Salar de Uyuni (Spanish version of the name Salar de Uyuni) is the world's largest salt marsh with an area of 10,582 km². It is located in the south-west of Bolivia at an altitude of 3656 meters above sea level and is covered with a salt crust with an average thickness of several meters (in some places up to 10 m). According to some estimates, the Uyuni salt marsh contains up to 50% of the world's lithium reserves. Tourists from all over the world come here to observe ancient volcanoes, flocks of pink flamingos, wandering herds of wild llamas, giant cacti 10 meters high or more, lakes changing their color every day and magical fields of geysers.
Education and geology
All salt marshes were formed on the site of former lakes and other water basins. If the lake has no water flow into the river, and the evaporation rate exceeds the amount of precipitation, the concentration of salt in the water increases over time. After the water has completely evaporated, a hard salt crust forms on the surface and the area turns into a salt marsh.
The Salar de Uyuni is part of the Bolivian Altiplano, a mountain plateau over 3000 meters above sea level. The plateau has a number of freshwater and salt lakes, salt marshes, all surrounded by mountains and volcanoes.
The geological history of the Uyuni salt marsh consists of the successive transformation of several huge lakes. Approximately 30,000-42,000 years ago, its territory was part of the giant prehistoric Lake Minchin. Lake Minchin (named after Juan Minchin) later transformed into Lake Tauka and then (about 11,500 - 13,400 years ago) into the youngest prehistoric lake of Koipasa. When it dried up, there were two modern lakes (Poopo and Uru Uru) and two salt marshes - Salar de Coipasa, and much larger Salar de Uyuni. Both salt marshes are separated from each other by a series of hills. Lake Poopo is a neighbor of the much larger Lake Titicaca. During the rainy season, the Titicaca level rises and the water flows into Lake Poopo, which in turn causes flooding in both the Koipasa and Uyuni salt marshes.
From above, the salt marsh is covered with a hard crust of salt of various thicknesses: from several tens of centimeters to 10 meters in the center. Below the lake silt is interspersed with brine layers - an aqueous solution saturated with sodium chloride, lithium chloride and magnesium chloride. The most valuable of these minerals is lithium chloride.
In the center of the Uyuni salt marsh, there are several "islets", which are the remains of the tops of ancient volcanoes, completely submerged in water in the era of the prehistoric Lake Minchin. Now their surface is covered with fragile deposits, often consisting of fossils and algae, on top of which cacti and shrubs grow.
Economic significance
For centuries, the Quechua Indians have survived by mining and selling salt. Salt is scraped off, transported to nearby villages, where it is processed, packaged and sent to consumers. About 25,000 tons of salt are mined annually - a drop in the sea compared to the reserves of 10 billion tons.
Under a thick layer of salt is brine - an aqueous solution with a 0.3% concentration of lithium, the lightest metal, which is predicted to have a great future. For two decades, lithium has been used in laptops, mobile phones, and other devices. But its main application is expected to be in the production of batteries for electric cars, capable of replacing gasoline and diesel fuel for cars in the near future. A lot of lithium is found in rocks and seawater. But almost all reserves suitable for industrial development are in the form of brine under salt marshes. The invention of the pneumatic tire made rubber a valuable commodity in the 19th century. The global trend towards green energy has every chance of doing the same with lithium in the 21st.
Attempts to extract lithium by foreign companies in the 1980s and 1990s met with strong opposition from the local population. Despite their poverty, local residents disapprove of the idea of mining the precious metal. The Bolivian government does not intend to allow foreign corporations to develop it and plans to build its own plant.
Due to its location and ideal plane (the average elevation across the entire region is only one meter), the Uyuni Salt Flats is one of the main road routes through the Bolivian Altiplano, except for the rainy season.
Effects
During the rainy season from November to March, the salt marsh is covered with a layer of water up to 30 cm. When a thin layer of water covers the surface of the salt marsh, a mirror effect is created. Clouds are visible not only from above in the sky, but also from below underfoot. The landscapes are simply unimaginable. The impression is that people and cars are floating in the clouds.
In the dry season, polygonal furrows are formed on the surface of the salt marsh, similar to a honeycomb, but less regular in shape. Mostly hexagons are found, but there are pentagons, heptagons and even octagons. These forms of furrows several centimeters high are formed in the process of water evaporation.
Flora and fauna
The salt marsh is practically devoid of any wild animals or plants. Of the plants, giant cacti dominate. They grow at a rate of 1 cm per year to a height of up to 12 meters. Other plants are shrubs.
Every November and December, the Uyuni Salt Flamingo attracts three species of South American pink flamingos: Chilean, Andean and James. The pink coloration of flamingos comes from feeding on pink microalgae (algae). The area is home to about 80 other bird species, including the horned coot, the Andean goose, and the Andean mountain star hummingbird. The fauna is represented by the Andean fox, some places of the salt marsh (in particular the Island of Fish) have small colonies of Viskasha (a rodent similar to our rabbit).
Interesting places (sights)
The Salar de Uyuni is a popular tourist attraction in Bolivia. It attracts about 70,000 tourists annually. This article describes a "standard" itinerary for a tour of the salt marsh and surrounding lagoons. Tour operators use off-road vehicles (usually Toyota Landcruisers) and the driver is often charged with cooking. Most 3 and 4 day tours have the same trip itinerary on the first two and a half days (the first day includes a visit to the Uyuni salt flats, then a course to southwestern Bolivia to lakes and volcanoes, and there the routes of the tours diverge). The specific places of visits depend on the chosen tour. Accommodation is usually in simple houses, despite the cold weather, not always heated, but the amazing scenery is worth some sacrifice.
The first day of the trip is a salt marsh
On the first day, you will visit the salt marsh. In the dry season, the landscape is exceptionally white. During the rainy season, the surface of the salt marsh perfectly reflects the blue sky and clouds.
Plaza Arce(Plaza Arce). Most trips start at 10:30 am from Plaza Arce, located next to railway station Uyuni.
Train graveyard(Cementerio de Trenes). Usually, the first stop of the tour is the train graveyard, but some operators prefer to end the tour here. Uyuni, small town ok with a population of just over 15,000, was once a major railway center in Bolivia. With the decline of the mining industry in the 1940s, the railroad fell into disrepair and the trains were abandoned to their fate in the vicinity of the city. Some locomotives are over 100 years old. The train graveyard is the most popular attraction in this town.
Quivers(Colchani). It is a small village about 22 kilometers from Uyuni on the eastern edge of the salt marsh. The main occupation of its inhabitants is salt mining. Salt is processed and sent to other regions of Bolivia, some of it is exported abroad. Kolchani serves as the first stop of most excursions. Besides salt mining, many of its inhabitants survive on tourism. A special feature of the village (in addition to stopping to drink some water and buy souvenirs) are its houses, built from blocks of salt. In appearance, the village is not very attractive and snow-white, but where else in the world can you find such a street or such buildings made of salt? The Salt Museum displays animal figurines made of this material, furniture, and demonstrates construction technologies using salt.
Salt mining area
Visiting places where salt is manually raked from the surface of the salt marsh into piles weighing a ton or more, and left to dry in the sun before being transported to the plant for further processing.
Salt hotel
Due to the high cost of conventional building materials, many visitors stay in hotels built almost entirely (walls, roof) from salt blocks. Juan Quesada was the first to come up with the idea of building a salt hotel, as salt has been the most practical building material in this area for centuries. The first such hotel was built in 1995 in the center of the Uyuni salt marsh, and it quickly became a popular tourist attraction. But the hotel's location in the center of the salt marsh caused a number of sanitary problems. Serious pollution environment prompted the authorities to close and dismantle the hotel in 2002. Later, several new salt hotels were built on the outskirts of the salt marsh in full compliance with environmental standards.
One of these hotels (Hotel Palacio de Sal Hotel & Spa) is located in the village of Colchani on the eastern edge of the salt marsh. Besides walls, floors and ceilings, most of its interior decorations are also made of salt: chairs, tables, beds, clocks and even sculptures. The luxury hotel of 4500 m² has all modern amenities, including dry sauna, steam bath, jacuzzi, bathtub. It can accommodate 48 people at the same time in 16 doubles and 8 single rooms... Previously, salt was considered only a vital component for cooking, but in the area of the Uyuni salt marsh, this mineral was used in a completely different capacity. You can order a room on the hotel website www.palaciodesal.com.bo
Fish island(Isla de los Pescados)
The name comes from the Spanish word "pescado", which means "fish". The fact is that in the rainy season, the reflection of the island on the surface of the salt marsh resembles a fish. The island is covered in fossilized coral deposits and 1000-year-old cacti. These cacti (the tallest of them 9-10 m) grow at a rate of 1 cm per year, so you can easily calculate their age. Several whiskachs (South American rodents that look like hares) can be seen on the island. You can walk around the island, enjoy the panorama of the salt plain and take beautiful photos (this the best place to photograph the salt marsh). Majority tourist groups dine on the western "coast" of this island. A small fee is charged for admission.
Stopping for the night... They usually spend the night in San Juan, although for real pleasure you can look for a travel agency that provides accommodation closer to the salt marsh. Then you can get up before dawn and see a beautiful sunrise.
The second day of the trip - a trip to the Colorada lagoon
Continue to the southwest towards the colored lakes (red, blue, white, yellow and green) located in the Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve of the Andean fauna (Parque Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa). The water is colored by a number of different minerals washed away by streams of water from the surrounding volcanoes. Some tours include a visit to the Cueva Galaxia and the Devil's Cave (Cueva del Diablo).
Laguna Edionda(Laguna Hedionda) is a salt lake with several species of migratory pink and white flamingos. The Spanish name "La Grande Laguna Hedionda" means "big smelly lake". Laguna Edionda is one of nine small salt lakes in the Andean Altiplano. The lake, with an area of 3 km², is located at an altitude of 4121 meters and is surrounded by salt marshes and wetlands. From time to time in the area of the lake you can see grazing llamas and alpacas. Laguna Edionda serves as a popular stop and lunch destination.
Habitat of the Viskash. A short stop on a rocky outcropping where the Viskash colony lives. The guides lure them out of their hiding places with the help of carrots.
Arbol de Piedra(Arbol de Piedra) - a stone in the shape of a tree. Over the years, water and wind have carved the sculpture out of a huge boulder, resembling a petrified tree that appears to be growing out of the ground.
Lagoon colorada(Laguna Colorada) is a shallow salt lake located in the National Reserve of the Andean fauna Eduardo Avaroa (Reserva Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa) near the border with Chile. The lake of red color is located at an altitude of 4278 m. The red tint to the lake is given by algae - microscopic algae. The lagoon contains many other minerals that provide a breeding ground for the development of microorganisms that flamingos feed on. Lagoon Colorada is best known for its large colonies of flamingos. The most common are James' flamingos, less often Andean and Chilean flamingos. For the right to enter National preserve Andean fauna Eduardo Avaroa needs to pay a small fee.
Accommodation... Accommodation in the Colorada Lagoon area in simple brick shacks, sometimes without heating. Electricity is supplied for several hours. Please note that at night in July the temperature can drop to -10 ° C and below.
Third morning - geysers and hot springs, Verde lagoon
The journey will continue in the early morning (rise at 4 a.m.) without breakfast to visit the following places:
Geyser pool Sol de Magnana(Solar de Manaña). The geyser pool is located 50 km from the Colorada Lagoon at an altitude of 4850 meters above sea level. In this place, bubbling sulfuric reservoirs, fumaroles and geysers emit sulfuric gas with an unpleasant smell of rotten eggs. Sometimes geysers lift hot steam into the air for tens of meters. The geyser pool is usually visited at sunrise.
Thermal reservoir Termas de Polques located near the Sol de Magnana geyser basin. Swim if you want to really enjoy the thermal spring. The mineral composition of the water is believed to relieve the symptoms of arthritis and rheumatism. The temperature of the reservoir is pleasant for swimming, but in the morning at an altitude of 4400 meters above sea level, the air is rather cold, so many people prefer to watch. Popular breakfast spot.
Laguna verde(Laguna Verde) is a salt lake on the Chilean border, in the water of which the nearby Licancabur volcano (5920 m) is reflected. The green color of the lagoon is due to sedimentary deposits containing copper and other minerals. The lake is located at an altitude of 4300 m above sea level. Laguna Verde is well known for its picturesque landscapes and hot springs. A small corridor separates the lake from the Laguna Blanca.
Laguna Blanca(Laguna Blanca) - a lake 5.6 km long and 3.5 km wide, located at an altitude of 4350 m. The characteristic white color of the water, which gave the lake its name, is caused by a high concentration of borax (sodium pyroboric acid). A narrow corridor separates Blanca Lagoon from the smaller Verde Lagoon.
Tupisa
If you choose a four-day tour that includes a visit to Tupiza, then you should see the following places:
Lagoon Celeste(Laguna Celeste). The lake is bluish in color with a high content of magnesium and manganese. It is located at an altitude of 4529 m, an area of 2.3 km².
Lagoon Amarilla(Laguna Amarilla). A greenish-yellow lake with a high concentration of sulfur.
Ruins of the colonial city of San Antonio(San Antonio). This is an abandoned mining town of the sixteenth century.
Uyuni
On the way back to Uyuni, you will make stops in small villages, and also visit the Stone Valley (Valles de Rocas), a place with unusual rock formations formed by wind erosion. The small village of Alota is a relatively popular overnight stop.
The fourth day of the trip - arrival in the city of Tupisa
Continue driving along the road with beautiful nature landscapes. The last attraction before arriving at Tupisa will be El Sillar - heavily eroded rock formations.
The fourth day of the trip - arrival in the city of Uyuni
The last day of the trip includes a visit to the small town of San Cristobal, the main attraction of which is the old church, and then return to Uyuni.
How to get there
There are several ways to get from La Paz to Uyuni:
Airplane... On July 11, 2011, Bolivian President Evo Morales opened El Aeropuerto Joya Andina airport in Uyuni. The airport is currently served by two airlines: Amaszonas (www.amaszonas.com) and Transporte Aereo Militar (TAM for short, www.tam.bo). Transporte Aereo Militar offers flights to Uyuni from La Paz (with a stopover in Sucre) every Monday, Friday and Saturday. Return flights from Uyuni to La Paz (again, with a stopover in Sucre), also on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays. To date, Transporte Aereo Militar does not provide ticket orders through its website. The downside to flying with Transporte Aereo Militar is that the La Paz to Uyuni flight lands in Sucre and may be temporarily canceled if the weather is bad. The preferred option is with Amazonas, which offers daily flights to Uyuni from La Paz.
Bus... Tourist night bus. There are several tourist night buses from La Paz to Uyuni and vice versa. Buses leave every day. There are no day buses. The trip takes about 10 hours, but may take longer during the rainy season (November to April). All buses transit through Oruro. The total distance is 569 km (from La Paz to Oruro 229 km on an asphalt road, and 340 km from Oruro to Uyuni on a dirt road). The bus leaves La Paz at 21.00 and arrives in Uyuni at about 07.00. Take the Todo Turismo tourist bus (www.todoturismo.bo). it best bus Bolivia, friendly staff speaks English, offers hot meals in the bus. It runs between Uyuni and La Paz on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Bus - train... You can get from La Paz to Oruro by bus (about 4 hours) and then take the train from Oruro to Uyuni. You will have to take a taxi from the bus station to railway station in Oruro. Every Tuesday and Friday, the Expreso del Sur train leaves Oruro at 15:30 and arrives in Uyuni at 22:20. Every Sunday and Wednesday, the train leaves Oruro at 19:00 and arrives in Uyuni at 02:20. The Wara Wara del Sur train from Uyuni to Oruro departs on Thursday and Sunday at 00:05, arrives in Oruro at 07.00, on Tuesday and Friday, leaves Oruro at 01.45, arrives in Uyuni at 09:10. See below the departure schedule for the Expreso del Sur and Wara Wara del Sur ( read the article Transport in Bolivia (buses, trains)). You can order train tickets online at www.fca.com.bo.
Climate and when to visit
The period from November to March (summer in Bolivia) is the rainy season. The average temperature in December-January is + 21 ° C, but at night it is cold throughout the year. When it rains, water accumulates on the flat surface of the Uyuni salt marsh and reflects like a mirror. The tour may be delayed due to heavy rainfall as vehicles are severely damaged by salt water corrosion.
During the rainy season, thousands of flamingos migrate to the area to mate and reproduce. There are especially many of them around the Colorada and Verde lagoons. The best months to see flamingos are November and December.
In winter, especially in June and July, the average temperature is + 13 ° C, but at night it drops below zero, sometimes to -10 ° C and below. Winter is dry season (April to October). In the dry season, the salt marsh is a perfectly flat plain. Precipitation varies from 1-3 mm per month from April to November and increases to 70 mm in January. The peak tourist season is from June to August.
Useful information
Imagine an endless field of salt, larger than either Cyprus or Luxembourg. It doesn't fit in my head, but this exists in Bolivia and is called Salar de Uyuni(Salar de Uyuni). It is the largest salt marsh in the world (10.5 thousand sq. Km). The thickness of the salt is from 2 to 8 meters. Height above sea level is 3656 meters. During the rainy season, Uyuni is covered with a small layer of water and turns into the largest mirror in the world.
Today I will tell you about our 3-day jeep tour of the Salar de Uyuni and the Bolivian Altiplano as well as all practical information:
- how to get to Uyuni,
- how to book a tour and what to expect from it, types of tours and how much it costs,
- what things to take with you (since not all of this is obvious, and travel agencies are silent about it),
- then and how you can watch for free.
Types of travel in Uyuni and the Bolivian Altiplano
Tours in Uyuni and Altiplano usually last from 1 to 5 days. Tours are standard, even if they tell you that they have a unique tour in their agency;)
One day tour of Uyuni
On this tour, only Salar de Uyuni itself and what is on it are usually visited: the steam locomotive cemetery, the salt hotel, various places on the salt marsh, the Incahuasi island. The cost varies depending on the season, on average 250-300 boliviano ($ 36-43). In the rainy season, the island of Incahuasi is not reached.
Two-day tour of Uyuni and Tunupa volcano
On the first day they drive along the salt marsh, spend the night in a salt hotel, on the second day they climb the Tunupa volcano from 4200 to 4500 meters, and return to the city. Prices 450-500 boliviano ($ 65-72).
3-day tour of Uyuni and Bolivian Altiplano
We took this particular tour. I would have liked to go on a four day trip to Atacama, but we didn’t have a Chilean visa. Prices for this tour are mostly 650-700 boliviano ($ 94-101), but there are also for 1300, and probably higher. We drove for 650.
Day 1.
On the first day, an aunt from the agency ran to our hotel and said that the departure would be earlier, because it would be difficult for a pedestrian to travel around Bolivia and it would be difficult to drive around the city. We correctly decided to have breakfast, because it was a long time to wait until lunchtime, and still, when we arrived, we were still waiting for someone.
First of all, we were taken to. Previously, there was a railway here that carried goods to and from Chile, and when the traffic stopped, steam locomotives were simply abandoned here. Cool place, but only if dozens of other tourists are not climbing with you at the same time;)
By the way, you can visit this place absolutely free of charge and independently, you just need to walk a couple of kilometers from the city (or take a taxi). The most sold-out in the morning, hours until 11-12, some tours come here at sunset, but not enough.
After the train cemetery, we were taken to souvenir market... We didn't buy anything there, but we hint: this is the last opportunity to buy warm clothes before going to the cold Altiplano.
A little more winding along the dusty roads, and we finally arrived at saline!
Stopped near salt hotel... Nothing special, the first night is the same.
And then the dragon will attack us kaaak! I ran in horror!
And Serega kaaaak hit him with his leg !!
Then the dragon switched to the llama, jumped on her back with a desire to gnaw through the ridge, but then another dragon ran up, and let's bite him!
He chased away the green one, and bit off his tail!
We arrived for lunch at cactus island incahuasi aka Isla Incahuasi or Fish Island. We did not find any resemblance to fish, but we could wander around the island and hug with cacti :) In the dry season, this is not an island, but just a large rock.
From a distance it seems that it is hovering over the salt marsh.
The climb to the "top" cost 30 boliviano, but this "top" is low, and there is nothing to watch from it, so we didn't pay, but just walked around. You can enter the Incahuasi for free along the paths away from the entrance.
We were in the dry season, so we didn't see the famous "Uyuni mirror" in all its glory, but we caught a piece of the mirror near Incahuasi:
After lunch, there was nothing interesting, we were just taken to hotel made of salt: there are walls of salt, and salt crumbs on the floor. The rooms had 2-3 single beds, a shared toilet and a paid shower. Dinner was good, but small, I would have eaten more. Sockets were only in the dining room.
Day 2.
In the morning we were brought to shop in the village, everyone immediately rushed to buy essential items at inflated prices, which they forgot to buy in the village of Uyuni: toilet paper, toothpaste, drinking water and alcohol. After that, there was a solid Altiplano. By the way, I do not recommend drinking alcohol at altitudes, it only increases altitude sickness.
First drove by railway and other salt marshes... The sensations were indescribable: desert, wind, and rails going nowhere ... until other groups arrived
Stayed near the freaky rocks.
Dined near lakes with flamingos- Canyapa (Laguna Cañapa)
In addition to flamingos, there are also funny whiskey hares,
... vicuna,
... foxes,
And of course tourists
There were several lakes.
And then we drove along desert.
The ride was long and tedious, I even dozed off on the road. And so we came to Stone Tree(Arbol de Piedra). Its height is 5 meters. The wind was such, and it carried the dust into my eyes so much that after taking the photograph I walked back to the car.
And it was especially interesting to watch how smokers try to light their cigarettes in such a wind))) We were lucky that there was not a single smoker in our car, no one stank on the others after each stop.
We drove and drove and came to (Eduardo Avaroa). There, they took us 150 boliviano ($ 21.5, payment exclusively in boliviano) and gave us tickets, which they said to keep until leaving the park (but they did not check anything in the park or at the exit).
After the control booth, they drove us 200 meters and settled in " hostel". The" hostel "consists of a dozen barracks, each has 2-3 six-bed rooms with bathrooms and a common corridor with tables. There was no electricity in the toilet, and only a cold shower. with an overnight stay on the second day near the thermal springs, but it is twice as expensive.There are options with a private bathroom, but we were told that there are surcharges of $ 100 per night.
While we were waiting for dinner, we walked to Colored Lake Laguna Colorada(Laguna Colorada). The wind was such that they almost ran to the lake.
In the photo on the Internet, this lake is very red, but ours was gray-pink (the photo is called "find a flamingo"):
They put on everything that was: on each underwear, thermal underwear top and bottom, pants, windproof pants, ordinary socks, woolen socks, fleeces, down jackets, membrane jackets, two or three buffs, gloves. It was not hot, let's just say :) Sunglasses are more from the wind :)
They walked back against a strong wind and felt like the conquerors of the Far North.
The Brazilian couple from Rio did not even want to stick their nose out of the hostel in such weather, it seemed to them that they were in some kind of special hell for Brazilians (where they freeze instead of frying), and the Germans and I had a great walk :)
Day 3.
One more day, and let's move on to organizational issues about Uyuni.
In the morning we got up before dawn (it seems, at 5 o'clock), had breakfast and went to the geysers of Sol de la Mañana.
A little snow fell at night, mostly it was blown away by the wind, but one smart guy managed to skid on an all-wheel drive (!) SUV (!) In a fifteen-centimeter snowball in a rut. AAAA, I rode like this on a Fabia on snowy Kiev days, and the snow was a couple of meters long. Nevertheless, a council gathered, they almost took it in tow, but then they figured out that they just needed to push. Our driver said that the stuck driver is new, he has been carrying tourists for only 5 years O_o
Geysers, to put it mildly, not impressed. I am already silent about Iceland.
A bit more Altiplano
And here it is - the most long-awaited point of the route - the hot springs! Taking off all these layers of clothing in an unheated locker room was a feat, but then what a kaaaaif! :) The water temperature is 38 degrees Celsius, the water is warmer in the small pool. Even if you don't want to swim, then just sitting on the side and warming your legs is already a great pleasure.
And again desert... Somewhere here we met a Cyclist with a Capital Letter. This Hero was pedaling up in a strong wind, at an altitude of almost 5000 meters, blown by dust from trucks and jeeps rushing past. They did not have time to photograph him.
it Green Lake(Laguna Verde)
And again desert
Salvador Dali's garden(they were not allowed to come closer)
This was the very edge of Bolivia, and from there we headed for the exit to civilization. Halfway to the village of Uyuni was Garden of Stones... It was already so warm here that we took off our down jackets and woolen socks, and we could even walk without a hat and gloves! And even our Brazilians came to life :)
Finally, we were brought to some village where we waited for half an hour for something incomprehensible, and there was nothing to watch, except for one ugly closed church.
From there we quickly rushed to the city. The driver dropped us off at the agency and evaporated. Before the tour, we succumbed to persuasion, and left a large backpack with unnecessary things on the tour at the agency, and it was very stupid, because it was closed for our return! We called the aunt who sold us the tour, she didn't answer. We found out in neighboring shops - no one knows anything. They called her too. Well, she knew that we would come from the tour and she had our backpack !!! This is Bolivia, babeaaa! I even went to the police, but they kicked me off there.
The situation was aggravated by the fact that for the evening we already had bus tickets to, we were hungry after a meager lunch, the wind was blowing dust on the street, and the backpack was in captivity! We noticed that one of the windows in the glass door was simply sealed with paper, tore it off and looked inside. The backpack was there and really wanted to join us. In total, we have already waited 40-50 minutes, the mood changed from bewildered-irritated to aggressive.
Then we decided to take extreme measures - opened the door of the agency and took him out of there! We even wanted to put the door back on its hinges, but they were crooked, as if they had been broken more than once, so we just put the door vertically. When we crossed the street towards the nearest cafe, we saw how our aunt drove up to the agency, opened the door with a key, and she fell inside. AHAHAHAHA! We passed by in the evening on the bus, saw the light inside and thought that it was right for her, let her now sit guarding her door.
It was scary to leave Bolivia, all of a sudden the border guard would say to us: "Agaaaa, whoo is that door in such and such an agency broke down? Come to jail." We didn’t think that we would have to deal with such vile deeds at all !! :(
Uyuni four day tour
Includes a standard 3-day tour plus climbing Tunupa volcano. Our friends paid 1000 boliviano ($ 145) for such a tour.
Alternative: 3-day tour of Uyuni plus one day in the Atacama Desert in Chile. We would really like to get on such a tour, but at that time we had not yet canceled Chilean visas for Ukrainians, and we did not want to pay $ 80 for a single entry or $ 200 for a multiple-entry visa.
Uyuni Salt Flats at Night
There are separate night tours to the Salar de Uyuni to gaze at the stars.
There are two options:
1) departure in the afternoon, sunset and then the stars, 2) departure in the middle of the night, stars, dawn and inspection of the salt marsh in the morning.
Since there is little housing and, accordingly, there is little light, the stars can be seen beautifully. And in the rainy season, when Uyuni turns into a mirror lake, the stars are reflected in it, and then the views are simply unreal. Uyuni is one of the top locations for observing the starry sky. Unfortunately, we did not go on such a tour, because we were in the dry season, but the photos on the Internet are simply amazing.
It is best to go on a new moon so that the light of the moon does not interfere.
Travel expenses to Uyuni
I wrote the prices for the tours above. Please note that agencies usually require cash payment in boliviano. Then you will have to pay 150 boliviano ($ 22) for the "national park" (required) and 30 ($ 4.5) for Fish Lake (Incahuasi) for the observation deck (optional).
If you want to ride with an English-speaking guide, you will have to pay extra. There are no Russian speaking guides.
Also, there are very few places for a toilet along the route, and where there is, they cost as much as 5 boliviano ($ 0.7)!
In the village of Uyuni there are several ATM machines different banks, but not all accept foreign cards, and do not give more than 2000 boliviano at a time. You need to be like experimenting.
Currency exchange more profitable in La Paz than in Uyuni.
How to get to Uyuni
There are three ways to get from La Paz to Uyuni:
1. Airplane... Prices for air tickets from La Paz to Uyuni start from $ 80 one way, the flight takes 45-60 minutes.
Schedule and prices for flights:
Calendar low prices for air tickets:
Uyuni Airport (Joya Andina Airport, IATA code: UYU) is located just a couple of kilometers from the city center.
2. Direct bus(there are day and night) - up to 10 hours. There are also night buses from Sucre (8 hours), and day buses from Potosi (4 hours).
It is cold on the bus at night because it passes the highlands. Take warm clothes in carry-on baggage... And this is not Peru, there are buses without toilets, but they make stops along the way.
3. Bus La Paz - Oruro, and from there by train to Uyuni... It is better to buy train tickets at the railway ticket office, because in agencies around the city they are 25-50% more expensive. This train does not run every day, but only Tue and Wed, Fri and Sun Oruro-Uyuni; Wed and Sat, Mon and Thu Uyuni-Oruro.
The locals advised us the second option, because the Oruro-Uyuni road is bad, and the train is beautiful along the way. In fact, only a slice of the first hour was beautiful: Lake Uru Uru. The rest is a boring desert. This road was recently repaired, so you can safely go all the way by bus.
There is nothing to see in Oruro.
The only interesting thing about the train was that the seats in this train can be turned 180 degrees :) The train shook violently, you couldn't work on your computer, and you got tired of reading in 7 hours of travel.
Oversized items had to be checked in as luggage, and at the station to wait until they were unloaded and handed over, it took a long time, and we went out into the city at ten in the evening. I do not recommend this option!
Hotels in Uyuni
In Uyuni, housing is either expensive or poor, because this is a very tourist-spoiled place. If you are going to search on the spot, it is better to go deep into the village at least a couple of blocks: the farther from the railway station, the cheaper.
Also look for options on Airbnb.
If you haven't signed up for Airbnb yet:
Where to eat in Uyuni town
There are many restaurants on the main street with prices similar to those in Europe. But there are few cheap cafes with prices for the locals, and mostly grilled chicken with fries :(
One evening we found the same cafe where soup was served. They brought me a spoon, a knife and a fork to the soup ... because a large piece of ... grilled chicken was floating in it !!! and fried potatoes !!! AAAAA! This is Bolivia, baby !!!
How to book a tour in Uyuni and what to expect
It makes no sense to book in advance and from another city, because it will be more expensive, and there are always places for tours. It is better to sort it out on the spot, look at the agency and choose what you like.
There are dozens of travel agencies in Uyuni, and they work mainly in the morning, when the buses arrive, and until lunchtime (11-12), then they open at 3-4 pm and are open until the car is full for tomorrow. After the train arrives, some are also open if they need to fill up the car for tomorrow.
Most of the tourist offices in Uyuni are located near the railway station.
If you still want to book online, see options and reviews on GetYourGuide.
Usually they carry up to 6 people in a jeep, you need to agree on taking the front seats in advance, but remember that Bolivians like to promise everything that you want to hear, and then pretend that nothing like that happened. It is normal practice to switch places periodically.
Food everyone promises hot, but usually bread and butter for breakfast, cold food in a thermos for lunch (and on the third day rice with disgusting canned fish), and only hot for dinner.
The first night usually takes place in the salt hotel in 2-bed rooms with shared toilet and paid hot shower.
The second - in 6-seater dorma, toilet "in the room" one for six, shower only cold. There are options with their own bathroom, but at times more expensive, and few people take such tours.
Departures usually at 10-11 am, so if time is short and sleepiness is not a hindrance, then you can arrive early in the morning by night bus, have time to book a tour, have breakfast, buy food and water.
Guide the default is Spanish. English-speaking for an additional fee, and it may well turn out that he is not driving in your car. IMHO, it is better not to pay for a separate English-speaking guide, but ask other tourists to translate you into English;) especially since these guides do not tell anything like that, they just tell us where we arrived and how much time there is to take pictures.
There are no Russian-speaking guides in Uyuni.
What to take with you in Uyuni
11 things you might need in Uyuni that travel agencies don't talk about:
1. Water... But it is better not to lean on it during the day, because toilets are rare and expensive (5 boliviano), and there are practically no suitable bushes and other shelters.
2. Snacks... The food that is given is not enough, especially in conditions of cold and altitude, it is better to take with you cookies-chocolate-fruits.
3. Toilet paper... She was not in the hotels.
4. Wet wipes... The shower may well not work or be one for 20 people.
5. Personal first aid kit... It takes a couple of hours to half a day to get to the nearest pharmacy or hospital.
6. Warm, windproof clothing, warm boots and woolen socks, hat / buff, gloves. And more, more, more! Seriously, a strong cold wind can blow on the Altiplano, and in the second hostel at night the temperature can drop to zero and lower.
7. Swimsuit, towel, flip flops for bathing in hot springs.
8. Lantern(electricity may "break", and on the second night in the dorm there is no light in the toilet). Can be replaced by a mobile phone.
9. Sleeping bag with a comfort temperature from zero and below (VERY COLD at night!). You can rent a simple sleeping bag in the city of Uyuni (from 50 boliviano).
10. Sunglasses and cream- both with a good filter.
11. Powerbank- there are no sockets in the second hostel.
Below in the comments, I copied the feedback from our VKontakte reader and tips on what to take with you in the wet season, when the salt marsh turns into a lake.
You may be asked to deposit items you do not need during your trip for storage at the agency, but I do not recommend doing this, so as not to get into a situation when the agency is closed and you cannot pick up your things.
Salar de Uyuni on your own without a tour
You can visit the Uyuni salt marsh itself (not the Altiplano) without a tour.
An option for the rich is to rent a car. Even an ordinary car will do, but there is no rental in Uyuni, and the closest one that I found on the Internet is in La Paz. Drive from there all day (or all night) through the boring desert, then back, pay for rent and gasoline, that is, there is no savings. Plus, Bolivian-style business is a guaranteed problem. I do not recommend it.
Options for poor people who cannot or do not want to pay for the tour:
1. In the dry season, they ply right along the salt marsh buses that carry local residents to Incahuasi and neighboring villages. Travel is cheap, but naturally, no one will stop you for beautiful photo... You can go, for example, to Incahuasi, take a walk there and take pictures, and return by bus to Uyuni. But these buses do not run every day, so before deciding on this, check the timetable! And stock up on food and water in advance.
2. You can go to Salar de Uyuni and bike, it is flat there and not far from the bike, but keep in mind that we have not seen a single bike rental in the village, we need our own.
3. About hitchhiker I strongly doubt that the main traffic there is tours, there are almost no other cars. For those who like to stop at gas stations, I show you how the gas station went along the route:
It's easier with the steam locomotive cemetery, you can walk there from the city.
In Uyuni with children
We drove in parallel with 20-30 other groups, and never saw anyone with children. And you yourself would not go with a small child, because it is also difficult for an adult to endure hours of sitting in a car, cold, wind and mountain sickness, and even more so for a child. You decide;)
When to go to Uyuni and the weather
Uyuni is a high mountainous salt desert, there is no rainfall from April to September and very little rain in October and November. From June to November at least, the salt marsh becomes very hard and easy to drive on. At this time, they take them on tours throughout the salt marsh, to the island of Incahuasi, to the volcanoes and the Altiplano.
The dry season is also a time for photos that include perspective games like we did with dragons.
At this time, it is cloudy and cold, you should definitely take warm clothes and sunscreen with you, especially in June, July and August.
The annual rainfall in this desert is only 10 cm per year, and most of it falls in December-April. Since the salt hardens strongly during the dry season, the water simply has nowhere to go, so by February-March, the Uyuni salt marsh turns into a lake.
At this time, it is impossible to reach some parts of the salt marsh, including the island of Incahuasi.
But at this time Uyuni becomes the largest mirror in the world, and sunsets and sunrises become fantastic. At the same time, they are taken on night tours for stargazing.
Bolivia visa
For most countries, the scheme is simple: either pay $ 50-160 for a visa on arrival, or get it for free at the Bolivian embassy in any country.
Insurance
There are few normal hospitals in Bolivia, and they are expensive, so you need a sensible insurance with a large coverage, according to which you can be taken to Peru or Chile and treated there.
We use it - it includes many types active rest and limits from 3.5 million euros.
Use the widget to find out the price - the calculation will open in a new window.
Salar de Uyuni on the world map
The Uyuni Salt Flats is located in the southwestern part of Bolivia.
Uyuni from space
This is how Uyuni looks from space.
Photo taken by the Sentinel satellite in 2017.
Is it worth going to Uyuni
I think that it is worth going to Uyuni, because the salt marsh is very steep, this is original unusual place... The steam locomotive cemetery is also wonderful.
But about the Altiplano, it depends on whether you have been to other similar places. For example, after hiking in Peru (, etc.) it was not very interesting for us, but others, who had never seen such landscapes before, really liked it.
I would love to go to Uyuni again during the rainy season, when it turns into a huge mirror.
Tell
Have you been to the Uyuni Salt Flats and the Bolivian Altiplano? Or are you going there?
What season?
What did you like or dislike the most?
Can you advise something that I did not include in the post? Good hotel or a restaurant, a reliable travel agency?
The most interesting and unusual lake in the world is different from everyone else. It amazes the imagination with absolutely fantastic landscapes - after heavy rains, tons of salt turn into a flat, almost mirror-like surface, in which the heavens are reflected, and it seems that the sky has somehow found itself on the surface of the earth.
Deserted white sea
Salar de Uyuni, located in Bolivia near the city of Uyuni, is world famous. Its interior is covered with solid salt deposits up to 10 meters thick, which can change their color during the day due to the bright sun or pink dawn rays. From a distance, the desert looks like endless cracked tiles which seem to stretch beyond the horizon.
In the most large place the extraction of salt (about 25 thousand tons per year) fearlessly let amazed tourists, without fear of damage to the useful mineral, because they say that it will last for several million more years. Uyuni (salt marsh) is of great importance for the development of the country's economy, and not only salt is the reason for this. Here, lithium is mined on an industrial scale, which is used in the production of batteries. Earlier, the United States invested a lot of money in this particular production, but society reacted ambiguously to such investment. Many have argued that all revenues from lithium mining remain inside Bolivia, and the local government has long been preoccupied with building its own plant.
Geological history
More than 40 thousand years ago, this desert was part of the huge ancient reservoir Minchin, which, when dried, left 2 lakes and 2 salt marshes, separated by hills. In the center of the largest salt desert there are peculiar islets - the tops of previously active volcanoes that have survived to our time.
In prehistoric times, they were completely submerged in the water of Minchin, and now the peeping islands are covered with various fragile fossils. There is a version that the oldest lake went underground, as it is known that the Uyuni salt marsh keeps a deep pool under its surface, filled with thick salt boulders. Mountains surround the amazing corner, and all table salt remains at the very bottom of the lake, the water of which contains magnesium chloride and lithium chloride.
Poor flora and fauna
Salar de Uyuni (Bolivia) is devoid of any flora. If we talk about plants, then only giant cacti make their way through the thickness of salt deposits. Growing up to 12 meters in height on a flat desert, they are a truly fantastic sight. At the end of the year (for Bolivia, this is summer), amazingly beautiful pink flamingos arrive here, walking along the hard surface of a snow-white lake. Researchers know about 80 species of birds that live on the salt marsh. And not rich animal world represented by colonies of rodents.
Amazing salt hotels
Now, next to the place where the Uyuni salt marsh is located, there are unusual hotels that cannot be seen in other parts of our planet. The hotels built in the early 90s, built of salt, offered all travelers who traveled a long way to relax in their rooms. Having learned about such an interesting innovation, tourists hurried to stay at unique hotels... True, they were later dismantled due to sanitary problems, but soon Uyuni (salt marsh) was replenished with a new modern hotel, erected on its outskirts in compliance with building standards and hygiene standards.
So salt in Bolivia is not only an enhancer of the taste of food, but also an excellent building material from which all blocks of hotels for tourists, furniture in rooms and even clocks with sculptures are made. When staying in hotels with affordable prices for overnight stay, all travelers are strictly warned not to taste anything. However, so far few have resisted such a temptation. True, all those who spent the night in such a room note that salt remains literally everywhere: on clothes, hair and skin. Therefore, many people prefer traditional hotels to exotic vacations.
Local residents of the village
The magical beauty of the Uyuni salt marsh lake amazes only foreigners with its landscapes, and the locals, accustomed to unusual views from childhood, have to work daily on the surface of the desert, extracting tons of salt. They fold it in neat small piles, which helps the water evaporate quickly, and later such mounds are easy to transport. Many try to survive through numerous tourist excursions, selling souvenirs (all kinds of crafts), which simply surprises the imagination of tourists with a variety.
