Uyuni Tourist Traps

I had an excellent tour. I booked with Swiss Bolivian adventures based in La Paz, and they just took all the hassle away and arranged everything from the bus ticket from La Paz to the hotel in Uyuni and the tour on the Salar. On return I booked my jungle trip with them they were so good!

Avoid this company like hell:
-Departure delayed for hours with no explanation. The owner hid in the Tonito Tours office rather than talk to us
-Sour driver with very little English
-Cook (Conception) was rude and was cooking tea for herself while we were left freezing in unheated room
-Overnight in Atulcha (outside the Salar) instead of San Juan

Unique Suggestions: Use other companies for the Salar tour. We heard good things about Esmeralda, bad stuff re Tonito Tours.

Fun Alternatives: Check the tourist office book of complaints and compliment before you book your tour. We discovered it afterwards and would never have used Janeth.

more than a tourist trap itself be aware of the agency you choose to visit it... the place is stunning! if you choose to go, I recommend Licancabur agency, we had a great time, great guide, good price, good and abundant food, max 6 people in a 4x4.
Avoid Colque Tours it may be a little cheaper than others but the quality of service is much lower, people squashed in the cars - up to 8, rushed tours and, most of all they are not reliable. do not believe a word they say, have them put it in writing, we were promise full reimburse for the cancellation of a tour which we never received, despite having contacted directly the owner of the owner of the agency to explain the situation -- and their promises!! Very poor customer service.

But thats not to take anything away from the area, and the people and animals that inhabit this part of Bolivia, Take time to explore the small towns and like this photo the little church yards that you come across

The Lonely Planet and the Colque tours:
If you are a Lonely Planet addict, you won’t probably have any doubts about the best travel agency for yor trip across the salar. Well, I chose Colque tours, as well (it was not my fault, it was my friend’s one), but there’s is something you have to know.
First: Colque is the biggest travel agency there, so they have at least seven cars for each tour, that means about 49 tourists and 7 drivers; no cocineras on board. Then...well, when we stopped (like about 150 other tourists in the same moment) at “isla de pescado” for lunch, I wandered around looking which kind of food was served with other agencies...I’m still dreaming of a wonderful “insalata di pasta” that I saw in Tonino tours dishes. Third: if you travel with Colque you’ll have to spend a night at Colque hotel in Chuvica. It’s one of the ugliest building one can imagine on the border of the salar. Moreover, it someting like staying in “colonia” .... sorry, I cannot translate.
But I cannot omit a detail: the sopa Emilio, the driver, made for dinner (the second night) was one of the best I ate there; same for the vegeterian ragu we had with spaghetti...just onions and tomates, but really great.

Fun Alternatives: Travel with Tonito tours and you'll have a great insalata di pasta!

Well, we were sort of trapped here. It was very early in the morning and we were given some time to soak in the natural hot pools of the area while they prepared breakfast. Believe me, no one wanted to get out of here and all thought breakfast should be served poolside. ;=>