The Salar de Uyuni is the world's largest salt flat, covering 10,582 square kilometres of the Bolivian Altiplano at 3,656 metres altitude. It formed when a prehistoric lake evaporated, leaving behind an estimated 10 billion tonnes of salt and one of the world's largest lithium reserves underneath. In the dry season it is a blinding white plain of hexagonal salt tiles. In the wet season a thin layer of water turns the surface into the world's largest natural mirror. Uyuni is the single most-visited attraction in Bolivia.
Geography and scale
The Salar lies in southwest Bolivia, at the heart of the Altiplano. It spans roughly 100 kilometres across, large enough that NASA uses it to calibrate the altitude instruments on Earth observation satellites. The surface is ringed by small villages, high volcanoes, and mineral-stained lagoons. Temperatures on the plain swing from 20°C in the sun down to below -10°C on winter nights. There is no natural cover, no reference points, and no mobile signal. A few hours on the Salar will stay with most travellers for years.
The mirror effect
The phenomenon most visitors come for. In the rainy months, a shallow layer of water sits on the salt and reflects the sky, the clouds, and everyone walking across it. The mirror window runs from late February to early April, peaking mid-March to mid-April. Rainfall varies year to year, so exact timing shifts. Outside the mirror window, the dry white plain is equally striking for a different reason: endless white to the horizon, absolute silence, and hexagonal salt tiles underfoot. Photographers choose one over the other; they are two different landscapes that share a name.
Beyond the salt
Uyuni has more than one landscape. Isla Incahuasi, located in the middle of the Salar, is an area of giant volcanic ash rocks accompanied by hundreds of giant cacti. The Train Cemetery just outside Uyuni town holds a collection of historic steam locomotives dating back several hundred years. Traveling south of the Salar takes you to the Siloli Desert and colourful lakes, including the burnt-orange Laguna Colorada, the geysers of Sol de Mañana, and the hot springs of Chalviri. Our multi-day group tours combine the Salar with this spectacular southern circuit.
Visiting with Undiscovered Destinations
The Salar de Uyuni is the centrepiece of our 15-day Bolivia small group tour, where you will spend days 6 to 10 exploring the town, the salt flats, and the surrounding deserts. Groups are capped at 12 travellers, departures are guaranteed from two people, and overnight stays include the Hotel Casa de Sal in Uyuni. The region also features in our two longer South America itineraries: our 27-day Panama and Bolivia tour explores the Uyuni and desert region from Days 18 to 22, and our 28-day Argentina, Chile and Bolivia Explorer visits from Days 19 to 23. For travellers who want Uyuni without the full country, we can build a tailor-made Uyuni and Eduardo Avaroa loop. See our destination page to browse every available Bolivia tour.
