Some of the most unusual landscapes in the world can be found on the Bolivian Altiplano. In the southwestern part of the plateau the vistas range from the largest salt flats in the world to picture perfect volcanos hovering above flamingo-filled lagoons. You will be astounded by the fascinating scenes around Uyuni, Bolivia.
To fully explore as much of this unusual landscape as possible we took a 3 day/2 night tour. This much time allowed us to visit not only the salt flats, but also the surreal terrain further afield.
Salar de Uyuni (Salt Flats of Uyuni)
As we stepped on to the vast white expanse of salt we were in awe of what we saw. A glaringly white sea spread out in front of us for as far as our eyes could see. It looked otherworldly.
The largest salt flats in the world are located near the town of Uyuni. They were formed when a prehistoric salt lake began evaporating 40,000 years ago. After Lago Machín evaporated for 30,000 years all that was left was the flat, white mineral reserve that we see today.
At 3,656 m (11,995 ft) of elevation the sun is very bright. The reflection off the white salt makes it even brighter. It was difficult to look at the white flats without sunglasses. Being this high during the Bolivian winter also meant that it was very cold. We wore down jackets and thick sweaters as we walked over the salt. We thought it would be soft like walking on a bed of table salt, but in fact the surface is very hard.
The flats are massive and contain an enormous amount of salt. They cover an area over 10,000 square kilometres (3,900 sq mi) and can be up to 120 m (400 ft) deep. This amounts to almost 11 billion tons of salt. In addition to salt there are large quantities of lithium, boron, potassium, magnesium, sodium carbonates and sulfates in this lake and others in the region.
On the edge of the flats are Ojos de Salar (Salt Eyes). These small, bubbling pools are outlets from underground rivers. We thought the water would be hot, but it was surprisingly cold.
After spending time walking around this strange lake, we hopped in a 4WD and began to drive across the salt flats. It was one of the most bizarre drives we’ve ever had. Surrounded by flat, white nothingness, it felt like driving across the Canadian Prairies in the winter.
After an hour of driving with only white on the horizon, we reached an island in the middle of the large salt lake. It was not just any island though. This one looked as if it was from another planet where giant cacti rise out of coral hills in a sea of salt.
It is called Isla Incahuasi (House of Inca Island). The legend says that the Inca found safety on this island when fighting the Spanish. This is because their llamas could walk across the salt flats, but the Spaniards’ horses could not.
Walking to the highest point on this surreal island feels like you’re on a science fiction movie set. The ground is made of a prehistoric coral reef which somehow manages to support large cacti in various shapes. To top off the scene, the large white salt flats come right up to the shores of the island. It is a beautiful and bizarre place.
The black marks on the salt are tracks from 4WDs.
Salt Hotels
Today there are a few different salt hotels on the flats, but the original one was built entirely of salt. The walls and furniture are made from salt bricks and the floor is covered in a thick layer of salt. Most tours stop at it for lunch on the first day, but it no longer operates as a hotel.
We spent one night in one of the new salt hotels which was partially made from salt. The interior walls and furniture are made of salt bricks and salt covers the floor, but the ceiling and wall frames are made from wood, stone and metal. The blocks of salt used in the walls, table, chairs and even bedframes were cut out of the salt flats. The different layers that you can see in the blocks are laid each successive rainy and dry season allow you to determine the age of the block. It was a very unique hotel to spend the night.
Sunsets and Sunrises
Sunsets on the salt flats were gorgeous. The setting sun illuminated the fascinating hexagonal shapes that form when the lake evaporates during dry season. Behind us a full moon was already high in the sky.
The next morning was very cold when we went to see the sunrise from Morning Sun Geyser Basin. The full moon provided light as we waited for the sun to rise. Volcanic mud pots were spouting liquid and geysers were shooting steam adding unique elements to the sun’s first rays. Even though temperatures were well below freezing, it was a fantastic setting to watch the sunrise.
Unusual Volcanic Rock Formations
The salt flats are surrounded by desert landscapes and tall volcanos. There are many areas where clusters of volcanic rock have assumed interesting shapes. Some look like animals, others like trees. One area is said to remind visitors of a Salvador Dali painting. To us the tree looked more like a tornado and the Salvador Dali rocks were quite underwhelming, but they were interesting components of this strange landscape.
