Salar de Uyuni, a dazzling display of nature’s magic

Salar de Uyuni or Uyuni Salt Flat, is an endless sheet of salt crust with polygonal patterns that covers a pool of brine and that seems to extend to the horizon. This vast salt desert transforms during the rainy season into the largest mirror in the world and will show a perfect reflection of the sky.

There is a legend regarding the Salar de Uyuni.
It says that the three mountains, Tunupa, Kusina and Kusku, were giant people. And, after marrying Tunupa, Kushu ran away with Kusina.
So, Tunupa cried for him while breastfeeding her son. Therefore, the tears she cried had mixed with the milk and this is how the Salar has formed.

Specifically for this reason, some of the Aymara locals consider that for this place, Salar de Tunupa would have been a more appropriate name.

Salar de Uyuni, also called Salar de Tunupa or Bolivian Salt Flats has a savage beauty and is one of the most inspiring scenery of South America.

It is a mandatory destination for any trip to South America!

Points of interest

Definitely the salt flats are one of Bolivia’s most popular attractions! But, Salar de Uyuni it’s only a small part of the gorgeous Altiplano region.

To illustrate, here are some of the interesting places that you can visit in this area:

Plaza Arce, the main plaza in Uyuni. There are a few historical buildings, statues and a church. Also, several restaurants and souvenir shops.

San Cristóbal a town with a 350-year-old church containing a silver altar.

Colchani, Bloques de Sal, a village at 7 kilometers north of Uyuni. It has a salt museum with all kind of things carved of salt. Also, you can buy salt souvenirs.

Train Graveyard A visually captivating place located 3 km outside Uyuni. The salt winds have corroded all of the metal of the trains, mostly used by the mining companies and abandoned when the mining industry collapsed.

Salt hotels, some of which are built entirely out of salt, from the walls to the furniture, and even the floor.

Salt Mining Area an area where piles of salt from the mining operations are left to dry in the sun.

Isla de los Pescados (Isla Incahuasi) made of fossilized coral and covered with cacti in the middle of the Salar. Usually tour groups stop for lunch on this island

Laguna Hedionda one of the nine small saline lakes in the Andean Altiplano, popular for lunch at the outdoor picnic shelters while admiring flamingos

Viscacha Area, where you can see the little viscachas, that look similar to rabbits and are used to come out for food.

Ruinas de San Antonio an abandoned mining town

Volcano Uturuncu a dormant stratovolcano with 19711 ft / 6008 m high

Arbol de Piedra an eroded stone tree that has been carved out by the sandy winds. Located at Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve

Laguna Colorada, a lake where, besides its red color from the the algae, you will have the chance to admire lots of flamingos. Also at the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve

Laguna Verde that has its color from the copper, arsenic, lead and other heavy metals. But, the color can be seen only when when it’s windy.

Laguna Blanca a lake at 14270 ft / 4350 m, near the Licancabur volcano.
A narrow corridor separates these two lagoons.

Laguna Celeste with magnesium and manganese that give it a clear blue color.

Laguna Amarilla a sulfur lake.

Solar de Manaña geyser basin, a geothermal area in Sur Lípez Province. There are sulphur springs, steam pools with boiling mud and mud lakes

Termas de Polques hot springs a small 84.9°F / 29.4°C hot spring pool with mineral-rich waters, suitable for bathing.

Sillar giant columns of clay formed by erosion

Vulcán Lincacabur, a stratovolcano considered a holy mountain by the Atacameno people, with a 19409 ft / 5916 m high cone

Salar de Chalviri, another a salt flat at approximately 14429 ft / 4398 m

Valles de Rocas an gorge with unique rock formations

Things to do

Noteworthy, you can choose from a variety of tours. The local companies offer one to three day tours to the Salar de Uyuni, the lakes and surrounding region.
Salar de Uyuni is located between Argentina, Bolivia and Chile. So, the length of your trip depends from where are you coming from.

The three main places from where the tours are starting are:

• Fist of all, Uyuni, Bolivia. It’s really close to the Salar so that day trips can be booked from here.
  • A one day tour will be enough to see the salt plains themselves. Usually it take around 9 hours and you get the chance to see the Train Cemetery, the town of Colchani. Also the salt piles and the salt eyes, the original first salt hotel, Incahuasi Island and sunset in the salar.
  • A two day tour will include add to those above, the region’s mineral lagoons.
  • A three (or more) days tour will include it all: the volcanos, geysers, hot springs, the Dali and Siloli deserts, high altitude lakes to the south.
• Second, San Pedro de Atacama, Chile. From here the itineraries are the reverse of the ones from Uyuni. Due to the distance, those are three day tours.
• And finally Tupiza, Bolivia. From here are recommended four days tours, that includes seeing more of the unique lakes and rock formations

Over the year

Salar de Uyuni has two distinct seasons and both of the seasons offer the possibility see nature’s magic and to take amazing photos.
To get to see both the largest mirror in the world and the salt flats, may try to visit late March or late November. During these periods of time, some parts of the salt flat is dry and another is covered in water.

The rainy season in Salar de Uyuni

From November to April, Salar de Uyuni turns into the world’s largest mirror. So that’s the time when the horizon seems to completely disappear.
Also, this is the time when the sunsets are spectacular. But, keep in mind that excessive rain is possible in December and January.
Equally important, from November to January the temperature peak is at 69.8°F / 21°C. But, the nights are still cold with temperatures around 41°F / 5°C.
On the other hand, November is the month when you get to see pink flamingo in the area

The dry season in Salar de Uyuni

From May to October temperatures are colder. Therefore the nights have temperatures around 15.8°F / -9°C, especially in June. It’s winter and the ground does harden. Specifically during this time, Salar de Uyuni becomes the salt flats.
In particular, the period from June to August is considered to be the high period for tours operators. So, the rates are rising accordingly.

Location

How to get there

Useful information