A dried up salt lake in bolivia. Uyuni Salt Flats
If you think that you know everything about salt and it cannot surprise you, then you should go to Uyuni to get to know it again in the endless snow-white desert.
Uyuni is the most large salt marsh in the world. It occupies 12,106 km2, which is 5 times the area of Luxembourg.
Huge Mountain Lake Minchin almost completely dried up 25,000 years ago, leaving behind a couple of small reservoirs and two giant salt marshes: Uyuni and Koipasa.
The dried up salt lake of Uyuni is the main attraction of Bolivia. Visit to the salt marsh. Hundreds of tourists come here every day to see unearthly landscapes. Most often, people strive to get to Uyuni during the rainy season - from the end of January to February - at this time the salt desert is covered with a layer of water and becomes a giant mirror in which the blue sky is reflected in contrast. But even in the dry season, the Uyuni salt marsh is incredibly beautiful, and there are even more opportunities for photography in the endless blinding white desert.
Every year about 20 tons of salt is mined here, and the total salt supply of Uyuni is estimated at 10 billion tons. The value of the salt marsh is not limited to salt. Uyuni contains about 100 million tons of lithium, which is up to 70% of the world's reserves - enough for batteries for all smartphones that will be produced in the next 100 years.
Rest in Uyuni. A surreal landscape of a dried-up lake
Uyuni - fantastic a nice place, one of the most incredible places our planet, where the sense of space is erased. to see this particular space landscape and feel like an inhabitant of another planet.
The most popular entertainment on the dried up lake Uyuni is creating surreal photos.
The sun, bright blue sky and endless surface of salt and without filters will make your shots unearthly and bright. And even if you find yourself here out of season, when the salt marsh is completely dry, your photos will still be fantastically beautiful! That is why Uyuni is one of the most favorite places for photographers around the world.
Tourists are photographed here standing, sitting, lying, and jumping. To create the most original photos, the guides take with them the author's attributes - from pans, on which tourists are "seated" in the frame, to dinosaurs, which add fantasticness to the frames.
By the way, evening and night photography - sunset and starry sky reflected in the water - is another separate pleasure for photographers, keep this in mind when choosing the duration of excursions.
In addition to visiting the salt lake, you can also visit a number of unusual places in the vicinity of Uyuni - from the "train graveyard" to geysers, thermal springs and habitats of pink flamingos:
1. Cactus Island / Inca Island Incahuasi (IslaIncahuasi)
During the time of the Incas, when caravans of lamas and chaski messengers crossed the Altiplano, this island in the middle of the salt desert served as a shelter for them for a short rest.
The island is covered with a forest of giant cacti, and from its top, truly magical views of the salt marsh and the mountains around open up.
The island can only be accessed during the dry season; there is no access to the island during the rainy season.
2. Kolchan (Colchani) - village of salt miners
Salt - main source income of residents of Kolchan. Guides bring tourists here to show them how salt is collected, processed and packed, and how houses are built from salt blocks. Kolchani is also known for its souvenir market, where you can buy unique products in the traditional Bolivian style - these are not sold outside Uyuni.
3. Train graveyard
The dump of rusty steam locomotives of the 19th century, left over from the times when there was a train factory in Uyuni, is especially interesting for tourists from Europe - such views are new to them. Although the rest can also find it interesting to climb the old trains and take some apocalyptic photos.
4. Volcanoes and glaciers
There are many glaciers and volcanoes in this region that you can climb: the Licancabur volcano (Licancabur, 5960 meters), the Candelaria glacier (Nevado Candelaria, 5995 meters), the active Olague volcano on the border with Chile (Ollague, 5865 meters).
The active Uturuncu volcano (Uturuncu, 6,020 meters) is a great opportunity to add a 6,000 meter climb to your achievements. And during the ascent to the Tunupa volcano (Tunupa, 5432 meters) from the side of the village of Kokesa, you can at the same time visit the caves with the preink mummies. Ascent and descent usually take 10 hours.
Climbing volcanoes is not included in the standard group tours, but they can be included in an individual itinerary.
It is necessary to pre-acclimatize at altitude for several days before starting the ascent.
5. Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve of Andean Fauna (ReservaNacionalDeFaunaAndinaEduardoAvaroa)
The landscapes of the Eduardo Avaroa National Park are beautiful and mesmerizing. One of the places even bears the name "Desert of Salvador Dali" - because the views are as surreal as the paintings of this artist. There are so many colors here: multi-colored quinoa fields, red, yellow and green lagoons with pink flamingos, snow-white mountain peaks and dark volcanoes.
Herds of wild vicunas, domestic llamas and alpacas with colored pompoms and tassels in their ears graze on huge desert fields, wild foxes run and - what is absolutely amazing! - wild ostriches.
The flora and fauna have adapted to the harsh local climate: piercing winds, scorching sun and night frosts. In some months the temperature drops to -25C at night.
6. sights National Reserve Eduardo Avaroa
- Stone tree
As water wears away a stone, so the gusts of wind change its shape over the centuries. Photos of the famous “stone tree” can often be seen on postcards and in travel guides. A huge stone block, standing on a thin "leg" is really amazing.
- Colored lagoon (LagunaColorada)
The largest of the colored lagoons - Laguna Colorada - covers 60 km2, while maximum depth the lagoon is only 80 cm, and the average is 20 cm. The rich red-orange color of the lagoon is provided by algae and plankton, they also provide food for numerous flamingos.
The white shore of the lagoon contains sodium, magnesium, borax and gypsum.
- Valley of Geysers Sol de Magnan (SoldeMan’ ana), height 4850 meters
It smells of sulfur here, and the ground is covered with seething puddles of mud and clouds of steam. But the view of the dawn valley, with pillars of steam beating out from under the ground here and there, deserves an early rise.
- Thermal springs Polkes (Polques)
You understand what happiness is when, after a cold night in a hotel with minimal amenities and a piercing icy morning wind, you find yourself in a pool with a hot thermal water where you can relax and keep warm.
