Tour to Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia. Uyuni salt marsh in Bolivia: the sky from above, the sky underfoot Dried salt lake Uyuni

The salt marshes of Uyuni are one of the main must-sees in South America, like Machu Picchu or the Iguazu Falls. Not because it is popular, hyped, on everyone's lips, but simply because it's Beautiful. Insanely beautiful.

How to get there

The vast majority of tours start from the city of Uyuni. You can get there from Potosi (6 hours) or La Paz (13 hours - night bus arrives at 6 am, and you can leave for the tour on the same day). From Oruro to Uyuni there is also a train and a bus.

The most popular option is to take a tour in one of the agencies. You can visit the salt marsh and the cemetery of steam locomotives on your own, but getting to the Bolivian Altiplano and the Colorado lagoon will be difficult.

Tour types

All agencies will offer you the same tour. The difference is only in the hotels in which you stay and the quality (and quantity) of food.

1-day tour - a visit to the salt marsh itself, the salt hotel, the cactus island and the cemetery of steam locomotives. This is a standard day for all types of tours. The cost is about $30-40. We opted for a three day tour and it was the best decision!

2 and 3 day tour - in addition to the salt marsh, you will visit absolutely magical landscapes. Laguna Colorada, Laguna Verde, flamingos, Salvador Dali desert, geysers, unusual stone forests. Our trip for a 3 day tour -.

Many agencies offer to take you to the Chilean border, from where you can go on a tour of the Atacama or by public transport continue your journey through Chile without returning to Bolivia. The price is the same.

Uyuni on your own

Not everyone would prefer to push side by side with hundreds of other people. Uyuni, and the mountain-desert landscape right up to the border with the Chilean Atacama, beckons with its peace and serenity. Here you want to be alone with yourself and nature.

It is not easy to visit Uyuni on your own, but it is possible.

1. Car rental. The nearest rental, unfortunately, is only in La Paz, which makes the pleasure very costly and long. You need a good sense of orientation in space, the endless expanse of monotonous landscapes can lead you astray. In the dry season, Uyuni is used as the main highway, buses to Atacama also cross the salt marsh and the desert - a good SUV is only needed to drive deep into the Altiplano.

2. Bicycle. The roads along the salt marsh are marked with traces of numerous tourist jeeps departing from Uyuni every day according to the schedule, so it will not be easy to get lost. On the way, we met cyclists, and I looked at them with envy - these guys could always hide from the crowds and noise, and stay in this magical place alone.

Cons - it will be difficult to pedal in the rainy season, soaked salt will interfere with the trip in every possible way. During the dry season, you will enjoy the hummocks that form on crystal ledges on the surface of the salt marsh. Bring sun glasses and lots and lots of sunscreen - the sun is very mean here. It was impossible to look at the salt marsh during the day without glasses.

Such bike trips are described in detail on the Internet - I will describe it if I get to Uyuni a second time :)

When planning camping, you should keep in mind that there is no wind protection there, and the salt is very hard - so it will be very difficult to stick the pegs of the tent.

The second salt marsh, smaller, Salar de Coipasa is less chosen by tourists - there you will most likely be completely alone.

3. Public transport. We heard (but did not see) about a certain bus going to the village next to the salt marsh. You can also drive here by taxi, take a walk with beautiful view and, of course, a photo session. Because in the region there are settlements where ordinary people live, public transport present, but irregular.

The Steam Engine Cemetery can be reached on foot from Uyuni (3km) or by taxi. Just exclude visiting this place from 10 to 13, the time of the influx of tourists.

4. Very lazy option. From Calama (Chile) to Uyuni (Bolivia) runs a bus. It crosses salt marshes and deserts, the views from the bus are amazing. Of course, you won't visit most of the lagoons, you won't sneak up close to flamingos, you won't swim in hot springs, but this bus trip is also worthy of attention. For us it proved to be a good addition to the tour, when a few months later we crossed the desert again.

Please note that buses do not depart every day.

When to go?

May-October is the dry season. An ideal time to visit the Altiplano and take a long excursion into the depths of the desert.

In the rainy season, it is difficult to move around the flooded salt marsh, but the reward for this will be a magical landscape - the entire surface of the salt marsh turns into a huge, endless mirror at this time, in which clouds are reflected in good weather and the sky merges with the earth.

Tour organization

Transport - 4*4, 6 persons in the car plus the driver.

The three-day tour includes two nights in the desert. The first night you will spend in a salt hotel, very basic, but with double and single rooms and a shared toilet inside the building. There is electricity, blankets (still highly recommended to bring your own warm sleeping bag), hot showers for an additional fee, a small shop where you can buy wine, chocolates and small things. The second night will be less comfortable. In a small settlement in the desert, you will stay in a hostel. Rooms are shared only, 8 people - usually the whole group occupies one room. Electricity was given for three hours - for recharging phones and dinner. There are plenty of blankets, but it will still be nightmarishly cold - temperatures here drop below freezing at night. We all slept in jackets, hats, gloves, sleeping bags and under five blankets. The shower is only cold if you dare.

There are more comfortable hotels in the village, with wooden floors, heating and hot showers. The cost is from $ 80, you can walk around and choose the right hotel, this does not apply to the tour and money for an unused place in the hostel will not be returned.

Meals are included in the price. We were lucky - there was plenty of food, and we were even treated to wine on the second day. Rice, quinoa, side bread, salads, meats, vegetables and fruits, soup in the evening, tea and coffee - fed really well. You can grab chocolates, nuts, chips, a couple of apples, wine - if you like to have a snack on the road. For all three days, you may stop at two or three settlements with a shop. The prices there are expected to be high.

Almost all travel agencies do not include entrance tickets to the mountain with cacti in the price, thermal pool and the entrance fee to Eduardo Avaroa Park (this is where Colorada Lagoon is). The latter costs the most, 200 bolivianos and is obligatory for everyone, because. the second night will be in the territory of this park.

September 2017 - the average price with a small discount for the tour is 750 bolivianos (plus these 200, which everyone is silent about).

9 things to put in your backpack before traveling to Uyuni

1. Clothes, a warm sleeping bag (comfort from zero and below), a hat, gloves, warm socks, a scarf - in general, everything that will help you keep warm. Low temperatures, windy space with no hope of shelter from the wind and lack of heating in hotels - this is how Uyuni will meet you.

