Salar de Uyuni

The world's largest salt flat, which becomes the "Mirror of the Sky" in the rainy season. Stay in the town of Uyuni or a salt hotel, and take a day trip to Fish Island and the train cemetery.

The Salar de Uyuni lies on the Andean plateau in Potosí Department in southwestern Bolivia, at an altitude of about 3,656 m, covering about 10,600 square kilometers. It is the largest salt flat in the world. Visitors all set out from the town of Uyuni on the southeastern edge of the salt flat, where you'll find plenty of jeep tour agencies, restaurants and guesthouses. What you can do varies by season. December to April is the rainy season, when a thin layer of water several centimeters deep collects on the salt crust, and on windless days sky and earth merge into one: this is the "Mirror of the Sky," most reliable in January–March, although when the water is too deep, the road to Isla Incahuasi is closed. May to November is the dry season, when the salt crust cracks into endless hexagonal patterns, ideal for forced-perspective photos and stargazing, and nighttime temperatures can drop to well below freezing in June–August. There are three main areas to visit: the train cemetery on the edge of town; the Colchani salt village, Ojo del Salar, the salt hotel and the Dakar monument on the eastern edge of the flat; and Isla Incahuasi and Fish Island in the middle and west of the flat, plus Tunupa Volcano on the northern shore. A day trip can cover the eastern edge and Isla Incahuasi, while sunset tours and stargazing tours are booked separately. The Red Lagoon, Green Lagoon and geysers to the south belong to the Eduardo Avaroa Reserve, and are usually visited on a three-day, two-night jeep tour, which can return to Uyuni or continue directly to Chile's Atacama. Getting there: the flight from La Paz to Uyuni takes about 1 hour, and the overnight bus about 10 hours. We suggest spending 2–3 days in Uyuni. Notes: the altitude is high, so it's best to acclimatize for 1–2 days in La Paz or Cusco first; the glare off the salt is intense, so sunglasses and sunscreen are essential; wear tall rubber boots in the rainy season; choose a well-reviewed tour agency. Chinese citizens need a visa for Bolivia; check the embassy's latest rules.

Top sights

• Salar de Uyuni (Mirror of the Sky) – The world's largest salt flat. When a thin layer of water covers it in the rainy season, the sky is reflected across the endless ground, cr…
• Train Cemetery (Uyuni Railway Scrap Yard) – On the wasteland outside Uyuni town, more than a hundred rusted steam locomotives and carriages lie abandoned. They bear witness to the ris…
• Isla Incahuasi – A coral-fossil island in the middle of the salt flat, covered with giant columnar cacti several meters tall. From the summit, you can see w…
• Colchani – A small village on the eastern edge of the salt flat where salt is still harvested by hand, with salt-sculpture museums, salt-brick buildin…
• Salt Hotels & Dakar Monument – Hotels built entirely from salt bricks, with walls, bed frames, tables, and chairs all made of salt. Inside the salt flat, the Playa Blanca…
• Ojos del Salar – A few natural springs in the salt crust on the eastern edge of the salt flat, where mineral water and gas bubble up constantly. It is a qui…
• Tunupa Volcano & Coqueza – A colorful extinct volcano on the northern shore of the salt flat. At its base, the village of Coquesa has a pre-Inca mummy cave, and the v…
• Isla del Pescado – A cactus-covered island on the western side of the salt flat, shaped like a swimming fish. It receives far fewer visitors than Isla Incahua…
• Uyuni Town – The gateway town for salt flat tours. Around the railway station clock tower, the pedestrian street, and the market, you will find travel a…
• Pulacayo – A century-old silver mining town about 20 km east of Uyuni. Abandoned steam locomotives, mine shafts, and workers' housing record the rise…

Where to eat

• Tika – A highly-rated restaurant in the town of Uyuni, serving modern dishes with southern highland flavors using llama meat a…
• Minuteman Revolutionary Pizza – A pizza restaurant located inside the Toñito Hotel, run by an American owner, making it a popular dinner spot for trave…

Itineraries

• Bolivia Classic Highlands Panorama – From La Paz to Isla del Sol, then via the White City and Silver City to Uyuni and the high-altitude lagoons
• Uyuni to Atacama via High-Altitude Lagoons – Cross the salt flats, Laguna Colorada, and Laguna Verde by off-road vehicle, and enter the Chilean desert via the Hito…
• Tupiza Canyons and Sur Lípez to Uyuni – Depart from the red canyons, take the southern route across the lagoons by off-road vehicle, and arrive at the salt fla…
• Peru & Bolivia Highlands Highlights – From Machu Picchu across Lake Titicaca to La Paz and the Uyuni Salt Flats