NB: Bring your swimwear and towel for your trip.
- Green lagoon
When strong winds blow, the lagoon turns into a deep green-blue color. This is due to the minerals in the water: lead, sulfur, arsenic, and calcium carbonates. These same minerals prevent the lagoon from being covered with ice even when the temperature drops to -20C.
During calm weather, the lagoon does not change color.
- Desert of Salvador Dali
The first tourists, passing by this desert, were amazed at its similarity with the paintings of Salvador Dali. It's hard to argue with that, judge for yourself.
Excursions and tours in Uyuni
Traditional excursion routes are designed for 1, 2 or 3 days.
One day excursion starts at 10 am in Uyuni. During the day, tourists have time to visit the Train Cemetery, the village of Kolchani, the salt marsh, the Incahuasi Island (in the dry season) and dine at the salt hotel. In the evening the group returns back to Uyuni.
Three-daytour in Uyuni, the most popular, includes all the most interesting: Uyuni Salt Flats, Incahuasi Cactus Island, Colored Lagoons with Flamingos, the Sol de Magnana Valley of Geysers, Green Lagoon, Dali Desert, Stone Tree, overnight in a salt hotel and bathing in hot thermal springs.
You can end the excursion in the city of Uyuni or in the Chilean city of San Pedro de Atacama.
What is included in the excursion:
- Travel by jeep 4x4 with a professional chauffeur
- Accommodation in hostels or hotels
- Professional English speaking guide
- Meals: all breakfasts, lunches and dinners (except breakfast on the first day and dinner on the last)
Individual route makes it possible to draw up a program taking into account the wishes of tourists and, for example, add an ascent to volcanoes.
When to go. Climate and temperature
Rain season
The rainy season in Uyuni lasts from December to February. This is exactly the time when the salt marsh becomes a giant mirror in which the sky is reflected. This period is considered the "low season", but many tourists tend to get to Uyuni exactly when it is covered with water.
During the rainy season, some areas become inaccessible - the police close access to them for security reasons. For example, you can get to Cactus Island only during the dry season.
Weather in Uyuni
It is very cold in the mountains at night, in some months the temperature drops to -10C. And during the day, the air heats up and the sun heats up very actively. Therefore, you will definitely need warm clothes for the evening and night, and light ones for the daytime.
Warmest months: November to April. At this time during the day: +18 / + 22C. At night: +3 / + 7C.
Coldest months: May to October. Daytime temperature: +12 / + 19C. Night: -7 / + 1C.
Take a good one with you sunscreen and a headdress. And, of course, sunglasses - so much reflected sunlight can be found in few places on Earth.
Acclimatization at altitude
Uyuni is located high in the mountains - during the excursion, tourists rise to a height of 4900 meters. Before traveling to Uyuni, make sure you are acclimatized and not affected by altitude sickness.
Tourist access to Uyuni
Keep in mind - as such, there are no roads here, after rain the surface of the salt marsh becomes slippery and dangerous, so we strongly recommend using the services of professional drivers.
Also on the lake there is dangerous places, on the surface of which water is boiling - not knowing these places, you risk falling through with the car.
Another problem that tourists face during excursions in Uyuni is drunk guides or drivers, as well as jeeps that have not passed the technical check, which can break down at any time and in any place. These are not just annoying little things, but life-threatening situations.
Hotels and more in Uyuni
You can visit Uyuni in one day: fly from La Paz in the morning and fly back in the evening. In this case, hotel accommodation is not required. But if you want to spend more than one day in Uyuni, spending the night in a salt hotel or right on the salt marsh can be an unforgettable adventure!
Salt hotels
Salt block walls and furniture and a thick layer of salt on the floor - this is what salt hotels look like. Accommodation is expensive due to the uniqueness of these hotels and you need to book them well in advance of the planned trip, as the number of places is limited. But be prepared for fairly basic placement conditions. In the area of the salt marsh and national park no high quality hotels.
Glamping /Glamping
Spending the night right in the middle of a salt marsh under a star-studded sky sounds tempting, right? Glamping - tents on high supports, which are set up on the Uyuni salt surface in any season: both when the salt marsh is dry and when it is covered with a layer of water. For tourists there is everything you need: a separate tent with a dry closet, delicious dinners and breakfasts and romantic privacy.
How to get to Uyuni
By plane
The fastest way to get to Uyuni.
Airlines Amazsonas and BoA operate daily flights from La Paz to Uyuni, the flight takes less than an hour.
By bus
The journey from La Paz to Uyuni takes 10 hours.
Several local companies offer night transfers in comfortable buses with reclining seats and meals. Buses arrive in Uyuni at 7-8 am.
By train
Trains run on the Oruro / Uyuni / Oruro route several times a week. Oruro is a 3-hour drive from La Paz. Buses run from Oruro to Uyuni. The schedule should be checked before planning a trip.
Imagine an endless field of salt, larger than Cyprus or Luxembourg. It doesn't fit in my head, but this exists in Bolivia and is called Salar de Uyuni(Salar de Uyuni). This is the largest salt marsh in the world (10.5 thousand sq. Km). The thickness of the salt is from 2 to 8 meters. Height above sea level is 3656 meters. During the rainy season, Uyuni is covered with a small layer of water and turns into the largest mirror in the world.
Today I will tell you about our 3-day jeep tour of the Salar de Uyuni and the Bolivian Altiplano, as well as all practical information:
- how to get to Uyuni,
- how to book a tour and what to expect from it, types of tours and how much it costs,
- what things to take with you (since not all of this is obvious, and travel agencies are silent about it),
- then and how you can watch for free.
