The options are either an hours-long bus ride—not including likely delays—down a bumpy highway full of hairpin turns, or flying into Uyuni from La Paz which could potentially turn out to be the worst flight ever. Acesta e situat în departamentele Potosí și Oruro în sud-vestul Boliviei, lângă creasta Anzilor, la o altitudine de 3656 m deasupra nivelului mării, în apropiere de hotarul dintre Bolivia și Chile.. Salar de Uyuni s-a format ca rezultat al transformărilor dintre câteva lacuri preistorice. Worldly Adventurer – aka Steph Dyson – is a bilingual freelance travel writer and guidebook author from the UK. Located between Potosi and Oruro, near the crest of the Andes, Bolivia. She is the author of the brand-new Moon Chile guidebook. It’s also centrally located and easy to walk or get a taxi anywhere in Uyuni. One thing you can expect from all tours is to spend a substantial amount of time in a car. A rise in temperatures coupled with a change in climate from wet to dry caused the water to slowly evaporate. Where to stay in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile, Keep Reading: 25 Unusual & Unmissable Things To Do In La Paz, Bolivia, Keep Reading: 28 Essential Things to Know Before Traveling in Bolivia, Keep Reading: Monkeys and Macaws in Rurrenabaque and Madidi National Park, The more expensive (and more comfortable). Two-day tours add the region’s colorful, mineral lagoons, while in three days, you can see it all – salt flats, lagoons, deserts and dramatic rock valleys. These tours can … Salar de Uyuni – Bolivia Salt Flats. While we have experienced many different guides during our Bolivian travels, our best by far was from Banjo. Tunupa, Bolivia Sacred Mt. The drivers of these cars are well experienced and used to breakdowns so if issues do arise there’s no need to panic. A final alternative for visiting the Bolivian salt flats is from San Pedro de Atacama, a town across the border in Chile. At this point, the town exists practically solely to accommodate tourism to the salt flats. Rain makes mud, so the going gets tough at points along the road. In total there is an estimated 10 billion tonnes of salt here. Thanks for your comments Steve! It was a great time. If you’re more of a planner like me, use Tickets Bolivia to purchase your tickets ahead of time. The first night’s accommodations with have hot showers (a big plus! Spreading out over 11,000-sq.-km, Salar de Uyuni is the largest salt flat in the world. Salar de Uyuni is one of South America’s most phenomenal attractions. Most tour companies offer one to three-day tours of the salt flats, lakes and surrounding region. As this water evaporated, high salinity levels caused a thick salt crust to form, leaving behind the impressive salt flat that we see today. I suggest checking for the lowest prices through Skyscanner and then booking directly with the airline. Read my, Where to Stay in Lima: Chic & Modern Selina Lima, How to Get to Patagonia: A Complete Travelers' Guide. The rate of evaporation is ten times more than precipitation, meaning that Salar de Uyuni is a never ending salt source! For a traveler visiting South America or Bolivia, visiting the Salar de Uyuni is a must. A trip to Salar de Uyuni is unforgettable- and unfortunately, so are the transport options to get to the town of Uyuni. These include the Hotel Palacio de Sal (Orillas Salar de Uyuni, Colchani, double 1,076 BOB ($156 USD)) modern lodgings that are supposedly the first salt hotel in the world, and Hotel de Sal Luna Salada (Orillas Salar de Uyuni, Colchani, double 945 BOB ($137 USD), which even has salt floors! Blog. Salar de Uyuni (or Salar de Tunupa) is the world's largest salt flat, or playa, at over 10,000 square kilometres (3,900 sq mi) in area. Patagonia This spectacular landscape lies at an elevation of 3,656 metres above sea level, near the crest of the Andes. This company’s guides are fluent in English and were very helpful. Tours are a little more expensive than those from Uyuni, starting from around $195 USD per person. Salar de Uyuni and Mt. Prices and (probably!) If you want to save time, and avoid the twisty, turning Bolivian roads, the flights from La Paz to Uyuni are only about an hour. We're getting quoted anywhere from $450-$600 pp. Worldly Adventurer is a website that gives you the tools to travel in a different way through South America: to have a deeper connection with countries and their people; to go beyond the beaten trail; and to have more meaningful, responsible experiences along the way. Wikipedia | Google | Google Images | Flickr. Again, this story believes that the mountains were once people and that Tunupa and Kusku were married. If you’re not a planner like me, it’s fairly easy to walk into a tour office upon arrival and book a tour the same day. If you were to ask the campesinos (Spanish for ‘peasant farmers’) living on the lake’s shores, they will give you a rather different