2. Snack. Chocolates, nuts, chips, fruits, cookies - in case the travel agency is bad, you will not die of hunger, if I feed well - chocolate on the road is still a joy.

It is advised to take water with you, but we had enough drinks during breakfast, lunch and dinner. There are practically no toilets along the way, and those are expensive ($1.5). Hiding behind a bush will not work due to their complete absence.

3. Flashlight. With electricity in the desert, it’s strained, and at night it’s much more convenient to look for a toilet or things in a bag with a flashlight.

4. Charge your phones, cameras well, or better, grab extra charged batteries. You will take a lot of pictures, but there is practically nowhere to charge your devices.

5. Sunglasses and cream with a 50+ factor, the sun is very intense here, and it is impossible to look at the salt marsh without glasses.

6. First aid kit (desert doctor - a rare creature, and must be very lonely). You can buy coca leaves, which help you to move the height more easily (Altiplano is located at an altitude of up to 4000 meters).

7. Tequila to eat with salt from the salt marsh :)

8. Toilet paper - in Bolivia in general, and especially on this trip, you will not find it in the toilets.

9. Swimsuit and towel - along the way you will have the opportunity to bathe in hot springs.

Location: Bolivia
Square: 10,588 km²
Coordinates: 20°10"41.9"S 67°30"48.6"W

Content:

Short description

It is impossible to surprise a modern traveler, spoiled by a huge number of offers from travel agencies. Many sights, monuments of architecture and history in various cities and countries are so amazing and unique that it seems that it is simply impossible to see an even more amazing creation of ancient people or a miracle created by nature itself.

View of the Uyuni salt marsh

However, this is a big misconception. There is always something in the world that strikes the imagination; something that takes your breath away; where you still want to go back. In this material, we will talk about the largest lake in the world, but, as you might guess, not about an ordinary reservoir, but about the most beautiful dried-up salt lake - Uyuni Salt Flats.

Uyuni Salt Lake is located in Bolivia, in the southwest of this wonderful country, near the city of Uyuni, on the territory of the departments of Potosi and Oruro and at an altitude of almost 4,000 meters (!) Above sea level. This is the largest salt marsh in the world, its area exceeds 10,500 square kilometers, and the thickness of the salt layer in some places is almost 10 meters. Every year, hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over our vast planet come here to see with their own eyes the "endless kilometers" of salt expanses, visit unusual salt hotels and capture this miracle of nature on cameras and camcorders, which, by the way, can change its shape more than once during the day. coloring.

Mounds of salt

Uyuni salt marsh: history of formation

Before talking about the history of the formation of the largest salt lake Uyuni, perhaps it is worth dwelling a bit on what salt marshes are and how they appear. All salt marshes on our planet were formed on the site of former water basins. In a lake where there is no runoff, and the evaporation rate of moisture exceeds the amount of precipitation that falls on the area, the concentration of salt in the water increases over time. With the complete evaporation of water, a hard salt crust forms on the surface, which allows scientists to call the drying lake a salt marsh.

The Uyuni salt marsh is part of the Bolivian Altiplano mountain plateau, which, as mentioned above, is located at an altitude of about 4,000 meters above sea level. On this plateau, in addition to Uyuni, there are other much smaller salt marshes, as well as freshwater and salt lakes.

Salt mining

The history of the formation of the largest Bolivian salt marsh has its roots in prehistoric times. Approximately 30-40 thousand years ago, Uyuni was part of the huge Lake Minchin, which, under the influence of time, was transformed first into Lake Tauca, and later, into Koipasa. After its partial drying, the two lakes Poopo and Uru Uru that exist now, and two salt marshes - Koipasa and Uyuni, separated by a series of hills, remained.

During the rainy season, Lake Poopo and its neighbor, the much larger Titicaca, burst their banks and cause natural flooding of the Coipas and Uyuni salt marshes. A small amount of water covering the salt layer of Uyuni transforms the salt desert into the world's largest mirror. “Having found yourself in any part of the salt marsh during the period when it is covered with water, it seems that you suddenly found yourself on another planet: the sky is both above and under your feet. The spectacle is beyond words. It creates a feeling of "floating in the air." However, putting your hand into the water and grabbing a handful of what you are standing on, you understand that there is a ton of salt around, which seems to never end, ”a tourist who visited Lake Uyuni shares his impressions.

Indeed, the reserves of salt on the territory of the Uyuni salt marsh are truly enormous. According to rough estimates of experts, there are about 10 billion (!) Tons of salt here, moreover, about 25 thousand tons of this natural mineral is mined annually in this area. First of all, it should be noted that the Uyuni salt marsh is of great importance for the economy of Bolivia. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account the fact that it stores a huge amount of lithium chloride, from which lithium is extracted, which is used in the manufacture of batteries.

No less connected with the ancient lake ancient legend, its essence is as follows ... A long time ago, the mountain ranges that today surround Uyuni, Tunupa, Kusku and Cousin were giant people. Kusku married Tunupa, but the beautiful Kuzina managed to charm him. Kusku left his wife and ran away from home, even though a child was growing up in the family. Tunupa grieved for a long time, shedding tears day and night. Her tears mixed with breast milk, which she fed her son, and they formed a snow-white salt lake. Tunupa for the Bolivians is a deity whose name, in their opinion, the lake should bear.

Uyuni Salt Flats

Local residents involved in the extraction and processing of salt from Uyuni use it not only as a seasoning for food. All travelers who come to admire one of the main attractions of Bolivia are offered to buy a souvenir from this natural mineral as a keepsake. In addition, guests of the city are invited to stay in hotels in which the walls, roof and some furniture are made not from expensive modern building materials, but from ... salt.

For the first time such hotels were built in the mid-90s, in the very "heart" of the salt marsh. The news of such colorful hotels instantly spread all over the country: the influx of tourists exceeded all expectations. However, due to many sanitation problems that had a detrimental effect on the surrounding area, the hotels were closed and dismantled. Over time, they were rebuilt again, but already on the outskirts of the salt marsh and in compliance with all environmental norms and standards.

