Uyuni Travel

Journey through this vast white wilderness: Uyuni, home to the largest salt flats on planet earth.

A dazzling white expanse framed by mountains and volcanoes, the Salar de Uyuni isn’t only the largest salt flat in the world (covering 4,000 square miles), but also one of the highest. In the wet season, the flats are layered with a sheet of water which brilliantly reflects the immense, shifting skies; while the dry season takes travellers into a shimmering sea of salt. At any time of the year, this is an otherworldly experience.

The Uyuni Salt Flats (‘Salar de Uyuni’) is a gigantic, stark and mysterious area of geographic extremes. It is part of the Altiplano (‘high plateau’) that was formed thousands of years ago, as the Andes mountain range was forced upwards. It is impossible to feel any personal significance when faced with the enormity of this moonlike landscape, as you gaze at the colour contrast of cobalt blue skies against the blinding, barren whiteness of the salt.

The crust over the lake is some 10 metres thick, allowing the salar to be a major overland route in the area during the dry season. It is estimated that this crust holds 10 billion tonnes of salt, of which just a few thousand tonnes are extracted each year. Although wildlife in the desert is not abundant, the arrival of 25,000 pink South American flamingos for their breeding season in early winter is a spectacular opportunity for bird watchers and photographers; while more fauna can be found on the island of Inchuasi. This volcanic rock marooned in the middle of the salt pan is a garden of gargantuan cacti, some of which are centuries old, and makes for a striking addition to this flawless, seemingly endless expanse.

Journey through this vast white wilderness and immerse yourself in the ethereal experience of the largest salt flats on planet earth – there really is nowhere else like it.

Highlights of Uyuni:

Sunrise over the salt flats

Prepare to be astounded as the sun creeps above the horizon and lights the landscape in a blaze of fiery hues, reflected in the immaculate pools of water. Experiencing the Uyuni Salt Flats at this hour of the day is truly ethereal and unforgettable – be sure to bring your camera with you!

Sunset at the Train Cemetery

Don’t miss this eerie place peppered with abandoned train cars, left exposed to the elements to rust and decay. Back in the 19th century, plans were made to build a great train network out of Uyuni to neighbouring regions; but technicalities and tensions caused the project to fall apart, and the trains were dumped here in what has come to be known as the ‘Great Train Graveyard’.

Stay at a salt hotel

A string of unique lodges can be found in the Uyuni Salt Flats, providing a stay quite like anything else. These hotels are built entirely of salt, derived from this dried-up lake and blending seamlessly into their bright white surroundings, with everything from the gleaming façade to the floors made of pure salt.

Highlights of Uyuni:

Sunrise over the salt flats

Prepare to be astounded as the sun creeps above the horizon and lights the landscape in a blaze of fiery hues, reflected in the immaculate pools of water. Experiencing the Uyuni Salt Flats at this hour of the day is truly ethereal and unforgettable – be sure to bring your camera with you!

Sunset at the Train Cemetery

Don’t miss this eerie place peppered with abandoned train cars, left exposed to the elements to rust and decay. Back in the 19th century, plans were made to build a great train network out of Uyuni to neighbouring regions; but technicalities and tensions caused the project to fall apart, and the trains were dumped here in what has come to be known as the ‘Great Train Graveyard’.

Stay at a salt hotel

A string of unique lodges can be found in the Uyuni Salt Flats, providing a stay quite like anything else. These hotels are built entirely of salt, derived from this dried-up lake and blending seamlessly into their bright white surroundings, with everything from the gleaming façade to the floors made of pure salt.

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