Train Graveyard
A common stop that all tours make is the Train Graveyard. In the early 19th century, the plan was for Uyuni to be a major transportation hub. The idea didn’t pan out and today the trains are hollow shells of their original selves, standing in the barren dessert on the edge of Uyuni. They may not be useful anymore, but they do make interesting pictures.
Crazy tourist pictures
We’re not sure where this trend came from, possibly Instagram, but almost every tour agency makes you pose for quirky pictures that you otherwise wouldn’t take. Not wanting to be rude, we joined in on the fun.
Our time was not done exploring this incredibly unique area. Beyond the salt flats we found magical volcanic lakes filled with thousands of flamingos. Stories from that part of our Uyuni tour is coming soon.
When to visit
Like many things it depends on what you want to see. For clear skies and dry roads the best time to visit is during dry season from May to November. Remember that from June to August it’s winter and the temperatures will be much lower. During rainy season the flat lake is covered in a thin layer of water and becomes a huge mirror. It is a popular time to visit, but the water means some of the other sites around the lake are inaccessible. To see the mirror effect of the wet lake visit between January and March.
About the tours
In order to explore everything that Uyuni has to offer you need to take a tour. There are one-day tours to the salt flats, but you wouldn’t get to see any of the other amazing landscapes. Because of the distances between sites, two-day tours wouldn’t allow you to see much more. We took a 3 day/2 night tour and felt that was the perfect amount of time to fully explore many of the sites around Uyuni.
Many tours can be bought in advance on-line but prices for these will be higher. We booked our tour from an office in Uyuni one day before our trip and paid only 700 Bolivianos each for 3 days/2 nights, including all meals, hotels and transportation/guide.
Where to stay
The city of Uyuni is the most common starting point for tours of the salt flats and lakes. There are several basic hotels and restaurants that are fine for a night. There’s not much to do in town so don’t plan to spend more time than necessary in Uyuni.
If you’re coming from Argentina you may want to take a tour from Tupiza instead (post coming soon).
How to get to Uyuni
There is an airport in Uyuni receiving flights from La Paz and Cochabamba. It’s also easy to get to Uyuni by bus from many cities in Bolivia as well as from Chile and Argentina.
To read about out other adventures in Bolivia, click here.
Coming Next – Stunning Lakes of Uyuni
For pictures from other blogs go to Gallery at monkeystale.ca
To read about more of our adventures go to Destinations.
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110 responses to “The World’s Largest Salt Flats – Uyuni”
Wow, this is awe-inspiring! “Out of this world” is a suitable description for the salt flats, the island and Uyuni. Thank you for sharing this unique and surreal place. Your wonderful photos make us join this experience, if only vicariously.
Thank you! I’m glad the otherworldly Ness beauty came through. Maggie
That is quite a harsh environment. I can see by the retired locomotives that it is quite corrosive to metal. It’s difficult to imagine salt flats that are larger than Bonneville in Utah, but there certainly are.
I just looked it up and UyuninSalt Flats are almost 100 times larger than Utah’s! It’s crazy to think, but they are massive.
Our planet never fails to astound me.
Oh wow! Even before you mentioned it. All I could think of Uyuni from your wonderful descriptions is how much this sounded like the set of a sci-fi movie. The sunsets look awesome. I can’t imagine that there is Winter there. Incredible!!!
It was definitely winter, and a wind that felt like it came from the south pole. It is a weird and wonderful place. 😊 Maggie
Wow! The South Pole…that cold. Thanks for your wonderful adventure journals. I enjoy them, thank you Maggie.
Oh my gosh! Uyuni has been on my bucket list for years, but this post makes me realize most of what I know about it is from pictures. I had no idea it was that large (or deep… 120m of salt? Holy cow!), and I didn’t know about the cactus islands or geysers or volcanic formations. What an incredible place! This just moved itself up quite a few spots on my list.
And just wait until you see the lakes. You will be booking your flight 😊 Maggie
Looking forward to it!
Another fascinating series of photos! The salt flats look so ethereal!
Thank you, they really are perfect 😊 Maggie
This looks fantastic! I’ve seen photos of the salt flats before (and we visited the salt lakes in the Atacama in Chile) but the variety of sights on your tour is far greater than I would have expected. That island of cacti and the rock formations are out of this world, and the trains make cool photos as you say. The more I read and see of your Bolivia trip, the higher up my wishlist it climbs 🙂
There are so many amazing landscapes in this area, much more than just the salt flats. Just wait until you see the lakes! Maggie
Can’t wait!
Crazy landscape to be sure. A cross between science fiction and apocalypse. You would not want to be stranded out in the middle. Loved the sunset and sunset photos and the island. Thanks for sharing Maggie. Have a great Tuesday. Allan
No you wouldn’t, it is literally in the middle of nowhere! Thanks for your comments Allan, Maggie
I so want to go here.. sounds amazing
It really is, you should go! Thanks for your comments Kelly, Maggie
Looks like you visited another planet! Thanks for the photos, the salt flats are amazing.
Ha I know, it felt like we were on another planet too! Maggie
Oh, wow! We would love to visit the Bolivian Salt Flats, absolutely magical. The Salt Hotel would certainly have been a unique place to stay, what a shame it’s no longer operational. The photos are amazing: the sunset, full moon, cacti – magical. Love the train graveyard.
Thanks Leighton, it is an incredible place, you’d love it. I didn’t think I’d like the train graveyard, I didn’t really want to go, but it turned out to be really cool. The entire tour went from one unbelievable landscape to the next. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Maggie
What a beautiful and incongruous landscape. I love it!
I have stayed in an ice hotel, but have never heard of a salt hotel. It looks an equally fabulous place. And I love the rock formations and trains. I even like the Instagram shots. Maybe I need to get more creative with my photography. Now, where did I put that plastic dinosaur? (On second thoughts, I get enough grief from Mark for taking too long to set up photographs, so maybe I will give it a miss in the interests of marital harmony!)
Thank you for sharing your beautiful and inspiring photos and commentary.
The Instagram shots took a long time so you’re better to not do them. 😊 There was so much to do on this tour, and each stop had something fascinating to see. Thanks for taking the time to comment, Maggie
Perhaps not one to try with The Fab Four, then?! 🙂
Well it may be an exercise in frustration, but a pic of the dogs posing on top of a giant dog bone would be pretty cute 😊
It might result in divorce, though.
I so want to do it – maybe when I’m out walking them by myself!
Wow, those salt flats looks surreal! And I know that cacti grows very easily … but it’s still surprising to see them on this island. As for your sunset and sunrise pictures – absolutely beautiful!
Thank you! Almost everything we saw on the salt flats really did look like another world. Maggie
A memorable experience. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you!
What an amazing place, even more impressive and unusual than the salt flats we explored in Tunisia (which were nowhere near as cold!). This Bolivia version looks and sounds absolutely stunning, and so so unusual.
They were incredible and what made them even better was all of the other weird landscapes around them. I think both Tunisia and Uyuni were used for Star Wars movies so there is something otherworldly about them. 😊
Wow! Looks like a completely different world.
It really does!
what a magical place!
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Thank you Graham! It really is magical. 😊 Maggie
Thank you, Maggie, for sharing these otherworldly landscapes. I found them fascinating! 🙂
Thank you Cheryl!
I’ve read what seem like dozens of posts on these salt flats, but I have never come across even an 1/8 of this information! You have convinced me that is I ever get there, I’d want to do the 3 day/2 night tour also. The island is fascinating, as are the train graveyard, rock formations, hotel, etc. And yeah, you HAD to do the silly poses! Sometimes the overdone stuff on Instagram is there for a reason – it’s pretty cool! 🙂
If you go, and you should, you really need to see it all! Just wait until you see the lakes! Maggie
Really, nothing to add to the above comments. A surreal and compelling place beautifully photographed.
Thank you Jo 😊
Amazing place. You’ve captured it so well and I’m still shaking my head in wonder. Just a mention… the salt hotel photos have ‘ice’ instead of salt as the caption.
Thanks for being my spellchecker! It’s my true Canadian typing fingers coming out! 😊
It happens to me and I like being told.
You always have great photos and stories. These are some of the best photos yet. It is interesting that total desolation is so fascinating to see and photograph.
Thanks so much John, we actually thought the pictures may not turn out because it’s just white, but there’s something special in its desolate landscape. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Maggie
Fascinating place. Made a very interesting read. I was surprised by the cactus island, most unexpected in a sea of white.
Thank you, yes the island is such a strange place in the middle of the white salt lake. Thanks for commenting! Maggie
What an amazing surreal place!
It is! Has your husband never been?
Lol no he has never been! He only travelled throughout his country and then migrated to Australia. Crazy isn’t it?
Those rock formations are truly incredible. That one in particular looks like it shouldn’t be standing at all. The formations that the setting sun makes on the salt flats are interesting as well. Do you know why they form those shapes at all? Does it have something to do with the chemical composition of the salt itself? Did you see any sort of animal or bird life on the islands?
As I understand it is the easiest shape in nature to make. As the water dissolves the salt somehow is left in the geometric shapes. It’s quite remarkable. There were a few birds but nothing to really grab our attention, certainly no reptiles or mammals. Thanks for being interested Linda. Maggie
The earth certainly has some amazing places 🙂
Bizarre and beautiful certainly describes this amazing place; wow! Everything is so interesting. I had no idea this place even existed. Thanks for sharing!
Your welcome! We found many strange and fascinating places in Boliva, most are not really known about. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Maggie
It’s the kind of place where you really feel “elsewhere”. Your photos show this amazing setting superbly. I also took a 3 day / 2 night tour. From Potosi I took a driver rather than the bus to have the possibility to stop on the way. Of course there is not much to see in Uyuni, but it may be worthwhile to acclimatize to the altitude to better enjoy the tour. Altitude, scorching sun during the day, freezing cold at night, it’s not a quiet ride, but it leaves great memories.
It really does leave an impression. We had already been in Bolivia for a while so I didn’t even think of mentioning acclimatization. Maybe I will in the next section. Thanks so much! Maggie
Greetings. Bolivia has amazing sights. I didn’t know about the salt flats there. They are astounding.
They are astounding. Bolivia has some of the most impressive sites we’ve seen anywhere! Thanks for your comments! Maggie
We took the no-longer operating train from La Paz to Chile and consequently missed the salt flats: what a mistake!
Too bad it is an incredible place. We weren’t sure if we’d like it since it is so touristy, but it was very worth it. And we only saw a lot of people on the first day.
A visit to another planet on this one.
Yes, definitely.
The salt flats are so beautiful and fascinating. They almost look like a sheet of icy snow. How bizarre to come across this island of giant cacti.
It was almost like driving across Manitoba in the winter! The cacti island was one of the most bizarre places.
Such a dynamic landscape- I love those stunning stretches of white salt! It’s interesting that the pools of water were cold since the first thought would be a hot spring and maybe have that Sulphur smell.
We had expected them to be hot but they were very cold. I guess they come from a stream rather than a bubbling up with no Sulphur smell. It was very strange as were most scenes here. Thanks for sharing your thoughts Meg! Maggie
This is great. What tour company did you use?
We used Uturunko Travel. All of the agencies go to the same sites and have basically the same meals and hotels. I think we went to less busy Lagunas. We liked them because the driver was good and safe, some drive like maniacs on the rough roads. We got a good rate booking on site not in advance and also because they had a half full car and really wanted 2 or 3 more people. They are rated well on Trip Advisor and have a FB page. I can send contact info if you want. Their office is at the bus station in Uyuni.
Yes, please send the info. Thank you
Surreal. I’d think, without those tire marks, you need a compass to help you keep from going in circles. I wonder how the Inca did it?
Good point, maybe the followed the llama footprints 😊
Salt flats are truly underrated in this world! When my Dad and I were driving back to the Bay Area, we went through Utah. Interstate 80 goes right through the Great Salt Lake and it was fascinating!
And imagine, the ones in Uyuninare 100 times bigger! The world is an amazing place!
I would so love to see that too! Plus, I want to explore the Great Salt Lake again and not just drive past it!
Oh WOW! What an amazing place.
It is! Thanks for reading 🙂 Maggie
What a fascinating landscape! It must have been surreal to spend a few days there. I have heard of the salt flats but have never seen them. Thanks for sharing this one, Maggie.
It was one of the strangest landscapes I’ve ever seen. The pictures still boggle my mind:) Thanks Ruth, Maggie
Every time I think you couldn’t possibly top yourself, you do. You guys manage to find the most interesting and unique places. Just fascinating, especially that island in the middle of the salt flats.
I know, the landscapes in Bolivia are unbelievable. This was definitely one of the best trips 🙂 Maggie
Salar de Uyuni is one of those places I learned about only after I started blogging more than ten years ago. It definitely looks otherworldly, and no matter how many photos of it I’ve seen, it still looks incredible. Thank you for taking us to Isla Incahuasi as well. Those cacti are such a stark contrast to the island’s surroundings! I guess when one day I visit this part of Bolivia, I wouldn’t be able to say no to partaking in the ‘mandatory’ tourist pictures as well. 😀
I’d seen many pictures of it too, but nothing prepared us for how bizarre it really is. The island almost seemed fake because it is too strange to be real! Thanks for sharing your thoughts Bama, Maggie
[…] being bewildered by the views of Salar de Uyuni (read our post here), we were excited to see what else this strange land had to offer. We spent the next two days of […]
Uniquely spectacular scenery and great photos and an interestingreport! I always wanted to go there but could not make it due to various reasons. Thank you therefore for taking me along virtually.
Which month were you visiting and how basic was the accomodation ?
We visited in September. We had a private room, but shared a bathroom, I don’t think there’s a private bathroom option. The rooms had a bed, but that was the only furniture, and there was no heat or insulation. We slept in our big sleeping bags under the blankets because it was at least -20C. They needed a paint job and a bit of love, but they were clean.
It’s my dream to visit the salt flats one day – it looks absolutely amazing.
They are amazing, keep them in your plans 🙂
These are stunning!! 💗
Thank you! The landscapes are unbelievably gorgeous, Maggie
Thanks for sharing such an unique experience. Maybe there are planets somewhere in our universe that also look like this.
It sure felt like we were on one! Maggie
Just Magnificent post !
Thank you!
[…] the southern end of tours to the colourful lakes and volcanos of Uyuni (Read our stories from the salt flats and lakes). It can be used as an alternative starting point for tours of Salar de Uyuni. Most of […]
I have heard of the salt pans in Bolivia but did not know that they are the largest. Now I do, thanks to your post. We also have a salt pan not far from my city. It is one of the best sources for the salt.
I didn’t know there were salt flats near Jaipur. Is it just for mining or can people visit?
It is not for mining. Salt is being processed here. It is one of the places for tourists to visit. It is aclled Sambhar lake.
Whoa! That island of cacti looked strange and unexpected, but also beautiful.
You mentioned the salt flats were hard. When you walk or drive on them, are they crunchy? (I ask because I saw a movie once where people where trying to cross salt flats, and their footsteps had a torqued-up crunchy sound.)
Yes it was very crunchy, not at all soft as we expected. Almost like snow that started to melt but refroze in suddenly cold weather. 🤣🤣
this is a really cool experience. Although I have to say I feel like I had exactly the same experience as you did – there’s not a lot of variation from tour to tour. I definitely stayed in the same ‘salt’ hotel for instance!
[…] by the fascinating scenes around the city of Uyuni. For more information read our post from Salar de Uyuni and the Stunning Lakes of […]
When the rains flood the surface of the world’s largest salt flat, it creates a dream-like mirror effect that is out of this world. I’ve seen so many incredible photos from other travellers, but I imagine that nothing compares to being there in person. Hopefully one day 🙂 Thanks for sharing and take care 🙂 Aiva xx
Yes it would be amazing to see. Thanks for taking the time to comment Aiva. Maggie
[…] Coming Next – The World’s Largest Salt Flats in Uyuni […]