The largest uyuni salt marsh in Bolivia. Bolivian wonder: Uyuni salt marsh
Salar de Uyuni is not just the main attraction of Bolivia and one of the most interesting places on the planet. This is truly another planet - the land where everything is completely different from what we are used to. unreal scenery, Amazing places, sunsets, sunrises, salt, water, giant cacti, a graveyard of steam locomotives, endless horizons, colorful mountains, hot springs, fast-moving geysers, colorful lagoons, llamas and flamingos - this is just what pops up in my memory in the first place. In fact, there is much more beautiful and amazing there. It is worth adding that you look at all this natural splendor from the windows of a jeep, which looks very colorful in the endless white expanses.
All these incredible landscapes impressed me so much that I went to the salt marsh twice and will gladly go again. Every time you travel, you can add something new, and, most importantly, depending on the season, the lagoons and the salt sea can look very different.
The Uyuni Salt Flat looks like it is impossible to describe in words. It's like salsa, you can't learn it, you can only feel it. This is mysticism, another universe, full of delight, a riot of nature, a combination of what would never have occurred to us to combine, harmony, explosion, the unity of the living and the inanimate, contrast, life.
How to get there
Let's take a closer look at each route option.
From Bolivia
Tours, and this is the most popular and, by the way, quite a convenient opportunity to see the most interesting places of a huge natural park, start in the town of Uyuni, which can be reached by plane or bus.
By plane
If you have already found yourself in Bolivia, then most likely you will get to the picturesque highland city of La Paz, which is often mistakenly considered the capital.
Here are two airlines that fly to Uyuni:
- Amazonas;
The schedule of the two airlines is about the same. Every day there are two flights in both directions, as you can see, for example:
- morning - around 07:00–10:00;
- evening - at 19:00–21:00.
The cost of a round-trip ticket will be about 160 USD, the travel time is about an hour. Airport Joya Andina is located just 3 kilometers from the village of Uyuni itself. You can get to it by taxi for 3-5 USD or on foot, if time permits and lack of luggage (30 minutes).
Be careful when choosing an airline. When paying for an Amaszonas ticket online, you must use the bank card which you will have with you. If it is not found, boarding will be denied. This is a slightly strange system, but during registration, the company's employees make a cast of the card, so it will not be possible to deceive them or slip another one.
Boa has a number of advantages: the planes are newer, and the amount of allowed baggage in hand luggage is higher (5 and 7 kilograms depending on the type of aircraft versus 3 and 5 kilograms in Amaszonas).
By bus
In Latin America, over the years of travel, I traveled most of all by bus. This mode of transport is very convenient. First, intercity and international buses most often comfortable enough for a long move. Secondly, you can travel cheaper, see the sights and views along the way. Thirdly, the bus is a great chance to get acquainted with new movies on local language, think about life or just relax. The main advantage of night buses is that they save money on the hotel, and for poor travelers this can be important.
In the case of Uyuni, I took the bus from La Paz. Buses depart from the city's main transport terminal.
Several companies travel along the route, among which Panasur and Todo turismo are the most popular. The ticket price will be 7–10 USD, and the travel time will be 12–13 hours.
It is better to purchase tickets in advance, at least one way and at least a couple of hours before departure, in order to book a comfortable seat. You can also buy a return ticket right away, but this is not necessary. There shouldn't be a problem on site. Most often, the seats on the bus are arranged in two rows: in one there are two seats, in the other one. The second option is more convenient. It is better to take a blanket and a warm jacket on the bus, as Latin American drivers are very fond of using the air conditioner at full capacity.
In Uyuni, the bus arrives in the very center of the city, where guests are usually met by representatives of travel companies and sellers of everything in the world.
In general, the bus is a convenient option. Tours start early in the morning (around 7-9 am) and end a few days later (most often on the third day) at lunchtime. There is time to walk around the town, have a bite to eat alpaca meat in one of the many restaurants, chat with other travelers, drink beer at central streets, buy souvenirs, buy a bus ticket and calmly return to La Paz the next morning.
By train
Train lovers can get to Uyuni by train from Oruro. Alas, the train leaves from the Oruro railway station not every day:
- Expreso Del Sur runs on Tuesdays and Fridays. From Oruro the train leaves at 14:30 and arrives at 21:20. In the opposite direction, the train leaves at 01:45 and arrives at 08:45.
- Wara Wara Del Sur runs on Thursdays and Sundays. From Oruro departs at 19:00 and arrives at 02:20. IN reverse direction trains leave at 00:10 and arrive in Oruro at 07:10.
The price of a ticket in a regular class is 8 USD, in a business class - 17 USD. Business class is two soft seats in a row, like in express trains, besides, the ticket includes drinks and light snacks, and you can have a bite to eat in the restaurant car. In the regular class (salon), the conditions are similar: the seats are comfortable, but the ticket price does not include drinks and snacks, and there is no carpet on the floor, which, in principle, can be experienced.
The train is coming slowly, but the views from the windows are worthy.
Now it is possible to buy tickets online, but many tourists talk about the unreliability of such an option. It is better to come to the box office, which opens at 08:00 and is closed on Sunday, and buy tickets. If you're lucky, you can buy tickets for the same day, or only business class tickets may remain. Some time ago, the railway office started selling tickets a few days in advance, which is only suitable for those who are going to spend a few days in Oruro. Therefore, my advice is to come early in the morning and hope that luck will smile at you.
From Chile
The salt marsh is located on the border with Chile, so tours are organized from the Chilean side. In Chile, the tour starts in the town of San Pedro de Atacama, in the Atacama Desert of the same name. The famous picturesque altiplano - a vast plateau in the Andes, dotted with volcanoes - begins here.
By plane
Closest airport to San Pedro de Atacama El Loa is located 100 kilometers in the city of Calama. A taxi from the airport for 40–50 USD will take you to San Pedro in an hour and a half.
