Salt Flats Bolivia: 2020 Best Guide by Boliviatravelsite

Bolivian Salt Flats of Uyuni - Facts at a glance

• The city of Uyuni is around 10 hours South of La Paz city by land.
• You can get to the salt flat by overnight bus or flying - see some options.
• Salt Flat tours - Single day, two day and 3 day options - tips and advice here.
• When it rains, water covers its surface and it becomes the "world's largest mirror".
• Star Wars: The Last Jedi had a prominent scene filmed here.
• One day, your car may run on a battery made with the lithium mined here.

Best Complete Guide to the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia

Jump to:

• How to get to the Uyuni Salt Flats
• Salt Flats Tours Tips and advice
• The Typical Salt Flats Tour Itinerary
• How to take amazing photos for your Instagram account at the Salt Flats Bolivia
• Salar de Uyuni – Frequent Questions answered
• Checklist
• Bolivia Salt Flats Guide – Summary

How To Get To the Uyuni Salt Flat

The salt flat is accessible by land from La Paz via Oruro or from Sucre via Potosí. You can get to La Paz with an international flight. Another popular route is via San Pedro de Atacama in Chile.

From La Paz, the trip takes 10 hours in a bed (cama) or semi-bed bus overnight, allowing you to arrive early in the morning, have breakfast, do a bit of shopping and start your tour the same day. Todo Turismo is the most recommended bus company.

From San Pedro de Atacama in Chile, you can get a shared or private transport to the border crossing and start your tour from there. It is really not worth it going to Uyuni by bus from San Pedro.

Take note though that while Uyuni is very close to the salt flat, you will need to pass through the village of Colchani to be able to enter the salar. Also, most salt hotels are located in Colchani, about 40 minutes away by car from Uyuni, and not in the town itself.

Buses from La Paz to Uyuni

If you are not flying, then Todo Turismo is probably the best way to get from La Paz to Uyuni or from Uyuni back to La Paz. The company has recently acquired new bed buses, but they still operate the older semi-bed (160 degree reclinable seats) buses sometimes.  Once in Uyuni, you can start your bolivian salt flats tour.

Going to Uyuni from Sucre and Potosí

The road to Uyuni from Potosí is now completely paved and travel time has been significantly reduced. Hence, you can even take a taxi or hire a minivan to reach the town of Uyuni. Sucre has an airport and is a beautiful city to visit with a lot of history and architecture.

Trains to and from Uyuni

A train from Oruro to Uyuni is a slower and therefore less convenient option for travelling to the salt desert. There is no train connection between La Paz and Oruro, therefore you would still need to take a bus to get there. You can also opt to continue your trip from Uyuni to Villazón by train.

Salt Flats Tour and Tips

First of all, the Salar de Uyuni is a top attraction you cannot miss during a trip to South America. Local tourist infrastructure is less advanced than in neighbouring countries and due to the high demand we strongly recommend that you book your tour, accomodation and transport well in advance.

The most popular types of tours of the Bolivian Salt Flats are:

• 1 Day Tour -  a full day tour of the salt flats, starting an ending in Uyuni town. It can include a visit to the feet of the Tunupa volcano. A good quality tour will also include sunset, stargazing and sunrise inside the salar (you will need to stay the night in Uyuni for these). Shared and private tours are both available.
• 2 Day, 1 Night Tour - you will get to visit the salt flat, some minor lagoons called "Andean Jewels", or climb the Thunupa volcano for spectacular views. Sunset, stargazing and sunrise inside the salt flat is included.
• 3 Day, 2 Night Tour - Start and finish in Uyuni, or finish in San Pedro de Atacama. If coming from San Pedro de Atacama, this 3 day tour will finish in Uyuni. You can share a vehicle (between 6 passengers and the driver), or for a bit more get your own private jeep with driver and a custom itinerary.
• In addition, a 4 or 5 Days Tour is also availabale and generally starts in Tupiza or Villazon and ends in Uyuni town or San Pedro de Atacama. A 4 day tour can also start in Uyuni or San Pedro de Atacama and end in Villazon or Tupiza. The extra day is due to the large distances travelled. It is somewhat more difficult to find shared tours for this option.

English speaking guides are not standard but can be requested for a fee. All tours in and around Uyuni are conducted in 4x4 vehicles as a result of the remoteness of the area and the rough terrain.

1 Day Tour

A One-day tour of Salar de Uyuni is only available from Uyuni itself. You can arrive early in the morning in Uyuni town by taking a bus from La Paz the night before and starting the tour at around 10:00.

Alternatively, you can also take a flight the same morning of the tour if you would not like to travel in a bus the whole night.

While it is possble to return to La Paz the same day of the tour, we do not recommend it as this way you would miss the sunset and the stargazing in the Salar de Uyuni. Consequently, it is better to return to La Paz the next day.

During a full day tour of the Salt Flat you will visit both Colchani village and the Train Cemetery. Isla Incahuasi is also included, as well as a visit to the former Salt Hotel Playa Blanca (now closed) and the Dakar monument nearby. Theres is plenty of time to take photos in the salt flat. Most tours also include watching the sunset inside the salar.

Visits to the Thunupa volcano and stargazing tours inside the salt flat at night are usually optional but highly recommended. Wait for sunrise for an even more spectacular experience!