Types of travel in Uyuni and the Bolivian Altiplano
Tours in Uyuni and Altiplano usually last from 1 to 5 days. Tours are standard, even if they tell you that they have a unique tour in their agency;)
One day tour of Uyuni
On this tour, usually only the Salar de Uyuni itself is visited and what is on it: the steam locomotive cemetery, the salt hotel, various places on the salt marsh, the Incahuasi island. The cost varies depending on the season, on average 250-300 boliviano ($ 36-43). In the rainy season, the island of Incahuasi is not reached.
Two-day tour of Uyuni and Tunupa volcano
On the first day they drive along the salt marsh, spend the night in a salt hotel, on the second day climb the Tunupa volcano from 4200 to 4500 meters, and return to the city. Prices 450-500 boliviano ($ 65-72).
3-day tour of Uyuni and Bolivian Altiplano
We took this particular tour. I would have liked to go on a four day with a stop in Atacama, but we did not have a Chilean visa. Prices for this tour are mostly 650-700 boliviano ($ 94-101), but there are also for 1300, and probably higher. We drove for 650.
Day 1.
On the first day, an aunt from the agency ran to our hotel and said that the check-out would be earlier, because it would be difficult for a pedestrian to travel around Bolivia and it would be difficult to drive around the city. We correctly decided to have breakfast, because it was a long time to wait until lunchtime, and still, when we arrived, they were still waiting for someone.
First of all, we were taken to. Previously, there was a railway that carried goods to and from Chile, and when the traffic stopped, steam locomotives were simply abandoned here. Cool place, but only if dozens of other tourists are not climbing with you at the same time;)
By the way, this place can be visited absolutely free of charge and independently, you just need to walk a couple of kilometers from the city (or take a taxi). The most sold-out in the morning, hours until 11-12, some tours come here at sunset, but not enough.
After the train cemetery, we were taken to souvenir market... We did not buy anything there, but we are hinting: this is the last opportunity to purchase warm clothes before going to the cold Altiplano.
A little more winding along the dusty roads, and we finally arrived at saline!
Stopped near salt hotel... Nothing special, the first night is the same.
And then the dragon will attack us kaaak! I ran in horror!
And Serge kaaaak hit him with his leg !!
Then the dragon switched to the llama, jumped on her back with a desire to gnaw through the ridge, but then another dragon ran up, and let's bite him!
I chased away the green one, and bit off his tail!
We arrived for lunch at cactus island incahuasi aka Isla Incahuasi or Fish Island. We did not find any resemblance to fish, but we could wander around the island and hug with cacti :) In the dry season, this is not an island, but just a large rock.
From a distance it seems that he is hovering over the salt marsh.
The climb to the "top" cost 30 boliviano, but this "top" is low, and there is nothing to watch from it, so we didn't pay, but just walked around. You can enter the Incahuasi for free along the paths away from the entrance.
We were in the dry season, so we didn't see the famous "Uyuni mirror" in all its glory, but we caught a piece of the mirror near Incahuasi:
After lunch, there was nothing interesting, we were just taken to hotel made of salt: there are walls made of salt, and salt crumbs on the floor. The rooms had 2-3 single beds, a shared toilet and a paid shower. Dinner was good, but small, I would have eaten more. Sockets were only in the dining room.
Day 2.
In the morning we were brought to shop in the village, everyone immediately rushed to buy essential items at inflated prices, which they forgot to buy in the village of Uyuni: toilet paper, toothpaste, drinking water and alcohol. After that, there was a solid Altiplano. By the way, I do not recommend drinking alcohol at altitudes, it only increases altitude sickness.
First drove by railway and other salt marshes... The sensations were indescribable: desert, wind, and rails going nowhere ... until other groups arrived
Stayed near the freaky rocks.
Dined near lakes with flamingos- Canyapa (Laguna Cañapa)
In addition to flamingos, there are also funny whiskey hares,
... vicuna,
... foxes,
And of course tourists
There were several lakes.
And then we drove along wilderness.
The ride was long and tedious, I even dozed off on the road. And so we came to Stone Tree(Arbol de Piedra). Its height is 5 meters. The wind was such, and it carried the dust into my eyes so much that after taking the photograph I walked back to the car.
And it was especially interesting to watch how smokers are trying to light cigarettes in such a wind))) We were lucky that there was not a single smoker in our car, no one stank on the others after each stop.
We drove and drove and came to (Eduardo Avaroa). There, they took us 150 boliviano ($ 21.5, payment exclusively in boliviano) and gave us tickets, which they said to keep until we left the park (but they didn’t check anything in the park or on the road).
After the control booth, they drove us 200 meters and settled in " hostel". The" hostel "consists of a dozen barracks, each has 2-3 six-bed rooms with bathrooms and a common corridor with tables. There was no electricity in the toilet, and only a cold shower. with an overnight stay on the second day near the thermal springs, but it is twice as expensive.There are options with a private bathroom, but we were told that there are surcharges of $ 100 per night.
While we were waiting for dinner, we walked to Colored Lake Laguna Colorada(Laguna Colorada). The wind was such that they almost ran to the lake.
In the photo on the Internet, this lake is very red, but ours was gray-pink (the photo is called "find a flamingo"):
They put on everything that was: on each underwear, thermal underwear top and bottom, pants, windproof pants, ordinary socks, woolen socks, fleeces, down jackets, membrane jackets, two or three buffs, gloves. It was not hot, let's just say :) The sunglasses are more from the wind :)
They walked back against a strong wind and felt like the conquerors of the Far North.
The Brazilian couple from Rio did not even want to stick their nose out of the hostel in such weather, it seemed to them that they were in some kind of special hell for Brazilians (where they freeze instead of frying), and the Germans and I had a great walk :)
Day 3.
One more day, and let's move on to organizational issues about Uyuni.
In the morning we got up before dawn (it seems, at 5 o'clock), had breakfast and went to the geysers of Sol de la Mañana.
