Salar de Uyuni Wikipedia
Today they create an eerie environment and stand as a testament to the corrosive power of salt! The first stop on most tours is the Train Graveyard (El Cementerio de Trenes) on the dusty outskirts of Uyuni. The deserted plain is the perfect canvas for taking perspective photographs and when covered in a layer of water it becomes the world’s largest mirror, which makes for stunning reflective images. Sense of distance and perspective become skewed as the salty surface goes on mile after endless mile. As the water evaporated the salt crystalised and formed a crust, which is up to 10 m thick in some places. There are tours that run directly from the Chilean town of San Pedro de Atacama, which is close to the Bolivian border.
- On both tours, the food was great, and there was plenty of it — we couldn’t even finish everything.
- We saw a couple of people cycling on the Uyuni salt flats.
- We chose a Spanish-speaking tour, and our basic Spanish was more than enough.
- They were visibly struggling and choking on the dust kicked up by the tour vehicles.
- Alternatively, shorter one- to three-day tours are available from Uyuni or Tupiza, depending on your onward travel plans.
- In 2017, on the first night, we stayed in private rooms in a salt hotel.
Day 3 – On the way back to Uyuni
We chose a Spanish-speaking tour, and our basic Spanish was more than enough. It’s worth mentioning that you will spend most of your time in the car. So, below are a few points to know before choosing a tour. I recommend booking in person, as it’s usually cheaper.Salar de Uyuni Travel Tips.
- It sits at an altitude of 14,000 ft/ 4,270 m in Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve, close to the Chilean border.
- During this time the salt is covered by a layer of water that provides a dramatic mirror effect and creates unique conditions for fabulous photos.
- When it dried up, it left a couple of seasonal puddles and several salt pans, including Salar de Uyuni.
- Experience guides offer travelers innovative ways to discover iconic destinations, featuring unique adventures and trip-building tools for personalized journeys.
- When these ancient bodies of water evaporated due to time they left behind a thick crust of salt and other minerals and this is what we now call Salar de Uyuni.