One of the salt hotels

Modern salt hotels have all the necessary amenities, including a sauna, steam room and jacuzzi. The daily cost of such apartments will cost the tourist about 20 US dollars.

Uyuni Salt Lake: Train Graveyard

Going to Bolivia to Lake Uyuni as part of an excursion group, almost all tourists at the beginning or at the end of their journey make a stop at the train cemetery. Today, the population of the town of Uyuni does not exceed 15 thousand people, and once it was a major center of Bolivia with a network of railways. The decline in income from the mining industry, which began back in the 40s of the last century, led to the complete collapse of the railway in this area. Huge electric locomotives, locomotives, wagons and trolleys were abandoned. Some specimens of the train cemetery are over a hundred years old. Among them, you can even meet the locomotives of Garratt and Meyer (these people were among the first to build articulated locomotives), but, unfortunately, they are all in a rather deplorable state. In 2006, the local administration raised the issue of creating an open-air museum on this site, but so far this idea has not been implemented.

train graveyard

Uyuni Salt Flats: flora, fauna and climate

On the territory of the world's largest salt lake, as you might guess, there is practically no vegetation, the only exceptions are 10-meter cacti and small shrubs that the locals use as fuel. In the period from November to December, which, by the way, is considered summer in Bolivia, here you can see another amazing picture: hundreds of pink flamingos walking along the endless salty lake surface. In some areas of the Uyuni salt marsh, foxes and small viscacha rodents live, somewhat reminiscent of well-known rabbits.

The rainy season starts in November and ends in March. The air temperature in the area of ​​the Uyuni salt marsh in summer is kept at +22 degrees Celsius. A hot day in Bolivia always gives way to cold nights. June, July, August (winter in South America) are considered the tourist season, despite the fact that during the day the air warms up to only +13 degrees Celsius, and at night the temperature can drop sharply to -10.

As mentioned above, the Uyuni salt marsh is quite high above sea level, and tourists arriving from the flat area will experience discomfort for several days (dizziness, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath and headache). It will take several days before the body gets used to the new climate. Locals chew coca leaves for good spirits. The townspeople also advise visitors to use them, telling that it is they who help to deal with unpleasant sensations. However, all travelers should be aware that coca leaves not only have a tonic effect, but are also a powerful drug that can cause persistent addiction in a short period of time.

There are still absolutely fantastic places on Earth where you get the feeling of being on another planet. Salar de Uyuni(Spanish: Salar de Uyuni), or simply Uyuni, is one such amazing place.

Uyuni is considered the largest salt marsh on Earth, with an area of ​​​​10.6 km². It is dried salt Lake in the south of the desert alpine (Spanish Altiplano), located in, at an altitude of about 3.7 thousand meters above sea level. The salt marsh is located on the territory of the departments (Spanish Oruro) and (Spanish Potosí) in the south-west of the country.

Thousands of tourists from all over the world come here every year to admire the endless salt expanses sparkling in the sun, which change their color more than once during the day, visit unique salt hotels, watch ancient volcanoes and flocks of pink flamingos.

Photo gallery not open? Go to site version.

Education and geology

The geological history of the Uyuni salt marsh consists of the successive transformation of several large lakes. About 40 thousand years ago, the current salt marsh was part of Lake Minchin (Spanish: Lago Minchin), which even earlier stood out from the ancient glacial Lake Ballivian (Spanish: Ballivian). After the drying of a huge reservoir, 2 lakes that still exist to this day (Spanish Lago Poopo) and Uru-Uru (Spanish Lago Uru Uru), as well as 2 salt marshes: Uyuni and Salar de Coipasa (Spanish Salarde Coipasa) remained.

Both salt marshes are separated from each other by a chain of hills. Lake Poopo is adjacent to a large one (Spanish: Titicaca). During the rainy season, lakes Poopo and Titicaca overflow their banks, causing flooding of the salt marshes. A small layer of water covering the salt layer turns the salt desert into a giant mirror. This spectacle cannot be described in words: the sky above your head and under your feet creates an indescribable feeling of “floating in the air”.

The inner part of the dried-up lake is covered with a layer of table salt 2-9 m thick, and in some places the thickness of the salt layer reaches almost 10 m.

In the center of the Uyuni salt marsh there are several "islands", which are the remains of ancient volcanoes. Today, their surface is covered with brittle deposits consisting of mineral fossils and algae. From below, lake silt is interspersed with layers of an aqueous solution (brine) saturated with lithium chloride, sodium chloride and magnesium chloride.

The economic importance of the salt marsh

The Uyuni salt marsh is of great importance for the economy of Bolivia.

The reserves of salt on the territory of the Uyuni salt marsh are truly enormous: according to rough estimates of experts, the salt marsh contains more than 10 billion tons of salt, of which more than 25 thousand tons are mined annually.

Secondly, the almost perfectly flat surface of the salt marsh (the average height difference over its entire territory is no more than 1 m) serves as the main automobile route in the Altiplano during the dry season.

Thirdly, the lithium chloride found here in significant quantities is used to extract lithium, which is widely used in the battery industry. About 100 million tons of lithium, i.e. 50-70% of its world reserves are located in the salt marsh.

Fourthly, thanks to dry air, clear skies, a large flat surface area and high albedo (from the Latin "albedo", a characteristic of the reflective properties of a surface) in the presence of even a small layer of water, the Uyuni salt marsh is actively used as an excellent tool for testing and calibration of remote sensing instruments for orbiting satellites.

Fifthly, the unique salt marsh is an unusually popular tourist route.

Seasonal Effects

During the rainy season (November - March), the salt marsh is covered with a layer of water up to 30 cm, which creates an amazing mirror effect: clouds float across the sky and underfoot. You can watch simply unimaginable landscapes, when cars and people seem to soar in the clouds.

An amazing mirror effect of the salt marsh... Clouds float across the sky and underfoot...

In the dry season, during the evaporation of water, polygonal cells resembling honeycombs are formed on the surface of the salt marsh. Mostly there are 6-gons, but there are 5-gons, 7-gons and even 8-gons.

Climate

In summer, the air temperature in the area of ​​the Uyuni Salt Flats fluctuates around +22 °C. Hot days usually give way to cold nights. Winter (June-August) is considered the most tourist season here, although during the day the air warms up to a maximum of +13 °C, and at night the temperature can drop sharply to -10 °C. In the dry season, the landscape of the salt marsh is exclusively white.

The rainy season lasts from November to March, during this period the surface of the salt marsh turns into a titanic mirror.

Flora and fauna

The territory of the world's largest salt marsh is practically devoid of vegetation, with the exception of small shrubs and giant cacti (up to 12 m high). In the summer, from November to December, you can see an absolutely amazing picture here: hundreds of amazing pink flamingos walking along the mirror-like surface of the lake. Every year, 3 species of South American flamingos arrive in Uyuni for breeding: the Chilean, Andean and James flamingos (lat. Phoenicoparrusjamesi).

About 80 species of birds also live in the vicinity of the salt marsh, including the Andean goose, the horned coot and a species of hummingbird called the Andean mountain star. In some parts of the salt marsh there are Andean foxes and viscaches, small rodents like our rabbits.

sights

The Uyuni Salt Flat is one of the most unusual sights in Bolivia, attracting many travelers here - about 70 thousand tourists visit it every year.

Steam Locomotive Cemetery

Going to the Uyuni salt marsh, tourists will certainly make a stop at the “cemetery of steam locomotives” (Spanish “Cementeriode Trenes”), located 3 km from the city of Uyuni. Once this town, whose population today does not exceed 15 thousand inhabitants, was a major center of 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.

Some exhibits of the cemetery are over 100 years old! All of these historical specimens are in a particularly deplorable state. Local authorities have repeatedly raised the issue of creating an open-air museum, but, unfortunately, "things are still there."

Kolchani

The small village of Kolchani (Spanish: Colchani) is located on the eastern edge of the salt marsh, 22 km from Uyuni. The main occupation of the inhabitants of the village is the extraction of salt, processing and sending it to other regions of Bolivia. A feature of the village are houses built from salt blocks. The local Salt Museum displays furniture and sculptures made from local natural materials.

Salt hotels

Many tourists prefer to stay in hotels built from salt blocks. In 1995, the first such hotel was built in the center of the Uyuni salt marsh, which soon became a popular tourist attraction. The salt hotel was dismantled in 2002 and several new, environmentally friendly salt hotels were built on the outskirts of the salt marsh.

One such luxury hotel Palacio de Sal (Spanish: Palacio de Sal) is located in the village of Colchani. 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. The comfortable 4,500 m² hotel has every comfort, including a jacuzzi bathroom, sauna and steam bath.

The only thing that visitors are forbidden to do inside such buildings is to lick the walls and interior items. So that guests do not succumb to temptation, signs are hung around here: “Do not lick!”

Pescado Island

In the very center of a huge salt marsh is the island of Pescado (Spanish Isladel Pescado). The word "pescado" in Spanish means "fish". During the rainy season, the reflection of the island on the surface of the salt marsh really looks like a huge swimming fish.

The island with an area of ​​​​about 2 km² is the top of an ancient volcano. It rises 100-120 m above the salt desert. The island is covered with fossilized coral deposits and giant cacti, some of which are over 1000 years old. The age of a cactus can be determined by its height, since it is known that cacti grow by 1 cm per year. The ruins of ancient settlements are located on the island.

Edionda Lagoon(Spanish: La Grande Laguna Hedionda)

Edionda is a salt lake favored by migrating pink and white flamingos. Since the reservoir with an area of ​​3 km² is surrounded by wetlands, its name is translated from Spanish. does not sound very euphonious: "Big smelly lake." In the vicinity of the lake you can see herds of llamas and alpacas.

Laguna Colorada(Spanish: Laguna Colorada).

This is a small reddish salt lake located on the territory of the Andean Fauna National Reserve (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 Magnana Geyser Basin(Spanish Solarde Manaña)

Sol de Magnana is located 50 km from Lake Colorada. The seething sulfur pools and geysers of the basin emit sulfuric gas with a characteristic unpleasant smell of rotten eggs.

Not far from the geyser pool is the thermal reservoir Termas-de-Polques, the temperature of which is pleasant for swimming. The mineral composition of the water improves the well-being of those suffering from arthritis and rheumatism.

Laguna Verde(Spanish: Laguna Verde)

Verde - salt lake at the foot of Volcano Licancabur(Spanish Licancabur; 5920 m), located on the border with. The green color of the lake is given by sedimentary deposits containing copper. Verde is famous for its hot springs and picturesque landscapes. The lake is separated by a small “corridor” from the Laguna Blanca (Spanish: Laguna Blanca) with white water (hence the name of the lake), due to the high concentration of sodium pyroborate (borax).

Salar de Uyuni is not just the main attraction of Bolivia and one of the most interesting places on the planet. This is truly another planet - the land where everything is completely different from what we are used to. unreal scenery, Amazing places, sunsets, sunrises, salt, water, giant cacti, a graveyard of steam locomotives, endless horizons, colorful mountains, hot springs, fast-moving geysers, colorful lagoons, llamas and flamingos - this is just what pops up in my memory in the first place. In fact, there is much more beautiful and amazing there. It is worth adding that you look at all this natural splendor from the windows of a jeep, which looks very colorful in the endless white expanses.

All these incredible landscapes impressed me so much that I went to the salt marsh twice and will gladly go again. Every time you travel, you can add something new, and, most importantly, depending on the season, the lagoons and the salt sea can look very different.

The Uyuni Salt Flat looks like it is impossible to describe in words. It's like salsa, you can't learn it, you can only feel it. This is mysticism, another universe, full of delight, a riot of nature, a combination of what would never have occurred to us to combine, harmony, explosion, the unity of the living and the inanimate, contrast, life.

How to get there

Let's take a closer look at each route option.

From Bolivia

Tours, and this is the most popular and, by the way, quite convenient opportunity to see the most interesting places of the huge natural park at a reasonable price, start in the town of Uyuni, which can be reached by plane or bus.

By plane

If you have already found yourself in Bolivia, then most likely you will get to the picturesque highland city of La Paz, which is often mistakenly considered the capital.

Here are two airlines that fly to Uyuni:

• Amazonas;

The schedule of the two airlines is about the same. Every day there are two flights in both directions, as you can see, for example:

• morning - around 07:00–10:00;
• evening - at 19:00–21:00.

The cost of a round-trip ticket will be about 160 USD, the travel time is about an hour. The airport Joya Andina is located just 3 kilometers from the village of Uyuni itself. You can get to it by taxi for 3-5 USD or on foot, if time permits and lack of luggage (30 minutes).

Be careful when choosing an airline. When paying for an Amaszonas ticket online, you must use the bank card which you will have with you. If it is not found, boarding will be denied. This is a slightly strange system, but during registration, the company's employees make a cast of the card, so it will not be possible to deceive them or slip another one.

Boa has a number of advantages: the planes are newer, and the amount of baggage allowed in hand luggage higher (5 and 7 kilograms depending on the type of aircraft versus 3 and 5 kilograms in Amaszonas).

By bus

In Latin America, over the years of travel, I traveled most of all by bus. This mode of transport is very convenient. First, intercity and international buses most often comfortable enough for a long move. Secondly, you can travel cheaper, see the sights and views along the way. Thirdly, the bus is a great chance to get acquainted with new films in the local language, think about life or just relax. The main advantage of night buses is that they save money on the hotel, and for poor travelers this can be important.

In the case of Uyuni, I took the bus from La Paz. Buses depart from the city's main transport terminal.

Several companies travel along the route, among which Panasur and Todo turismo are the most popular. The ticket price will be 7–10 USD, and the travel time will be 12–13 hours.

It is better to purchase tickets in advance, at least one way and at least a couple of hours before departure, in order to book a comfortable seat. You can also buy a return ticket right away, but this is not necessary. There shouldn't be a problem on site. Most often, the seats on the bus are arranged in two rows: in one there are two seats, in the other one. The second option is more convenient. It is better to take a blanket and a warm jacket on the bus, as Latin American drivers are very fond of using the air conditioner at full capacity.

In Uyuni, the bus arrives in the very center of the city, where guests are usually met by representatives of travel companies and sellers of everything in the world.

In general, the bus is a convenient option. Tours start early in the morning (around 7-9 am) and end a few days later (most often on the third day) at lunchtime. There is time to walk around the town, eat alpaca meat in one of the many restaurants, chat with other travelers, drink beer on the main streets, buy souvenirs, buy a bus ticket and calmly return to La Paz the next morning.

By train

lovers railway transport can get to Uyuni by train from Oruro. Alas, the train leaves from the Oruro railway station not every day:

• Expreso Del Sur runs on Tuesdays and Fridays. From Oruro the train leaves at 14:30 and arrives at 21:20. In the opposite direction, the train leaves at 01:45 and arrives at 08:45.
• Wara Wara Del Sur runs on Thursdays and Sundays. From Oruro departs at 19:00 and arrives at 02:20. V reverse direction trains leave at 00:10 and arrive in Oruro at 07:10.

The price of a ticket in a regular class is 8 USD, in a business class - 17 USD. Business class is two soft seats in a row, like in express trains, besides, the ticket includes drinks and light snacks, and you can have a bite to eat in the restaurant car. In the regular class (salon), the conditions are similar: the seats are comfortable, but the ticket price does not include drinks and snacks, and there is no carpet on the floor, which, in principle, can be experienced.

The train moves slowly, but the views from the windows are worthy.

Now it is possible to buy tickets online, but many tourists talk about the unreliability of such an option. It is better to come to the box office, which opens at 08:00 and is closed on Sunday, and buy tickets. If you're lucky, you can buy tickets for the same day, or only business class tickets may remain. Some time ago, the railway office started selling tickets a few days in advance, which is only suitable for those who are going to spend a few days in Oruro. Therefore, my advice is to come early in the morning and hope that luck will smile at you.

From Chile

The salt marsh is located on the border with Chile, so tours are organized from the Chilean side. In Chile, the tour starts in the town of San Pedro de Atacama, in the Atacama Desert of the same name. The famous picturesque altiplano - a vast plateau in the Andes, dotted with volcanoes - begins here.

By plane

Closest airport to San Pedro de Atacama El Loa is located 100 kilometers in the city of Calama. A taxi from the airport for 40–50 USD will take you to San Pedro in an hour and a half.

Flights from Santiago are operated by Latam and Sky Airlines. The flight time from the capital is 2 hours, a round trip ticket will cost 80–100 USD.

By bus

This type of transport from the capital of Chile, Santiago, departs from the Alameda terminal.

Travel time is about 12 hours, the ticket price varies between 60–100 USD, depending on the class of the bus. Popular companies flying on this route:

• Turbus;
• Pullman;
• Andesmar.

When to go

Uyuni Salt Flats can be visited year-round, because if you managed to see this natural miracle with your own eyes, then this is already a colossal success.

However, in different time years there are small differences in what exactly you will see in the vast uninhabited expanses national park.

January to early Marchthat Precipitation is active here, so the salt marsh turns into a giant mirror, which reflects the incredible sky, tall cacti, all-terrain jeeps and everything that pleases the eye.

At other times of the year, the scenery is no less beautiful. In the sunset rays, salt rhombuses seem ideal, besides, in the “dry” season (from May to October) you can get to all places, because sometimes, when there is too much rain, some of the curious corners become difficult to reach, and the guides prefer not to take risks.

Therefore, my advice is this: go to the Uyuni salt marsh at any time when it is possible, and such an opportunity presents itself.

How much is

As I said, the tour is a convenient opportunity to see national park.

The main advantages are the price and the opportunity to communicate with tourists from different countries. The downside is that it can be crowded for several people in a jeep, besides, fellow travelers can be on different waves or (as in my case) not know Spanish. Therefore, all the way I had to work as a free translator, since the guide spoke English only nominally.

If there is an opportunity and desire, then it is better to order private tour, then you will stand and look at the flamingos as much as you want and will not depend on the fact that someone did not hear the alarm clock and did not get up for breakfast.

However, all these current moments lose all meaning when you find yourself in the face of the eternal and beautiful, and this is the only way I can characterize nature in those parts. The spectacle is so captivating that the guide's ignorance of the language, and the light morning frost, and the talkativeness of some members of the group become unimportant.

