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Salt mounds in Salar de Uyuni.

Salar de Uyuni is the world's largest salt flat, located in Bolivia. Photographers flock here to capture the unique landscape. It is often visited as part of a 3 or 4 day tour of South West Bolivia, described below.

Understand

Salar de Uyuni comprises over 12,000 sq km in the Potosi region. The salt is over 10 meters thick in the center. In the dry season, the salt planes are a completely flat expanse of dry salt, but in the wet season, it is covered with a thin sheet of water that is still drivable.

The standard tour heads south toward the southwest corner of Bolivia, by many fluorescent-colored lakes that are created from a collection of different minerals from runoff from the surrounding mountains.

Tours

You can book a range of different tours, depending on how much time you have available. Most of the three and four day ones include a number of standard elements, like at least one day on the actual salt fields, but other stops differ per tour and per group. If you have specific wishes, discuss them with your agency.

Most tours make use of 4x4 Toyota Landcruisers and take 6 or 7 people. Bring warm clothes, as accommodation is often basic and can be cold at night. Be wary of overnight stays in so-called "salt hotels", as they are both illegal and polluting.

Prepare

What to bring

• Flashlight (torch) - the lights go out when the generator runs dry.
• Coins and small bills - The bathrooms aren't free.
• Sunglasses - the salt flats are blinding.
• Camera, extra battery and loads of memory cards - There are no better pictures than here.
• Extra water - The tour usually provides an inadequate supply. An extra 2-liter bottle per day.
• Sunblock and hat - there is no atmosphere to block this sun's rays up here.
• Sleeping bag - You can rent one with the tour. Down is best, and check to see that the zipper works.
• Warm clothes - Layered is best.
• Hot water bottle - The nights are freezing and you will be so happy to have it.
• Flip-flops - The restroom facilities are shared.
• Extra snacks, especially fruit and protein - The food is adequate in quantity but tends to be heavy on starches.

Get in

The main starting point of tours to the Salar de Uyuni is Uyuni. The best time to obtain stunning photographs is during the wet season in Bolivia, when the salt flat is transformed into the world's largest mirror.

Getting There

• Uyuni - See Uyuni for more specifics. The options include rail from Avaroa on the Chilean border (unreliable departure times), rail from Oruro, Bolivia, bus (including a tourist bus) from Oruro, Potosi, or La Paz, Bolivia, and flying from La Paz.
• Tupiza - see Tupiza for more specifics.
• San Pedro de Atacama. The itineraries from here are virtually identical to those from Uyuni, only reversed, and about 60% more expensive.

• Tupiza - You can also set off from Tupiza and end in Uyuni or vice versa.

Other tour options

• Ending on the Chilean Border - Another alternative is to do the three day tour and be dropped at the Chilean border before taking at connection to San Pedro de Atacama, or do the entire tour from there.

• From San Pedro de Atacama - There is also the opportunity to do this tour starting in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile and ending in Uyuni on the third day or returning to San Pedro the following day. The advantage is that you get to see the Salar on the final morning, getting to see the sunrise over the Salar. There are several tour operators along the main street in San Pedro. However, you have to take attention booking with tour operators in Chile, since all the tours in Uyuni (Bolivia) have to be guided by Bolivian tour-guides, Chilean tour guides are not authorized to conduct tours in the Uyuni salt flat.

Stay safe

Watch for drunk drivers. Every year there are some accidents on the Salt Desert, with drivers from the various companies drinking more than is healthy. Do not risk your life by traveling with a drunk driver.

Some advise to bring emergency supplies (including up to several extra days of food and water) in case the truck breaks down in a remote place, but unless you are on a custom tour there will likely be another truck along in a few minutes.

You can also drink Coca Leaf Tea. Everyone from the Pope to Queen Sofia of Spain drinks it when visiting Bolivia. If you add a little sugar, it is even tasty!

In order to avoid Altitude sickness, a gradual adaptation to the altitude is advisable, visiting initially Bolivian flat located at 500 masl Santa Cruz de la Sierra, then moving to the valley Cochabamba, located at 2,500 m., and only then making the trip to Salar de Uyuni.

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See Uyuni or Tupiza for transportation options from there.