A little snow fell at night, mostly it was blown away by the wind, but one smart guy managed to skid on an all-wheel drive (!) SUV (!) In a fifteen-centimeter snowball in a rut. AAAA, I rode like this on a Fabia on snowy Kiev days, and the snow was a couple of meters long. Nevertheless, a council gathered, they almost took it in tow, but then they figured out that they just needed to push. Our driver said that the stuck driver is new, he has been carrying tourists for only 5 years. O_o
Geysers, to put it mildly, were not impressed. I am already silent about Iceland.
A bit more Altiplano
And here it is - the most long-awaited point of the route - the hot springs! Taking off all these layers of clothing in an unheated locker room was a feat, but then what a kaaaayf! :) The water temperature is 38 degrees Celsius, the water is warmer in the small pool. Even if you don't want to swim, then just sitting on the side and warming your legs is already a great pleasure.
And again desert... Somewhere here we met a Cyclist with a Capital Letter. This Hero pedaled up in a strong wind, at an altitude of almost 5000 meters, blown by dust from trucks and jeeps rushing past. They did not have time to photograph him.
it Green Lake(Laguna Verde)
And again desert
Salvador Dali's garden(they were not allowed to come closer)
This was the very edge of Bolivia, and from there we headed for the exit to civilization. Halfway to the village of Uyuni was Garden of Stones... It was already so warm here that we took off our down jackets and woolen socks, and we could even walk without a hat and gloves! And even our Brazilians came to life :)
Finally, we were brought to some village where we waited for half an hour for something incomprehensible, and there was nothing to watch, except for one ugly closed church.
From there we quickly rushed to the city. The driver dropped us off at the agency and vanished. Before the tour, we succumbed to persuasion, and left a large backpack with unnecessary things on the tour at the agency, and it was very stupid, because it was closed for our return! We called the aunt who sold us the tour, she didn't answer. We found out in neighboring shops - no one knows anything. They called her too. Well, she knew that we would come from the tour and she had our backpack !!! This is Bolivia, babeaaa! I even went to the police, but they kicked me off.
The situation was aggravated by the fact that for the evening we already had bus tickets to, we were hungry after a meager lunch, the wind was blowing dust on the street, and the backpack was in captivity! We noticed that one of the windows in the glass door was simply sealed with paper, tore it off and looked inside. The backpack was there and really wanted to join us. In total, we have already waited 40-50 minutes, the mood changed from bewildered-irritated to aggressive.
Then we decided to take extreme measures - opened the door of the agency and took him out of there! We even wanted to put the door back on its hinges, but they were crooked, as if they had been broken more than once, so we just put the door vertically. When we crossed the street towards the nearest cafe, we saw how our aunt drove up to the agency, opened the door with a key, and she fell inside. AHAHAHAHA! We passed by in the evening on the bus, saw the light inside and thought that it was right for her, let her now sit guarding her door.
It was scary to leave Bolivia, all of a sudden the border guard would say to us: "Agaaaa, whoo is that door in such and such an agency broke down? Come to jail." We didn’t think that we would have to deal with such vile deeds at all !! :(
Uyuni four day tour
Includes a standard 3-day tour plus climbing Tunupa volcano. Our friends paid 1000 boliviano ($ 145) for such a tour.
Alternative: 3-day tour of Uyuni plus one day in the Atacama Desert in Chile. We would very much like to get on such a tour, but at that time we had not yet canceled Chilean visas for Ukrainians, and we did not want to pay $ 80 for a single entry or $ 200 for a multiple-entry visa.
Uyuni salt flat at night
There are separate night tours to the Salar de Uyuni for stargazing.
There are two options:
1) departure in the afternoon, sunset and then the stars, 2) departure in the middle of the night, stars, sunrise and inspection of the salt marsh in the morning.
Since there is little housing and, accordingly, there is little light, the stars can be seen beautifully. And in the rainy season, when Uyuni turns into a mirror lake, the stars are reflected in it, and then the views are simply unreal. Uyuni is one of the top locations for observing the starry sky. Unfortunately, we did not go on such a tour, because we were in the dry season, but the photos on the Internet are simply amazing.
It is best to go on a new moon so that the light of the moon does not interfere.
Travel expenses to Uyuni
I wrote the prices for the tours above. Please note that agencies usually require cash payment in boliviano. Then you will still need to pay 150 boliviano ($ 22) for the "national park" (required) and 30 ($ 4.5) for Fish Lake (Incahuasi) for observation deck(optional).
If you want to ride with an English-speaking guide, you will have to pay extra. Russian speaking guides no.
There are also very few places for toilets along the route, and where there is, they cost as much as 5 boliviano ($ 0.7)!
In the village of Uyuni there are several ATM machines different banks, but not all accept foreign cards, and do not give more than 2000 boliviano at a time. You need to be like experimenting.
Currency exchange more profitable in La Paz than in Uyuni.
How to get to Uyuni
There are three ways to get from La Paz to Uyuni:
1. Airplane... Prices for air tickets from La Paz to Uyuni start from $ 80 one way, the flight takes 45-60 minutes.
Schedule and prices for flights:
Calendar low prices for air tickets:
Uyuni Airport (Joya Andina Airport, IATA code: UYU) is located just a couple of kilometers from the city center.
2. Direct bus(there are day and night) - up to 10 hours. There are also night buses from Sucre (8 hours), and day buses from Potosi (4 hours).
It is cold on the bus at night because it passes the highlands. Take warm clothes in carry-on luggage... And this is not Peru, there are buses without toilets, but they make stops along the way.
3. Bus La Paz - Oruro, and from there by train to Uyuni... It is better to buy train tickets at the railway ticket office, because in agencies around the city they are 25-50% more expensive. This train does not run every day, but only Tue and Wed, Fri and Sun Oruro-Uyuni; Wed and Sat, Mon and Thu Uyuni-Oruro.
The locals advised us the second option, because the Oruro-Uyuni road is bad, and the train is beautiful along the way. In fact, only a slice of the first hour was beautiful: Lake Uru Uru. The rest is a boring desert. This road was recently repaired, so you can safely go all the way by bus.
