Unique Landscapes For Days
Salar de Uyuni, or the Salt Flats of Uyuni, is a popular tourist adventure on the border between Bolivia and Chile. With salt as far as the eye can see, this place is a one of a kind experience that can be done as a day tour, or over several days giving you some of the most breathtaking landscapes you have ever seen! In this Ultimate Guide to Salar de Uyuni we will explore all the information you need before going on this fantastic adventure!
History
Salar de Uyuni is the largest Salt Flat in the world spanning a massive 10,582 square kilometres. Once part of a massive prehistoric lake between 30,000 – 40,000 years ago. After drying up it became the salt flats as we know and see them today. Salt is produced from the area yearly, but it’s a very small amount of the total available here.
In recent years lithium has been found here as well, an important part of electronics. The local government has been hesitant to open up, especially to foreigners in the area fearing it can destroy one of its most important touristic attractions.
Cost
The cost varies a lot depending on the duration of your tour. If you’re in Uyuni and just want to spend a day or a few hours it shouldn’t cost more than $50. For a multi day tour the price increases drastically to several hundred dollars for a 3day/2nights tour.
If you book online through third party sites expect to pay a lot more for your tour. I recommend researching local companies and contacting them directly through their website or whatsapp. Most of the time, booking on arrival in Uyuni is no problem. This way you pay way less. Also if your Spanish is decent, I got a $30 discount for not choosing an English tour. My total was just under $200, which includes food, drink, accommodation and transportation with a guide.
I recommend doing the 3 day tour, especially for backpackers continuing on to Chile and San Pedro de Atacama. This way you get transportation included for $10-20 extra.
Preparations
Make sure you separate what you need throughout the day from what you only need at the night. Keep a daypack with you in the car, and the rest goes up top until you arrive at the accommodation.
In terms of packing, make sure you bring plenty of clothes because it can get very cold, especially at night. In the winter between June and August the temperature can drop below 0 degrees Celsius. The accommodations are nice hotels, but with limited hot water. They offer plenty of blankets to keep warm during the night, but it does get a bit chilly.
Day 1
The first day starts out with a visit to the train cemetery, where you can wander and take pictures with some of the old locomotives that were used here.
A short drive later, head to the market where you learn more about the salt production and buy some souvenirs if you’d like before lunch.
After lunch you start to really enter the salt flats, with stops to take the iconic pictures with dinosaurs and wine bottles you see all over the internet! A unique experience standing in the middle of the flats with salt as far as the eye can see.
Later heading to Isla Incahuasi to wander this small hill full of cacti and another great view of the salt flats. A place full of fossils and algae from when the area was a massive lake a long time ago!
Before arriving at the first hotel, spend some time photographing the reflective water in some of the pools. The light at sunset makes for a spectacular view!
Enjoy a great dinner at the hotel before an early night and ready for day two.
Day 2
The second day starts with different kinds of landscapes and the salty part of the adventure is over. This day is spent visiting different spots and seeing lakes with different colours.
From blue lagoons to the more unique and famous red lagoon, this day offers one of a kind stuff! Also, enjoy the massive flocks of Flamencos who call these waters their home. After lunch there will be a visit to the Arbol de Piedra, a naturally constructed rock that looks like a tree!
Depending on the tour you are one, you will visit the geysers that are found in the area as well either in the evening or early in the morning. The accommodation for the second night also offers a possibility to relax in the hot springs before dinner and a good nights sleep!
Day 3
The third day is a short day with a visit to the green lake, if you’re lucky. The color of the lake depends on condition and is not always offering its unique colour like seen in the picture below. But still a beautiful site with the famous mountain in the back which has a border dividing it between Bolivia and Chile. Also a stop in the Dali Desert, named after the famous painter Salvador Dali.
After a short drive, the people who are continuing to San Pedro de Atacama are left on the border by the guide and picked up by a bus to go through customs to Chile and down to the city.
For those going back to Uyuni, this point is the start of a long journey back to where it all started for dinner and an early night!
Conclusion
For anyone visiting Bolivia or Northern Chile, this adventure is a must. It is such a unique place, and the landscapes are incredible in this part of the world. It’s an experience you will never forget, and you’ll most likely make good friends along the way! Depending on how much time you have, you can see the Salt Flats in a day, or combine a multi-day tour with transportation to Chile which is a no-brainer for any backpacker visiting both countries!
Resources
So, are you ready for an adventure to Salar de Uyuni? Here are some of the resources I personally use when I travel. Great value and support, in addition to the best deals out there!
BOOKING – The best place to book accommodation. In my experience the site with the best prices, deals and selection. Perfect for a budget traveller.
HOSTELWORLD – The best place to find hostels, and also has group chats for all your bookings and places you’re going to make it easier to meet people. Perfect for solo travellers!
SKYSCANNER – When I need to find the cheapest days and ways to fly somewhere, Skyscanner is always the first place I go.
GET YOUR GUIDE – A massive marketplace for inspiration and booking of tours and activities for each place you visit.
AIRALO – What I use to stay connected on the road. A slightly more expensive option than buying local sim cards, but nothing beats having e-sim installed and ready to go as soon as you cross the border.
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