The cost of the tour may vary depending on the hotel where you will sleep, on your bargaining skills and, of course, on the level of language proficiency. However, the price for a three-day tour, which includes almost everything, is still so low that even with the tourist overpayment, this opportunity is more than affordable. The cost of such a package is on average 180–230 USD per person, subject to a full jeep, which is 5–6 tourists.

The cost of the tour from the Chilean side is about the same. Thanks to good location park at the junction of two countries, it is convenient for travelers to plan a route the way they like. For example, you can travel from Bolivia to Chile and vice versa. Jeeps always clarify what the tourists have plans to take those who wish to the border on the third day.

In general, all companies offer approximately the same range of services and approximately the same price level. I personally used the services of OIivos and can safely recommend it. Tours are purchased on the spot, but you can contact the agency in advance and pay a deposit. However, I would not advise doing this, because anything is possible. My bus got in for repairs and was 5 hours late, so my tour had already left. It would be sad if the advance payment was made, otherwise I spent all my money and energy in search of a new tour departing later.

The price of a private tour is, of course, higher. It starts from 120-200 USD per day, depending on the level of the hotel, the number of tourists and the chosen guide.

Additional expenses

You need to take some money with you in the local currency Boliviano (BOB). In addition to the paid tour, you will have to pay additionally for a visit to observation deck on the island of fishermen if desired (5 USD) and a mandatory entrance ticket to the national park (22 USD). Sometimes there may be paid toilets (0.5 USD).

Food and lodging

Food is usually included in the tour. The food is quite satisfying and good, in places of lodging for the night you can buy wine or drinks with chips. An overnight stay is one part of the adventure, because one night you sleep not just in a hotel, but in a hotel made of salt.

Usually electricity works here only after sunset, besides, it is very cold at night (maybe even -10-15 ° C), but hotels still have their own special charm. And warm blankets.

And when the tour starts early in the morning, bright stars are clearly visible in the frosty air, which are rarely seen in cities in such numbers.

It's moments like these that make you realize how beautiful our world is.

The second overnight stay in the standard tour takes place in hostel-type hotels, where 2-6 people can sleep in one room.

Despite the spartan conditions, it has everything you need to have a good night. For an additional fee, you can spend the night in a hotel with a higher category of comfort.

Major tourist spots

As part of a three-day tour, tourists visit several interesting places, which are shown in this image:

I will briefly tell you what to expect from each of them.

Cemetery of steam locomotives (Cementerio de Trenes)

The cemetery of steam locomotives is the attraction with which the tour most often begins. A few kilometers from Uyuni there used to be railway lines, and the traffic was very busy.

However, over time, mining declined, and the locomotives went to live out their lives in the cemetery, which is now used as a tourist attraction. It's interesting and photogenic here: you can climb the rusty members of the railway traffic or think about the eternal, looking at the endless rails going nowhere.

Valley of Geysers "Morning Sun" (El Sol de Mañana)

If you have been to, then the geysers of Bolivia are unlikely to impress you. I have not been to Iceland yet, and I liked the valley of geysers. The fact is that in Uyuni nothing can be taken in isolation.

A geyser is not just a hot jet, but an organic part of the surrounding landscape, which is always incredible. Therefore, these shooting steam jets from the ground against the backdrop of terracotta mountains did not leave me indifferent.

Hot Springs (Aguas Termales)

At the end of a busy day of moving, there is nothing better than dipping your impressed body into a natural hot water pool at an altitude of more than 3,000 meters above sea level. There is no infrastructure here, just a small house that is not always open, so you have to change clothes quickly. However, the disadvantages of inconvenience are more than offset by the pleasure that you get later, sitting in hot water and watching the endless valley, shimmering in different shades and colors.

By the way, the construction of a new comfortable locker room is underway, so the next travelers can expect comfort and warmth ... Or maybe not, because the concept of "tomorrow" in Latin America is very conditional.

Do not miss the hot springs, because this is the best place to wash off the colorful dust of the roads and come out refreshed for new adventures!

Salt marsh (Salar de Uyuni) and salt mines (montones de sal), square with flags (plaza de las banderas)

Actually, the most important place in the national park is a giant dried-up salt lake with an area of ​​10,000 square meters. km.

The range of entertainment here is wide.

From enthusiastic contemplation of the endless snow-white expanses to photographs with salt slides with an ideal geometric shape.

From staged photographs and games with scale to finding your own flag in the "square", where weathered and battered, they proudly flutter in the wind.

The famous Dakar races take place on the lake, and here you can also see the most beautiful sunsets, where the sun clearly outlines perfect crystal rhombuses on the salt surface.

Stone tree in the desert (Desierto de Silioli y Arbol de Piedra)

A stone tree is exactly what the name implies. Desert winds, climate and sand did their job and created this bizarre five-meter stone formation.

Previously, the “tree” was fenced with a rope, which interfered with beautiful photographs and added inappropriate artificiality to the landscape, but now everything is open and you can even climb to the top of the “tree” with proper skill.

Desert Salvador Dali (Desierto de Salvador Dali)

Dali, unfortunately, did not know about the existence of this place, and the desert got its name because of the similarity of the landscape with some of the canvases of the great surrealist.

Colored lagoons (Lagunas coloradas)

The colorful lagoons are another important part of the trip. The lakes are located on the territory of the Eduardo Avaroa National Park (Parque nacional de Eduardo Avaroa). In the morning, the band members meet the dawn in the local desert, welcoming the sun coming out from behind the mountain.

Along with the light comes warmth, and acquaintance with the lagoons begins. It’s hard for me to say what impressed me the most, because even on the second visit, I practically didn’t close my mouth in admiration.

And what else can you experience when you stand at an altitude of several thousand meters in the middle of the desert, in front of you is a huge lake of red and white color, somewhere in the middle they walk pink flamingos, and picturesque volcanoes rise as a massive backdrop.

Around the lagoons you can meet fluffy and friendly llamas and alpacas, as well as daring cyclists who go from nowhere to nowhere. Then there were more lagoons (there are 4 of them here), more flamingos, more colors, more emotions.

Bright mountains and endless valleys, and modest chinchillas.

Green lake (Laguna verde)

The green lagoon stands alone in the list of colorful lagoons of the national park. It is closest to the border with Chile, and it is windy and cold here, since its height above sea level is 4,350 meters.

However, all this ceases to have at least some meaning when an incredible panorama in rich colors opens up before the eyes that are tired of admiring.

Fishermen's Island or Incahuasi (Isla Incahuasi o Isla de Pescadores)

The island of fishermen is famous primarily for its giant cacti, reaching 10 meters in height.

To climb to the observation deck at the top of the island, you have to pay a nominal fee of a few dollars. The relief of the island is low, but the view is beautiful.

From here you can see a pleasant combination of cacti, salt expanses and jeeps-all-terrain vehicles that look harmonious against this background.

Fishermen's Island gets its name from its shape. In the rainy season, in the midst of a water-filled salt lake, it looks like a fish in water.

Little Italy (Pequena Italia)

The name is unusual for Bolivia, but the locals called this place so because, in their opinion, it resembles the narrow streets of Italian Venice.

From a distance, the place really resembles a city with rocks, on which you can climb in search of a river panorama, a green valley, multi-colored llamas and bizarre stone figures.

Cascade (la Cascada)

Cascade is a place where not all guides take. You can ask about it yourself, but everything remains at the discretion of the driver: whether there is enough time, and whether he will have a desire. Remember, this is Latin America.

We were lucky, and this little curious item was added to the program.

From the height of the majestic cliffs, a view of an almost grand canyon opens up with a serpentine river dried up below... Perfect place for photo!

What might come in handy

Here are some tips on what to bring with you on your trip:

Other nuances

Remember that you are in Bolivia, which means punctuality is not guaranteed here. I had a funny incident. The driver promised to come in the morning at 05:00 and pick us up. We were ready by this time and walked like somnambulists around the dark hotel, where there was no one except us. There was no light (then flashlights came in handy), no breakfast, no clarity. The driver, who had only 4 fingers on his hand, said that it was under this nickname that everyone knows him.

Light loomed in the distance, and cars were revving, and I decided to walk and look for our driver, because I didn’t want to waste precious time. I borrowed a lantern, dressed in everything warm and, inhaling the frosty air, went into the darkness under thousands of stars.

Seeing how an old man was making a fire in one of the houses, I confidently walked towards him:

-Good morning, do you know where the 4 fingers are?

- Well, yes, our guide with 4 fingers.

Even in the pitch darkness, I could see a face full of bewilderment. I was pulled out of an awkward situation by the sound of a car pulling up to our hotel. I wished my grandfather have a good day and walked towards the dawn.

Everything turned out to be trite: the guide overslept. So be prepared that inexpensive tour may have deviations from the program through no fault of yours.

Learn some Spanishaz Most of the guides do not speak English. And although they do not say anything particularly important, it can be nice to understand at least in general terms what is at stake.

Feel young, regardless of age. Bolivians in the highlands look much older than their years. I was shocked when it turned out that the driver was my age, and the women in the village did not wear their grandchildren behind their backs in multi-colored scarves. A great opportunity to rejoice in the fact that we are well preserved.

Relax and enjoy. The place is unique, and what you see it will be great in any case, whether it happens in the rainy season or dry. Still, God is well done, in 7 days to come up with and implement this. All human imagination, it seems to me, would not be enough to create such a miracle.

When I get older and rich, I will come here again, buy a private tour for 5 days and travel around colorful lakes, walk on fancy rocks and while away the hours in search of chinchillas and vicunas.

At an altitude of 3,650 m above sea level.

A few years ago, Lonely Planet published a list of the most striking natural attractions in the world, putting the Uyuni salt flat in first place. Since 2014, Uyuni has hosted the Dakar races.

Experts believe that the Uyuni salt marsh, which arose as a result of the drying up of the huge Lake Minchin, contains 10 billion tons of salt, of which less than 25 thousand tons are mined annually. produced commercially).

Salt deposits of Uyuni have a very complex composition, including, in addition to sodium salts, also calcium, magnesium and lithium salts. A huge amount of lithium chloride has been found in the salt marsh, suitable for the extraction of lithium, which is necessary in the battery industry. Experts estimate lithium reserves in the salt marsh at about 100 million tons, which represents 50-70% of the world's lithium reserves.

The thickness of the salt layers ranges from 2 meters at the edge to 10 meters in the center. During the dry season, the salt marsh sparkles with snow-white dry salt, and during the rainy season, a thin layer of water forms on the surface of Uyuni.

The unique Uyuni salt lake is used in astronautics. Big size water table, ideal surface plane and minimal height change allow scientists to use the salt marsh to test and calibrate satellites. Thanks to clear skies over Uyuni and dry air, the calibration of remote sensing instruments on orbiting satellites is several times more accurate than when using the surface of the world's oceans.

When is the best time to go to Uyuni

The best time to visit the Uyuni salt marsh is the rainy season, which lasts from December to January, when the salt surface is covered with water and you can admire the unique mirror reflections of the sky with clouds.

In December, you can see all the variety of the salt marsh, both dry areas, where the dried surface is covered with patterns in the form of hexagons, and wet “mirror” zones. In January and February, the rains intensify, so sometimes all the entrances to the salt marsh are washed out or some areas become inaccessible. However, according to local residents, at any time of the year, even in the dry season, on Uyuni you can find areas covered with water.

Tourists who have visited the salt marsh are advised to stock up on sunscreen and clothes that protect the body from the burning high-mountain sun, but at night you will also need warm clothes, since the temperature difference is very large and after sunset it gets colder, sometimes down to minus 10-15 degrees. By the way, it is worth considering that there is no cellular communication, only some hotels nearby have weak Wi-Fi.

Uyuni salt flat tours and prices

It is not difficult to choose a tour to the Uyuni salt marsh, most travel agencies in Bolivia and Chile provide this service. In most cases, tourists book a 3-4-day tour that allows you to visit not only the salt marsh, but also other nearby attractions.

The tour is usually conducted in Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles, with a driver and 5-7 passengers. Tourists can negotiate the itinerary by allocating more time to visit certain places.

The price of tours starting from Chile and Bolivia to the salt marsh depends on the preferences for the comfort of the hotel and the ability to bargain. For a 3-4 day tour in a group of 5-7 people, you will have to pay from 100 to 230 US dollars. This price includes food and accommodation.

