We did that with a Toyota Hilux 4x2 (not 4x4) and we were perfectly fine. The main road is in very good condition. With a normal car you could still do everything along the main road + a bit of off-road around the Monjes. We didn't go further towards salar de tara because we didn't want to get stuck in the middle of nowhere in case something happens. However, we were there quite early, noone else around. Later that day we saw a few tours stopping at the Monjes de la Pacana. There's no sign along the road but you must be blind to miss them! We then went further towards the AR border enjoying the two next salars where we also got to see some flamingos. So even without the drive all the way to the salar de tara it was absolutely worth the drive. We left San Pedro at 7AM and returned just before 2 PM.
Written 19 April 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nalee V
Sydney, Australia40 contributions
Jul 2017 • Family
We were a little sceptical when joining a tour to visit Salar de Tara - part because of the altitude at above 4800m (we do not cope well at high altitudes), but also because of the long drive and our tight schedule (we had a flight that evening at 8pm). Our first concern was justified - after sitting in the back of a 4wd van for approx 3-4hrs we all started to feel queasy and lightheaded, my two children aged 10 and 8 started to feel the ill effects of altitude and threw up at nearly every stop. Your mileage may vary but as beautiful as the scenery had been it was a bit of a showstopper for us. We took beautiful pictures at Tara and along the way and it part made up for us feeling so lousy.
Our second concern - not making it back on time for our flight was a non issue - we got back at 4:30pm with plenty of time to spare.
Be warned the road to Tara is rough and bumpy. A few hours at altitude usually is not an issue for us but given the bumpy and windy ride we felt quite unwell - took a few days to recover fully from it - and we are fit and healthy 30 something's. if you are an adventure seeker and are looking for one of a kind scenery that you only see in magazines - this is it.. if you value comfort and a pleasant time above else, maybe look elsewhere?
We were told the road to Tara can be covered in snow and inaccessible - Many people wait days to join the tour because it is often cancelled - we were recommended to take the plunge while the tour was still in operation.
Am I glad we did the tour? Absolutely! Would I do it again? Absolutely not!
Our second concern - not making it back on time for our flight was a non issue - we got back at 4:30pm with plenty of time to spare.
Be warned the road to Tara is rough and bumpy. A few hours at altitude usually is not an issue for us but given the bumpy and windy ride we felt quite unwell - took a few days to recover fully from it - and we are fit and healthy 30 something's. if you are an adventure seeker and are looking for one of a kind scenery that you only see in magazines - this is it.. if you value comfort and a pleasant time above else, maybe look elsewhere?
We were told the road to Tara can be covered in snow and inaccessible - Many people wait days to join the tour because it is often cancelled - we were recommended to take the plunge while the tour was still in operation.
Am I glad we did the tour? Absolutely! Would I do it again? Absolutely not!
Written 8 August 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Daniel-SSA
Salvador, BA140 contributions
Jan 2014 • Couples
I honestly didn't think it was possible to see, in the same landscape, a salt lagoon with flamingos, surrounded by green grass where dozens of llamas feed, with a sandy and rocky scenery on one bank and snow-capped volcanoes on the other: that's what you'll find in the Salar de Tara.
To reach it, you'll need a long journey on 4x4s and the place lacks any minimal structure (i.e.: no bathrooms), but you'll still be back in town after nine hours or so, and will never forget the experience.
As if it wasn't enough, the road that leads halfway (the rest of the journey is through the desert) provides the best views of Licancabur Volcano, San Pedro de Atacama's trademark peak...
To reach it, you'll need a long journey on 4x4s and the place lacks any minimal structure (i.e.: no bathrooms), but you'll still be back in town after nine hours or so, and will never forget the experience.
As if it wasn't enough, the road that leads halfway (the rest of the journey is through the desert) provides the best views of Licancabur Volcano, San Pedro de Atacama's trademark peak...
Written 31 January 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Funkus1
Kyiv, Ukraine453 contributions
May 2013 • Friends
We wanted to rent a truck and drive up ourselves and were quickly warned against doing this. So, we jumped into a truck with a guide and after an hour or so we veered off the highway and were driving literally in the middle of nowhere! For a WHILE! We saw crazy rock formations and felt like we were the only people on a different planet! We continued on and came upon an altiplanic lake surrounded by flamingos and guanacos (wild llamas). An unforgettable trip! Do it!