By the way, next to the salt marsh there is a small local museum, where amazing figurines made of salt are presented. And the houses of residents, located on the outskirts of the village, are built of this hard mineral. Tourists freeze in place from the stunning view of boiling white streets and houses against the backdrop of the same snow-white endless field.
Salt marshes Uyuni: how to get there?
The amazing corner is located at an altitude of about 3.6 thousand meters above the ground, which prevents many curious people from reaching their destination. But this even benefits the lost place, because its remoteness from civilization maintains a stable ecological situation.
To get to the most unique point the globe, you need to get to the town of the same name Uyuni by train, plane or bus. In a small settlement there is a huge number of tourist offices offering their services. If someone doesn't want to join an organized jeep tour, they can take a private car ride with a driver who will take them quickly to the desert.
The phenomenon of the sky under your feet
The rainy season here runs from November to March, and the temperature is kept at 22 degrees Celsius. On days of heavy rainfall, excursions to the lake are suspended as salt water can corrode vehicles. Despite the fact that it is quite cool here in winter, it is the period June-August that is the season for tourists from all over the world. The most beautiful phenomenon is when, after a rain, the amazing Uyuni salt marsh is filled with water by several centimeters. A photo of a mirror surface with running clouds reflected on it causes genuine amazement for everyone who encounters this phenomenal landscape for the first time.
The space seems to expand, and a visual illusion arises, in which it seems as if not the earth under your feet, but the sky itself is thrown down. Visible boundaries in this place disappear, forcing everyone who sees the world inside out to admire the natural attractions. Salt Flats Uyuni, protected by mountains, is a quiet and peaceful area with a complete absence of winds. For the sake of the spectacle of the shiny surface, travelers from all over the world are in a hurry to visit an enchantingly beautiful place.
True, many who arrived here experience an unpleasant state of dizziness and shortness of breath associated with acclimatization. And it must take several days for the body to fully get used to being so high above sea level.
Abandoned train graveyard
However, before getting to the salt marsh, all travelers visit another attraction of the small town, which was once the center of the country with railway tracks passing here. The economic situation, which was not developing in the best way, led to a decrease in the income of the mining industry.
The abandoned carriages and locomotives on the territory of the salt desert, which has become a real graveyard of trains, now remind of the railway in the city. Local authorities have repeatedly raised the issue of creating a museum on this site, since many of the abandoned specimens are more than 100 years old, and they are all now in a ruined and rusty state. Unfortunately, until now, no one is engaged in the open-air cemetery, and the issue of preserving the heritage has remained open for a long time.
Everyone traveling on a long journey needs to take certain things with them, so that a trip to the Uyuni salt marsh (Bolivia) will bring only positive emotions.
- Moisturizing cream for constantly drying skin.
- Sunglasses. The light here is so bright that it hurts the eyes.
- Warm clothes, because even in summer there are always cool evenings in the desert.
- Sleeping bag for those who want to meet the sunrise by the lake.
- Rubber boots.
- National flag. There is a special area in front of the salt hotel, inside which tourists leave the symbol of the country as a souvenir.
Conclusion
Uyuni Salt Flats Lake (Bolivia) with extraterrestrial landscapes will always attract travelers who want to walk through the sky thrown from the ground and enjoy to the fullest. unique species... Stunning endless expanses will give free rein to the imagination, and a quiet place will remain in memory for a long time, like a real giant mirror, in which clouds that are always rushing somewhere are reflected.
When the Uyuni salt marsh is covered with water, it looks like a huge mirror reflecting the skyThe Uyuni salt marsh is composed of gypsum, and its inner surface, which has a depth of 2 to 8 m, is covered with a layer of rock salt - halite. According to experts, it contains at least 10 billion tons of table salt.
From November to March, when the rainy season comes to the plateau, a thin layer of water covers the surface of the salt marsh, and then Uyuni resembles a giant mirror. The horizon line becomes almost imperceptible, the surface of the lake merges with the sky, and the landscapes around the Uyuni salt marsh acquire unearthly beauty. Excellent conditions for photographers!
Many tourists come from different countries the world. The peak tourist season is from June to August. Especially for travelers, locals have built hotels with walls made of salt blocks, and you can spend the night in them. A night in a salt hotel costs about $ 20. The hosts even put up advertisements for guests asking them not to lick the interior items.
Near the salt marsh is the mining town of Uyuni, home to 10.6 thousand inhabitants. Here you can see several monuments to workers, a monument to a railway carriage and sculptures in the steampunk style. The town is small, it takes an hour to explore it.
Bolivians have beautiful legend about the birth of the Uyuni salt marsh. It is framed by the Kusku, Kuzina and Tunupa mountain ranges. The Aymara Indians believe that these mountains were formerly giant people. Tunupa was Kusk's wife and bore him a son. However, the beautiful Kuzina separated the spouses, and Kuska went to live with her, taking with him a nursing baby. Tunupa was very worried about what had happened and cried. Her tears mixed with breast milk and gave birth to a huge salt marsh. Since then, the locals have called him - Tunupa.
The origin of the Uyuni salt marsh
In ancient times, there was a huge reservoir Minchin on the Altiplano, the depth of which reached 100 meters. About 40 thousand years ago, due to the hot sun and the lack of tributaries, it began to grow shallow. Gradually, on the site of Minchin, two lakes (Uru Uru and Poopo) and two large salt marshes were formed - Uyuni and Salar de Coipasa. By the way, the salt flat of Coipasa, with an area of 2,218 km², is the second largest in Bolivia after Uyuni.
Climatic features
On the alpine plateau, where the Uyuni salt marsh lies, the air temperature is stable. From November to January, the thermometer in the daytime reaches +21 ... + 22 ° С, and in June it drops to + 13 ° С. Since the salt marsh is located at an altitude of more than 3500 m above sea level, it is cold here at night at any time of the year. In July, the temperature drops below 0 ° С, and sometimes it can drop to -10 ° С.
Relative humidity in the area of the mountain plateau is always low - 30-45%. The air is dry and rainfall is low. Even during the rainy season, there are only five days with precipitation per month.
The industrial value of the salt marsh
The Salar de Uyuni plays an important role in the economy of Bolivia. Rock salt is mined there. It reaches 25 thousand tons annually. Tourists can visit the small village of Kolchani, located 22 km from the town of Uyuni, in the east of the salt marsh. Its inhabitants have long been engaged in salt mining, and most of the houses in the village are built from blocks of rock salt.
The salt marsh also contains huge reserves of lithium chloride. From this salt, the light alkali metal lithium is extracted, which is necessary for the production of batteries. Uyuni contains 50 to 70% of all lithium reserves on the planet - about 100 million tons. There are also large reserves of magnesium chloride here.
Saline Uyuni has been used in space exploration of the earth's surface. It is used to calibrate and test remote sensing devices that are equipped with orbiting satellites. Calibration on Uyuni is five times more successful than on the ocean surface. The reason for this is the high reflectivity, large size and flat surface of the salt lake.
Salt in Uyuni is mined for the needs of the food industry, for the manufacture of tourist souvenirs. Not only walls are made of rock salt blocks, but tables, couch beds and various decorations for the interior are made.
The first salt hotels appeared in the 1990s in the very center of the salt marsh, and they became very popular with tourists. However, due to non-compliance with sanitary standards, such hotels were highly polluting, and the local authorities decided to dismantle them. The hotels were rebuilt on the outskirts of the Uyuni salt marsh. Now they work in compliance with all sanitary rules and environmental standards.
Uyuni Salt Flats PanoramaWhat you can see on the Uyuni Salt Flats
In November, when the rainy season comes, more than 90 species of birds fly here to breed, among them - three species of flamingos. They feed on algae and crustaceans, and from this the feathers of graceful birds acquire a bright pink color. The salt marsh is also home to several rare hummingbird species.
The area surrounding the Uyuni salt marsh is home to rabbit-like rodents - whiskashi, foxes and alpacas. Soft and extremely warm alpaca wool is similar in properties to sheep, but much lighter. It has long been used by locals to make blankets, rugs and garments.
The surface of the Uyuni salt marsh is covered with large salt cells. In early spring, when the rainy season ends, the salt crust dries up. The water accumulated at the bottom begins to break out through it to the surface, and small cone-shaped volcanoes are formed.
Uyuni is almost completely devoid of vegetation. In its center there are several islands, which by their geological origin are craters of volcanoes extinct in antiquity. During the existence of Lake Minchin, they were completely hidden under the surface of the water.
Many tourists in jeeps reach the island of Pisces (Isla de los Pescados), covered with coral deposits. Giant cereus cacti up to 10 m high grow here. Botanists believe that the age of individual specimens is more than 1200 years. In addition to cacti, there are several types of shrubs on the island, and the locals use them as fuel. There are also three small restaurants on Ryb Island for travelers to relax and eat.
Fish IslandAnother attraction of the huge salt marsh is the Valley of the Stones (Valles de Rocas). This is the name of the place where you can see unusual outlier stones. The bizarre shapes of these stone sculptures have been created over many millions of years by the forces of wind, water and sunlight. And in the center of Uyuni there is a platform made of rock salt blocks. Travelers leave the flags of their countries on it.
3 km from the city of Uyuni, near the single-track railway line leading from Bolivia to the northern provinces of Chile, there is an unusual museum - the "cemetery" of steam locomotives (Cementerio de Trenes). Here, in the open air, you can see examples of rusted railway equipment that were used until the middle of the last century. The locomotives were abandoned as useless after production in local mines fell sharply. The articulated locomotives of the Meyer and Garratt systems are of particular interest.
Video: Reflections from Uyuni
Salt reflects sunlight beautifully. It shines so much that it hurts the eyes, so it is difficult to do without sunglasses and a headdress on the Uyuni salt marsh. Experts advise you to use sunscreen, because you can get badly burned in 1-2 hours.
In addition, you need to understand that the salt marsh is located in the highlands, and some tourists at the beginning of the trip may show signs of altitude sickness - lethargy, apathy, dizziness, nausea and sleep disturbances. To normalize health, time must pass. Coca leaf tea is a local remedy for acclimatization.
The cheapest salt marsh tours are sold in the city of Uyuni or via the Internet. They are usually designed for two days and two nights, so that tourists can explore the main local attractions. Many travel around the Uyuni salt marsh on their own using rented transport.
How to get there
Salar de Uyuni is located 500 m south of the city of La Paz - the capital of Bolivia. Nearest locality- a small town of Uyuni.
Opened near the salt marsh since 2011 international Airport(El Aeropuerto Joya Andina). Two local airlines fly here from the Bolivian capital. Air travel is the fastest way to get to the salt marsh, as the flight takes only 40-45 minutes.
In addition, you can come to the Uyuni salt marsh by land transport - a rented car or bus. Tourist buses run from La Paz and others major cities... The length of the road from the capital through the city of Oruro is 569 km. Tourists leave La Paz at 21.00 and arrive in Uyuni in the morning, respectively, they are on the way from 10 to 15 hours.
There is another route option: you can come from La Paz to Oruro by bus in 4 hours, and then get to Uyuni by local train.
The Uyuni Salt Flats is the world's largest salt flats located in Bolivia. Photographers come here to capture the unique landscape. It is often visited as part of a 3 or 4 day tour of southwestern Bolivia. We tell you more about it.
general information
The origin of the Uyuni salt marsh
The Uyuni Salt Flats includes more than 10,000 sq. km of land in the region. The thickness of the salt layers reaches 10 meters in the center. In the dry season, the salt spaces are covered with dry flat salt, but in the rainy season, a thin layer of water forms on the surface.
Standard tours start in the southwestern part of Bolivia. Here you can find many fluorescent lakes, which were created from various minerals brought by mountain rivers.
Tours
We want to outline in general outline standard tour. It is carried out in 4x4 vehicles (usually Toyota Land Cruiser) with 6 or 7 people and a driver. Most 3- and 4-day tours have the same routes in the first 2 days: a day on the salt plain, driving in southbound to the southwestern regions of Bolivia, and then return back. Visits to specific locations may vary by tour, but groups are free to decide which locations to visit and how much time each will spend.
Accommodation is usually provided in basic shelters and the weather is very cold, but worth it if you see the amazing scenery. Avoid tours that offer an overnight stay at one of the salt hotels. They are illegal because they are not part of the water grid and pollute the environment.
What to take with you
- Flashlight (torch): the light goes out when the generator runs out.
- Sunglasses: salt flats are dazzling.
- Camera, extra battery and many memory cards: there are no better photos than here.
- Supplementary water: The tour usually provides an insufficient amount. Additionally, 2 liters are required per day.
- Sunscreen and hat: At 3.5 km above sea level, there is significantly less atmosphere that absorbs solar ultraviolet radiation.
- Sleeping bag. You can rent it. Check and make sure the zipper works.
- Warm clothes are better multi-layered.
- Heating pad: It is very cold at night and you will be very glad that you have a heating pad.
- Flip-flops: restrooms are shared.
- Towel: not provided during the tour.
- Additional snacks, especially fruit and protein. Although quality food is provided, it tends to contain heavy starches.
- Lip balm: They can crack in the sun, wind and dry air.
How to get there
Uyuni. The path includes railroad from Avaroa on the Chilean border (non-fixed departure times), railway from Oruro, bus (including tourist bus) from Oruro, or La Paz, and flight from La Paz.
San Pedro de Atacama. Routes from here are almost identical to those from Uyuni, only in the opposite direction and 60% more expensive.
Agency search
When choosing a tour operator, it is important to seek the advice of other travelers in order to understand what kind of experience they have had, vehicles, drivers and food on the trip. Trips will start in all cities, so this is a good opportunity to ask other travelers arriving from the itinerary about their experiences. Usually they complain that vehicles are in very poor technical condition, that there is no emergency supply, drunk drivers and a small amount of food and water.
Uyuni - There are dozens of travel agencies offering this trip. Most of them are located around the main square, where every second shop is a travel agency. It is also advisable to find a group of people who are going on excursions and who share your interests and / or language and work with your agency. Minuteman Pizza in the evenings or main square - perfect place for meeting such people. Ripley Tours can arrange for a decent one day tour (BOB130).
Tupiza. You can also travel from Tupiza to the end of Uyuni or vice versa. Local agencies offer 4-day Uyuni tours, while others prefer 3-day options.
Other excursion options
Ending at the Chilean border. An alternative is to take a 3-day tour and drive to the Chilean border before visiting San Pedro de Atacama, or start the entire tour from there. Don't miss any of the attractions as you leave the Chilean border before heading back to Uyuni.
From San Pedro de Atacama. There is the option of visiting this tour, which starts in San Pedro de Atacama and ends in Uyuni on the third day, or returns to San Pedro the next day. The advantage is that you get the chance to see the Salt Flats on the last morning and see the sun rise over them. There are several tour operators on the main street in San Pedro. However, you should take into account the instructions of the tour operators in that all tours in Uyuni () are operated by Bolivian tour-guides. Chilean guides are not allowed to conduct excursions to Uyuni.
Choosing a tour
There are several options for visiting the Uyuni Salt Flats. Starting your journey from La Paz, you need to take a bus to Oruro and then take a train to Uyuni. After a pleasant 7-hour drive, you will arrive in Uyuni at night. You can book a hotel in Uyuni or in one of the hotels built in salt blocks located near the salt plains. The next day you will start your journey towards Uyuni with the aim of visiting Kolchani. It is a small town where you can buy salt crafts. From this place, an unimaginable and breathtaking view opens up of the largest salt desert in the world, with an area of approximately 12,000 square meters. km! You will begin your journey by observing the bubbling water on the surface in the so-called “eyes of the water”, and you will also see the work of the residents in extracting salt for sale.
Then you can go to Incahuasi Island, or Fish Island. The island is located in the heart of the salt marsh and is characterized by the presence of giant cacti. You can stroll around the island enjoying breathtaking views of the salt marsh and appreciate the great white intertwining with the Andean skies. This is the best place to photograph the salt marsh. Later, you can continue your journey, still heading southwest towards the colored lagoons (red, blue, white, yellow and green) located at Parque Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa.
These places are occupied by volcanoes, and a wonderful and incredible view opens up from here. On some excursions, you can visit the Cave of the Galaxies and the Devil's Cave. Lagoons have this name because of the different tones that are orbazed due to the presence of algae, chemical composition water, wind movement or due to certain times of the day. When you return to Uyuni, you can visit the town and the train cemetery. You can also see one of the most majestic sunsets of your life on the salt marsh!
By plane
By bus
For travelers on a budget, there is also the option to simply catch the local bus to Kolchan BOB10. Ask the driver to be dropped off at the Salt Flats and you can hike and hike for free to get a better idea of the place. The journey to the old salt hotel takes about two hours.
Prompt:
Uyuni - the time is now
Difference in hours:
Moscow 7
Kazan 7
Samara 8
Yekaterinburg 9
Novosibirsk 11
Vladivostok 14
When is the season. When is the best time to go
Uyuni - monthly weather
Prompt:
Uyuni - monthly weather
Where to go, walk, go ...
The first day is the world's largest salt marsh
On the first day, you will visit salt plain... In the dry season, it will be a hallucinogenic white landscape. In the rain, the salt plain is mostly submerged in the water, which gives a perfect reflection of the sky.
Uyuni Plaza Arce... Most trips start here near the train station at 10.30 am, although you can get there from the hotel as well.
Train Graveyard... The tour usually takes place at the very beginning of the tour, but some operators prefer to end the tour with this location. There are many destroyed old steam locomotives.
Colchani, Bloques de Sal- a village 7 km north of Uyuni. Here you can buy salt souvenirs. There is also a Salt Museum, which has various animals created from salt (you will be forced to pay a fee upon leaving), as well as some pieces of furniture and household appliances. Bathrooms are available for 1 boliviano.
Salt mining area- the area where salt is dug up and left in heaps (weighing a ton) to dry in the sun for transport to the refinery.
Salt hotels- several hotels are made entirely of salt. You need to buy a chocolate bar to go inside.
I sla de los Pescados, or Isla Incawasi. The name comes from the island, which looks like a fish in the rainy season. It is an island of fossilized coral, covered with 1000-year-old cacti, in the middle of the Salar. These cacti grow at a rate of 1 cm per year, so their age can be easily calculated. Here you can also see Viskashi. Most of the tour groups dine on the western "shore" of this island. Bathrooms are available for 1 boliviano.
Accommodation can be found in the city of San Juan, although for the real pleasure it is better to try to find hotels closer to Salar. Then you will be able to get up before dawn and reach the plain in 4x4 jeeps to see the most spectacular sunrise of your life. Moreover, in the main "salt hotels" you can take a shower for 10 bolivianos and charge your camera.
Day Two - Head South to the colorful lakes of Laguna Colorado
Lagoon Edionda. The lagoon is full of flamingos and is a popular lunch spot.
Whiskashi zone- a short stop on a rocky ledge, is a whiskashi colony. The guides feed them carrots, teaching them to go out to eat.
Arbol de Piedra (4,412 m)- a stone tree that was carved by strong sandy winds.
Laguna Colorado- a red lake with algae. You can also see many flamingos. 30 bolivianos for Bolivian citizens or 150 bolivianos for foreigners - National Park entrance fee wildlife Andina Eduardo Avaroa.
Accommodation. There are numerous unheated huts in the vicinity of Laguna Kolodardo. Beds and blankets are provided. There is electricity for several hours, but the battery usually cannot be recharged. The ambient temperature in July can drop below -20 ° C at night. You can persuade the owner to turn on the water heater (15 bolivianos), but the showers are outside the house.
Third day, morning - geysers and hot springs in Laguna Verde
The day starts early in the morning (5.00) and without breakfast, in order to have time to visit all the necessary places.
SolardeManaña Geyser Pool (4,850 m)- the collection of bubbly gray pools and geyser is usually visited when the sun rises. There are no railings, it can be slippery and the water can look hot in the cave.
Hot springs TermasdePolques are located next to the Salar de Chalviri. You can bring your own swimwear to enjoy the springs. Popular breakfast spot. Simple bathrooms available for 6 bolivianos.
Laguna Verde(painted green, it contains heavy metals arsenic, lead, copper and others) with a magnificent view of the Lincacabur volcano.
Blanca lagoon- a white lake filled with boric ore.
Dinner. Laguna Colorado is a popular dining destination. Toilets are sometimes provided.
Afternoon - East of Tupiza
If you choose the Tupiza 4 day tour, you will drive off the beaten path and visit some small communities.
Laguna Celeste- a bright blue lake, colored with magnesium and manganese.
Lagoon Amarilla- a yellow sulfur lake and several old rock paintings nearby.
Ruinas de San Antonio- an abandoned mining town of the 16th century, where slave labor was used. The city was abandoned for reasons not fully understood. Despite all attempts in the 70s, the city could not be populated, and people now live in the city with the same name, which is nearby.
Afternoon - North of Uyuni
The road back to Uyuni is very rough. You will stop at various small communities along the way.
Valles de Rocas. Many strange mountain valleys emerging from the Altiplano. The guide will point out patterns in the rocks that resemble familiar objects.
Accommodation - Tourists stop at different towns on the way to their destination. Heating and showers will depend on where the driver decides to stop.
Fourth day - the trip ends at Tupiza
The tour will take you through a beautiful landscape.
Silar- giant columns of clay, formed as a result of erosion.
Fourth day - ends in Uyuni
San cristobal- a city that houses a 350-year-old church with a very beautiful silver altar.
Train graveyard- collection of old trains 3 kilometers southwest of Uyuni.
Food. What to try
Security. What to watch out for
Be careful: every year in the salt cave there are accidents caused by drunk drivers. Don't risk your life traveling with a drunk driver.
It's a good idea to bring essentials (including food and water for a few days) in case the truck breaks down in a hard-to-reach location, but if you're on a tour, there will likely be another truck available in a few minutes.
You may have altitude sickness here. If you are directly off the coast, it may take up to several days for acclimatization. Dizziness, shortness of breath, and headaches are common symptoms. Locals It is said that chewing coca leaves can relieve symptoms, but they can also cause drug tests to fail. If someone has not fully acclimated, it is possible to buy several acetazolamide tablets from the Uyuni pharmacy before flying.
You can also drink coca leaf tea. Everyone from Pope to Queen Sofia of Spain drinks it when visiting Bolivia. With a little sugar added, the tea can be even better!
To avoid altitude sickness, a gradual adaptation to altitude is recommended. First, visit the Bolivian Plain, located 500m away, then it is recommended to go to the Cochabamba Valley, located at an altitude of 2,500m, and only then make a trip to Salar de Uyuni. If you don't even want to go on a 3 or 4 day tour, keep in mind that you will climb 5,000 m and sleep at 4,200 m. This is a serious risk to your health if you are not acclimatized. The officially recommended altitude per day is only 300 m! Therefore, you should not start from Tupiza (3,000 m) and from Uyuni (3,700 m). Stay there for a few days before starting the tour. The German Embassy in La Paz has already set up a room to cool the bodies of those who died of altitude sickness!
Warning about certain travel companies
On December 24, 2011, a car from Oasis Tours (also known as Oasis Odyssey Tours) was in a serious accident due to careless driving. The driver, who was driving the car, was driving at a speed of 100 km / h on a wet muddy road from San Cristobal to Uyuni. The driver lost control, the car flew to the side of the road, rolled over twice and landed on the roof.
One passenger was severely wounded in the head and was bleeding to death while being dragged out and required emergency medical attention. Another passenger received a head injury. Other passengers had various scratches and bruises. Passengers who did not require emergency medical assistance headed back to Uyuni to contact the travel agency.
The travel agency actively abandoned all attempts to collect information about the passenger who was taken to the hospital. When the police were involved, the travel agency continued to actively deny that they had this information. Also, the travel agency refused to offer any compensation, including reimbursement of expenses.
The travel agency insisted that their attitude and that of the driver were not related to criminal negligence. Most other cars on the same road travel at a speed of no more than 30 km / h. Many are even less than 20 km / h. And at a speed of 20 km / h, there were occasional accidents. Consider this when booking specifically with this travel agency. Look at the name of the poster on the vehicle that is assigned to you. If the driver is not driving carefully, ask him to change his driving style.
Also beware of Dali Tours. It is located on Ferrovaria Avenue on the side of the train station. Website by (not working). Tourists booked a private tour there for a great price, but got a simple, standard tour. Instead of a double room, they got two beds in a dorm with ten beds. Instead of interesting roads, they had a simple, fast ride, with the driver cutting corners whenever he could. No sunsets or even small excursions - nothing. The woman in the agency will sell you everything, but you won't be able to find her after the trip. So all you can do is write about it here.
