Visiting Salar de Uyuni Guide – The Best Bolivia Salt Flats Tours

The Bolivia salt flats, Salar de Uyuni, is the biggest salt flat in the world and one of the most unique places on earth to visit.

The salt flats in Bolivia are a major tourist destination in the country, known for their surreal perspective photos and otherworldly reflections of the sky. This is why it is also known as the Bolivia salt lake even though it is technically not a lake anymore.

In our Salar de Uyuni Guide, we’ll give you information about the Bolivian salt flats as well as an overview of Bolivia salt flats tours to explore this incredible place in South America.

The Bolivia Salt Flats

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Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

Intersting Salar de Uyuni Facts

Salar de Uyuni Guide

Is Visiting The Salt Flats In Bolivia Worth It?

Traveling to South America, in particular to the middle of nowhere in Bolivia is not done in an easy peasy quick trip. It involves quite some planning, time and money … and adventure spirit.

So starting out with the most important question: Is visiting the salt flats in Bolivia worth it?

Many years ago I saw a documentary about Salar de Uyuni and ever since then I’ve been wanting to visit the Bolivia salt flats and see the amazing mirror effect where the sky reflects in the “lake”.

After having visited the salt flats of Bolivia we can say it is a place on earth you have to see in your lifetime (if you have the means and time, of course).

The Bolivian salt flats are truly amazing and absolutely worth seeing! So, is visiting Salar de Uyuni worth it? Definitely yes!

Where Are The Salt Flats In Bolivia Located?

The Bolivian salt flats, aka Salar de Uyuni, are located in the southwest of Bolivia near the Andes.

The most common ways to get to Salar de Uyuni are via La Paz in Bolivia or San Pedro de Atacama in Chile. However, it can also be accessed via other parts of Bolivia and Chile as well as Peru and Argentina.

Read on for the different ways and tours.

How To Get To Salar de Uyuni In Bolivia?

Despite being in quite an isolated and rural location, the Bolivian salt flats can be easily accessed via various means of transportation and from the different surrounding cities and countries.

There are a variety of tours to see the salt flats as well, which are generally the easiest way to visit the Salar de Uyuni.

Access Points To Uyuni

Access points to Uyuni are from La Paz and Sucre in Bolivia, San Pedro de Atacama in Chile, and Tupiza in Bolivia when coming from Argentina for instance.

More details on how to get to the salt flats in Bolivia and the tours are below.

How To Get To The Bolivia Salt Flats From Bolivia?

You can get to the Bolivia salt desert, more specifically to the town of Uyuni, by bus, train, and plane from around Bolivia.

Yes, there is even a small airport there!

Bus From La Paz To Uyuni

From La Paz, the bus takes about 10 hours to get to Uyuni overnight. Tickets can be bought at any bus station or online.

Train From La Paz To Uyuni

There is also a train from La Paz to Uyuni with a change of trains in Oruro. The train ride is a bit shorter than the bus and takes about 6-7 hours.

Plane From La Paz To Uyuni

If you want to avoid the windy roads and long train rides or bus trips to get to Uyuni, you can take an hour-long flight from La Paz airport to Uyuni.

This is obviously the most expensive way to get to the Uyuni salt flats, but also the fastest.

Once in the town of Uyuni, you take the tour from there.

Bolivia Salt Flats Tours

In the following, you will find Salar de Uyuni tours split up by departure city/country.

Tour Departure

You will find Bolivia salt flat tours from Uyuni directly, from La Paz in Bolivia, from San Pedro de Atacama in Chile, and from Argentina.

Type Of Tour

Within the different tour departure locations, the tours are split up by type of tour, duration, private or group, and by English or Spanish-speaking guides.

We hope this gives you a good overview of your options for visiting the Uyuni salt flats in Bolivia.

Uyuni Tours To See The Salt Flats

There are a lot of Uyuni salt flats tours to choose from that leave directly from the town of Uyuni.

From there, you can take sunrise tours in the morning or stargazing tours at night.

You can tour the Bolivia salt flats during the day and visit the cactus island Isla Incahuasi or Isla del Pescado in the middle of the Bolivian salt flats.

There are multi-way tours as well that visit not only the Bolivia salt flats but also the Bolivian Altiplano.

For the sporty ones, you can even rent a bike and take a Uyuni salt flats tour by bike. You can even get married in the Bolivian salt desert.