Written 11 May 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Neofelis Nebulosa
London, UK311 contributions
Apr 2019 • Friends
We did a self drive up to Salar de Tara the day before we made the trip up to the geysers at El Tatio as it is a good way to acclimatise for the latter. The salt flats are around 4000m above sea level (the geysers are around 4300m above sea level).
This is a trip up more to connect with nature than anything else. The landscape is vast, drastic, cold, extreme, harsh yet colourful and surprising in how much life it supports. You are sure to run into vicuna and maybe flamingos up here.
Its a place which makes you really want to capture in photographs but one which is so vast that it is hard to!
This is a trip up more to connect with nature than anything else. The landscape is vast, drastic, cold, extreme, harsh yet colourful and surprising in how much life it supports. You are sure to run into vicuna and maybe flamingos up here.
Its a place which makes you really want to capture in photographs but one which is so vast that it is hard to!
Written 29 April 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello there!
Please help us! We want to go to salar de tara by ourself, I found the road 27 we need but there is no more road to the place, how can we get there?
Written 21 January 2024
I'm thinking of getting a car but have so many mixed reviews in getting there with no signs and 4wd or no 4wd. Can anyone give me an inside scoop who has been there recently and drove. Also any recommendations on cat rental companies.
Written 18 February 2020
For those who have been, what are your thoughts about making the trip with an almost 2 year-old? We have a car so we can drive or book a tour. I’m checking with the doctor about the altitude so my question really concerns the actual trip. How long to arrive? How long (approx) to stay and see it all? Thanks for any input!
Written 23 October 2019
Depends on your two year old really, long day and drive, you have a couple of viewpoints but you can only get so close. Is your two year old a car sleeper?The lagoons are often done as well. Some people get dizzy etc. at the altitude, I'm not one of them. Beautiful scenery.
Written 23 October 2019
hola, pretendo ir por mi cuenta al tara, en un subaru forester, crees que tenga algún problema? como es la ruta?, con que gps fuiste?
Written 7 August 2019
No te recomiendo ir sin Guía especializado con un vehículo de tipo Expedición. Yo guío allá junto a Altiplano Expediciones.
Written 10 October 2024
Sem previsão de reabertura, existe um tour que passa próximo ao Salar e inclui algumas lagunas.
Written 30 April 2019
Cuáles son las empresas que van al Salar de Tara desde SPA? Tengo entendido que no todas tienen autorizado por CONAF el acceso. Gracias
Written 28 March 2019
Nosotros lo hicimos con una empresa que se llamaba Masin, no sé si se escribía así y es cierto que sóloay 2 o 3 que van al salar de Tara pero la experiencia merece la pena.
Written 29 March 2019
Bonjour
Il semble que le salar de tara soit actuellement fermé ? si c'est le cas qu'y a t ll d’autre a faire dans ce secteur ? Moines de la pacana , reserve national des flamants ?
etc ...
par avance merci de votre reponse
Written 24 March 2019
Bonjour,
En suivant le route 27 jusqu’au km 160 environ vous découvrirez des paysages d’exception ainsi que des Salar visibles depuis le bord de la route avec leur faune sauvage ainsi que les fameux moines de pierre.
Written 25 March 2019
Tenho que escolher entre visitar as Termas Puritamas ou fazer a Rota dos Salares (passeio alternativo ao Salar de Tara que está fechado). Qual vocês escolheriam?
Written 21 March 2019
Rota dos salares sem dúvida! Termas é “ok” pois já conta com muita intervenção humana... enquanto os salares são 100% naturais
Written 23 March 2019
Hola Jose.. Muchas gracias por tu recomendación. Nosotros iremos en auto, queremos llegar a Piedras Rojas pero me están metiendo miedo que el camino es difícil que es fácil perderse. Que opinas tú? Sólo queremos llegar a Piedras Rojas y algún mirador.
Muchas gracias.
Written 28 August 2018
A Piedras Rojas puedes llegar por tu cuenta, el camino es asfaltado. Solo debes comprar las entradas con antelación vía la página web de Socaire.
Written 10 October 2024
Showing results 1-10 of 22
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing