Are The Uyuni Salt Flats Worth Visiting?
The Salt Flats are one of the main reasons to visit Bolivia – so yes, they are well worth it!
This is one of the best tours in South America, taking you from one insane landscape to the next over two days.
Here are some more great reasons to consider them:
| Worth It For... | 'Worth It' Rating | |
|---|---|---|
|
Perspective Photos |
A fun video and photo memory |
🔥🔥 |
|
Mirror Effect |
Some of the best photographs you’ll ever take |
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 |
|
Salt Hotel |
Cool but nothing spectacular |
🔥 |
|
Sunset on the Salt Flats |
An incredible sight, especially if you can combine it with the reflection |
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 |
|
Star Gazing |
Perfectly clear views of the night sky |
🔥🔥🔥🔥 |
|
High Altitude Desert |
Unique landscapes with salt lagoons, lakes, volcanos and geyser fields |
🔥🔥🔥🔥 |
My Thoughts On The Uyuni Salt Flats...
- It’s an affordable tour that includes transport, food and accommodation
- If you can visit between Dec-Feb for the rainy season , the mirror effect is an incredible sight
- Combines well with a trip to Chile and the Atacama Desert
12 Reasons The Uyuni Salt Flats Are Worth Visiting
1. The Salt Flat Is A Landscape Like No Other
Whilst travelling in South America, you will continually discover new and unique environments from the desert cliffs of Paracas in Peru to the towering volcanoes of Ecuador.
But Bolivia’s Uyuni Salt Flats are on another level.
The flat white expanse is unlike anything you’ve come across before, making it one of the highlights of all South America.
From the pristine white landscape stretching on seemingly forever, to the mirror effect created by rainwater sitting on its surface, to the rock islands that jut out of the salt adding scale and perspective to what you are seeing: it will all blow your mind.
2. Day Two Of The Tour Is Just As Mind Blowing
If you decide to book a 3-day Uyuni tour, on the second day you will see even more incredible landscapes on the Altiplano: the high-altitude plateau set between two Andean mountain ranges.
The surreal, other-worldly landscapes of this area will leave you questioning whether or not you’re still on Earth.
Highlights include:
- Brightly coloured, high-altitude lakes;
- Strange rock formations eroded by wind for millions of years;
- Powerful geysers firing grey sulphuric smoke into the sky
- Cone shaped strato-volcanoes
The sights on this trip will stay with you forever. Some of them are so impressive they deserve their own spots on this list.
3. High Altitude Lakes And Stratovolcanoes
Three of the best sights are Laguna Colorada, Laguna Verde and Licancabur Volcano.
The deep red colour of Laguna Colorada, caused by red algae and microorganisms, is home to huge flocks of flamingos (or a flamboyance if you want to be accurate), attracted by the creatures that give it its red colour.
This is your chance to catch a sight of the rare James’s Flamingo which is native to the Andes and the Altiplano area.
Volcán Licancabur is a stratovolcano with a near-perfect cone that rises up behind Laguna Verde. The symmetry of the volcano and the colour of the lake make for some beautiful pictures.
For more popular posts on Bolivia from city guides to planned itineraries, check out some of the posts below:
4. Sitting In The Thermal Baths And Star Gazing
On day two of the tour you will arrive at a small hotel set on the edge of a high-altitude lake.
Whilst the views here are incredible, this isn’t the best part. After dinner, all the different tours grab themselves a bottle of wine, head out in the cold and jump into the natural thermal baths next to the lake.
The baths are fed from the mountains and heated by the volcanic activity in the region.
Being miles away from any big city and light pollution, the view of the night sky is unreal. I’d never seen the night sky so clearly before.
I could see every star in the sky, including the curve of the Milky Way and we even caught a few shooting stars.
However, if you are looking for a single-day tour option, then this starlight and sunrise tour looks incredible.
You get up at 3.30AM to go star gazing on the Salt Flat where an expert guide will talk you through the different stars and constellations.
You’ll then wait to the sunrise to illuminate the endless white expanse of the salt flat.
5. Taking The Classic Perspective Shots
Yes, we’ve all seen the perspective shots on Instagram, and there’s nothing original about them, but they are still fun to do!
Your guide will be an expert at taking the perfect shots, so all you need to do is think up a unique idea. I think my magic carpet style drone shot was pretty original, but I would say that!
Perspective shots are possible all year round on the salt flats as all you need is a flat dry part, which isn’t hard to find.
6. Seeing The Famous 'Mirror Effect'
If you want the sought-after reflection shot on the Uyuni Salt Flat then you will have to get lucky.
To get a reflection shot you, it must have rained a day or two before your tour.
This will leave a layer of water over the salt and create the mirror effect making it seem like you’re walking on the clouds. Your chances are better during the rainy season (Nov-April).
Check out my guide here for the best times to visit Salar de Uyuni for the mirror effect along with some photography tips for getting the perfect reflection shot.
7. The 3-Day Uyuni Salt Flat Tour Is Great Value For Money
Even though Uyuni is fast becoming a popular tourist destination, the cost for the salt flat tour is still reasonable compared to other tours in South America.
I visited in January (low season) and managed to get my tour for around $150.
This included two night’s accommodation, three meals a day and jeep transport across the unique landscapes.
Here are a couple of tips for finding the best price on a tour:
- Don’t book online, tour prices are always inflated
- Shop around in town and compare prices
- Haggle – bartering isn’t a social faux pax in South America. If there is a small group of you, you can try and get a lower price as a package deal. Their first price won’t be their best price so don’t accept it right away, you’ll easily get a 5-10% reduction
- Visit in low season – fewer tourists mean prices are lower
8. The 3-Day Tour Is Convenient And An Easy Way To Get To Chile
If you are on an extended South America trip, then a Salt Flat Tour is an efficient way of travelling to Chile.
Salt flat tours can either take you back to Uyuni on the last day or drop you at the border of Chile where you can cross ant take a 45-minute bus to San Pedro De Atacama.
So along with an incredible tour, you also get transport to your next destination included in the price.
It makes sense to travel from La Paz to Uyuni, and then into Chile where you can either book a cheap flight to your next destination in South America or elsewhere.
Check out our Atacama Desert guide to see all the incredible activities awaiting you once you cross the border:
9. You Will See One Of The Best Sunsets In The World
This simple formula will always create the best sunsets: mountains + the salt flat + a layer of water.
Whilst the sunsets in the dry season will still be amazing, if you can make it in the rainy season to catch Salar de Uyuni covered in water then even better.
Here you can get even more fantastic reflection shots along with the beautiful glow of the sun as it disappears. The pictures speak for themselves.
10. You Will Get To See Rare Wildlife
Whilst the wildlife of the Altiplano is rare; when you do eventually catch sight of it, it will be a special moment.
Here are some animals to look out for:
- Vicuñas are the wild form of alpacas. They are rare and shy, with highly-prized fleeces due to its softness. Whilst out here you will easily see them grazing away on quinoa dotted across the desert.
- Visachas are round, chubby rabbit-like rodents that are cute as hell and won’t be hard to catch hiding amongst the boulders strewn across the Altiplano.
- Flamingoes – The best part will be the three species of flamingo you come across at the lakes with this being the only place in the world to see the rare James’s Flamingo.
Be sure to check out my expertly planned Bolivia itineraries to see how the Salt Flats fits in with your plans:
11. A One-Day Uyuni Tour Is Also A Great Option
The one-day tour is perfect for tourists who are short on time but still want to see this incredible natural wonder.
The morning is simple as you drive just outside of town to see the Train Cemetery and the Salt Museum.
After lunch, you will head out onto the actual salt flat for the famous perspective shots.
Here’s a comparison of the two options:
| Feature | Salt Flat 1-Day Tour | Salt Flat 3-Day Tour |
|---|---|---|
|
Price |
$50-75 |
$150-250 |
|
Timing |
10:00 AM – 19:00 PM |
3 days / 2 nights |
|
Highlights |
• Train cemetery • Incawasi Island • Tunupa Volcano • Sunset on the salt flat |
• Everything included on the single day tour • Laguna Colorada, Verde & Blanca • Termas De Polques Hot Springs • Salvador Dali Desert • Licancabur Volcano |
|
Advantages |
• Much cheaper than extended tours • Best for people who are short on time or need to return to La Paz |
• Transport to Chilean border on the final day • The places visited on the second and the third day are amazing |
12. La Paz To Uyuni Tours
If you’re itinerary means you need to be back in La Paz then check out this tour.
It includes both overnight buses, your hotel and the tour – perfect for travellers in a rush.
However, if you do have the time and want to save money, you can just book the overnight buses yourself and organise a tour once you get to Uyuni.
Here’s a summary of what’s included:
- Day 1: Evening departure from La Paz on a night bus to Uyuni, with reclining seats, onboard bathroom, and a light dinner included.
- Day 2: Explore the Uyuni Salt Flats, visiting the train cemetery, Colchani salt processors, and Incahuasi Island. Enjoy a local lunch, capture stunning photos, and toast the sunset before returning to La Paz overnight by bus.
When's The Best Time To Visit Salar De Uyuni?
Uyuni is a year-round destination, so the best time to visit depends on the weather you prefer.
You have two season choices when visiting Bolivia, both of which affect the Salt Flat environment and vistas:
- The rainy season | November-April (also peak season): this is when you get the famous ‘mirror effect’ photos
- The dry season | May-October (low season): still awe-inspiring but no mirror effect pics for the ‘gram’.
You should be also be aware that as most of the tour is spent at an altitude above 3,500m, reaching 4,000m, so the air temperature is much colder than at sea level. So, whatever the weather, you’ll need to wrap-up when outside the vehicle.