Bolivia Salt Flats Sunrise Tours

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The sunrise tours at Salar de Uyuni leave in the middle of the night so you get to see the stars as well as the majestic sunrise over the Bolivian salt flat.

Choose between group and private tours. In the morning, some Uyuni tours set up breakfast for you in the middle of the salt flats.

Uyuni Sunset & Stargazing Tours

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The remote salt flat in Bolivia is one of the best places in the world for stargazing. On a Uyuni stargazing tour, you will be able to see the stars from the midst of the salt flats while sipping on a glass of wine and enjoying the incredible unobstructed night sky.

During the rainy season, the layer of water on the ground reflects the stars on the salt flats which is an even more incredible spectacle to see.

If you are lucky, you get to see the Milky Way during the stargazing tour.

Full-Day Bolivia Salt Flats Tour (Spanish)

The full-day Salar de Uyuni tours combine a bunch of activities on the salt flats in a full day trip.

Usually, activities include the Train Cemetery, Colchani, the Uyuni salt flats, and the cactus island Isla Incahuasi or fish island.

Food and drinks are served throughout the day to different degrees depending on the tour you choose.

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Full-Day Bolivia Salt Flats Tour In English

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If you don’t speak a word of Spanish it is probably best to book a Uyuni tour with an English-speaking guide.

The tours in English are a little bit more expensive, but the fact that you actually understand what the guides are explaining is well worth it in our opinion.

Private Full-Day Uyuni Tours (Spanish)

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Don’t want to squeeze in a car with a bunch of other people or have your own group?

You can also book your own private Uyuni tour.

Classic Uyuni Tours 3 Days

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There’s not only the Uyuni salt flats to see in the Bolivian Altiplano.

The 3-day Uyuni tours adventure out to the Bolivian Andes to explore various lagoons, geyser fields, and hot springs. Along the way, you will see incredible flora and fauna as well as rock formations and landscapes.

The classic 3-day Salar de Uyuni trips are the most popular tours actually as you get to see and explore a lot.

Those multi-day tours either bring you back to Uyuni or drop you off in San Pedro de Atacama so you can continue your travels in Chile.

Classic Uyuni Tours 3 Days (English)

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The multi-day salt flats tours are also offered in English with bilingual guides.

Private Uyuni Tours 3 Days

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Of course, the 3-day tours are also offered as private tours for the ones who look for more comfort during the off-road trip.

Uyuni Salt Flats Tours 2 Days

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The two-day tours explore attractions around the Salar de Uyuni like the Ollagüe volcano and the Hedionda Lagoons.

Some tours get up early in the morning to see the sunrise over the Bolivia salt flats others sleep in longer and visit other sights during the trip.

Visiting Salar de Uyuni From La Paz, Bolivia

The Bolivia salt flats tours from La Paz include an overnight bus ride from La Paz to Uyuni before the 4×4 off-road Uyuni tour starts.

The La Paz to Salar de Uyuni luxury tours, which are a lot more expensive, include a plane ride to the Uyuni airport.

Bolivia Salt Flats Tours From La Paz

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Visiting Uyuni From Chile

Visiting Bolivia’s Salt Flats from Chile is probably the most popular option. If you are visiting from Chile, the off-road jeep tours leave from San Pedro de Atacama.

The Bolivia/Salar de Uyuni tours from Chile are either 3 or 4 days long.

Read our detailed journey of the Chile to Uyuni tour in our Atacama to Bolivia Salt Flats Guide.

Boliva Salt Flats Tour: Atacama To Uyuni In 4 Days

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Bolivia Salt Flats Tours From San Pedro de Atacama

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Private San Pedro de Atacama Uyuni Tour

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The car rides are very long and rough, so if you want to treat yourself you can book a private Atacama to Uyuni tour and have the car to yourself and more comfort.

Visiting Bolivia’s Salt Flats From Argentina

When you are traveling from Argentina, the best starting point for visiting the Uyuni salt flats is by taking a tour from Tupiza in Bolivia.

You need to get a bus from Salta in Argentina to the Bolivian border town of La Quiaca. From there you need to get another bus to either Tupiza or all the way to Uyuni.

Tupiza is about 100km from the Argentinian border. Similar to the tours from San Pedro de Atacama in Chile, the Bolivian salt flats tours from Tupiza are multiday tours and you will visit the Bolivia salt desert at the end of the tour.

Uyuni Tours From Argentina

Not many tour operators have that route in their program but Ruta Verde offers a Uyuni tour from Argentina.

