The Train Cemetery, or Cementerio de Trenes, is basically an open-air museum where you can see rusted and abandoned 19th-century British steam locomotives sitting in the open, and it is only about 3 kilometres outside the town of Uyuni. Back in the late 1800s, Uyuni was a key transport hub for mining companies that shipped…
Incahuasi Island sits right smack in the middle of the Salar de Uyuni salt flat, in southwestern Bolivia, and it feels kind of like an odd little place, because it is an isolated hilly outcrop with giant cacti all over it, and it is surrounded entirely by that glaring white salt crust. Now this “island”…
Yes, you can stay in a hotel that is built from salt blocks all the way through, and the most famous ones sit on the edges of the salt flats in Colchani. Everything you see, from the walls and beds, all the way to the dining tables, is made using the local salt. A salt…
Driving out to the edge of Salar de Uyuni on your own is technically feasible, but going into the interior without a licensed local guide is strongly discouraged and also extremely risky. It covers more than 10,000 square kilometres, yet there are no usable roads, no signposts, and no reliable cellular reception. Everything stays so…
You should pack thermals underneath, a windproof jacket, warm socks, sunglasses with high UV protection, and sturdy walking shoes. Also bring lip balm, sunscreen, and a reusable water bottle because the sun is intense and the altitude is dry, like really dry. Layering is the main idea for comfort on this trip. In the mornings,…
In Salar de Uyuni, night temperatures often fall to about -15°C (5°F) while winter is from June to August. During the day, conditions are usually steadier, hovering around 13°C to 15°C (55°F to 59°F) pretty much all year. This big swing between day and night happens because of the high altitude plus an arid desert…
Yes, a 3-day tour is highly worth it in practice because it lets you actually see the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve, where you get bright lagoons, geysers, and hot springs that you really cannot get to on a 1-day trip. On the other hand, a 1-day tour concentrates mainly on the salt flats…
A 1-day Salar de Uyuni tour usually comes in around 65–90 USD, but regular 3-day trips land more like 150–250 USD per person. The final price changes a lot depending on group size, the stay quality in the itinerary, and whether you will be working with an English-speaking guide. Booking right there in Uyuni can…
The months when you see the mirror-like effect in Salar de Uyuni work best from January until April, because that is when the region gets its rainy season. During this period, a very thin layer of water lies over the salt flats, and the sky comes back in a clean reflection, like a quiet, bright…
You can head from La Paz to Salar de Uyuni with a 45-minute direct flight, or take an overnight sleeper bus that usually takes nine to ten hours, or try a mixed bus-and-train route going through Oruro. Most people pick the overnight bus because it is the most popular and a fairly budget-friendly choice. Companies…