Flights from Santiago are operated by Latam and Sky Airlines. The flight time from the capital is 2 hours, a round trip ticket will cost 80–100 USD.
By bus
This type of transport from the capital of Chile, Santiago, departs from the Alameda terminal.
Travel time is about 12 hours, the ticket price varies between 60–100 USD, depending on the class of the bus. Popular airlines flying to this route:
- Turbus;
- Pullman;
- Andesmar.
When to go
Uyuni Salt Flats can be visited year-round, because if you managed to see this natural miracle with your own eyes, then this is already a colossal success.
However, in different time years there are small differences in what exactly you will see in the vast uninhabited expanses national park.
January to early Marchthat precipitation is active here, so the salt marsh turns into a giant mirror, which reflects the incredible sky, tall cacti, all-terrain jeeps and everything that pleases the eye.
At other times of the year, the scenery is no less beautiful. In the sunset rays, salt rhombuses seem ideal, besides, in the “dry” season (from May to October) you can get to all places, because sometimes, when there is too much rain, some of the curious corners become difficult to reach, and guides prefer not to take risks.
Therefore, my advice is this: go to the Uyuni salt marsh at any time when it is possible, and such an opportunity presents itself.
What is the price
As I said, the tour is a convenient opportunity to see the national park.
The main advantages are the price and the opportunity to communicate with tourists from different countries. The downside is that it can be crowded for several people in a jeep, besides, fellow travelers can be on different waves or (as in my case) not know Spanish. Therefore, all the way I had to work as a free translator, since the guide spoke English only nominally.
If there is an opportunity and desire, then it is better to order individual tour, then you will stand and look at the flamingos as much as you want and will not depend on the fact that someone did not hear the alarm clock and did not get up for breakfast.
However, all these current moments lose all meaning when you find yourself in the face of the eternal and beautiful, and this is the only way I can characterize nature in those parts. The spectacle is so captivating that the guide's ignorance of the language, and the light morning frost, and the talkativeness of some members of the group become unimportant.
The cost of the tour may vary depending on the hotel where you will sleep, on your bargaining skills and, of course, on the level of language proficiency. However, the price for a three-day tour, which includes almost everything, is still so low that even with the tourist overpayment, this opportunity is more than affordable. The cost of such a package is on average 180–230 USD per person, subject to a full jeep, which is 5–6 tourists.
The cost of the tour from the Chilean side is about the same. Due to the favorable location of the park at the junction of two countries, it is convenient for travelers to plan the route the way they like. For example, you can travel from Bolivia to Chile and vice versa. Jeeps always clarify what the tourists have plans to take those who wish to the border on the third day.
In general, all companies offer approximately the same range of services and approximately the same price level. I personally used the services of OIivos and can safely recommend it. Tours are purchased on the spot, but you can contact the agency in advance and pay a deposit. However, I would not advise doing this, because anything is possible. My bus got in for repairs and was 5 hours late, so my tour had already left. It would be sad if the advance payment was made, otherwise I spent all my money and energy in search of a new tour departing later.
The price of a private tour is, of course, higher. It starts from 120-200 USD per day, depending on the level of the hotel, the number of tourists and the chosen guide.
Additional expenses
You need to take some money with you in the local currency Boliviano (BOB). In addition to the paid tour, you will have to additionally pay a visit to the observation deck on the island of fishermen if you wish (5 USD) and a mandatory entrance ticket to the national park (22 USD). Sometimes there may be paid toilets (0.5 USD).
Food and lodging
Food is usually included in the tour. The food is quite satisfying and good, in places of lodging for the night you can buy wine or drinks with chips. An overnight stay is one part of the adventure, because one night you sleep not just in a hotel, but in a hotel made of salt.
Usually electricity works here only after sunset, besides, it is very cold at night (maybe even -10-15 ° C), but hotels still have their own special charm. And warm blankets.
And when the tour starts early in the morning, bright stars are clearly visible in the frosty air, which are rarely seen in cities in such numbers.
It's moments like these that make you realize how beautiful our world is.
The second overnight stay in the standard tour takes place in hostel-type hotels, where 2-6 people can sleep in one room.
Despite the spartan conditions, it has everything you need to have a good night. For an additional fee, you can spend the night in a hotel with a higher category of comfort.
Major tourist spots
As part of a three-day tour, tourists visit several interesting places, which are shown in this image:
I will briefly tell you what to expect from each of them.
Cemetery of steam locomotives (Cementerio de Trenes)
The cemetery of steam locomotives is the attraction with which the tour most often begins. A few kilometers from Uyuni there used to be railway lines, and the traffic was very busy.
However, over time, mining declined, and the locomotives went to live out their lives in the cemetery, which is now used as a tourist attraction. It's interesting and photogenic here: you can climb the rusty members of the railway traffic or think about the eternal, looking at the endless rails going nowhere.
Valley of Geysers "Morning Sun" (El Sol de Mañana)
If you have been to, then the geysers of Bolivia are unlikely to impress you. I have not been to Iceland yet, and I liked the valley of geysers. The fact is that in Uyuni nothing can be taken in isolation.
A geyser is not just a hot jet, but an organic part of the surrounding landscape, which is always incredible. Therefore, these shooting steam jets from the ground against the backdrop of terracotta mountains did not leave me indifferent.
Hot Springs (Aguas Termales)
At the end of a busy day of moving, there is nothing better than dipping your impressed body into a natural swimming pool with hot water at an altitude of more than 3,000 meters above sea level. There is no infrastructure here, just a small house that is not always open, so you have to change clothes quickly. However, the disadvantages of inconvenience are more than offset by the pleasure that you get later, sitting in hot water and watching the endless valley, shimmering in different shades and colors.
By the way, the construction of a new comfortable locker room is underway, so the next travelers can expect comfort and warmth... Or maybe not, because the concept of "tomorrow" in Latin America is very conditional.
Don't miss the hot springs the best place to wash off the multi-colored dust of the roads and go out rejuvenated towards new adventures!
Salt marsh (Salar de Uyuni) and salt mines (montones de sal), square with flags (plaza de las banderas)
Actually, the most important place in the national park is a giant dried salt Lake area of 10,000 sq. km.
The range of entertainment here is wide.
From enthusiastic contemplation of the endless snow-white expanses to photographs with salt slides with an ideal geometric shape.
From staged photographs and games with scale to finding your own flag in the "square", where weathered and battered, they proudly flutter in the wind.
The famous Dakar races take place on the lake, and here you can also see the most beautiful sunsets, where the sun clearly outlines perfect crystal rhombuses on the salt surface.
Stone tree in the desert (Desierto de Silioli y Arbol de Piedra)
A stone tree is exactly what the name implies. Desert winds, climate and sand did their job and created this bizarre five-meter stone formation.
Previously, the “tree” was fenced with a rope, which interfered with beautiful photographs and added inappropriate artificiality to the landscape, but now everything is open and you can even climb to the top of the “tree” with proper skill.
Desert Salvador Dali (Desierto de Salvador Dali)
Dali, unfortunately, did not know about the existence of this place, and the desert got its name because of the similarity of the landscape with some of the canvases of the great surrealist.
Colored lagoons (Lagunas coloradas)
The colorful lagoons are another important part of the trip. The lakes are located on the territory of the Eduardo Avaroa National Park (Parque nacional de Eduardo Avaroa). In the morning, the band members meet the dawn in the local desert, welcoming the sun coming out from behind the mountain.
Along with the light comes warmth, and acquaintance with the lagoons begins. It’s hard for me to say what impressed me the most, because even on the second visit, I practically didn’t close my mouth in admiration.
And what else can you experience when you stand at an altitude of several thousand meters in the middle of the desert, in front of you is a huge lake of red and white color, pink flamingos are walking somewhere in the middle, and picturesque volcanoes rise in the back as a massive background.
Around the lagoons you can meet fluffy and friendly llamas and alpacas, as well as daring cyclists who go from nowhere to nowhere. Then there were more lagoons (there are 4 of them here), more flamingos, more colors, more emotions.
Bright mountains and endless valleys, and modest chinchillas.
Green lake (Laguna verde)
The green lagoon stands alone in the list of colorful lagoons of the national park. It is closest to the border with Chile, and it is windy and cold here, since its height above sea level is 4,350 meters.
However, all this ceases to have at least some meaning when an incredible panorama in rich colors opens up before the eyes that are tired of admiring.
Fishermen's Island or Incahuasi (Isla Incahuasi o Isla de Pescadores)
The island of fishermen is famous primarily for its giant cacti, reaching 10 meters in height.
To climb to the observation deck at the top of the island, you have to pay a nominal fee of a few dollars. The relief of the island is low, but the view is beautiful.
From here you can see a pleasant combination of cacti, salt expanses and jeeps-all-terrain vehicles that look harmonious against this background.
Fishermen's Island gets its name from its shape. In the rainy season, in the midst of a water-filled salt lake, it looks like a fish in water.
Little Italy (Pequena Italia)
The name is unusual for Bolivia, but the locals called this place so because, in their opinion, it resembles the narrow streets of Italian Venice.
From a distance, the place really resembles a city with rocks, on which you can climb in search of a river panorama, a green valley, multi-colored llamas and bizarre stone figures.
Cascade (la Cascada)
Cascade is a place where not all guides take. You can ask about it yourself, but everything remains at the discretion of the driver: whether there is enough time, and whether he will have a desire. Remember this Latin America.
We were lucky, and this little curious item was added to the program.
From high majestic rocks opens up a view of almost a grand canyon with a serpentine river dried up below ... A great place for a photo!
What might come in handy
Here are some tips on what to bring with you on your trip:
Other nuances
Remember that you are in Bolivia, which means punctuality is not guaranteed here. I had a funny incident. The driver promised to come in the morning at 05:00 and pick us up. We were ready by this time and walked like somnambulists around the dark hotel, where there was no one except us. There was no light (then flashlights came in handy), no breakfast, no clarity. The driver, who had only 4 fingers on his hand, said that it was under this nickname that everyone knows him.
Light loomed in the distance, and cars were revving, and I decided to walk and look for our driver, because I didn’t want to waste precious time. I borrowed a lantern, dressed in everything warm and, inhaling the frosty air, went into the darkness under thousands of stars.
Seeing how an old man was making a fire in one of the houses, I confidently walked towards him:
-Good morning, Do you know where 4 fingers are?
- Well, yes, our guide with 4 fingers.
Even in the pitch darkness, I could see a face full of bewilderment. I was pulled out of an awkward situation by the sound of a car pulling up to our hotel. I wished my grandfather a good day and went towards the dawn.
Everything turned out to be trite: the guide overslept. So be prepared that inexpensive tour may have deviations from the program through no fault of yours.
Learn some Spanishaz Most of the guides do not speak English. And although they do not say anything particularly important, it is pleasant at least in in general terms understand what is being said.
Feel young, regardless of age. Bolivians in the highlands look much older than their years. I was shocked when it turned out that the driver was my age, and the women in the village did not wear their grandchildren behind their backs in multi-colored scarves. A great opportunity to rejoice in the fact that we are well preserved.
Relax and enjoy. The place is unique, and what you see it will be great in any case, whether it happens in the rainy season or dry. Still, God is well done, in 7 days to come up with and implement this. All human imagination, it seems to me, would not be enough to create such a miracle.
When I get older and rich, I will come here again, buy a private tour for 5 days and travel around colorful lakes, walk on fancy rocks and while away the hours in search of chinchillas and vicunas.