Uyuni Salt Flats Tours: Things To Note

When deciding on which Uyuni salt flats tour to choose there are several things to consider that may not be very obvious from the start.

Prices

Prices between the Bolivia Salar de Uyuni tours can vary drastically. Here it helps to read the details of the tour descriptions about what exactly is included.

In general, the cheaper a tour is, the more basic the accommodations are. If a tour is very expensive, they most likely stay a night at a salt hotel or stop in one of the Tayka Hotels as opposed to a basic hostel.

The high price can also be due to the fact, that it is a private Uyuni tour.

Most of the time, not all entry fees are included (hot springs, national park, bathrooms, etc).

Also, check if all meals and transfers are included in the price.

An English-speaking guide also increases the price.

English Tour Guide

Speaking of, if you do not speak and understand a single word of Spanish that investment in an English-speaking guide will be well worth it on the salt flats tour in Bolivia.

Accomodations

As mentioned, there are different types of accommodations. Usually, the accommodations are very basic hostels. Most of the time you will sleep in a dorm-style room.

There are tours, however, where you can request a private room for a bit more money.

Some tours also stay in basic hotels, which are more comfortable but also pricier.

Select Salar de Uyuni tours stay in the Tayka „luxury“ hotels.

Sights To See

Not all the tours visit the same sights. For instance, some salt flat tours visit Isla Incahuasi and others visit Isla del Pescado in the salt lake.

On the multi-day Bolivia salt flats tours visiting the Altiplano, the tours spread out and aside from the main lagoons visit different smaller sights and head to different towns to spend the night.

So if you are set on seeing a specific place, make sure that tour you are planning to take goes there.

Private Tour Or Group Tour

Before you go on a Uyuni salt flats tour, especially a multi-day one, ask yourself if you are fine spending the whole day squeezed in a tight space with 6 other people.

If you want more space and can afford it, you should go for a private Bolivian salt flats tour. The private tours are way more comfortable but also a lot more expensive.

Start & End Of The Uyuni Tour

There are a ton of different Bolivia salt flats tours with various end destinations. Make sure you end up in the right place where you want to be!

For instance, there are tours from San Pedro de Atacama to the salt flats that only go to Uyuni and not back anymore. Lots of people choose that tour to continue their travels in Bolivia but others, like us, go back to Chile.

Best Time To Visit The Bolivia Salt Flats

The Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia is incredible year-round. Depending on the time of the year you are visiting Uyuni, however, you will have different experiences.

You will also be able to take different photos of the Bolivia Salar de Uyuni.

Visiting The Bolivia Salt Lake:
December – March

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Bolivia Salt Lake

The best time to visit the Bolivia salt flats is during the wet season. During the rainy season, the precipitation turns the salt flat in Bolivia into a shallow lake, hence why people also call it the Bolivia salt lake.

(It used to be a lake thousands of years ago, but it is not really a lake in that sense anymore.)

Salt Flat Mirror Effect

The small layer of rainwater that collects on the surface of the salt flat creates the famous mirror effect which is why the Bolivian salt flats are so incredible and popular.

Therefore, if you want to experience this otherworldly cloud reflection, you will need to visit Salar de Uyuni between the months of November and March.

Sunrise At The Bolivia Salt Lake

During the rainy season, the chance of rain is really high. If it continues to rain overnight during your Uyuni tour, the sky will most likely not clear up in the early morning hours and you won’t be able to see the sunrise in the morning, unfortunately.

We visited the Bolivia salt flats in January and this happened to us, sadly. It was really disappointing because even better than the salt flats mirror effect during the day are the amazing sunrise reflections in the morning.

Islands Of The Uyuni Salt Lake

During the rainy season, it could be that the two islands of the Bolivian salt lake can’t be accessed due to the height of the water level on the salt pan.

On our tour, we were lucky enough that our car and driver were able to make the drive to Isla Inachuasi. However, another group with another car wasn’t able to do so.

Sometimes, the water level is so high, that no car can make the trip. So, keep that possibility in mind when visiting the Uyuni “salt lake” during the wet season.

Visiting The Salar de Uyuni Salt Flats:
April – October

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From Lake To Salt Desert

The dry season in the Bolivian Altiplano is from the month of April to October. When visiting the Bolivia salt plains during this time you will most likely not get any reflection photos.

The scenery during the dry season is more like an endless all-white salt desert.