explanation on how the salt flat was formed. However, flights are often the same price and significantly more time efficient. Be aware that it’s winter during these seasons, so you can expect temperatures to drop to below freezing once the sun goes down (around -6°C or -22°F). In fact, a… Its otherworldly beauty and surreal nature have made it a hugely popular stop for backpackers and tourists. Three- or four-day tours depart San Pedro de Atacama and stop at the most popular sights along the route: Laguna Verde, Laguna Colorada, El Salar de Uyuni and the Termas de Polques hot springs. Don’t care so much about the train graveyard or the Laguna Colorado and want to spend more time in the hot springs? You might get lucky and find a part of the salt flat that is dry and a part that’s covered in water! Den ligger på punaen sørvest i Bolivia i departementene Potosí og Oruro omtrent 3650 meter over havet.De rikeste mineralforekomstene i saltsletten er halitt og gips. up-to-date prices and timetables can be found on this website. 8 talking about this. Bolivia COMIBOL develop Uyuni lithium salar lithium brine evaporation pond li carbonate pilot plant weather station Uyuni TRU Group plant site li car It’s located in southwest Bolivia at … The most common route to Uyuni is from La Paz, a ten-hour bus ride away. Your final day at the Salar de Uyuni also starts at sunset, meaning you get the absolute best views of this grand natural site – and get to appreciate it before the hordes of vehicles from Uyuni arrive! Cover photo full. This is the photograph that won first prize in the LUX awards in Spain last year. Salar de Uyuni is one of the harshest environments on the planet for vehicles, meaning that there can occasionally be unavoidable issues with the vehicles. I'm glad you enjoyed the trip. Best Dining in Uyuni, Potosi Department: See 2,935 Tripadvisor traveler reviews of 43 Uyuni restaurants and search by cuisine, price, location, and more. Both agencies can also organize private tours for a much higher price. Thanks for all the info you posted, very useful for my upcoming trip in February 2020. Aeropuerto Internacional El Loa (CJC) receives around a dozen flights from Santiago with carriers LATAM (expensive), Sky Airline (low cost) and Jet Smart (super low cost). On a three-day tour you can expect to see and experience the following: Another alternative is a four-day tour from Tupiza. Con el personal 100% comprometido con el turismo. The two-bed mini apartment is great for groups or families as it has a kitchen, bathroom and two bedrooms. When Yana Pollera became pregnant, the two male volcanoes fought tirelessly and tenaciously over who the father was. 4,136 Reviews 495 Q&A. Tours are generally marginally more expensive (everything is in Chile compared with Bolivia!) Alternatively, you can take a tour from Tupiza, a town located some 200 kilometres south of Uyuni. From Calama, you can take a transfer directly to San Pedro de Atacama ( $12,000 CLP ($17 USD) $20,000 CLP ($28 USD) return) with TRANSVIP,  Transfer Andino or Transfer Pampa Expedition. They offer many tour options leaving from and Uyuni, including one from La Paz to Uyuni via lesser-visited Sajama National Park, where you can see Bolivia’s highest peak and visit pre-Incan burial sites before visiting the salt flats. One good option is the Toñito Hotel (Av Ferroviaria 60, double 500 BOB ($72 USD), which offers private rooms with hot showers, heaters in the rooms, and yummy pizza downstairs in the Minuteman Pizza restaurant. Water underneath the salt flat continues to evaporate under the heat of the sun, leaving behind more salt on the surface. We are trying to do a 3-day tour starting in Uyuni and ending in Calama in late Feb. Her expertise and ability to hear what we wanted gave us a great jumping point for planning. While 4WD vehicles and drivers are well-equipped to handle the terrain, more mud means a greater risk of getting stuck. She sent her baby far away to protect its safety but immediately became worried that it wouldn’t survive alone. It is recommended to bring warm clothes and a warm sleeping bag if your tour is over one day long as these tours involve a night’s stay in very basic accommodation. It’s still pretty spectacular, and the expanse of white stretches on forever! Seems slightly on the high side. Posted on Last updated: 2nd July 2020 By: Author Sarah Ketchum, Categories South American Highlights, Bolivia. Saltsletten er omtrent 25 ganger større enn Bonneville Salt Flats.. While the scenery flying past your window will be beautiful, the fact is you will probably sit for hours per day jostling around in a 4×4 vehicle down precarious roads. Shot in Uyuni, Bolivia. We took Salty Desert Adventures. While the hotel offers WIFI, the signal is only good in common areas and doesn’t necessarily reach into the private rooms. Hello - thank you for the detailed info. The natural beauty and