The largest uyuni salt marsh in Bolivia. Stone tree. What to bring to Uyuni
SalardeUyuni/ Salar de Uyuni (Bolivia)When the Uyuni salt marsh is covered with water, it looks like a huge mirror reflecting the sky.
The Salar de Uyuni is the world's largest salt flat, located in Bolivia.
Geography:
The Salar de Uyuni includes over 12,000 sq. km of land in the Potosi region. During the dry season, the salt flats are covered with dry, flat salt, but during the rainy season, the flats are covered with a thin layer of water.
This place was created as a result of the transformation of several prehistoric lakes. It is covered with salt crusts, protruding to a height of several meters. They contain 50 to 70 percent of the world's lithium reserves.
The Salar de Uyuni serves as the main transport route through the Bolivian Altiplano and is the main habitat for several species pink flamingos.
Climate:
Salar de Uyuni is in transition climatic zones. Tropical, powerful cumulus clouds rise in the eastern part. IN western region, near the Chilean border and the Atacama Desert, dry weather prevails.
The area has a relatively stable temperature of 21°C in November-January and a low of 13°C in June. At night, however, it is cold throughout the year with temperatures ranging from -9 to 5°C. Relative humidity is quite low and constant throughout the year -30 - 45%. Precipitation is not high from April to November, however, January is the rainy season.
Hotels:
Many hotels have been built in the area of the salt desert. Due to the lack of conventional building materials, many of them are built almost entirely (walls, roof, furniture) from salt blocks carved in the area. The first such hotel was built in 1995 and soon became a popular tourist destination.
Tour:
Standard tours originate in the south towards the southwestern part of Bolivia. Here you can find many lakes with fluorescent colors, which were created from a set of different minerals from the runoff from the surrounding mountains.
The standard tour is conducted in 4x4 vehicles (usually Toyota Landcruisers) with 6 or 7 people, with a driver. Most 3 and 4 day tours have the same routes for the first 2 ½ days, a day on the salt flat, and then in southbound in the southwestern region of Bolivia, and then return back.
Accommodation is usually provided at base camps and the weather can be very cold, but it's worth it to see the amazing scenery.
First day - the world's largest salt flat
On the first day you will visit the salt flat. In the dry season, it will be a hallucinatory white landscape. When it rains, the salt flat is mostly submerged, giving a perfect reflection of the sky.
- Uyuni Plaza Arce - Most trips start here, next to the train station at 10:30 am, although it can also be reached from the hotel.
- Train graveyard - usually at the beginning of the tour, but some operators prefer to end the tour here. There are many destroyed old steam locomotives here.
- Colchani, Bloques de Sal is a village 7 km north of Uyuni. Salt souvenirs can be purchased here. There is also a salt museum in which there are carved animals created from salt, there are also some pieces of furniture and household appliances. Paid entrance.
- Salt mining area - an area where salt is dug up and left in heaps (weighing a ton) to dry in the sun, then transported to a refinery.
- Salt Hotels are a few hotels made entirely of salt.
- Isla 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 fossil 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. Most tourist groups dine on the western "shore" of this island.
Second day - Direction south to the colorful lakes of the lagoon (South Past Colorful Lakes –Laguna Colorada)
- Accommodation is available in San Juan, although for real enjoyment 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 plain in 4x4 jeeps to see the most spectacular sunrise of your life.
- Hedionda Lagoon is full of flamingos and is a popular place for lunch.
- ArboldePiedra is a stone tree that has been carved by strong, sandy winds.
- The Viscacha area - a short stop on a rocky ledge, is a Viscachas colony.
- The Colorada Lagoon is a red lake with algae. You can also see many flamingos.
Third day, morning - geysers and hot springs in Laguna Verde ( Verde).
The day starts early in the morning (5 am) and without breakfast in order to visit several of the following places:
- The SolardeManaña Geyser Pool is a collection of bubbly gray pools and the geyser is typically visited when the sun is up.
- Hot springs Termasde Polques - located next to the Salar de Chalviri. To enjoy the springs, you can bring your own swimming equipment. Popular place for breakfast.