Prices can vary a great deal according to the level of service you require. The most basic, standard shared tours are dirt-cheap, starting around 80 USD, but you shouldn't have high expectations. While premium, customized private tours are more expensive, in contrast you get a lot more value for your money and a truly unique experience. Consider this option if you are traveling with kids or just want more than a backpacker experience.

2 Day Tour

If you would like to see a bit more of the Salar and the surrounding area but don't have three days for a full circuit, then this is probably a great option. 2 days will give you enough time to enjoy the spectacular visuals of the salar's sunset and sunrise, marvel at the sky full of stars and see the great white desert from high up on the peak of a great colorful volcano. Alternatively, you can opt to visit the smaller andean lagoons that are closer to the salt flat and harbor amazing andean fauna. The red and green lagoons are too far away to visit, you need a 3 day tour for that.

3 Day Tour

3 Day Tours of Salar de Uyuni may start from Uyuni, San Pedro de Atacama or Calama in Chile, as well as from La Paz by flying to Uyuni. This is the most popular and complete salt flat tour option and you can end the tour either in Uyuni, La Paz, San Pedro de Atacama or Calama. During a 3 day tour you will visit all of the important tourist attractions in the area. Shared tours will only offer you basic (an understatement) accomodation and may feel a bit crammed, especially in the last row of seats in the jeep. By contrast, private 3 day Salar de Uyuni tours can include the best hotels in the area and you can stop at any time to take pictures or rest.

For the first day the tour itinerary will depend on where you start from. If leaving from Uyuni, it will be about the same as a one-day salt flat tour. If you start the tour from San Pedro, you will see the coloured lagoons first and visit the Bolivian Salt Flat on the third day.

On the second and third days you will see:

Pink flamingos: the three species of South American flamingos - Chilean, James and Andean come to the colored lakes and lagoons to breed each November.

The Green Lagoon, Red Lagoon and the Polques thermal waters are also visited during the tour to the salar and the Eduardo Avaroa National Park.

The Laguna Verde has beautiful green waters and is located near the border with Chile at the feet of the Licancabur volcano at a height of 4300 (14,000 feet) above sea level. The greenish coloration is due to deposits of copper minerals. The Laguna Colorada (Red Lagoon) is a lake with crimson coloured waters, also due to the accumulation of minerals. The large flocks of pink and grey flamingos living at this height and such low temperatures create a unique and spectacular scenery!

The 3 day tour can also end in San Pedro de Atacama and you will not miss any attractions.

The best way to get to Bolivia from Chile is by taking a tour to Uyuni. Traveling by bus is not recommended as you would miss almost all the wonders this barren region has to offer.

Tips for salt flats Bolivia Tours

The best and most popular way to visit the Salar de Uyuni is by taking a 4x4 tour across the salt flats and the deserts and mountains around it.

While most Salt Flats tours are safe and reliable,  the conditions are basic in this area and you should be aware of this. Keep in mind that because the tour is done in inhospitable places it is very difficult for an ambulance to arrive quickly. The nearest health center is located in the city of Uyuni located 35 minutes from the Salar de Uyuni.

The Uyuni terrain is quite hostile and sometimes even the hardy 4x4 vehicles suffer damage. Therefore you will need a little patience in case it is necessary to change the vehicle's wheel. The drivers have experience and skill when performing the maneuver. It is also advisable not to stray too far from the estabilished tour routes, so that other cars can assist in case it becomes necessary. Furthermore, the jeeps often travel in small groups for extra safety.

It is also important to do a medical checkup in your country of origin before taking this tour. The route reaches high altitudes that can affect your blood pressure.

During the rainy season, the Salar de Uyuni has plenty of water for you to walk on, but the salt and water may ruin your footwear, so be aware. Bring both sneakers and flipflops.

Nights are always cold, especially in winter, so be sure to bring warm clothing.

If you will not return with the tour to Uyuni, you will put your main luggage on the top of the vehicle and will need to carry a backpack with what you need.

It is especially important to bring extra cash as there will be no ATMs for a large part of the tour. Though all food and lodging is covered, there are still things you need to pay for, like park entrance fees, "tolls" in local villages, souvenirs, bathrooms etc.

You are likely to take hundreds of pictures because of the amount of sights you'll be seeing in such a short period of time. So bring a backup battery (no electricity in the desert) and memory card.

The Perfect Salt Flats Plan - Itinerary Information

Some especially relevant information:

• If you are traveling from North to South, you will travel from La Paz to Uyuni.
• If traveling from South to North, you will enter Bolivia from San Pedro de Atacama in Chile or from Salta in Argentina.
• A 3 day tour of the bolivian salt flat is the usual option. 1 or 2 day tours are ideal for those with little time while longer tours are also available for those with an explorer's spirit.
• 3 day or longer tours can finish in San Pedro or Calama (if you want to go to Chile after visiting Bolivia).
• When you are really, really short on time and money, you can:
  • Take a night bus from La Paz to Uyuni (10 hrs).
  • Arrive in Uyuni early in the morning and take a one day basic shared tour.
  • The same evening (at around 19:00), take a night bus back to La Paz.
• Todo Turismo is probably your best option for buses to and from Uyuni while Panasur bus is a budget choice.