Salar
de Uyuni is the world's largest salt flat coverage about 10,582
square kilometers and located in the Daniel Campos Province in PotosÃ
in southwest Bolivia, near the crest of the Andes and is at an
elevation of 3,656 meters above sea level. Scientists have discovered
that this territory in the southwest of Bolivia was part of Lake
Minchin around 40,000 years ago. This prehistoric lake once covered
the whole southwestern part of Bolivia, but through the years, it
gradually dried up and created two smaller lakes as living memories,
the Poopó lake and the Uru Uru lake which divided by the salt. The
salt is formed by minerals due to slowly rise out of the ground. As
there is no way out for the water, countless minerals are visible on
the surface. The salt flat now stretches out over 12,000 square
kilometers due to the wind blow.
From
December to February, there is a remarkable phenomenon as the various
rain showers the lake fills up with rain water. This turns the Salar
de Uyuni (but also the nearby Salar de Coipasa) into the largest
mirrors in the world. The reflection of everything you see here is
almost surreal, whether it be the clouds, flamingos, a car or a
person.
The Bolivian Salt
Flats in Uyuni are a must to see for any trip to South America. It is
strongly recommended to book your tour in advance where possible and
not book your tour in Uyuni (book in La Paz or online) as many
companies scam tourists, so be very careful with your choice of tour
operator. There are 2 types of tours of Salar de Uyuni Salt Flats
such as 1 Day Tour Full Day Tour of the Salt Flats, start and finish
in Uyuni on same day and 3 Day/2 Night Tour Start and finish in
Uyuni, or finish in San Pedro de Atacama. If coming from San Pedro de
Atacama, this 3 day tour will finish in Uyuni.
A
one-day tour of Salar de Uyuni in 4×4 jeeps are common and the
shortest tours possible. The one day tour is also the cheapest way to
visit the Salt Flats. Tours start in Uyuni around 10 am (allowing you
to have breakfast after your overnight bus from La Paz to Uyuni) and
finish around 5 pm (allowing you to take an overnight bus back to La
Paz on the SAME day or to another destination.
A visit to the
train cemetery is followed by a stop in Colchani before arriving to
the Salt Flats and getting the first glimpse of this vast
environment. Salt hotels, salt mounds, isolated ‘islands’ covered
in cacti, lunch, and plenty of time for taking photos before
returning to Uyuni at 5 pm. This is approximately how most of these
tours run but for a more detailed itinerary check. Prices are from
$70 to $90
3 Day Tours of
Salar de Uyuni in 4×4 jeeps are the most popular tour type. The
first day is the same as the one day tour – usually spending the
first night in one of the basic Salt Hotels on the Salar itself.
These hotels are almost completely constructed out of bricks made
from dried salt!
The second and
third days are spent seeing the colored lakes, hot springs, flamingo
flocks, hot geysers, crazy rock formations – such as Arbol de
Piedra (Rock Tree), and painted volcanoes. You will be sleeping in
tents and truly immersing yourself in this rugged part of the world.
The stars alone in this unpolluted place can take your breath away.
3 day tours
ending in San Pedro de Atacama – It’s also possible to hop over
the border at the end of the tour, connecting to San Pedro de
Atacama, Chile. No attractions are missed by leaving the tour at the
Chilean border before it heads back to Uyuni.
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