- Lagoon Verde - decorated in green, it contains such heavy metals as arsenic, lead, copper, with a perfect view of the Lincacabur volcano
This is followed by a long drive back to Uyuni (Uyuni), or from here you can get to San Pedro de Atacama.Afternoon - east of Tupiza.
- Blanca Lagoon - white lake filled with boron ore.
- Lunch – Colorada Lagoon – popular place where you can dine.
If you choose the four-day Tupiza tour, the itinerary will go off the beaten track and you will have the opportunity to visit several small communities. You will also see the following places:
- Celeste Lagoon is a bright blue lake colored with magnesium and manganese.
- Amarilla Lagoon - a yellow sulfur lake and some old rock paintings nearby.
- Ruinas de San Antonio is an abandoned sixteenth-century mining town where slave labor was used.
Afternoon - north of Uyuni:
The road back to Uyuni is very uneven, stop at a few small communities along the way:
- VallesdeRocas - many strange mountain valleys.
Fourth day - the trip ends at Tupiza.
The tour will take a long time to pass through beautiful landscape. The last activity before arriving in Tupiza is the Sillar. In this place there are giant clay columns formed due to erosion.
Fourth day ends at Uyuni.
- San Cristobal is a town that has a 350 year old church and a very beautiful silver altar.
- Train Graveyard - A collection of vintage trains 3 kilometers southwest of Uyuni.
The wild beauty of this vast salt desert makes the Salar de Uyuni one of the most spectacular sights in South America.
The Uyuni salt marsh is made of gypsum, and its inner surface, which has a depth of 2 to 8 m, is covered with a layer of rock salt - halite. According to experts, it contains at least 10 billion tons of table salt.
From November to March, when the rainy season comes to the plateau, the surface of the salt marsh is covered with a thin layer of water, and then Uyuni resembles a giant mirror. The horizon line becomes almost imperceptible, the surface of the lake merges with the sky, and the landscapes around the Uyuni salt marsh take on unearthly beauty. Excellent conditions for photographers!
Many tourists from different countries peace. Peak tourist season falls between June and August. Especially for travelers locals built hotels, the walls of which are made of salt blocks, and you can spend the night in them. A night in a salt hotel costs about $20. The hosts even put up notices for guests asking them not to “lick” interior items.
Near the salt marsh is the mining town of Uyuni, where 10.6 thousand inhabitants live. Here you can see several monuments to workers, a monument to a railway trolley and sculptures in the steampunk style. The town is small enough to explore it in an hour.
The people of Bolivia have beautiful legend about the birth of the Uyuni salt marsh. It is framed by the Kusku, Kuzina and Tunupa mountain ranges. The Aymara Indians believe that before these mountains were giant people. Tunupa was Kusku's wife and bore him a son. However, the beautiful Kuzina separated the spouses, and Kusku went to live with her, taking the baby with him. Tunupa was very worried about what had happened and cried. Her tears mixed with breast milk and gave birth to a huge salt marsh. Since then, the locals call it - Tunupa.
Origin of the Uyuni Salt Flats
In ancient times, there was a huge Minchin reservoir on the Altiplano, the depth of which reached 100 meters. About 40 thousand years ago, due to the hot sun and the lack of tributaries, it began to shallow. Gradually, two lakes (Uru Uru and Poopo) and two large salt marshes - Uyuni and Salar de Koipasa - formed on the site of Minchin. By the way, the Coipas salt marsh with an area of 2,218 km² is the second largest in Bolivia after Uyuni.
Climatic features
On the alpine plateau, where the Uyuni salt marsh lies, the air temperature is stable. From November to January, the temperature in the daytime reaches +21...+22°C, and in June it drops to +13°C. Since the salt marsh is located at an altitude of more than 3500 m above sea level, it is cold here at night at any time of the year. In July, the temperature drops below 0°C, and sometimes it can drop to -10°C.
Relative humidity in the area of the mountain plateau is always low - 30-45%. The air is dry and rainfall is low. Even during the rainy season, there are only five rainy days per month.
Salt marsh industrial value
The salt marsh of Uyuni plays a large role in the economy of Bolivia. It is mined for rock salt. Annually it reaches 25 thousand tons. Tourists can visit the small village of Kolchani, located 22 km from the city of Uyuni, in the east of the salt marsh. Its inhabitants have long been engaged in salt mining, and most of the houses in the village are built from blocks of rock salt.
The salt marsh also contains vast reserves of lithium chloride. From this salt, a light alkali metal lithium is extracted, which is necessary for the production of batteries. Uyuni contains from 50 to 70% of all lithium reserves on the planet - about 100 million tons. There are also large reserves of magnesium chloride.
The Uyuni salt marsh has been used in space exploration of the earth's surface. It is used to calibrate and test remote sensing devices that orbiting satellites are equipped with. Calibration by Uyuni is five times more successful than by the surface of the ocean. The reason for this is the high reflectivity, big sizes and the flat surface of a salt lake.
Salt in Uyuni is mined for the needs of the food industry, for the manufacture of tourist souvenirs. Not only walls are made of rock salt blocks, but tables, beds, loungers and various decorations for the interior are made.
The first salt hotels appeared in the 1990s in the very center of the salt marsh, and they became very popular with tourists. However, due to non-compliance with sanitation standards, such hotels heavily polluted the environment, and local authorities decided to dismantle them. Hotels have been rebuilt on the outskirts of the Uyuni salt marsh. Now they work in compliance with all sanitary rules and environmental standards.
Panorama of the Uyuni Salt FlatsWhat can be seen on the Uyuni salt marsh
In November, when the rainy season begins, more than 90 species of birds come here to breed, including three species of flamingos. They feed on algae algae and crustaceans, and from this the feathers of graceful birds acquire a bright pink color. The salt marsh is also home to several rare species of hummingbirds.
In the area surrounding the Uyuni Salt Flats, there are rabbit-like rodents - vizcaches, foxes and alpacas. Soft and extremely warm, alpaca wool is similar in properties to sheep, but much lighter. It has long been used by locals to make blankets, blankets and clothing.
The surface of the Uyuni salt marsh is covered with large salt "honeycombs". In early spring, when the rainy season ends, the salt crust dries up. The water that has accumulated below begins to break out through it to the surface, and small cone-shaped volcanoes form.
Uyuni is almost completely devoid of vegetation. In its center are several islands, which in their own way geological origin are craters of volcanoes extinct in antiquity. During the existence of Lake Minchin, they were completely hidden under the surface of the water.
Many tourists in jeeps reach the island of Fish (Isla de los Pescados), covered with coral deposits. Giant cereus cacti up to 10 m high grow here. Botanists believe that the age of individual specimens exceeds 1200 years. In addition to cacti, several types of shrubs grow on the island, and the locals use them as fuel. There are also three small restaurants open on Pisces Island for travelers to relax and refresh themselves.
Fish IslandAnother attraction of the huge salt marsh is the Valley of Stones (Valles de Rocas). This is the name of the place where you can see unusual remnant stones. The bizarre forms of these stone statues for many millions of years were created by the forces of wind, water and sunlight. And in the center of Uyuni there is a platform made of blocks of rock salt. On it, travelers leave the flags of their countries.
3 km from the city of Uyuni, near the single-track railway line leading from Bolivia to the northern provinces of Chile, there is an unusual museum - the “cemetery” of steam locomotives (Cementerio de Trenes). Here, under open sky you can see examples of rusted railway engineering which were used until the middle of the last century. Steam locomotives were left as superfluous after production in local mines was sharply reduced. Of particular interest are the articulated locomotives of the Meyer and Garratt systems.
Video: Reflections from Uyuni
Salt perfectly reflects sunlight. It shines so much that it hurts the eyes, so it is difficult to do without sunglasses and a hat on the Uyuni salt marsh. Experts advise to use sunscreen, because in 1-2 hours you can get very burned.
In addition, you need to understand that the salt marsh is located in the highlands, and at the beginning of the trip some tourists may experience signs of altitude sickness - lethargy, apathy, dizziness, nausea and sleep disturbances. It takes time to get back to normal. A local remedy for acclimatization is tea made from coca leaves.
The cheapest salt marsh tours are sold in Uyuni or via the Internet. Usually they are designed for two days and two nights so that tourists can see the main local attractions. Many people travel around the Uyuni salt marsh on their own in a rented vehicle.
How to get there
Uyuni Salt Flats is located 500 meters south of the city of La Paz, the capital of Bolivia. Nearest town - small town Uyuni.
Since 2011, next to the salt marsh is open international Airport(El Aeropuerto Joya Andina). From the Bolivian capital, two local airlines fly here at once. Air travel is the most fast way get to the salt marsh, because the flight takes only 40-45 minutes.
In addition, you can come to the Uyuni salt marsh on land transport– a rented car or bus. Tourist buses go from La Paz and others major cities. The length of the road from the capital through the city of Oruro is 569 km. Tourists leave La Paz at 21.00 and arrive in Uyuni in the morning, respectively, they are on the road from 10 to 15 hours.
There is another route option: you can come from La Paz to Oruro by bus in 4 hours, and then get to Uyuni by local train.
Modern travelers traveling around the world and seeing a huge number of sights are rarely surprised by anything. It seems that all monuments of nature, culture and history have already been explored. However, it is not. And Uyuni Salt Lake proves it! In this article, you will learn everything about this lake.
General information about the salt marsh
There are places on our planet that are literally breathtaking. You seem to have arrived on an unknown planet. Uyuni is a salt marsh located in Bolivia, a country famous throughout the world for its deposits. Here, in the south-west of the country, at an altitude of almost 4000 above sea level, the largest salt marsh in the world is located. Its area is more than 10 thousand square meters. km.
The thickness of the salt layer sometimes exceeds 10 meters. Every year, crowds of tourists from all over the world attack Uyuni, a salt marsh that attracts not only natural beauty but also many attractions. And taking a photo against the background of the "sky mirror" is considered a real success!
The history of the formation of an amazing lake
Lake Uyuni is part of the Altiplano plateau. This mountain plateau is located at an altitude of 4 thousand meters above the sea and holds not only Uyuni, but also other small salt marshes, as well as dry lakes. How did the miracle of nature - the Uyuni salt marsh - form? Its history takes us back to ancient times. About 40 thousand years ago, the lake was part of the giant Lake Minchin. Under the influence of time, Minchin was transformed into the Tauka reservoir, then into Koipas. After drying, the lakes Uru Uru, Poopa (they still exist) and the salt marshes of Koipas and Uyuni remained. The salt marsh is subject to flooding during the rainy season, as it is flooded by the nearby Poopo and Titicaca. The water that covers the layer of salt turns it into a mirror. Tourists here have the impression that the sky is above their heads and under their feet. People seem to float in the air.
The climate of the area
The rainy season here lasts from November to March. Approximate air temperature in summer time equals 22 °C. As in many deserts and mountains, the hot day on the Bolivian plateau gives way to a cool night. The summer months in South America are winter, but despite this, at such a time the main influx of tourists happens. In winter, the air temperature near Uyuni (salt marsh) reaches +13 °C, at night it drops down to -10 °C.
Because of high altitude above sea level, many tourists (especially those who are not used to changing altitudes) experience inconvenience here. Their heads are spinning, their ears are blocked. There are attacks of nausea and vomiting, but the symptoms quickly pass. The body gets used to the climate, and the locals know how to help the tourist. They advise visitors to chew coca leaves, a strong tonic that helps relieve discomfort. However, people visiting the Salar de Uyuni salt flat (Bolivia) should remember that coca leaves are not a weak drug!
Flora and fauna of the lake in the mountains
Due to the huge accumulation of salts, the local soil is unsuitable for life. Vegetation is almost non-existent here. You can only notice tall cacti and rare shrubs that the natives use as fuel. By the way, the cacti here are very interesting. Reaching a height of 12 meters, they all have different shapes and thicknesses. It is difficult to find two identical cacti.
In summer, you can see a real miracle on the salt marsh: hundreds of the most beautiful birds flock here - pink flamingos, sedately walking along the mirror surface. Chilean, Andean and James's flamingos come here every year to breed.
About 80 species of birds live nearby. Among them there are interesting individuals, such as the Andean goose and the Andean hummingbird. Also here you can see Andean foxes and small rodents viscacha. Appearance the latter slightly resembles the rabbits familiar to us.
Salt flat de Uyuni: economic importance
For the economy of Bolivia, the salt marsh is of tremendous importance. Of course, its main wealth is truly significant salt reserves. Experts suggest that there are ten billion tons of salt here. This is a huge number! At the same time, about 25 thousand tons of mineral are mined on the lake every year. Lithium is also mined here. It is used to make batteries. More than 50% of the world's supply of this substance is in Lake Bolivia.
During the dry season, the flat surface of the salt marsh is one of the main thoroughfares of the Altiplano. And of course, it is considered one of the main attractions of the country. Crowds of tourists flock here, replenishing the treasury of the state.
Another fact in favor of the lake: there is a flat mirror surface, clear skies and dry air. These are excellent conditions for testing and calibrating orbiting satellites. That is why the Salar de Uyuni is so dear to the government of Bolivia.
Local Attractions: Steam Engine Cemetery
The cemetery of locomotives is located three kilometers from the city of Uyuni. Now this once large town has a population of 15 thousand people. But once the most important railway lines of the country passed here. In the 40s of the XX century, production fell in the mines, and the city gradually began to empty. The collapse of the railway communication was not long in coming ... Locomotives and wagons were abandoned just like that.
Tourists can even see here steam locomotives, whose age is more than a century. But unfortunately all these historical objects are in a terrible and neglected condition. The authorities have tried to raise the issue of creating a museum, but so far to no avail.
Salt hotels
The inhabitants of Bolivia, who work in the extraction of salt, use it not only for food. Merchants offer visitors to the country and souvenirs made right here from salt. But the inventive people did not stop there! People who visit the Uyuni salt marsh in Bolivia and want to feel the local flavor as sharply as possible stay overnight in hotels made from blocks of salt.
The first hotels were built in the 90s of the last century. They were erected in the middle of the lake. Due to sanitation problems that have a bad effect on the environment, the hotels were demolished and rebuilt in compliance with all the rules. Now the famous salt hotels are located on the edge of the lake.
The Palacio de Sal Hotel is one of the most famous hotels from salt. Walls and roof, floor, furniture, sculptures are made of salt. Tourists will also be offered a sauna and jacuzzi. The only ban on all salt block hotels is that you can't lick the surroundings!
Pescado Island
Another attraction of Uyuni is located right in the middle of the lake. Pescado Island (translated as “fish”) in the rainy season, with its outlines, really resembles a fish. The area of the island is approximately 2 sq. km. Above the desert of salt rises the mouth of an ancient extinct volcano.
It is covered with many petrified corals and huge cacti. Cacti here are ancient, there are even thousand-year-old individuals. Pescado Island is famous for the ruins left from the Inca settlement.
Other local attractions
When visiting the village of Kolchani, a tourist should definitely look into the local museum, where interesting specimens of furniture and sculptures made of mineral are exhibited.
The lagoon of Lake Edionda is also interesting. There are flocks of flamingos here, and you can also watch llamas and alpacas. Flamingos also fly to the nearby Colorado Lagoon.
50 km from Lake Colorado there is a geyser basin called Sol de Magnana. The reservoir seethes and emits sulfuric gas with a characteristic unpleasant odor. Swimming is very close thermal spring. This is especially helpful for people suffering from arthritis.
If these sights are not enough for you, then go to the Verde lagoon. This green salt lake is located almost on state border from Chile. Sedimentary deposits with copper give an interesting color to the water.
Aymara Indians tell tourists ancient legend. The mountains surrounding the salt marsh, according to the natives, were giants in ancient times. Kusku was married to Tunupe, but fascinated by Kuzina. The giant left his wife and small child, and Tunupa shed bitter tears for a very long time. Streams of tears mixed with the milk she fed the child, and formed huge lake. The locals revere the legend of Tunul and believe that the area should be named after her.
Memo to the tourist
Going to new and unknown place Don't forget to take everything you need with you. Bring sunglasses if you don't want to squint all the time. If you wish to take a night shot of the Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia, bring warm clothing.
The nights here are very cool. Be sure to fit in a suitcase waterproof shoes and a moisturizer, because from local climate very dry skin.
If you settle in budget hotel, take a blanket or sleeping bag. Such hotels often do not heat.
The best place to visit Uyuni is February, when the lake becomes a truly gigantic mirror. Don't forget to take photos of the cute local llamas walking along the shore. Their ears are decorated with funny earrings in different colors.
Uyuni Salt Flats: how to get there?
Tourists usually get to the salt marsh from the capital of Bolivia, the city of La Paz. Several modes of transport run to famous lake. So, how to visit the Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia?
If you want to admire a truly wonderful view of an endless mirror lake, flocks of charming pink flamingos, live in an exotic hotel made of salt blocks and watch an ancient volcano, then be sure to visit dry lake Uyuni in South America.
Salar Uyuni - (Spanish version of the name Salar de Uyuni, Salar de Uyuni) - the world's largest salt marsh with an area of 10,582 km².
Uyuni is located in southwestern Bolivia at an altitude of 3,656 meters above sea level.
It is covered with a salt crust of 2-8 meters.
The salt marsh contains a reserve of 10 billion tons of salt. And also up to 50% of the world's reserves of lithium chloride, from which lithium is obtained.
The salt marsh is subject to flooding during the rainy season, as it is flooded by the nearby Poopo and Titicaca. Water covering a layer of salt turns it into a mirror. Tourists here have the impression that the sky is above their heads and under their feet.
In the dry season, polygonal furrows form on the surface of the salt marsh like a honeycomb.
Uyuni salt marsh on the map
Attractions around Uyuni
Cemetery of steam locomotives (Spanish: "Cementeriode Trenes")
Located 3 km from the city of Uyuni.
This town was once major center Bolivia with a developed network of railways. A sharp drop in the extraction of minerals in the surrounding mines in the 40s. of the last century led to the complete collapse of the railway communication in this region. Huge locomotives, electric locomotives, wagons and trolleys were abandoned to the mercy of fate.
Edionda Lagoon (Spanish: La Grande Laguna Hedionda)
Edionda is a salt lake favored by migrating pink and white flamingos. In the vicinity of the lake you can see herds of llamas and alpacas.
Colchani (Spanish: Colchani)
The small village is located on eastern edge salt marsh, 22 km from Uyuni.
A feature of the village are houses built from salt blocks.
Pescado Island (Spanish: IsladelPescado)
An island with an area of about 2 km², located in the very center of a huge salt marsh, is the pinnacle of ancient volcano. He rises above salt desert at 100-120 m. The island is covered with fossilized coral deposits and giant cacti, some of which are over 1000 years old. On the island are the ruins of ancient Inca settlements.
Salt hotels
Walls, floors, ceilings are made of salt, as well as most of furniture and interior decoration of the hotel - sculptures, beds, tables, chairs and even clocks.
Laguna Colorada (Spanish: Laguna Colorada)
A small salty lake of reddish color. Located on the territory National Reserve Andean fauna (Spanish: Reserva Nacionalde Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa). Microscopic algae "algae" give an unusual red tint to the reservoir. Lake Colorada is notable for its large colonies of flamingos.
Sol de Magnan Geyser Basin (Spanish: Solarde Manaña)
The geyser is located 50 km from Lake Colorada. Not far from the geyser pool is the thermal reservoir Termas-de-Polques, the temperature of which is pleasant for swimming.
Laguna Verde (Spanish: Laguna Verde)
Verde is a salt lake at the foot of the Licancabur volcano (Spanish Licancabur; 5920 m), located on the border with Chile. The green color of the lake is given by sedimentary deposits containing copper. Verde is famous for its hot springs and picturesque scenery.
How to get to Uyuni Salt Flats
Tourists usually get to the salt marsh from the capital of Bolivia, the city of La Paz.
Where is the first thing you need to get to.
There are no direct flights from cities in Russia and the CIS to Bolivia; you will have to fly with two transfers, often by different airlines.
Monthly flights from Moscow to La Paz:
| departure date | Date returned. | Airline | Find a ticket | Transplants | |
| 2 transfers |
||||
| 2 transfers |
||||
| 2 transfers |
||||
| 2 transfers |
||||
| 2 transfers |
||||
| 2 transfers |
||||
| 2 transfers |
||||
|
Brief conclusion: ▫ Book online is not required(more expensive and useless) ▫ All tours start from Uyuni to 10.00-10.30
▫ We bought in Andes Salt Expeditions, but everything depends on the driver-guide, and not on the agency. Three days tour 105$ + surcharge for the national park 22$ ▫ You don't have to spend the night in Uyuni, tours end at 17.00 . Then by night bus to where the free wind calls ▫ « Mirror» should be during the rainy season from January to early April. In fact, in 2018, the water on the salt marsh was in May and even in July. Bolivian Altiplano, Colorado Lagoon
How to get to Uyuni▪ Airplane from La Paz, 45 minutes, 80-95$ one way ▪ Bus From Potosi – 4 hours, from 20 BOB / 3$
Direct bus La Paz - Uyuni is only at night. 15$ for semi-kama and 22$ for cama (folds out 160 degrees). Happy with a change in Oruro. We took tickets at the station on the day of departure, there are many buses, not all on the Internet. We drove like this: La Paz Oruro, 9.30 am, 30 BOB ( 5$
) We went during the day, because at night we wanted to sleep in a bed. During the day the buses are cheap, old and uncomfortable. From La Paz to Oruro, a kid was selling impotence powder. He yelled into the microphone for the whole salon for 3 hours. I wanted to kill him, but people liked the speech - everything was sold out.
Uyuni on the mapHotels in UyuniBooked Castillo de Liliana for one night, rating 7.3, $25. Of the pros hot water, heater, breakfast, check-out at 10.30. Of the minuses - they did not change bed linen, in general, fuuu. After returning from the tour, we spent the night at Hotel Jumari , rating 8.6 , paid 50$ for a double with a shower. There was a heater, hot water and a clean bed, better than the first option. Sal Casa Andina stands out from a number of monotonous bunkhouses (rating 9.2 ), but worth 90$. Prices for tours in Uyuni Price per one on Spanish. On English more expensive by 30-50%. I quote average prices. Transport, accommodation, food, guide service (the driver will say a few words about each place) is included. 1$ ≈ 7 Bolivian (BOB) 1. Tour on 1 day(Steam Cemetery, Dakar Statue, Uyuni Salt Flats, Cactus Island, Museum). 150 BOB + 30 BOB for cactus island. Total 26$ 2. Tour on 2 days(anything above + two lagoons and/or climbing the Tunupa volcano, 4500 m), 500-550 BOB + 30 BOBs for cacti. Total 84$ 3. Tour on 3 days(everything in the first + volcanoes + colorful lagoons with flamingos, geysers, swimming in thermal springs) The lower threshold according to reviews is 600 BOB / 90$ (did not find such a price), average tour 720-850 BOB + 30 BOBs cactus island (optional) + 150 BOBs entrance to the national park Laguna Colorada (mandatory) + 6 BOBs hot springs (optional). Total 130$ Possible transfer to Chile for an additional fee 10$ or return to Uyuni. 4. Tour on 4 days, ≈180$, return to the city of Tupiza, from there you can go to Argentina How to choose a tour operator? Uyuni Salt Flats There are more than 50 operators in Uyuni. Those in the top ten according to tripadvisor reviews are sitting opposite the railway station. They drive in their cars or hire freelance drivers. We went to eight agencies. I wanted to find a jeep, where it will be less people. The price and program are the same for everyone. In jeeps for 6 passengers + driver. Departure to 10.00-10.30 Took a tour to Andes Salt Expeditions behind 105$ from a person. They are #3 on tripadvisor and ready to negotiate. Bought an hour before departure, no need to book in advance. In general, ok. An intelligent guy was driving (he warmed up the car, treated him to lollipops, joked). It is believed that the best time