uniqueness is something you’ll never forget! To be fully prepared for the Bolivian salt flats, you’ll want to pack the following when visiting the Salar de Uyuni: To be honest, I would suggest not actually staying in Uyuni. There are four of us and we'd like our own vehicle and nicer hotel accommodations. Save time, stress & money with a customized travel itinerary planned for you by a South America expert. You can save yourself time and money by taking over-night buses or early morning flights and jumping straight onto a tour without actually spending the night in the town of Uyuni. From San Pedro de Atacama, the most recommendable agencies include Chilean company Cruz Andina Travel and the Bolivian company Estrella del Sur Expeditions. Water from the surrounding mountains gathered here because there was no drainage outlets in the Altiplano. Three-day tours start from around 1250 BOB ($180 USD). You’re also still able to take some sweet photographs – particularly the hilarious perspective shots. She now lives between Europe and South America and, since 2014, has been travelling throughout this continent, authoring guidebooks, writing for international travel publications and creating comprehensive travel guides for Worldly Adventurer. Lots of amazing photos that we took. If taking a tour of the salt flights from San Pedro de Atacama, the most efficient means of getting to this town is by flying into Calama, a city situated 100 kilometres northwest. Unlike traditional deserts, which have sand in abundance, the Salar de Uyuni features vast expanses of glistening white salt. On a still day, a thin layer of water covering the salt transforms the salt flat into ‘The World’s Largest Mirror’ reflecting the sky. Once, when we had a problem at the terminal due to a “Dia de Peaton” (Pedestrian Day… a fun Bolivian tradition that can be a bit less fun if it interferes with your travel plans), the website even refunded our tickets for lost time. This marvellous reflection of the sky is most likely to be seen during the rainy season (December to April). However, to get here from southern Chile, departures are more frequent to nearby Calama. However, it can also be accessed via other parts of Bolivia and Chile as well as Peru and Argentina. Hiking and sleeping at 3,600 metres (about 12,000 ft.) above sea level can get pretty chilly, especially at night. This means that altitude sickness can play a decisive factor in whether you enjoy your time here or not. The most common ways to get to Salar de Uyuni are via La Paz in Bolivia or San Pedro de Atacama in Chile. While rainy season visits are great for photographers, there are also some downsides to visiting during this time. From the remarkable mirror effect and perspective photos to the numerous natural wonders surrounding the landscape, it is no wonder that this part of the world is regarded as a paradise for photographers. Unique Bolivian wildlife, such as Darwin’s rheas, vicuñas, vizcachas, and, of course, flamingos. The largest salar (salt flat) in the world, Salar de Uyuni, is located within the Altiplano of Bolivia in South America. Legend has it that the mountains surrounding the salt flat were once giant people and that the mountain goddess Yana Pollera (the nearest peak to the salt flat) was involved with both Thunupa and Q’osqo. If you’re going to stay in Uyuni for multiple days, you might as well go big and see all there is to see! Uyuni also has a small airport. Train Graveyard Explore the old, rusting train carriages that have lay on the outskirts of the deserted town of Uyuni since the collapse of the mining industry in the 1940s. Those who are lucky enough to experience this natural wonder will tell you how difficult it is to distinguish where the sky ends and land begins. Salar de Uyuni tours from San Pedro de Atacama (Chile), Recommended tour guides for El Salar de Uyuni, Recommended tour guides from San Pedro de Atacama, Top tips for taking a tour to the Bolivian Salt Flats. In order to avoid this, it is advisable to spend a couple of days gradually adapting at heights of around 1000m and 2000m. Salar de Uyuni is located in the Daniel Campos Province in Potosí in southwest Bolivia. That way, you can be sure to get the times you want and a lie-flat, or “cama,” seat if you are traveling overnight. The train graveyard… a strange, but cool homage to Uyuni’s commercial past. If you are short on time and funds and only interested in seeing the salt plains themselves, a one-day tour will suffice. Let me know if you have any insight. For the best of both worlds, visit in late March or late November. Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable body of water, is located at the border with Peru, and the country’s largest … Further information about this is located below. Take pictures in the famous Salar de Uyuni. They can also drop you in San Pedro de Atacama in Chile for an additional cost of around $10 USD. This is the Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt flats in the world, covering an area of 10,582 kilometers at once mirrors the natural world. If you want to take a bus, unless traveling during a really busy holiday weekend in South America (like Carnaval), you can probably walk right into any bus station in Bolivia and purchase tickets at the counter. What should you pack for visiting the Salar de Uyuni? The landscape is entirely flat, bar a few small islands such as Isla Incahuasi, which only accentuates its surreal beauty. The Altiplano is a high plateau formed during uplift of the Andes Mountains. Flights take around two hours 10 minutes. Tell them! Guatemala In order to get to the Bolivian salt flats, there are several options. This is also because you’re taking a route northwest (whereas those from Uyuni are taking a loop west). Very helpful. Salar de Uyuni offers an unforgettable experience at any time of year. Unfortunately, the salar has a tendency to flood during the rainy season, causing some parts of it such as Isla Incahuasi to become inaccessible. The vast expanse of white, glistening salt stretches across 10,582 kilometers of the Altiplano and can even be seen from space. Colombia Tour guides should speak English; be sure to confirm this when you book. Chile Every one of Steph’s recommendations panned out to be incredible pieces of our trips and we would highly recommend her! Rainy season in Bolivia is when the Salar turns into the world’s largest mirror, making it, for some, the best time to go! Steph. That said, the sun can be really strong at high altitudes, meaning you’ll want to pack plenty of layers. The journey costs $3,000 CLP ($4 USD). A beanie, gloves, and a scarf or buff for those cold, windy days. Uyuni is a year-round destination.So the best time to visit depends on what weather you prefer. Most choose to experience the salt flats via a guided tour. Located at an altitude of 3,656 m above sea level in the Daniel Campos Province, this region is remote, unique, and inhospitable. These include all of the destinations listed above but in the opposite order. The world’s largest salt flat, it a truly amazing sight to behold. Warm clothes for sleeping… especially a pair of good, thick socks! What’s more, tour agencies in Tupiza have a reputation for being far more responsible, with vehicles kept in better conditions and generally a high-standard of guides being employed. Transfers are timed to pick up passengers from the arrivals hall just after flights land. We loved the Uyuni Salt Flats. If you want to take a tour starting in Tupiza, it’s a four-hour bus journey from Uyuni, with buses leaving a couple of times each day from the bus terminal in the latter. flamingoes in lagoon at the salar de uyuni in bolivia - salar de uyuni stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images. Salar de Uyuni este cel mai mare deșert de sare din lume, având o suprafață de 10.582 km². Alternatively, if you’re coming from Argentina, you can get a bus north from Villazon. You can arrange to drive back to Tupiza or instead stop in Uyuni; both companies also can terminate the tour across the border in San Pedro de Atacama in Chile. It also gave us peace of mind knowing that we had someone we could call if our plans went awry. After Kusku deserted his wife for Kusina, Tunupa was left heartbroken and her tears are said to have formed the salt flats. The LUX awards is the most important Professional Photography awards in Spain and so I am still on a high after receiving this prize and wanted to share more about how this photo came to be. The owners are wonderful and know plenty about the area making them a great first port of call for information about tours or dining recommendations! The Salar de Uyuni is located in Bolivia's Altiplano. From La Paz, it’s also possible to take a four-hour bus to Oruro and then hop on a train to Uyuni, another six or seven hours away. For an increased chance of seeing this, you should visit between March and April. If you’re in Chile and want to pop across the the salt flats, a tour from San Pedro de Atacama makes the most logistical sense. 25× větší než solná pláň Bonneville Salt Flats v Utahu v USA).Nachází se v departementech Potosí a Oruro na jihu Bolívie v blízkosti hřebenu And v nadmořské výšce 3650 m. It does seem a little high though, so I suggest you contact a couple of other tour companies to get comparable quotes. In an attempt to care for her baby, she flooded the plain between them with her milk so it could be fed. This means that altitude sickness can play a decisive factor in whether you enjoy your time here or not. Salar de Uyuni: a journey across Bolivia’s remarkable salt flats 3 min read • Published Jan 10, 2013 The world's largest salt flat - Bolivia's Salar de Uyuni - is a surreal realm of mirages, where the bone-dry landscape reflects the sky like a mirror…