Exploring Salar de Uyuni: Bolivias Stunning Salt Flat

One-day tours generally visit the Train Graveyard, Colchani, salt flats and Incahausi Island. If taking a multi-day tour of the salt flats, it’s likely you’ll spend the night at one of the area’s unique salt hotels. However, despite a small size, Uyuni has comfortable hotels, restaurants, and travel firms which arrange multi-day tours through the salt desert.

Laguna Colorada

It’s also possible to take a tour starting in Tupiza – a great option for those coming from Argentina. It’s also possible to take a tour from La Paz with transport to Uyuni included as part of the package. It’s possible to book ahead or choose a tour company on arrival. As you’d probably expect with one of the most popular attractions in South America, there are endless choices when it comes to booking a tour. “One of my favourite things about the Salar De Uyuni tour was simply driving from location to location.

• Dry Season (May to November):

• On the 2nd and 3rd days of a standard 3-day tour, you will be taken to beautiful lagoons, and you will see flamingos and vicuñas.
• I don’t think this stop was included in tours eight years ago.
• Utilising the abundant material to hand, the innovative locals created entire buildings out of salt bricks.
• On its shores are saltworks at Salinas de Garci Mendoza on the north, Llica on the northwest, and Calcha on the south.
• It’s worth mentioning that you will spend most of your time in the car.

The first night’s stay in a salt hotel was very clean and comfortable, with fresh bedsheets, towels, and toilet paper provided. In 2017, on the first night, we stayed in private rooms in a salt hotel. If you want to see the sunset at the Salar de Uyuni, ask your travel agency whether it’s included. Most tour agencies start their tours at 10.30 am.

Incahuasi Island

When the rain accumulates on the layer of salt, Salar de Uyuni is transformed into a tremendous mirror and reflects the clouds, sunrises and sunsets flawlessly. The skies are very clear and can be viewed without clouds to have a perfect view of the stars and also photography. It presents the most opportune moment to the travelers that wish to go exploring in 4×4 vehicles and see the islands that are found in the flats. A land of the opposites – it is where the geological formations of the past are in contact with the futuristic sceneries that have been a source of inspiration to filmmakers, photographers and even adventurers. Salar de Uyuni is not just a vast expanse of salt, but it is located in southwest Bolivia, almost on the crest of the Andes, some 3,656 meters above sea level.
However, if you are travelling from La Paz (which is at a similar altitude) or Cusco (just 250 m lower) then you will likely be fine as you should have acclimatised. For private tours expect to pay significantly more. These are shared tours with usually five or six people per jeep.
It’s an absolute must-visit if you’re exploring Bolivia and South America. It’s a vast expanse of salt stretching to the horizon. If you’re travelling from Peru, the easiest route is via Peru Hop to La Paz, followed by the overnight bus to Uyuni. The most popular starting point for exploring Salar de Uyuni is the town of Uyuni, especially for travellers coming from within Bolivia. December offers the most sunshine, with an average of 7 hours of sunlight per day. January is the hottest month in Uyuni, with an average temperature of 15 °C (59 °F), while July is the coldest, averaging 12 °C (54 °F).

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• Most travellers spend 2-3 days exploring Salar de Uyuni and its surroundings, which provides ample opportunity to visit the salt flats, lagoons, and geysers.
• Plenty of travellers opt for the most basic Salar de Uyuni tour and have a fantastic time.
• On our first tour in 2017, although it wasn’t windy at all, the lake had a greenish tint.
• The majority of travellers begin their Salar de Uyuni tour from Uyuni itself.
• In reality, its deep red color comes from red sediments and the pigments of algae and microorganisms living in the lake.
• The salt flats are at 3,656 m.a.s.l. Some people can suffer from altitude sickness at this elevation.
• Sunblock, lip balm with SPF, and sunglasses – the sun is very harsh at high altitudes.

During the rainy season (usually December–March), a thin layer of water spreads over the salt surface—sometimes just a few millimeters, sometimes a bit more. As you may have deduced by the name, the salt flats are near Uyuni in Bolivia, the starting point of most tours. The plateau includes fresh and saltwater lakes as well as salt flats and is endorheic. It leaves a permanent imprint on any traveler whether it is the glittering salt plains in the dry months or the fantastical reflections in the rainy seasons, this is a natural wonder which is unforgettable. Your trip starts with the small town of Uyuni that is the central point of the salt flat tours. Catch a local bus to Colchani (this is a stop on tours to visit a salt museum).
Uyuni itself offers little of interest and so it’s best to avoid spending more time here than necessary. Salar de Uyuni sits at 3,656 m.a.s.l. and some parts of the tour reach altitudes of above 4,500 m. Many travellers begin their tour in Uyuni and then continue on to San Pedro de Atacama in Chile. When booking a tour you’ll have the option of taking a round trip or including onward travel at the end of the tour.

Its remarkable design features walls, floors, furniture, and even igloo-shaped roofs constructed from salt blocks that are carefully harvested from the surrounding salt flat. The dry season, which lasts from May to November, offers clear skies and the opportunity to observe the unique hexagonal salt patterns. Many visitors enjoy stopping at the Salt Museum, a quaint space made of salt bricks that features a variety of carved sculptures.
Snacks and water/drinks – food is provided, but in case you want extra in between the meals, pack some snacks and drinks. Sunblock, lip balm with SPF, and sunglasses spinmaya no deposit bonus code – the sun is very harsh at high altitudes. You are provided blankets in hotels and refuges, but a down sleeping bag will make your sleep more comfortable. A rain jacket if you go during the wet season.
Salar de Uyuni spreads over 10,582 km2, which is roughly 100 times the size of the Bonneville Salt Flats in the United States. The youngest prehistoric lake was Coipasa, which was radiocarbon dated to 11,500 to 13,400 years ago. Some 30,000 to 42,000 years ago, the area was part of a giant prehistoric lake, Lake Minchin.
In the salt flat, in the middle, there is an island known as Isla Incahuasi that is composed of ancient coral and is covered with giant cacti some of which are over 1,000 years old. It is up to you whether you enjoy the thoughtful amazement of the wet season or the cold magnitude of the dry season, but either way, they will all be a memorable experience with the nature. The two seasons have different viewpoints and therefore it is up to you to decide which one to watch depending on the type of experience you want to get. This is when photographers go a-swarming to get the surreal effect of the infinity horizon, one of the most recognisable photographs of travelling the world.

There are ATMs in Uyuni but these are not always reliable so it’s best to bring some extra cash from wherever you are travelling. Note also that Incahausi island is sometimes inaccessible during the rainy season. Some people are keen to observe the mirror effect on the salt flat. Aim to begin your tour the same day, otherwise you’ll have a whole day to waste.
English-speaking guides aren’t standard so check with the tour company if one is included. Unless you’re confident in your Spanish skills, you’ll likely get more out of a tour with a guide who speaks English. There was so much more to see than I expected and the locations on days two and three were far less crowded because there were no daytrippers at these sites.
If you have enough time, I highly recommend taking a 3-day tour. You’ll follow the same itinerary as the first day of the 2-day and 3-day tours. Tour options from Uyuni include 1-day, 2-day, and 3-day tours that end either in Uyuni or in San Pedro de Atacama (Chile). It is located a short drive from the edge of the Uyuni salt flats. From Colchani, you walk on the salt flats to the Dakar Monument and Flag Monument.