in Uyuni is February-beginning of April when there is water and mirror effect. We were in mid May. The driver knew where to look for the "mirror" at that time and made a detour on his own initiative. I read hundreds of reviews about tours with different agencies, and they all had jambs. Cars break down, slips, delays. Ideal only if you take individual tour/ rent a car and drive according to your program. Private tours for 3 days ≈ $700-800. What to take on a tour? In such clothes it is warm in the evening and in the morning, in the afternoon it is possible without a jacket and a hat ▪ Toilet paper, soap - you can buy in bunkhouses on the salt marsh, just 3 times more expensive. Towel rented at the hotel for 5 BOB (0.7$) ▪ Small money. Toilets during the tour cost between 2 and 5 BOB ▪ Power bank for phone (there were no sockets on the second night) ▪ Chocolates, icicles, tangerines, water (3 liters were enough for two) ▪ Warm clothes: hat, gloves, jacket, sneakers, thermal socks. Sunglasses, cap, cream 50 sfs (not needed), sleeping bag (optional). Flip flops in the shower walk, swimsuit and a towel for the hot springs. Backpacks with macbooks and summer clothes were left at the agency. With you only small backpacks with the necessary. You can take a large backpack, it will go on the roof of the jeep. Internet and moneyThere is no connection during the tour. Sockets were only on the first night (30 pieces in a common room) There are ATMs in Uyun. Change currency at the bank, but it is better in La Paz (the exchange rate is more profitable). We paid for the tour in dollars, for the hotel and cafe in Bolivians.  Difficulty breathing due to altitude and strong wind Altitude and mountain sicknessThe heights are: Below 4000 meters everything is ok. It's hard to spend the night at 4400. I had a headache, I even missed dinner. The French from our group drank three bottles of beer every evening and ran briskly along the Altiplano. The driver was chewing coca and looked fine. Everything is individual. Tour program by day1200 km three days on roads without asphalt Day 1▪ Steam Locomotive Cemetery, 20 minutes. Trains used to carry useful metals and minerals to Chile. Then everything was covered, the locomotives were abandoned.
▪ Village with souvenirs, 1 hour ▪ Saline Uyuni. Statue "Dakar", an island with flags (no Belarusian)
▪ Dinner in a salt hotel. Drivers brought food with them. We had llama meat(did not try), rice, salad, banana, scrambled eggs. ▪ Salt marsh again, games with perspective
▪ Cactus Island Incahuasi, entrance 30 BOBs. You can climb for free somewhere on the side. They did not go to the island, they took refuge in its shadow and enjoyed absolute silence.
▪ "Mirror"- we stopped at the place where the water remained in May. The Italians have made themselves mirror pictures. It turned out beautifully. At the same time, the boots were bleached with salt.
▪ We drove past fields with quinoa, watched how the grains are separated from the ears (they ride on them in a jeep). ▪ At 18.00 arrived at the hotel from the salt. Room with two beds, shower and toilet for all. Slept in clothes. Shower paid 10 BOBs. I left quickly, because an hour later another 7 cars (40 people) arrived at the hotel. For dinner, chicken, french fries, fried eggs. Day 2▪ Breakfast at the hotel (tea, rolls, jam). Departure at 7.30 ▪ Railway and the volcanoes of Chile in the distance ▪ Lookout with a view of the volcano
▪ Canapa lagoon, flamingos
▪ Hedionda Lagoon, more flamingos. Here lunch and 2 hours time
▪ Another lagoon where no one wants to live
▪ Arbol de Piedra- many, many stones and "Stone Tree". Four viscachas (mountain viscaches) met there. This is such a huge rabbit with a squirrel tail and the behavior of a chinchilla. He eats from his hands and allows you to stroke the head.
▪ Laguna Colorada- the red lagoon and thousands of flamingos somewhere far below. Arrived in Bolivia for the winter from Chile and Argentina. How are they not blown away by the wind? Here they paid for the entrance to the national park by 150 BOBs (22$ ) |
Cacti 12 m tall