However, some national parks require a separate fee to visit. For the ascent to the observation deck on Fish Island, you need to pay 5 US dollars, and for a mandatory entrance ticket to the national park - 22 US dollars. A visit to a paid toilet will cost 0.5 US dollars.

It is advisable to have some amount of money in the local Bolivian currency with you.

Attractions Uyuni

In addition to the most unique salt marsh, excursion routes usually include other interesting objects.

Steam Locomotive Cemetery

Near the railway lines connecting Antofagasta with Bolivia, 3 km from the city of Uyuni, there is a cemetery of steam locomotives, which is considered one of the attractions of the salt marsh. In the 1950s, when the mining of minerals in the surrounding mines declined sharply, the city of Uyuni ceased to be a major transport center and Railway began to reduce the rolling stock. Thanks to this, tourists can see old steam locomotives, among which there are rare and interesting specimens, and also take unforgettable photos in the spirit of "retro".

Salt Hotel Playa Blanca

Usually all tours include a visit to this hotel, located about 20 km from the edge of the salt marsh. The entire hotel, like all the furniture inside it, is made from salt blocks. In 2002, the hotel was closed at the request of environmentalists, but a few years later, after the necessary refurbishment, the hotel was reopened as a museum and a place of rest during the tour.

And along the banks of the salt marsh, several more hotels were built from salt blocks. According to the reviews of tourists, it is quite warm in the salt chambers and it is easy to breathe. A night in such a hotel will cost 80-100 US dollars.

A salt bed has been built in front of the hotel, on which tourists set the flags of their states.

Fish Island

A small volcanic island, located about 70 km from the edge of the salt marsh, is better known as the island of Fish, because its shape resembles a fish.

The whole island is covered with fossilized corals, on which cacti grow. Since such cacti grow at a rate of 1 cm per year, many of them are several hundred years old, and the largest, nine meters, is about 900 years old.

Valley of Geysers

Many tourists visit this valley, spreading at an altitude of 4,800 m, to admire the hot jets of water shooting from the ground, as well as the surrounding terracotta mountains.

The hot springs

The springs are located at an altitude of more than 3,000 meters above sea level. The infrastructure is poorly developed, but there is a place where you can change clothes. However, bathing in a hot tub overlooking a beautiful valley makes you forget about the inconvenience.

Stone tree in the desert

An amazing stone formation 5 meters high arose as a result of the work of wind and sand. A few years ago, the "tree" was fenced with a rope, which prevented beautiful pictures, however, in last years the attraction can be photographed without interference.

Salvador Dali desert

Landscapes in this area are surprisingly reminiscent of the works of the famous surrealist.

colorful lagoons

Most tourists try to visit the Eduardo Avaroa National Park, on the territory of which the famous colorful lagoons are located. The unusual color of the lagoons - red, green, white, black - is formed as a result of washing out various minerals by mountain rivers and the subsequent settlement of lakes with bacteria. Fluffy llamas and alpacas walk around the lagoons, they are so friendly that you can pet them.

In November, pink flamingos flock to the Uyuni salt marsh. In this desert area, birds breed, and thanks to the reddish crustaceans included in their diet, flamingos acquire a pink color. There are 3 types of flamingos on Uyuni: the Chilean flamingo, the Andean flamingo and the James flamingo.

Active Volcano Ollague

The Ollague volcano is located on the border of Bolivia and Chile, its height is 5868 m above sea level. The Ollague volcano shows little fumarolic activity, which means that hot gases escape through cracks and holes in the volcano. Fumarolic activity may indicate the attenuation of the volcano, and may be a sign of an intermediate stage between eruptions. The date of the last eruption of the Ollague volcano is unknown.

"Eyes of the Salt Marsh"

From under the thin salt edge, jets of water with gas bubbles break out to the surface, this is not as spectacular as a geyser, but also beautiful.

How to get there

The Uyuni Salt Flats can be reached from Bolivia or from Chile.

Road from Bolivia

If you are already in Bolivia, then you need to get to the city of Uyuni, from where complex tours to the salt marsh and surrounding attractions start.

Airplane

The fastest way to get to Uyuni from the city of La Pazby boarding an Amaszonas or Boa airline. Every day, carriers operate two flights, in the morning and in the evening. The flight duration is about an hour, the price of a round-trip ticket is about 160 USD. Flights arrive at Joya Andina Airport, located 3 km from the city of Uyuni. This distance can be covered by taxi (3-5 US dollars) or on foot in half an hour.

If you buy an Amaszonas ticket online, you must use a bank card that you can show at the time of boarding, otherwise you will not be allowed on the plane.

Bus

Budget travelers often choose to travel to Uyuni by bus, especially since an overnight trip will save on a hotel. Buses to Uyuni depart from the main transport terminal of the city of La Paz and arrive in the very center of the city. The ticket price is 7-10 US dollars, you will have to spend 12-13 hours on the way. Tickets can be booked on a dedicated website.

According to travelers, buses often turn on the air conditioner at full capacity, so it is better to take warm clothes with you.

A train

Those who like to save money can also get to Uyuni by train departing from the city of Oruro. This way of transportation allows you to admire the beautiful views from the window. However, when planning such a trip, you need to be careful, trains to Uyuni and back do not run every day.

The ticket price is $8 and the business class ticket is $17 (drinks and snacks included).

Train tickets to Uyuni are sold online, but many tourists complain about the unreliability of the ticketing system and are advised to buy them in person at the box office.

Road from Chile

Since the salt marsh lies on the border with Chile, it can also be reached from the Chilean side. In this case, the tour starts in the city of San Pedro de Atacama, in the Atacama Desert of the same name.

Airplane

The nearest airport is El Loa, located in Calama, 100 km from San Pedro de Atacama. This distance can be covered by taxi in an hour and a half, paying 40-50 US dollars.

You can get to Calama from Santiago in 2 hours with Latam and Sky Airlines flights. The price of a 2-way ticket is 80-100 US dollars.

Bus

From Santiago, the bus to Calama leaves from the Alameda terminal. The trip will take about 12 hours, the ticket price is 60-100 US dollars (depending on the bus class).

Uyuni salt marsh in Bolivia

Video review of Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia