Travel to Bolivia: Uyuni Tours

Why travel to Uyuni

Uyuni is in many ways a bizarre and surreal place. Hot in the sun, cold in the shade, and freezing at night, the city could be described as climatically challenged. This isolated city was founded in 1889 to enable the exploration and collection of mineral riches hidden in the area. Its small population of just of 20,000 is primarily employed by the government and mining companies.

Mining personnel are almost exclusively involved in salt extraction on the Salar de Uyuni, which consists of the nearby enormous salt lake (Salar) and its remote surrounding highlands that attract many visitors. A visit to the Uyuni salt flats, a unique place on Earth, is like no other experience and truly a trip of a lifetime. The seemingly endless expanse plays tricks with your mind, and enables creative photo opportunities.

What to do in Uyuni

Stroll around town. The main thing you want to do in Uyuni is bundle up, because the sweeping winds can be bone chilling. The town used to be a major railway junction and is still a distribution hub, but there are a few places worth visiting before heading out into the salt flats. The Cementerio de Trenes (train cemetery) is an odd collection of rusting rail cars worth a gander, and about 30 minutes from town is Pulacayo, a tiny town where you can see Bolivia’s first train as well as the locomotive robbed by the infamous Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. An hour or so can also be spent at the Museo Arqueológico and Antropológico de los Andes Meridionales, a small museum with local collections of fossils, ceramics, and mummies.

Visit the salt flats. The real reason people come to Uyuni is to leave again; everyone wants to experience the surreal sensation of standing in the Salar de Uyuni and staring off in the distance, unable to tell where the land ends and the sky begins. This is the largest salt flat in the world, and definitely not to be missed. The area is full of volcanic and geothermal activity, as well as strange rock formations, colorful lakes, and abundant birdlife.

When to visit Uyuni

The best time to visit Uyuni is in June and July, when the bright blue skies nicely contrast with the blazing white ground. Note however that this is winter time, and temperatures are icy. The dry season lasts from March until November. Rainy season is December until March and should be avoided since the Salar tends to flood and travel may be difficult.

Travel Testimonials

Peru For Less hooked us up with all the tools and plans to have an unforgettable experience. We toured Lake Titicaca, which was fascinating, especially the floating islands of Uros. The main part of Bolivia that I highly recommend is the Salt Flats of Uyuni. It's like being on another planet. We spent two days driving on and around the flats in a four runner with a guide and a driver. I couldn't recommend Peru For Less more if you're planning a trip to Peru or Bolivia.

Chris from New Orleans traveled to Bolivia in July 2011

Thank you for an excellently organized trip to Peru and Bolivia. The Bolivian experience including Lake Titicaca, and tortora boat visit to Tiwanaku ruins was a different (high altitude!) experience. The unforgettable decent from high Regal Cordilleras and the La Cumbre Pass (4,650 meters a.s.l.) to a steamy Yungas tropical rain forest at only 1,500 meters a.s.l. and a visit to small town of Coroico was very interesting. All in all, the itinerary was followed closely and punctually and all local tour guides were very professional and informative.

Ned Kljucec from Alberta, Canada, traveled to Bolivia in October 2010

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Uyuni Hotels

Accommodations in Uyuni are rather basic. The best options are two 3-star hostels; other options are pretty basic, with no heating. Contact your travel advisor for more information.