At an altitude of 3,650 m above sea level.
A few years ago, Lonely Planet published a list of the most striking natural attractions in the world, putting the Uyuni salt flat in first place. Since 2014, Uyuni has hosted the Dakar races.
Experts believe that in the Uyuni salt marsh, which arose as a result of drying huge lake Minchin, contains 10 billion tons of salt, of which less than 25 thousand tons are mined annually. However, you should not try it on the tongue of Uyuni salt, you can get poisoned (although table salt is also mined here on an industrial scale).
Salt deposits of Uyuni have a very complex composition, including, in addition to sodium salts, also calcium, magnesium and lithium salts. A huge amount of lithium chloride has been found in the salt marsh, suitable for the extraction of lithium, which is necessary in the battery industry. Experts estimate lithium reserves in the salt marsh at about 100 million tons, which represents 50-70% of the world's lithium reserves.
The thickness of the salt layers ranges from 2 meters at the edge to 10 meters in the center. During the dry season, the salt marsh sparkles with snow-white dry salt, and during the rainy season, a thin layer of water forms on the surface of Uyuni.
The unique Uyuni salt lake is used in astronautics. The water's large size, ideal surface plane, and minimal elevation change allow scientists to use the salt marsh to test and calibrate satellites. Thanks to the clear skies over Uyuni and dry air, the calibration of remote sensing instruments on orbiting satellites is several times more accurate than when using the surface of the world's oceans.
When is the best time to go to Uyuni
The best time to visit the Uyuni salt marsh is the rainy season, which lasts from December to January, when the salt surface is covered with water and you can admire the unique mirror reflections of the sky with clouds.
In December, you can see all the variety of the salt marsh, both dry areas, where the dried surface is covered with patterns in the form of hexagons, and wet “mirror” zones. In January and February, the rains intensify, so sometimes all the entrances to the salt marsh are washed out or some areas become inaccessible. However, according to local residents, at any time of the year, even in the dry season, you can find areas covered with water on Uyuni.
Tourists who visited the salt marsh are advised to stock up sunscreens and clothes that protect the body from the burning high-mountain sun, but at night you will also need warm clothes, since the temperature difference is very large and after sunset it gets colder, sometimes down to minus 10-15 degrees. By the way, it is worth considering that there is no cellular communication, only some hotels nearby have weak Wi-Fi.
Uyuni salt flat tours and prices
It is not difficult to choose a tour to the Uyuni salt marsh, most travel agencies in Bolivia and Chile provide this service. In most cases, tourists book a 3-4-day tour that allows you to visit not only the salt marsh, but also other nearby attractions.
The tour is usually conducted in Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles, with a driver and 5-7 passengers. Tourists can negotiate the itinerary by allocating more time to visit certain places.
The price of tours starting from Chile and Bolivia to the salt marsh depends on the preferences for the comfort of the hotel and the ability to bargain. For a 3-4 day tour in a group of 5-7 people, you will have to pay from 100 to 230 US dollars. This price includes food and accommodation.
However, for visiting some national parks must be paid separately. For the ascent to the observation deck on Fish Island, you need to pay 5 US dollars, and for a mandatory entrance ticket to the national park - 22 US dollars. visit paid toilet will cost 0.5 US dollars.
It is advisable to have some amount of money in the local Bolivian currency with you.
Attractions Uyuni
In addition to the most unique salt marsh, in excursion routes usually includes other interesting objects.
Steam Locomotive Cemetery
Near the railway lines connecting Antofagasta with Bolivia, 3 km from the city of Uyuni, there is a cemetery of steam locomotives, which is considered one of the attractions of the salt marsh. In the 1950s, when the mining of minerals in the surrounding mines declined sharply, the city of Uyuni ceased to be a major transport center and the railway began to reduce the rolling stock. Thanks to this, tourists can see old steam locomotives, among which there are rare and interesting specimens, and also make unforgettable photos in the spirit of retro.
Salt Hotel Playa Blanca
Usually all tours include a visit to this hotel, located about 20 km from the edge of the salt marsh. The entire hotel, like all the furniture inside it, is made from salt blocks. In 2002, the hotel was closed at the request of environmentalists, but a few years later, after the necessary refurbishment, the hotel was reopened as a museum and a place of rest during the tour.
And along the banks of the salt marsh, several more hotels were built from salt blocks. According to the reviews of tourists, it is quite warm in the salt chambers and it is easy to breathe. A night in such a hotel will cost 80-100 US dollars.
A salt bed has been built in front of the hotel, on which tourists set the flags of their states.
Fish Island
Small volcanic island, located about 70 km from the edge of the salt marsh, is better known as the island of Fish, because its shape resembles a fish.
The whole island is covered with fossilized corals, on which cacti grow. Since such cacti grow at a rate of 1 cm per year, many of them are several hundred years old, and the largest, nine meters, is about 900 years old.
Valley of Geysers
Many tourists stop by this valley, which stretches at an altitude of 4,800 m, to admire the hot jets of water shooting from the ground, as well as the terracotta mountains surrounding them.
Hot Springs
The springs are located at an altitude of more than 3,000 meters above sea level. The infrastructure is poorly developed, but there is a place where you can change clothes. However, swimming in hot tub overlooking a beautiful valley makes you forget about the inconvenience.
Stone tree in the desert
An amazing stone formation 5 meters high arose as a result of the work of wind and sand. A few years ago, the "tree" was fenced with a rope, which made it difficult to take beautiful photos, but in last years the attraction can be photographed without interference.
Salvador Dali desert
Landscapes in this area are surprisingly reminiscent of the works of the famous surrealist.
colorful lagoons
Most tourists try to visit the Eduardo Avaroa National Park, on the territory of which the famous colorful lagoons are located. The unusual color of the lagoons - red, green, white, black - is formed as a result of washing out mountain rivers various minerals and the subsequent colonization of lakes by bacteria. Fluffy llamas and alpacas walk around the lagoons, they are so friendly that you can pet them.