There could be a small chance to see the mirror effect on the salt flat, but you will have to look really hard to find a spot of the Bolivia salt plains that still is underwater.

On the bright side, the chances of a cloudless and beautiful sunrise are a lot higher during the dry season months.

How Many Days Do You Need For Visiting The Bolivia Salt Flats?

Since we took a Uyuni tour from San Pedro de Atacama in Chile to see the salt desert in Bolivia, we were bound to a tight schedule and only had one day on the salt flats itself. We wished we would have had more time to explore.

When you visit the salt flats in Bolivia from Uyuni directly you will have more flexibility and can make multiple trips out to the Salar.

For instance, to see the sunrise in the morning and also do a night tour and/ or go for a bike ride during the day. All these activities take time and you won’t be able to do them in one day.

You have to take the weather into account as well, especially during the rainy season. When we visited the Bolivia salt desert we couldn’t see the sunrise, since it was raining the entire night before and the sky in the morning was all overcast with clouds. So no amazing sunrise reflection photos from Salar de Uyuni, which was very disappointing, obviously.

For all these reasons, we would recommend planning at least 2-3 days to visit Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia to have enough time to see everything.

If you don’t have that much time, you should still visit the Uyuni salt flats. Even one day at the largest salt flats in the world is worth it.

Sights To See At The Bolivia Salt Flats & Beyond

Things To See In The Uyuni Salt Flats

Isla Incahuasi Cactus Island Of The Bolivia Salt Desert

Isla Incahuasi is a rocky outcrop of land at the Salar de Uyuni salt flats. Isla Incahuasi used to be an actual island when the salt flats used to be a lake many thousand years ago. What makes the island special is that it is covered by a ton of cacti in the middle of an otherwise dead on all white landscape. Some also call it the cactus island.

Isla Incahuasi is mostly accessible during the summer months when there is no rain and no water on the ground. If you are lucky and the water level allows, you may be able to go even during the rainy season.

Isla del Pescado

Similar to Isla Incahuasi Isla del Pescado is also a hilly outcrop of land in the middle of the Bolivia salt flats.

The island got its name due to its fish-like appearance. Contrary to Isla Incahuasi, there is no infrastructure for tourists on the “island”.

Rally Dakar Monument In Uyuni

Two stops that are directly on the Salar de Uyuni salt flat are the salt museum and the Rally Dakar Monument.

Parts of the Dakar Rally have been going through the salt flats of Bolivia in the past, that’s why there is a monument in Uyuni.

Salt Museum (Former Hotel del Sal)

Train Cemetery

Outside of the town of Uyuni, you will make a stop at the historic train cemetery aka Cementerio de Trenes.

With the collapse of the mining industry in the 1940s the trains have been left to deteriorate in Uyuni rather than properly decommissioning them. Over the decades, people have been taking pieces of metal from the trains slowly taking them apart.

Sights To See Beyond The Salar de Uyuni

The multi-day Bolivia salt flats tours are about more than just the Salar de Uyuni. Aside from exploring the salt flats, the tours drive further into the Bolivian altiplano exploring, lagoons, geysers, hot springs, and more.

Estación de Trenes

At the Estación de Trenes, tours make a pit stop and you can taste a variety of artisanal beers made from coca, quinoa, and cactus.

Laguna Negra

Furthermore, tours make a stop at a little green oasis with a black lagoon called Laguna Negra.

Italia Perdida, Copa del Mundo & El Camello

On The Bolivia salt flats tours you will also see the “rock city” Ciudad Italia Perdida, the rock formations Copa del Mundo and El Camello.

Sol de Mañana Geysers

The highest stop of the Salar de Uyuni tour is at the Sol de Mañana geysers.

Sol de Mañana, the morning sun, is a geyser field located at almost 5,000 meters altitude. The area has high volcanic activity, with steam shooting out of the ground and mud lakes with boiling mud.

Laguna Colorada

Laguna Colorada, the (Red Lagoon), is a salt lake in the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve in the Bolivian Altiplano.

The lake got its name from the red colors that make the lagoon so special. You will find many Andean and Chilean flamingos in Laguna Colorada.

The flamingos in Bolivia reminded us of the Flamingo Reserve at the Atacama desert in Chile.

Laguna Blanca

Next to Laguna Colorada, you get to see two more lagoons in the Altiplano: Laguna Verde (green lagoon), and Laguna Blanca (white lagoon).

Laguna Blanca, the white lagoon, is a salt lake near the Licancabur volcano. The white color of Laguna Blanca is due to its high mineral content in the water.

The lagoons are also located within the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve.

Termas de Polques Hot Springs

The multi-day Uyuni tours stop at Termas de Polques hot springs where you can take a dip in the warm thermal water while having an amazing view of the Salar de Chalviri salt flats.

Termas de Polques hot springs are located in the heart of the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve overlooking the picturesque pastel landscape of Salar de Chalviri. The hot springs are located at an elevation of approximately 14,400 ft (4,400 m).

Check out our post about Termas de Polques if you want to find out more about these amazing hot springs in the Bolivian Altiplano.

Termas Polques – Dreamy Hot Springs In The Bolivian Andes

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Dalí Desert

Tours make their way further through the Reserva Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa of the Bolivian Altiplano to get to the Salvador Dalí desert.

The desert is called Desierto Dalí because its landscapes resemble surrealist paintings by Salvador Dalí.

Getting Ready For The Uyuni Salt Flats

What To Pack For Visiting The Uyuni Salt Flats In Bolivia?

The Salar de Uyuni is a pretty remote place, hours away from any major cities.

Things that you may need on your trip are pretty hard to come by in Uyuni or at least very expensive. Therefore, you have to bring everything with you that you think you’ll need.

When visiting the Uyuni salt desert in Bolivia you need to be prepared for three things. The sun, the cold, and the wet!

The Sun

The Uyuni salt desert is located at a high altitude, which means the sun will be strong. Therefore, it is super important to bring sunscreen, sunglasses, and possibly a hat!

When the sun shines, it gets super hot and bright during the day and with all that reflection you will burn immediately! Trust us, we have seen so many burnt faces at the end of the day during our Uyuni tour!

Sunscreen and sunglasses are a must on every Salar de Uyuni packing list.

The Cold

You also should bring warm clothes for the morning and evenings/nights. You are in the Bolivian desert and deserts get really cold at night, especially during the winter season.

It’s best to layer up so you can adjust according to the temperatures throughout the day.

If you are visiting in the winter, some tours staying in basic hostels recommend bringing your own sleeping bag to stay warm at night.

The Wet

When visiting the salt flats in Bolivia during the wet season, you will be in the midst of a shallow salt lake. This means, your feet will get wet!

If your tour doesn’t provide rain boots, pack flip-flops or a second pair of shoes that you can change into afterward. Having flip-flops or a second pair of shoots is gonna be very helpful and you won’t have to spend the rest of the day in wet shoes.

In the following, you’ll find additional things to pack for a Uyuni salt flats tour that we found very helpful:

How To Take Those Iconic Bolivia Salt Plains Perspective Shots?

If you have searched for the salt plains in Bolivia you have come across those iconic perspective shots that everyone knows. So how can you take that kind of small-large object distortion photos yourself?

First of all, you need the aperture of the camera to be as small as possible. A phone works very well for this. The wide angle of a phone comes in very handy too for these perspective shots.

In order for both objects to be fairly sharp, the first object should be close but not super close to the photographer and the second object shouldn’t be super far away from the first. Play around with the distances between the two objects until you have everything pretty much in focus.

Take the photos from low on the ground and be creative.

Where To Stay In The Bolivia Salt Flats?

Uyuni Salt Flats Hotels & Hostels

Uyuni is the main town and access point to the salt flats in Bolivia. From here all the tours leave for the salt desert and this is where everyone stays at.

There are many basic hostels and cheap hotels to stay at in Uyuni. The absolute highlights are, however, the salt hotels in Uyuni.

These luxurious Uyuni salt hotels are bordering the salt pan and have amazing views of the Salar and are made out of salt. It’s quite a rare and unique experience staying at a salt hotel in Uyuni.

The coolest two Uyuni salt hotels are the Hotel Palacio de Sal and Hotel de Sal Luna Salada.

We compiled a list of these awesome salt hotels in Uyuni below. Really, check them out for your stay in Uyuni, they are amazing!

We still have a lot of FOMO that we didn’t have the chance to stay at one of those cool salt hotels in Uyuni.

Salar de Uyuni Guide

The Best Bolivia Salt Flats Tours

We hope you found our Uyuni Salt Flats Guide helpful and now know which Bolivia Salt flats tour is right for you.

Have an amazing time at the incredible salt flats in Bolivia!

Salar de Uyuni Salt Flats Tour: Atacama To Uyuni 4 Day Tour

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