There is nothing to see in Oruro.
The only interesting thing about the train was that the seats in this train can be turned 180 degrees :) The train shook violently, you couldn't work on your computer, and you got tired of reading in 7 hours of travel.
Oversized things had to be checked in luggage, and at the station to wait until they were unloaded and handed over, it took a long time, and we went out into the city at ten in the evening. I do not recommend this option!
Hotels in Uyuni
In Uyuni, housing is either expensive or poor, because this is a very tourist-spoiled place. If you are going to search on the spot, then it is better to go deep into the village at least a couple of blocks: the further from railway station, the cheaper.
Also look for options on Airbnb.
If you haven't signed up for Airbnb yet:
Where to eat in Uyuni town
On main street many restaurants with prices like in Europe. But there are few cheap cafes with prices for the locals, and mostly grilled chicken with fries :(
One evening we found the same cafe where soup was served. They brought me a spoon, a knife and a fork to the soup ... because a large piece of ... grilled chicken was floating in it !!! and fried potatoes !!! AAAAA! This is Bolivia, baby !!!
How to book a tour in Uyuni and what to expect
It makes no sense to book in advance and from another city, because it will be more expensive, and there are always places for tours. It is better to sort it out on the spot, look at the agency and choose what you like.
There are dozens of travel agencies in Uyuni, and they work mainly in the morning, when the buses arrive, and until lunchtime (11-12), then they open at 3-4 in the afternoon and are open until the car is full for tomorrow. After the train arrives, some are also open if they need to fill up the car for tomorrow.
Most of the tourist offices in Uyuni are located near the railway station.
If you still want to book online, see options and reviews on GetYourGuide.
Usually they carry up to 6 people in a jeep, you need to agree on taking the front seats in advance, but remember that Bolivians like to promise everything you want to hear, and then pretend that nothing like that happened. It is normal practice to switch places periodically.
Food everyone promises hot, but usually bread and butter for breakfast, cold food in a thermos for lunch (and on the third day rice with disgusting canned fish), and only hot for dinner.
The first night usually takes place in the salt hotel in 2-bed rooms with shared toilet and paid hot shower.
The second - in 6-seater dorma, toilet "in the room" one for six, shower only cold. There are options with your own bathroom, but at times more expensive, and few people take such tours.
Departures usually at 10-11 am, so if time is short and sleepiness is not a hindrance, then you can arrive early in the morning by night bus, have time to book a tour, have breakfast, buy food and water.
Guide the default is Spanish. English-speaking for an additional fee, and it may well turn out that he is not driving in your car. IMHO, it is better not to pay for a separate English-speaking guide, but to ask other tourists to translate you into English;) especially since these guides do not tell anything like that, they just tell us where we arrived and how much time there is to take pictures.
There are no Russian-speaking guides in Uyuni.
What to take with you in Uyuni
11 things you might need in Uyuni that travel agencies don't talk about:
1. Water... But it is better not to lean on it during the day, because toilets are rare and expensive (5 bolivianos), and there are practically no suitable bushes and other shelters.
2. Snacks... The food that is given is not enough, especially in conditions of cold and altitude, it is better to take with you cookies-chocolate-fruits.
3. Toilet paper... She was not in the hotels.
4. Wet wipes... The shower may well not work or be one for 20 people.
5. Personal first aid kit... It takes a couple of hours to half a day to get to the nearest pharmacy or hospital.
6. Warm, windproof clothing, warm boots and woolen socks, hat / buff, gloves. And more, more, more! Seriously, a strong cold wind can blow on the Altiplano, and in the second hostel at night the temperature can drop to zero and lower.
7. Swimsuit, towel, flip flops for bathing in hot springs.
8. Lantern(the electricity can "break", and on the second night in the dorm there is no light in the toilet). Can be replaced by a mobile phone.
9. Sleeping bag with a comfort temperature from zero and below (VERY COLD at night!). You can rent a simple sleeping bag in the city of Uyuni (from 50 boliviano).
10. Sunglasses and cream- both with a good filter.
11. Powerbank- there are no sockets in the second hostel.
Below in the comments, I copied the review of our VKontakte reader and tips on what to take with you in wet season when the salt marsh turns into a lake.
You may be asked to deposit items you do not need on a trip for storage at the agency, but I do not recommend doing this, so as not to get into a situation when the agency is closed and you cannot pick up your things.
Salar de Uyuni on your own without a tour
You can visit the Uyuni salt marsh itself (not the Altiplano) without a tour.
An option for the rich is to rent a car. Even an ordinary car will do, but there is no rental in Uyuni, and the closest one that I found on the Internet is in La Paz. Drive from there all day (or all night) through the boring desert, then back, pay for rent and gasoline, that is, there is no savings. Plus, Bolivian-style business is a guaranteed problem. I do not recommend it.
Options for poor people who cannot or do not want to pay for the tour:
1. In the dry season, they ply right along the salt marsh buses who carry local residents to Incahuasi and neighboring villages. Travel is cheap, but naturally, no one will stop you for beautiful photo... You can go, for example, to Incahuasi, take a walk there and take pictures, and return by bus to Uyuni. But these buses do not run every day, so before deciding on this, check the timetable! And stock up on food and water in advance.
2. You can go to Salar de Uyuni and bike, it is flat there and not far from the bike, but keep in mind that we have not seen a single bike rental in the village, we need our own.
3. About hitchhiker I strongly doubt that the main traffic there is tours, there are almost no other cars. For those who like to stop at gas stations, I show you how the gas station went along the route:
It is easier with the steam locomotive cemetery, you can walk there from the city.
In Uyuni with children
We drove in parallel with 20-30 other groups, and never saw anyone with children. And you yourself would not go with a small child, because it is also difficult for an adult to endure many hours of sitting in a car, cold, wind and mountain sickness, and even more so for a child. You decide;)
When to go to Uyuni and the weather
Uyuni is a high-mountain salt desert with no rainfall from April to September and very little rain in October and November. From June to November at least, the salt marsh becomes very hard and easy to drive on. At this time, they take them on tours around the entire salt marsh, to the island of Incahuasi, to the volcanoes and the Altiplano.
The dry season is also a time for photos that include perspective games like we did with dragons.
At this time, it is cloudy and cold, you should definitely take warm clothes and sunscreen with you, especially in June, July and August.
The annual rainfall in this desert is only 10 cm per year, and most of it falls in December-April. Since the salt hardens strongly during the dry season, the water simply has nowhere to go, so by February-March the Uyuni salt marsh turns into a lake.
At this time, it is impossible to reach some parts of the salt marsh, including the island of Incahuasi.
But at this time Uyuni becomes the largest mirror in the world, and sunsets and sunrises become fantastic. At the same time, they are taken on night tours for stargazing.
Bolivia visa
For most countries, the scheme is simple: either pay $ 50-160 for a visa on arrival, or get it for free at the Bolivian embassy in any country.
Insurance
There are few normal hospitals in Bolivia, and they are expensive, so you need a sensible insurance with a large coverage, according to which you can be taken to Peru or Chile and treated there.
We use it - it includes many types active rest and limits from 3.5 million euros.
Use the widget to find out the price - the calculation will open in a new window.
Salar de Uyuni on the world map
Salar de Uyuni is located in the southwestern part of Bolivia.
Uyuni from space
This is how Uyuni looks from space.
Photo taken by the Sentinel satellite in 2017.
Is it worth going to Uyuni
I think that it is worth going to Uyuni, because the salt marsh is very steep, this is original unusual place... The steam locomotive cemetery is also wonderful.
As for the Altiplano, it depends on whether you have been to other similar places. For example, after hiking in Peru (etc.) it was not very interesting for us, but others who had not seen such landscapes before liked it very much.
I would love to go to Uyuni again during the rainy season, when it turns into a huge mirror.
Tell
Have you been to the Uyuni Salt Flats and the Bolivian Altiplano? Or are you going there?
What season?
What did you like or dislike the most?
Can you advise something that I did not include in the post? Good hotel or a restaurant, a reliable travel agency?
Salar de Uyuni - (Spanish version of the name Salar de Uyuni, Salar de Uyuni) is the world's largest salt marsh with an area of 10 582 km².
Uyuni is located in the southwest of Bolivia at an altitude of 3,656 meters above sea level.
It is covered with a salt crust of 2-8 meters.
The salt marsh contains a reserve of 10 billion tons of salt. And also up to 50% of the world's reserves of lithium chloride, from which lithium is obtained.
The salt marsh is subject to flooding during the rainy season, as it is inundated by the nearby Poopo and Titicaca. Water covering a layer of salt transforms it into a mirror. Tourists here have the impression that the sky is overhead and underfoot.
In the dry season, polygonal grooves are formed on the surface of the salt marsh, like a honeycomb.
Salt flat Uyuni on the map
Attractions in the vicinity of Uyuni
Steam locomotive cemetery (Spanish "Cementeriode Trenes")
Located 3 km from the town of Uyuni.
Once this town was major center Bolivia with a developed rail network. A sharp drop in the extraction of minerals in the surrounding mines in the 40s. the last century led to the complete collapse of the railway communication in this region. Huge locomotives, electric locomotives, carriages and trolleys were abandoned to the mercy of fate.
Laguna Edionda (Spanish: La Grande Laguna Hedionda)
Edionda - salt Lake favored by migratory pink and white flamingos. In the vicinity of the lake, you can see herds of llamas and alpacas.
Quiver (Spanish Colchani)
The small village is located on the eastern edge of the salt marsh, 22 km from Uyuni.
The peculiarity of the village is the houses built from salt blocks.
Island of Pescado (Spanish: IsladelPescado)
An island with an area of about 2 km², located in the very center of a huge salt marsh, is the summit of an ancient volcano. It rises 100-120 m above the salt desert. The island is covered with fossilized coral deposits and giant cacti, some of which are over 1000 years old. The island is home to the ruins of the ancient Inca settlements.
Salt hotels
Salt is used to make walls, floors, ceilings, as well as most of the furniture and interior decoration of the hotel - sculptures, beds, tables, chairs and even clocks.
Laguna Colorada (Spanish Laguna Colorada)
Small salty lake of reddish color. Located on the territory of the National Reserve of the Andean fauna (Spanish: Reserva Nacionalde Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa). Microscopic algae algae give the pond an unusual red hue. Lake Colorada is notable for large colonies of flamingos.
Geyser pool Sol de Magnan (Spanish Solarde Manaña)
The geyser is located 50 km from Lake Colorada. Not far from the geyser pool is the Termas-de-Polques thermal reservoir, the temperature of which is pleasant for swimming.
Laguna Verde (Spanish Laguna Verde)
Verde is a salt lake at the foot of the Licancabur volcano (Spanish Licancabur; 5920 m), located on the border with Chile. The green color of the lake is given by sedimentary deposits containing copper. Verde is famous for its hot springs and picturesque landscapes.
How to get to Salar de Uyuni
Tourists usually get to the salt marsh from the capital of Bolivia, the city of La Paz.
Where the first thing is to get there.
There are no direct flights from the cities of Russia and the CIS to Bolivia; you will have to fly with two transfers, often by different airlines.
Monthly tickets on the Moscow - La Paz route:
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In hotels located on the edge of the Uyuni salt marsh, walls, ceilings, floors, furniture and even clocks are completely made of salt. At the same time, modern conveniences are provided in all rooms, including a sauna, a bath, a bath, a jacuzzi. One night in such an establishment will cost a tourist twenty dollars, and he will be required to comply with the main rule of the hotel, which appeared after the owners began to notice that the furniture began to decrease in size: "Don't lick!" Saline Uyuni is notable for being the largest dry salt lake in the world: its area exceeds 10.5 thousand km2, and it is located at an altitude of 3.5 thousand meters above sea level. m. The Uyuni salt flat is located in Bolivia, in the south of the high-mountainous desert plain of Antiplano, not far from the town of Uyuni.
Local residents are convinced that the salt lake is the bitter tears of the abandoned Tunula, whom her husband, Cuzco, left with the baby in his arms and went to another, Cousin. After his departure, the woman sobbed bitterly for long days and nights - and her tears, mixed with breast milk, formed a huge salty lake, the Uyuni salt marsh (it is interesting that the Bolivians call this area just that - Tunula). The gods, seeing this, enchanted three people - and now they rise on the outskirts of the salt marsh with high mountains. Geologists explain the appearance of this phenomenon differently. They claim that 40 thousand years ago there was Lake Minchin, which eventually dried up: the absence of tributaries and the hot sun did their job. In its place, several ordinary lakes and two salt marshes were formed, separated from each other by mountains. The emergence of the Uyuni salt marsh was influenced by the formed reservoir, which does not have any tributaries. The water in it evaporated much faster than the precipitation fell, as a result, the amount of salt at its bottom constantly increased. After the water had completely evaporated, a solid layer of salt formed in the place of the lake, turning this area into a salt marsh. DescriptionThe salt layer that covers the Uyuni salt marsh is uneven and its thickness ranges from several centimeters at the edge of the salt lake to ten meters in its center. During the rainy season, a layer of water 30 cm thick collects on the surface of the salt marsh, which creates a mirror effect: the sky, sun, clouds and other objects are so accurately displayed underfoot that it seems as if all people around are literally hovering in the clouds.
But during the dry period, furrows appear on the surface of a dried-up reservoir, which, connecting with each other, form "honeycombs" - mostly hexagonal figures, but often you can see them with five, seven and even eight sides. In the very center of the Uyuni salt marsh, there are the destroyed remains of the craters of long-asleep volcanoes, which were completely under water at the time of Lake Minchin. Their tops are covered with fossils and algae, and only bushes and cacti grow on them - the only vegetation that has adapted to life in this area. Flora and faunaSince the Uyuni salt marsh is completely covered with a layer of salt, it is not surprising that vegetation and fauna are practically absent here. Of the wild animals, the fox, viskashi (rodents resembling a rabbit), and alpacas live here. From plants, you can only see huge cacti, the height of which reaches twelve meters, or several types of shrubs.
The birds live here due to the fact that algae and crustaceans that they feed on are not found in freshwater waters, and therefore, being the only food for these birds, they force them to live in not very favorable places: the water here is so alkaline that if it were not for extremely thick skin, it could easily eat away living flesh. MineralsIt is interesting that under a thick layer of salt (and there are more than 10 billion tons of it here) there is brine - water containing, in addition to salt, magnesium, gypsum, as well as the lightest metal - lithium. Geologists claim that the Uyuni salt marsh contains about 100 million tons of this metal, which is more than half of the world's reserves. Lithium is considered a very promising metal: it is used in the manufacture of laptops, cell phones, batteries and other equipment, and presumably, it will soon find application in the mass production of batteries for electric vehicles.
Despite the new prospects, Bolivians have a negative attitude towards lithium mining in the salt marsh, and therefore foreign companies that tried to build factories here faced resistance and rejection from the authorities (which is not surprising, since the Bolivian government itself plans to tackle this issue). ClimateThe warmest weather here in summer is in December and January, when the mercury column shows daytime temperatures within + 22 ° C, but the nights are cold here throughout the year. There is a rainy season from November to March. Tourists need to take this point into account, since the tour may well be canceled or postponed due to the large amount of precipitation: salt water can damage the car. This period is the perfect opportunity to observe the flamingos that just fly here to nest. It is not very cold here in winter: temperature indicators fluctuate around + 14 ° C, but frosts are frequent at night, and a mercury thermometer can drop to -11 ° C. There is little rainfall at this time, and therefore the Uyuni salt marsh is an absolutely dense plain. Therefore, it is during this period that the peak falls tourist season- from June to August.
How to get to a wonderful placeMost tourists come to Uyuni from the capital of Bolivia, La Paz. There are several ways to get here from La Paz:
Brief conclusion: ▫ Book online is not necessary(more expensive and useless) ▫ All tours start from Uyuni to 10.00-10.30
▫ We bought in Andes Salt Expeditions, but everything depends on the guide-driver, not on the agency. Tour for three days 105$ + surcharge for the national park 22$ ▫ You don't need to spend the night in Uyuni, tours end at 17.00 ... Next by night bus to where the free wind calls ▫ « Mirror»Should be during the rainy season from January to early April. In fact, in 2018, the water on the salt marsh was in May and even in July. Bolivian Altiplano, Colorada Lagoon
How to get to Uyuni▪ Airplane from La Paz, 45 minutes, 80-95$ one way ▪ Bus From Potosi - 4 hours, from 20 BOB / 3$
The direct bus La Paz - Uyuni is available only at night. 15$ for semi-kama and 22$ for cama (expands 160 degrees). In the afternoon with a change in Oruro. We took tickets at the station on the day of departure, there are a lot of buses, not everything on the Internet. We drove like this: La Paz-Oruro, 9.30, 30 BOB ( 5$
) We drove during the day, because at night I wanted to sleep in bed. During the day, buses are cheap, old and uncomfortable. From La Paz to Oruro, the boy was selling impotence powder. Shouted 3 hours into the microphone for the whole salon. I wanted to kill him, but people liked the speech - they bought everything.
Uyuni on the mapHotels in UyuniBooked Castillo de Liliana for one night, rating 7.3, 25 $... On the plus side, hot water, heater, breakfast, check-out at 10.30. Of the minuses - did not change the bedding, in general fuuu. After returning from the tour, we spent the night at Hotel Jumari, rating 8.6 paid 50$ for a double with a shower. There was a heater, hot water and clean bed, better than the first option. Sal Casa Andina stands out from a number of monotonous hostels (rating 9.2 ), but it costs 90$. Prices for tours in Uyuni Price per one on Spanish... On english more expensive by 30-50%. I indicate the average prices. Transport, accommodation, food, guide services are included (the driver will say a few words about each place). $ 1 ≈ 7 Bolivians (BOB) 1. Tour on 1 day(steam locomotive cemetery, Dakar statue, Uyuni salt marsh, cactus island, museum). 150 BOB + 30 BOB for the island of cacti. Total $ 26 2. Tour on 2 days(everything above + two lagoons and / or climbing the Tunupa volcano, 4500 m), 500-550 BOB + 30 BOB for the cacti. Total 84 $ 3. Tour on 3 days(everything in the first + volcanoes + colorful lagoons with flamingos, geysers, swimming in thermal springs) The lower threshold for reviews is 600 BOB / 90$ (did not find such a price), average tour 720-850 BOB + 30 BOB cactus island (optional) + 150 BOB entrance to the national park Laguna Colorada (required) + 6 BOB hot springs (optional). Total 130 $ Transfer to Chile is possible for an extra charge 10$ or return to Uyuni. 4. Tour on 4 days, ≈180 $, return to the city of Tupitsa, from there you can go to Argentina How to choose a tour operator? Uyuni Salt Flats There are more than 50 operators in Uyuni. Those in the top ten according to tripadvisor reviews sit opposite the railway station. They carry in their cars or hire freelance drivers. We went to eight agencies. I wanted to find a jeep with fewer people. The price and program are the same for everyone. In jeeps, 6 passengers + driver. Departure to 10.00-10.30 Took a tour in Andes Salt Expeditions per 105$ per person. They are # 3 on tripadvisor and ready to negotiate. Bought an hour before departure, no need to book in advance. Overall approx. He was driving a smart guy (he warmed up the car, treated lollipops, joked). It is believed that the best time in Uyuni is February-early April when there is water and mirror effect. We were in mid may... The driver knew where to look for the "mirror" at this time and made a detour on his own initiative. I read hundreds of reviews about tours with different agencies, and they all had shoals. Cars break down, overlays, delays. It will be ideal only if you take individual tour/ rent a car and go according to your program. Private tours for 3 days ≈ $ 700-800. What to take on tour? In such clothes it is warm in the evening and in the morning, in the afternoon you can do without a jacket and a hat. ▪ Toilet paper, soap - can be bought in shelters on the salt marsh, just 3 times more expensive. I rented a towel at the hotel for 5 BOB ($ 0.7) ▪ Small money... Toilets during the tour cost between 2 and 5 BOB ▪ Power bank for phone (there were no sockets during the second night) ▪ Chocolates, icicles, tangerines, water (3 liters was enough for two) ▪ Warm clothes: hat, gloves, jacket, sneakers, thermal socks. Sunglasses, cap, 50 sfs cream (not needed), sleeping bag (optional). Flip flops in the shower walk, swimsuit and hot spring towel. Backpacks with MacBooks and summer clothes were left at the agency. With you only small backpacks with everything you need. You can take a large backpack, it will ride on the roof of the jeep. Internet and moneyThere is no connection during the tour. The sockets were only on the first night (about 30 in the common room) There are ATMs in Uyun. Change currency at the bank, but it is better in La Paz (the rate is more profitable). We paid for the tour in dollars, for the hotel and cafe in Bolivians.  It's hard to breathe because of the altitude and strong wind Altitude and altitude sicknessThe heights are as follows: Below 4000 meters everything is ok. It's hard to spend the night at 4400. My head ached, I even missed dinner. The French from our group drank three bottles of beer every evening and ran cheerfully around the Altiplano. The driver chewed coca and looked great. Everything is individual. Day tour program1200 km in three days on roads without asphalt Day 1▪ Steam locomotive cemetery, 20 minutes. Trains used to carry useful metals and minerals to Chile. Then everything was covered, the locomotives were abandoned.
▪ Village with souvenirs, 1 hour ▪ Saline Uyuni. Statue "Dakar", an island with flags (no Belarusian)
▪ Dinner in a hotel made of salt. The drivers took food with them. We had llama meat(haven't tried it), rice, salad, banana, omelet. ▪ Salt marsh again, games with perspective
▪ Cactus island incahuasi, entrance 30 BOB... You can climb for free somewhere on the side. They did not go to the island, hid in its shadow and enjoyed the absolute silence.
▪ "Mirror"- drove to where the water remained in May. The Italians took some mirror pictures of themselves. It turned out beautifully. At the same time, the boots were bleached with salt.
▪ We drove past quinoa fields, watched how the grains were separated from the spikelets (they were driven by a jeep). ▪ At 18.00 arrived at the hotel from salt. A room with two beds, shower and toilet for all. We slept in our clothes. Chargeable shower 10 BOB... I went quickly, because an hour later another 7 cars (40 people) arrived at the hotel. For dinner, chicken, fries, fried eggs. Day 2▪ Breakfast at the hotel (tea, rolls, jam). Departure at 7.30 ▪ Railway and the volcanoes of Chile in the distance ▪ Lookout overlooking the volcano
▪ Canapa lagoon, flamingo
▪ Hedionda Lagoon, more flamingos. Here is lunch and 2 hours of time
▪ Another lagoon where no one wants to live
▪ Arbol de Piedra- many, many stones and "Stone tree". There met four viscachi (mountain viscashi). This is such a huge rabbit with a squirrel tail and chinchilla behavior. Eats from hands and allows stroking on the head.
▪ Laguna colorada- a red lagoon and thousands of flamingos somewhere far below. We flew to Bolivia for the winter from Chile and Argentina. How does the wind not blow them away? Here they paid for the entrance to the national park by 150 BOB (22$ ) |
Cacti 12 m tall