In November, pink flamingos flock to the Uyuni salt marsh. In this desert area, birds breed, and thanks to the reddish crustaceans included in their diet, flamingos acquire a pink color. There are 3 types of flamingos on Uyuni: the Chilean flamingo, the Andean flamingo and the James flamingo.
Active Volcano Ollague
Volcano Ollague is located on the border of Bolivia and Chile, its height is 5868 m above sea level. Volcano Ollague shows little fumarolic activity, which means that hot gases escape through cracks and holes in the volcano. Fumarolic activity may indicate the attenuation of the volcano, and may be a sign of an intermediate stage between eruptions. date last eruption Ollague volcano is unknown.
"Eyes of the Salt Marsh"
From under the thin salt edge, jets of water with gas bubbles break out to the surface, this is not as spectacular as a geyser, but also beautiful.
How to get there
The Uyuni Salt Flats can be reached from Bolivia or from Chile.
Road from Bolivia
If you are already in Bolivia, then you need to get to the city of Uyuni, from where complex tours to the salt marsh and surrounding attractions start.
Airplane
The fastest way to get to Uyuni from the city of La Pazby boarding an Amaszonas or Boa airline. Every day, carriers operate two flights, in the morning and in the evening. The flight duration is about an hour, the price of a round-trip ticket is about 160 USD. Flights arrive at Joya Andina Airport, located 3 km from the city of Uyuni. This distance can be covered by taxi (3-5 US dollars) or on foot in half an hour.
If you buy an Amaszonas ticket online, you must use a bank card that you can show at the time of boarding, otherwise you will not be allowed on the plane.
Bus
Budget travelers often choose to travel to Uyuni by bus, especially since an overnight trip will save on a hotel. Buses to Uyuni depart from the main transport terminal of the city of La Paz and arrive in the very center of the city. The ticket price is 7-10 US dollars, you will have to spend 12-13 hours on the way. Tickets can be booked on a dedicated website.
According to travelers, buses often turn on the air conditioner at full capacity, so it is better to take warm clothes with you.
Train
Those who like to save money can also get to Uyuni by train departing from the city of Oruro. This mode of transportation allows you to admire great views from the window. However, when planning such a trip, you need to be careful, trains to Uyuni and back do not run every day.
The ticket price is $8 and the business class ticket is $17 (drinks and snacks included).
Train tickets to Uyuni are sold online, but many tourists complain about the unreliability of the ticketing system and are advised to buy them in person at the box office.
Road from Chile
Since the salt marsh lies on the border with Chile, it can also be reached from the Chilean side. In this case, the tour starts in the city of San Pedro de Atacama, in the Atacama Desert of the same name.
Airplane
The nearest airport is El Loa, located in Calama, 100 km from San Pedro de Atacama. This distance can be covered by taxi in an hour and a half, paying 40-50 US dollars.
You can get to Calama from Santiago in 2 hours with Latam and Sky Airlines flights. The price of a 2-way ticket is 80-100 US dollars.
Bus
From Santiago, the bus to Calama leaves from the Alameda terminal. The trip will take about 12 hours, the ticket price is 60-100 US dollars (depending on the bus class).
Uyuni salt marsh in Bolivia
Video review of Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia
The Uyuni Salt Flat is the world's largest salt flat, located in Bolivia. Photographers come here to capture unique landscape. It is often visited as part of a 3- or 4-day tour of southwestern Bolivia. We tell more about it.
general information
Origin of the Uyuni Salt Flats
The Uyuni Salt Flat includes more than 10,000 sq. km of land in the region. The thickness of the salt layers reaches 10 meters in the center. During the dry season, the salt expanses are covered with dry, flat salt, but during the rainy season, a thin layer of water forms on the surface.
Standard tours originate in the southwestern part of Bolivia. Here you can find many fluorescent lakes, which were created from various minerals brought by mountain rivers.
Tours
We want to outline a standard tour. It is held in 4x4 vehicles (usually a Toyota Land Cruiser) with 6 or 7 people and a driver. Most 3- and 4-day tours have the same itinerary for the first 2 days: salt flat day, driving in southbound to the southwestern regions of Bolivia, and then return back. Visits to specific locations may depend on the tour, but groups are free to decide which locations to visit and how much time will be spent in each.
Accommodation is usually provided at the base shelters and the weather can get very cold, but it's worth it if you see the amazing scenery. Avoid tours that offer a night in one of the salt hotels. They are illegal as they are not part of the water grid and pollute the environment.
What to bring
- Flashlight (torch): The light goes out when the generator runs out.
- Sunglasses: The salt marshes are blinding.
- Camera, extra battery and plenty of memory cards: there are no better photos than here.
- Additional water: The tour usually provides an insufficient amount. Additionally, 2 liters per day are required.
- Sun cream and a hat: 3.5 km above sea level, there is significantly less atmosphere that absorbs solar ultraviolet radiation.
- Sleeping bag. You can rent it. Check and make sure the zipper works.
- Warm clothing is best in layers.
- Heating pad: It is very cold at night and you will be very glad that you have a heating pad.
- Flip flops: Restrooms are shared.
- Towel: not provided during the tour.
- Additional snacks, especially fruit and protein. Although quality food is provided, it tends to contain heavy starches.
- Lip balm: In the sun, wind and dry air, they can crack.
How to get there
Uyuni. The path includes the railroad from Avaroa at the Chilean border (non-fixed departure time), the railroad from Oruro, the bus (including tourist bus) from Oruro, or La Paz, and flying from La Paz.
San Pedro de Atacama. The routes from here are almost identical to those from Uyuni, only in the opposite direction and are 60% more expensive.
Agency search
When choosing a tour operator, it is important to consult with other travelers to understand what kind of experience they had, vehicles, drivers and food on the trip. The trips will start in all cities, so this is a good opportunity to ask other travelers arriving from the itinerary about their impressions. A common complaint is that the vehicles are in very poor condition. technical condition that there is no emergency supply, drunk drivers and little food and water.
Uyuni - there are dozens of travel agencies offering this trip. Most of them are located around the main square, where every second store is tourist agency. It is also advisable to find a group of people who are going on tours and share your interests and/or language and work with your agency. Minuteman Pizza in the evenings or main square - perfect place to meet these people. Ripley Tours Agency can organize a decent one day tour(BOB130).
Tupiza. You can also go from Tupiza to the end of Uyuni or vice versa. Local agencies offer 4-day Uyuni tours, while others prefer to offer 3-day options.
Other excursion options
Ending at the Chilean border. The alternative is to take a three-day tour and drive to the Chilean border before visiting San Pedro de Atacama, or start the entire tour from there. Don't miss any of the sights as you leave the Chilean border before heading back to Uyuni.
From San Pedro de Atacama. It is possible to visit this tour which starts in San Pedro de Atacama and ends in Uyuni on the third day or returning to San Pedro the next day. The advantage is that you get to see the Salt Flats on the last morning and see the sunrise over them. There are several tour operators on the main street in San Pedro. However, you should take note of the tour operators' instructions that all tours in Uyuni () are operated by Bolivian tour-guides. Chilean tour guides are not allowed to conduct tours in Uyuni.
Choice of tour
There are several options for visiting the Uyuni Salt Flats. Starting your journey from La Paz, you need to take a bus to Oruro and then take a train to Uyuni. After a pleasant 7 hour drive, you will arrive in Uyuni at night. You can book a hotel in Uyuni or one of the hotels built in salt blocks located near salt flats. The next day you will start your journey towards Uyuni with the aim of visiting Kolchani. This small town where you can buy salt crafts. This place offers an unimaginable and breathtaking view of the largest salt desert in the world, whose area is approximately 12,000 square meters. km! You will begin your journey by observing the bubbling water on the surface in the so-called “eyes of the water”, and you will also see the work of the inhabitants in extracting salt for sale.
Next, you can go to Incahuasi Island, or Fish Island. The island is located in the heart of the salt marsh and is characterized by the presence of giant cacti. You can stroll around the island enjoying breathtaking views of the salt marsh and appreciating the great white intertwining with the Andean sky. This is the best place to take photos of the salt marsh. Later, you can continue your journey, still heading southwest towards the colored lagoons (red, blue, white, yellow and green) located in the Parque Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa.
These places are occupied by volcanoes, and a wonderful and incredible view opens from here. On some excursions you can visit the Cave of the Galaxies and the Cave of the Devil. The lagoons are named so because of the different tones that are formed due to the presence of algae, the chemical composition of the water, the movement of the wind, or due to a certain time of day. When you return to Uyuni, you can visit the town and train graveyard. You will also be able to see one of the most majestic sunsets of your life on the salt marsh!
By plane
By bus
For travelers on a budget, there is also the option to simply catch local bus to Kolchan BOB10. Ask the driver to leave you in the Salt Flats and you can hike and free to get more full view about the place. The journey to the old salt hotel takes about two hours.
Clue:
Uyuni - the time is now
Hour difference:
Moscow 7
Kazan 7
Samara 8
Yekaterinburg 9
Novosibirsk 11
Vladivostok 14
When is the season. When is the best time to go
Uyuni - monthly weather
Clue:
Uyuni - monthly weather
Where to go, walk, go ...
First day - the world's largest salt marsh
On the first day you will visit salt flat. During the dry season, it will be a hallucinogenic white landscape. When it rains, the salt flat is mostly submerged, giving a perfect reflection of the sky.
Uyuni Plaza Arc. Most trips start here, next to railway station at 10.30, although you can get from the hotel.
Train Graveyard. The tour usually takes place at the very beginning of the tour, but some operators prefer to end the tour at this point. There are many destroyed old steam locomotives here.
Colchani- a village 7 km north of Uyuni. Salt souvenirs can be purchased here. There is also a salt museum here, which has various animals created from salt (you will be forced to pay a fee upon exit), as well as some pieces of furniture and household appliances. Bathrooms are available for 1 boliviano.
salt mining area- an area where salt is dug up and left in heaps (weighing a ton) to dry in the sun for transportation to a refinery.
Salt hotels- several hotels are made entirely of salt. You need to buy a chocolate bar to go inside.
I sla de los Pescados, or Isla Incawasi. The name comes from the island, which looks like a fish during the rainy season. It is an island of petrified corals, covered with 1000-year-old cacti, in the middle of the Salar. These cacti grow at a rate of 1 cm per year, so you can easily calculate their age. Here you can also see Wiskashi. Most tourist groups dine on the western "shore" of this island. Bathrooms are available for 1 boliviano.
Accommodation can be found in the city of San Juan, although for the real deal it's best to try and find hotels closer to the Salar. Then it will be possible to get up before dawn and reach the plains in 4x4 jeeps to see the most spectacular sunrise of your life. Especially in the main "salt hotels" you can take a shower for 10 Bs and charge your camera.
Second day - heading south to the colorful lakes of Laguna Colorado
Edionda Lagoon. The lagoon is full of flamingos and is a popular lunch spot.
viscacha zone- a short stop on a rocky ledge, is a whiskey colony. Tour guides feed them carrots, teaching them to go out to eat.
Arbol de Piedra (4412 m)- stone tree that was carved by strong sandy winds.
Laguna Colorado- lake of red color with algae. You can also see many flamingos. 30 bolivianos for Bolivian citizens or 150 bolivianos for foreigners - admission fee to national reserve wildlife Andina Eduardo Avaroa.
Accommodation. In the vicinity of Laguna Colodardo, there are numerous unheated huts. Beds and blankets are provided. There is electricity for several hours, but the battery usually cannot be recharged. Temperature environment in July it can drop below -20°C at night. You can get the host to turn on the water heater (15 Bs), but the showers are outside the cabin.
Third day, morning - geysers and hot springs in Laguna Verde (Verde)
The day starts early in the morning (5.00) and without breakfast, in order to have time to visit all the necessary places.
SolardeManaña Geyser Basin (4,850 m)- a collection of bubbling gray pools and a geyser, usually visited when the sun rises. There are no railings here, it can be slippery and the water can look hot in the cave.
Hot springs Termas de Polques are located next to the Salar de Chalviri. To enjoy the springs, you can bring your bathing accessories. Popular place for breakfast. Basic bathrooms are available for 6 Bs.
Laguna Verde(painted green, it contains heavy metals arsenic, lead, copper and others) with great view on the Lincacabur volcano.
Blanca Lagoon- white lake filled with boron ore.
Dinner. Laguna Colorado - popular place where you can have lunch. Toilets are sometimes provided.
Afternoon - East of Tupiza
If you choose the four day Tupiza tour, you will go off the beaten path and visit some small communities.
Laguna Celeste- a bright blue lake, colored with magnesium and manganese.
Amarilla Lagoon- a yellow sulfur lake and a few old rock paintings nearby.
Ruinas de San Antonio- an abandoned mining town of the 16th century, where slave labor was used. The city was abandoned for reasons not fully understood. Despite all attempts in the 70s, the city failed to be settled, and people now live in the city of the same name, which is located nearby.
Afternoon - north of Uyuni
The road back to Uyuni is very bumpy. Along the way, you will stop at various small communities.
Valles de Rocas. Lots of strange mountain valleys emerging from the Altiplano. The guide will point out patterns in the rocks that resemble familiar objects.
Accommodation - tourists stop at different towns on the way to their destination. Heating and showers will depend on where the driver chooses to stay.
Fourth day - the trip ends in Tupiza
The tour will pass through the area with beautiful scenery.
Silar- giant clay columns formed as a result of erosion.
Fourth day - ends in Uyuni
San Cristobal- a city in which there is a 350-year-old church, in which there is a very beautiful silver altar.
train graveyard- a collection of vintage trains 3 kilometers southwest of Uyuni.
Food. What to try
Safety. What to watch out for
Be careful: every year salt cave Accidents are caused by drunk drivers. Don't risk your life by driving with a drunk driver.
It's a good idea to bring essentials (including food and water for a few days) in case the truck breaks down in a hard to reach area, but if you're on tour, chances are another truck will be available in a few minutes.
You might get altitude sickness here. If you are staying right off the coast, you may need up to several days to acclimatize. Dizziness, difficulty breathing and headaches are common symptoms. Locals say that chewing coca leaves can relieve symptoms, but it can also cause a drug test to fail. If someone is not fully acclimatized, you can buy a few acetazolamide tablets at the Uyuni Pharmacy before the flight.
You can also drink coca leaf tea. Everyone from the Pope to Queen Sofia of Spain drink it when visiting Bolivia. If you add a little sugar, the tea can be even better!
In order to avoid altitude sickness, a gradual adaptation to the altitude is recommended. First visit the Bolivian Plain, located 500 m from, then it is recommended to go to the Cochabamba Valley, located at an altitude of 2,500 m, and only then make a trip to the Salar de Uyuni. If you don't even want to go on a 3- or 4-day tour, keep in mind that you will climb 5000m and sleep at 4200m. This is a serious risk to your health if you are not acclimatized. The officially recommended altitude per day is only 300m! Therefore, you should not start from Tupiza (3,000 m) and from Uyuni (3,700 m). Stay there for a few days before starting the tour. The German embassy in La Paz has already set up a room to cool the corpses of those who died of altitude sickness!
Warning about certain travel companies
On December 24, 2011, the car of Oasis Tours (also known as Oasis Odyssey Tours) was involved in a serious accident due to careless driving. The driver, who was driving the car, was moving at a speed of 100 km/h on a wet, muddy road from San Cristobal to Uyuni. The driver lost control, the car went off the road, rolled over twice and landed on the roof.
One passenger was critically injured in the head, bleeding while being dragged outside and requiring emergency medical attention. Another passenger suffered a head injury. Other passengers had various scratches and bruises. Passengers who did not require emergency medical attention headed back to Uyuni to contact the travel agency.
The travel agency actively refused all attempts to collect information about the passenger who was taken to the hospital. When the police were involved, the travel agency kept actively refusing that they had this information. Also, the travel agency refused to offer any compensation, including reimbursement of expenses.
The travel agency insisted that their attitude and that of the driver had nothing to do with criminal negligence. Most other cars on the same road drive at a speed of no more than 30 km/h. Many are even less than 20 km/h. And at a speed of 20 km / h, there were occasional accidents. Keep this in mind when booking specifically with this travel agency. Look at the name of the poster on the vehicle you are assigned. If the driver is driving carelessly, ask him to change his driving style.
Also beware of tour operator Dali Tours. It is located on Ferrovaria Avenue on the side of the train station. Website by (not working). Tourists booked an individual tour there for a great price, but received a simple, standard tour. Instead of a double room, they got two beds in a hostel with ten beds. Instead of interesting roads, they had a simple fast ride, with the driver cutting corners every time he could. No sunsets and even small excursions - nothing. The woman at the agency will sell you everything, but you won't be able to find her after the trip. So all you can do is write about it here.
As expected, on the third day of our trip to Bolivia, we arrived at the Salt Lakes. Salar Uyuni (Spanish: Salar de Uyuni) is a dried-up salt lake in the south of the Altiplano desert plain, Bolivia, at an altitude of about 3650 m above sea level. It has an area of 10,582 km² and is the largest salt marsh in the world. It is located in the vicinity of the city of Uyuni in the departments of Oruro and Potosi in the southwest of the country.
When the Uyuni salt marsh is covered with water, it reflects the blue South American sky.
The inside is covered with a layer of table salt 2-8 m thick. During the rainy season, the salt marsh is covered with a thin layer of water and turns into the world's largest mirror.
About 40 thousand years ago, this area was part of Lake Minchin (which itself emerged from ancient lake Ballivyan). After it dried up, there were two lakes that currently exist: Poopo and Uru-Uru, as well as two large salt marshes: Salar de Coipasa and Uyuni. The area of Uyuni is approximately 25 times the area of dry lake Bonneville in the USA.
The Uyuni salt marsh is estimated to contain 10 billion tons of salt, of which less than 25,000 tons are mined annually. Due to its flat surface, the Uyuni salt marsh serves as the main transport route in the Altiplano.
Thanks to the development of tourism in the Uyuni salt marsh, locals began to build hotels from salt blocks where you can stay overnight. It is noteworthy that beds made of salt blocks keep heat very well, and it is very hot on them at night. Everything is built from salt, chairs, tables, beds, walls, floors.
Every year in November, three species of South American flamingos, the Chilean flamingo, the Andean flamingo and the James flamingo, arrive at the Uyuni Salt Flats to breed.
Uyuni Salt Flats - the world's largest dry salt lake in the south of the Altiplano desert plain in Bolivia at an altitude of about 3,650 meters above sea level. The inner part of the lake is covered with a layer of table salt with a thickness of 2 to 8 meters.
During the rainy season, this salty lake is covered with a thin layer of water and turns into the world's largest mirror.
The Uyuni salt marsh or the dried salt lake has an area of 10,582 sq. km and is the largest salt marsh in the world. The main minerals are halite and gypsum.
About 40,000 years ago, Uyuni was part of the giant Lake Minchin. It dried up, leaving behind two modern salt lakes, Poopo and Uru-Uru, and two salt deserts - the salt marshes of Koipas and Uyuni.
The area of Uyuni is about 25 times the area of the dry Lake Bonneville in the United States.
During the rainy season, the Uyuni salt marsh is covered with a thin layer of water and turns into the world's largest mirror. in the middle endless mirror space it seems as if he was on another planet or the end of the world has come.
Due to its huge size, flat surface and high albedo in the presence of a thin layer of water, as well as minimal altitude deviation, Lake Uyuni is an ideal tool for testing and calibrating remote sensing instruments on orbiting satellites. The clear skies and dry air of Uyuni allow satellites to be calibrated five times better than if the ocean surface were used.
After a trip through the salt marsh, the car is completely covered with salt and is subject to a total wash:
Thanks to its flat surface, the Uyuni salt marsh serves as the main transport route in the Altiplano. Construction underway next to salt marsh international airport capable of receiving long-haul aircraft. Its opening is scheduled for 2012.
There is a salt hotel in the center of the salt flats, and next to it is such a structure made of salt blocks, where tourists from all over the world place the flags of their states. As you can see, there is also our flag:
The Uyuni salt marsh contains a reserve of about 10 billion tons of salt, of which less than 25 thousand tons are mined annually.
Hotels are built from salt, more precisely, from salt blocks. Tables, chairs, beds and other furnishings are also made of salt. And on the walls hang ads with a polite request not to lick anything. You can spend the night in such a hotel for $ 20:
Salt restaurant. If suddenly the food turns out to be undersalted, and there is no salt shaker nearby, you can lick the table:
Salt sculptures:
The salt marsh is practically devoid of vegetation, with the exception of giant cacti that reach a height of 12 m, and shrubs that the locals use as fuel. In November, three species of South American flamingos arrive on the salt marshes. Also, about 80 species of other birds live in the vicinity of the salt marsh, including the coot and the Andean goose.
Every year in November, three species of South American flamingos fly to the Uyuni Salt Flats to breed - the Chilean flamingo, the Andean flamingo and the James flamingo:
Instead of sheep, alpacas are found in these parts. Warm and soft blankets, blankets and clothes are made from alpaca wool, and household items are made from fur.
Alpaca wool has all the properties of sheep, but is much lighter in weight.
One of the attractions of the salt marsh, where tourists also visit, is locomotive graveyard, located near the railway tracks from Antofagasta to Bolivia, 3 km from the city of Uyuni.
The “cemetery” is where the steam locomotives of the named railway are buried, retired from the train service in the 1950s, when the extraction of minerals in the surrounding mines fell sharply. In 2006, the local government adopted a 15-year program for the development of the region, one of the points of which is the transformation of the "cemetery" into an open-air museum.
Near the salt marsh is the eponymous mining town of Uyuni, famous for its monuments. Monuments to workers:
Monument to the locomotive:
and railcar:
Custom sculpture Av. Ferroviaria:
In the center of Uyuni there are several so-called "islands", which are actually the tops of ancient volcanoes that went to the bottom in the era of Lake Minchin. They have an unusually fragile structure and, like corals, are composed of fossils and algae.
Beneath the surface of the Uyuni Salt Flat there is a lake 2 to 20 m deep, the water of which contains table salt, lithium chloride and magnesium chloride. The thickness of the salt crust varies from 10 cm to several meters.
The region has a relatively stable average temperature, with a maximum of 21°C from November to January, and a minimum of 13°C in June. Nights are cold throughout the year, with temperatures fluctuating between -9 and +5°C.
The legends of the Aymara Indians say that the Tunupa, Kusku and Kuzina mountains surrounding the Uyuni salt marsh were once giant people. Tunupa married Kuska, but he left her for Cousin and ran away.
