The dried up salt lake Uyuni. Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia: the sky above, the sky below your feet
At an altitude of 3,650 m above sea level.
A few years ago, Lonely Planet published a list of the world's most striking natural attractions, putting the Uyuni salt marsh in first place. Since 2014, the Dakar races have been held in Uyuni.
Experts believe that the Uyuni salt marsh, which arose as a result of the drying up of the huge Lake Minchin, contains 10 billion tons of salt, of which less than 25 thousand tons are extracted annually. mined on an industrial scale).
The Uyuni salt deposits have a very complex composition, including, in addition to sodium salts, also calcium, magnesium and lithium salts. An enormous amount of lithium chloride has been found in the salt marsh, suitable for the extraction of lithium needed in the battery industry. Experts estimate lithium reserves in the salt marsh at about 100 million tonnes, representing 50-70% of the world's lithium reserves.
The thickness of the salt layers ranges from 2 meters at the edge to 10 meters in the center. In the dry season, the salt marsh sparkles with snow-white dry salt, and in the rainy season, a thin layer of water forms on the surface of Uyuni.
Unique salt lake Uyuni is used in astronautics. The large size of the water table, ideal surface flatness and minimal elevation change allow scientists to use the salt marsh to test and calibrate satellites. Thanks to the clear sky over Uyuni and dry air, the calibration of remote sensing devices on orbiting satellites is several times more accurate than using the surface of the world's oceans.
When is the best time to go to Uyuni
The best period to visit the Uyuni salt marsh is the rainy season, which lasts from December to January, when the salt surface is covered with water and you can admire the unique mirror reflections of the sky with clouds.
In December, you can see all the variety of the salt marsh, both dry areas, where the dried surface is covered with patterns in the form of hexagons, and wet “mirror” zones. In January and February, the rains intensify, so sometimes all entrances to the salt marsh are washed out or some areas become inaccessible. However, according to local residents, at any time of the year, even in the dry season, you can find areas covered with water on Uyuni.
Tourists who have visited the salt marsh are advised to stock up sunscreen and clothing that protects the body from the scorching high-mountain sun, but at night you will also need warm clothes, since the temperature difference is very large and after sunset it gets colder, sometimes up to minus 10-15 degrees. By the way, it is worth considering that there is no cellular communication, only some hotels nearby have poor Wi-Fi.
Uyuni Salt Flats Tours and Prices
It is not difficult to find a tour to the Uyuni salt flats, most travel agencies in Bolivia and Chile provide this service. In most cases, tourists order a 3-4-day tour that allows them to visit not only the salt marsh, but also other nearby attractions.
The tour is usually carried out in Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles, with a driver and 5-7 passengers. Tourists can negotiate a route by setting aside more time to visit certain places.
The price of tours starting from Chile and from Bolivia to the salt marsh depends on the preferences for the comfort of the hotel and the ability to bargain. For a 3-4 day tour as part of a group of 5-7 people, you will have to pay from 100 to 230 US dollars. This price includes meals and accommodation.
However, for visiting some national parks must be paid separately. For climbing observation deck on the island of Pisces you need to pay 5 US dollars, and for the obligatory entrance ticket v national park- $ 22. A visit to a paid toilet will cost $ 0.5.
It is advisable to have some amount in local Boliviano currency with you.
Attractions Uyuni
In addition to the most unique salt marsh, in excursion routes other interesting objects are usually included.
Steam locomotive cemetery
Near the railway lines connecting Antofagasta with Bolivia, 3 km from the city of Uyuni, there is a steam locomotive cemetery, which is considered one of the attractions of the salt marsh. In the 1950s, when the mining of minerals in the surrounding mines declined sharply, the city of Uyuni ceased to be a major transport center and the railway began to reduce its rolling stock. Thanks to this, tourists can look at old steam locomotives, among which there are rare and interesting examples, and also make unforgettable photos in the spirit of "retro".
Playa Blanca Salt Hotel
Usually all tours include a visit to this hotel, located about 20 km from the edge of the salt marsh. The entire hotel, like all the furniture inside, is made of salt blocks. In 2002, the hotel was closed at the request of environmentalists, but a few years later, after the necessary refurbishment, the hotel was reopened as a museum and resting place during the tour.
And along the banks of the salt marsh, several more hotels were built from salt blocks. According to tourists, it is quite warm in the salt chambers and it is easy to breathe. A night in such a hotel will cost 80-100 US dollars.
In front of the hotel, a salt bed has been built, on which tourists place the flags of their states.
Fish Island
The small volcanic island, located about 70 km from the edge of the salt marsh, is better known as Fish Island, as its shape resembles a fish.
The island is covered with fossilized corals, on which cacti grow. Since such cacti grow at a rate of 1 cm per year, many of them are several hundred years old, and the largest, nine meters tall, is about 900 years old.
Valley of Geysers
Many tourists stop by this valley, stretching at an altitude of 4,800 m, to admire the hot jets of water shooting from the ground, and also the terracotta mountains surrounding them.
The hot springs
The springs are located at an altitude of over 3,000 meters above sea level. The infrastructure is poorly developed, but there is a place to change. However, bathing in a hot tub overlooking the beautiful valley makes you forget about the inconveniences.
Stone tree in the desert
An amazing formation of stone 5 meters high arose as a result of the work of wind and sand. Several years ago, the "tree" was fenced with a rope, which made it difficult to make beautiful pictures but in last years the landmark can be photographed without interference.
Desert of Salvador Dali
The landscapes in this area are surprisingly reminiscent of the works of the famous surrealist.
Colorful lagoons
Most tourists try to visit the Eduardo Avaroa National Park, on the territory of which the famous colorful lagoons are located. The unusual color of the lagoons - red, green, white, black - is formed as a result of the washing out of various minerals by mountain rivers and the subsequent colonization of the lakes with bacteria. Fluffy llamas and alpacas roam the lagoons and are so friendly they can be petted.
In November, pink flamingos flock to the Uyuni salt marsh. In this desert area, birds breed, and thanks to the reddish crustaceans that are part of their diet, flamingos acquire a pink color. On Uyuni you can see 3 types of flamingos: Chilean flamingos, Andean flamingos and James's flamingos.
The active volcano Olhague
Olhague volcano is located on the border of Bolivia and Chile, its height above sea level is 5868 m. Olhague volcano exhibits low fumarolic activity, which means that hot gases are escaping through cracks and holes in the volcano. Fumarole activity may indicate the attenuation of the volcano, or it may be a sign of an intermediate stage between eruptions. The date of the last eruption of the Olhague volcano is unknown.
"The eyes of the salt marsh"
From under a thin salt edge, jets of water with gas bubbles break out onto the surface, it is not as spectacular as a geyser, but also beautiful.
How to get there
The Uyuni Salt Flats can be reached from Bolivia or Chile.
Road from Bolivia
If you are already in Bolivia, then you need to get to the city of Uyuni, from where complex tours to the salt marsh and surrounding attractions start.
Airplane
The fastest way to get to Uyuni is from La Paz by boarding an Amaszonas or Boa airline. Every day, carriers operate two flights, in the morning and in the evening. The flight duration is about an hour, the price of a round-trip ticket is about 160 USD. Flights arrive at Joya Andina Airport, 3 km from Uyuni. This distance can be covered by taxi (3-5 USD) or on foot in half an hour.
If you buy an Amaszonas ticket online, you must use bank card, which you can present when boarding, otherwise you will not be allowed on the plane.
Bus
Budget travelers often choose to travel to Uyuni by bus, especially since the night transfer will save on hotel costs. Buses to Uyuni leave from the main transport terminal of La Paz and arrive in the very center of the city. The ticket price is 7-10 US dollars, the journey will take 12-13 hours. Tickets can be booked on a dedicated website.
According to travelers, buses often turn on the air conditioner at full capacity, so it is better to bring warm clothes with you.
Train
Those who like to save money can also get to Uyuni by train departing from the city of Oruro. This way of getting around allows you to admire wonderful views out of the window. However, when planning such a trip, you need to be careful, trains to Uyuni and back do not go every day.
The ticket costs US $ 8 and the business class ticket costs US $ 17 (drinks and snacks included).
Train tickets to Uyuni are sold online, but many tourists complain about the unreliability of the ticketing system and advise buying them in person at the box office.
Road from Chile
Since the salt marsh lies on the border with Chile, it can also be reached from the Chilean side. In this case, the tour starts in the city of San Pedro de Atacama, in the eponymous Atacama Desert.
Airplane
The nearest airport is El Loa in Calama, 100 km from San Pedro de Atacama. This distance can be covered by taxi in an hour and a half, paying 40-50 US dollars.
You can get to Calama from Santiago in 2 hours with Latam and Sky Airlines flights. The price of a round trip ticket is USD 80-100.
Bus
From Santiago, the bus to Calama departs from the Alameda terminal. The trip will take about 12 hours, the ticket price is 60-100 US dollars (depending on the class of the bus).
Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia
Video review of the Uyuni salt flat in Bolivia
Table salt has been mined on Earth for a long time. Its reserves are found in many places on our planet, but one of the largest salt marshes is the Uyuni salt marsh, which is located in Bolivia not far from the city of Uyuni.
Uyuni salt flats landscapes
This is the bottom of a dried-up lake, which is located at an altitude of 3650 meters above sea level. Its inner part consists of table salt and reaches a thickness of up to 8 meters.
The cracked surface resembles alien landscapes. Sometimes in the middle of the desert you can find some kind of "islands", ledges or small mounds on which cacti and small shrubs grow. These are the tops of the once formidable volcanoes that went underground during the time of the huge Lake Minchin that existed here in the period of 30,000 -42,000 years ago.
Sometimes there are such "islands" 
The most unusual sight can be seen in the Uyuni salt marsh after the rain. The surface of a dried-up lake is covered with a thin layer of water, which reflects the sky.
Local economy
The Salar de Uyuni plays an important role in the economy of Bolivia. Experts estimate the reserves of table salt at 10 billion tons, while the annual production is no more than 25 thousand tons. also in a large number here is sodium chloride from which lithium is obtained, suitable for the production of batteries. About 50% -70% of the world's lithium supply is found in these places.
An unusual attraction in the Uyuni salt marsh is the steam locomotive cemetery. Trains were used in the early 20th century to transport minerals. Also, the nearby town of Uyuni was a transport hub, distributing trains to Pacific ports. But from the 1940s to the 1950s, the mining industry fell into disrepair and no one needed trains.
Currently, the remaining trains attract tourists who want to take a look at the industrial past of Uyuni. Local authorities are working out a program for the development of tourism in the region and are planning to turn the "steam locomotive cemetery" into an open-air museum.
Information for tourists
Every year many tourists come to see the Uyuni salt marsh. In addition to the steam locomotive cemetery, people are attracted by the "islands" overgrown with cacti and, of course, the world's largest mirror. Tourists love to walk ankle-deep in water and admire the sky reflected in the water. After such an impressive walk, it is pleasant to relax in a cozy hotel. Hotels made of salt are especially popular with tourists!
Nature has endowed these lands with large reserves of salt, so local residents began to use it in many fields of activity and even in construction. These hotels are made entirely of salt blocks. One of these hotels is located in the village of Kolchani. It has 8 singles and 16 double rooms... Its guests can use the sauna, jacuzzi, bath and steam bath. The highlight of the hotel is that the furniture and interior items (tables, chairs, beds, clocks), as well as the walls, are made of salt. Some tourists try to taste it all, so after several such cases, the owners of the hotel put up signs saying "do not lick"!
Location: Bolivia
Square: 10 588 km²
Coordinates: 20 ° 10 "41.9" S 67 ° 30 "48.6" W
Short description
It is impossible to surprise the modern traveler, spoiled by a huge number of offers from travel agencies. The set of sights, monuments of architecture and history in various cities and countries are so amazing and unique that it seems that it is simply impossible to see an even more delightful creation of ancient people or a miracle created by nature itself.
View of the Uyuni salt marsh
However, this is a big misconception. There is always something in the world that boggles the imagination; what is breathtaking; then where more and more you want to return. This material will focus on the very largest lake in the world, but, as you might guess, about not an ordinary reservoir, but about the most beautiful dried salt lake - the Uyuni Salt Flats.
Salonchak Lake Uyuni is located in Bolivia, in the south-west of this amazing country, in the vicinity of the city of Uyuni, on the territory of the departments of Potosi and Oruro and at an altitude of almost 4,000 meters (!) above sea level. It is the largest salt marsh in the world, with an area exceeding 10,500 square kilometers, and the thickness of the salt layer in some places is almost 10 meters. Every year hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over our vast planet come here to see with their own eyes the "endless kilometers" of salt spaces, visit unusual salt hotels and capture on cameras and video cameras this miracle of nature, which, by the way, can change its nature more than once during the day. coloring.
Mounds of salt
Saline marsh Uyuni: history of education
Before talking about the history of the formation of the largest salt lake Uyuni, perhaps it is worth dwelling a little on what salt marshes are and how they appear. All salt marshes on our planet were formed on the site of former water basins. In a lake where there is no runoff, and the rate of moisture evaporation exceeds the amount of precipitation that falls on a given territory, the concentration of salt in the water increases over time. With the complete evaporation of water, a solid salt crust forms on the surface, which allows scientists to call the drying lake a salt marsh.
The Salar de Uyuni is part of the Bolivian mountain plateau Altiplano, which, as mentioned above, is located at an altitude of about 4,000 meters above sea level. On this plateau, besides Uyuni, there are other much smaller salt marshes, as well as freshwater and salt lakes.
Extraction of salt
The history of the formation of the largest Bolivian salt marsh goes back to prehistoric times. Approximately 30-40 thousand years ago, Uyuni was part of the huge Lake Minchin, which, under the influence of time, was transformed first into Lake Tauka, and later into Koipasa. After its partial drying, two existing lakes Poopo and Uru Uru remained, and two salt marshes - Koipasa and Uyuni, separated by a series of hills.
During the rainy season, Lake Poopo and its neighboring much larger Titicaca overflow its shores and cause natural flooding of the Koipasa and Uyuni salt flats. A small amount of water covering the Uyuni salt layer transforms salt desert into the world's largest mirror. “Finding yourself in any part of the salt marsh during the period when it is covered with water, it seems that you suddenly found yourself on another planet: the sky is above and below your feet. The sight is indescribable in words. The feeling of "floating in the air" is created. However, putting your hand into the water and grabbing a handful of what you are standing on, you understand that there is a ton of salt around, which, it seems, will never end, ”a tourist who has visited Lake Uyuni shares his impressions.
Indeed, the salt reserves on the territory of the Uyuni salt marsh are truly enormous. According to rough estimates of specialists, there are about 10 billion (!) Tons of salt here, and about 25 thousand tons of this natural mineral are mined annually in this area. First of all, it should be noted that the Uyuni salt marsh is of great importance for the economy of Bolivia. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account the fact that it stores in itself a huge amount of lithium chloride, from which lithium is extracted, which is used in the production of batteries.
An equally ancient legend is connected with the ancient lake, its essence is as follows ... A long time ago mountain ranges who today surround Uyuni, Tunupa, Kuska and Kuzin were giant people. Kuscu married Tunupe, but the beautiful Cousin managed to charm him. Kusku left his wife and ran away from home, even though a child was growing up in the family. Tunupa grieved for a long time, shedding tears day and night. Her tears mixed with the breast milk with which she fed her son, they formed a snow-white salt marsh lake. Tunupa for the Bolivians is a deity whose name, in their opinion, the lake should bear.
Salt Hotels in Uyuni Salt Flats
Locals, engaged in the extraction and processing of salt from Uyuni, use it not only as a seasoning for food. All travelers who come to admire one of the main attractions of Bolivia, merchants offer to buy a souvenir from this natural mineral. In addition, guests of the city are invited to stay in hotels in which the walls, roof and some furniture are made not of expensive modern building materials, but of ... salt.
For the first time such hotels were built in the mid-90s, in the very "heart" of the salt marsh. The news about such colorful hotels instantly spread all over the country: the influx of tourists exceeded all expectations. However, due to the many sanitation problems that adversely affected the surrounding area, the hotels were closed and dismantled. Over time, they were rebuilt again, but already on the outskirts of the salt marsh and in compliance with all environmental norms and standards.
One of the salt hotels
Modern salt hotels have all the necessary amenities, including a sauna, steam room and jacuzzi. The daily cost of such apartments will cost a tourist about US $ 20.
Saline lake Uyuni: train cemetery
Going to Bolivia to Lake Uyuni with excursion group, almost all tourists at the beginning or at the end of their journey make a stop at the train cemetery. Today, the population of the town of Uyuni does not exceed 15 thousand people, and once it was a large center of Bolivia with a network of railways. The decline in revenues from the mining industry, which began in the 40s of the last century, led to the complete collapse of the railway in this area. Huge electric locomotives, locomotives, carriages and trolleys were abandoned. Some examples of the train cemetery are more than a hundred years old. Among them you can even find the locomotives of Garrath and Meyer (these people were among the first to build articulated steam locomotives), but, unfortunately, they are all in a rather deplorable state. In 2006, the local administration raised the issue of creating an open-air museum on this site, but so far this idea has not been implemented.
Train graveyard
Uyuni Salt Flats: flora, fauna and climate
On the territory of the world's largest salt lake, as you might guess, there is practically no vegetation, with the exception of only 10-meter cacti and small shrubs, which local residents use as fuel. In the period from November to December, which, by the way, is considered summer in Bolivia, here you can see another amazing picture: hundreds of pink flamingos walking along the endless salty lake surface. In some neighborhoods of the Uyuni salt marsh, foxes and small rodents-whiskashi live, somewhat reminiscent of the well-known rabbits.
The rainy season starts in November and ends in March. The air temperature in the area of the Uyuni salt marsh in summer is kept at around +22 degrees Celsius. A hot day in Bolivia always gives way to cold nights. June, July, August (winter in South America) are considered a tourist season, despite the fact that during the day the air warms up only to +13 degrees Celsius, and at night the temperature can drop sharply to -10.
As mentioned above, the Uyuni salt marsh is quite high above sea level, and tourists arriving from the flat territory will experience discomfort for several days (dizziness, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath and headache). It will take several days before the body gets used to the new climate. Locals chew coca leaves for good spirits. The townspeople also advise visitors to use them, telling that it is they who help to fight unpleasant sensations. However, all travelers should be aware that coca leaves have not only a tonic effect, but are also a powerful drug that can cause persistent addiction in a short period of time.
Salt Flats Uyuni is a dry salt lake in the south of the Altiplano desert plain in Bolivia, at an altitude of about 3650 m above sea level. The area of this unusual place 10582 sq. Km and it is the largest salt marsh in the world.
The main minerals are halite and gypsum. The interior is covered with a 2–8 m thick layer of table salt. During the rainy season, the salt marsh is covered with a thin layer of water and turns into the world's largest mirror surface.
2. About 40 thousand years ago, this area was part of Lake Minchin. After it dried up, there were two lakes that currently exist: Poopo and Uru-Uru, as well as two large salt marshes: Salar de Coipasa and Uyuni. The area of Uyuni is about 25 times the area of the dried Bonneville Lake in the United States.
5. In the middle of the endless mirror space, it seems as if you are on another planet or the end of the world has come.
6. Due to its large size, flat surface and high albedo in the presence of a thin layer of water, as well as minimal altitude deviation, the Uyuni Salt Flats is an ideal tool for testing and calibrating remote sensing instruments on orbiting satellites. Uyuni's clear skies and dry air allow satellites to be calibrated five times better than using the ocean surface.
10. After driving to the salt marsh, the car is completely covered with salt and must be completely washed.
11. Due to its flat surface, the Uyuni salt marsh serves as the main transport route in the Altiplano. Construction is underway near the salt marsh international airport capable of receiving long-haul aircraft. Its opening is scheduled for 2012.
12. In the center of the salt plains there is a salt hotel, and next to it is a building made of salt blocks, where tourists from all over the world place the flags of their states. As you can see, there is also a Russian flag.
14. The Uyuni salt marsh contains a reserve of about 10 billion tons of salt, of which less than 25 thousand tons are extracted annually.
20. Hotels are built here from salt, more precisely, from salt blocks. Tables, chairs, beds and other furnishings are also made of salt. And there are notices on the walls asking you not to lick anything. You can spend the night in such a hotel for $ 20.
26. Salt restaurant. If suddenly the food turns out to be undersalted, and the salt shaker is not around, you can lick the table.
28. Salt sculptures.
32. Despite the harsh conditions, several species of cacti grow on this salt marsh, as well as rare species of hummingbirds, three species of flamingos, ostriches and other animals live and breed.
35. Every November, three species of South American flamingos fly to the Uyuni Salt Flamingo to breed - the Chilean flamingo, the Andean flamingo and the James flamingo.
39. Instead of sheep in these parts, alpacas. Warm and soft blankets, blankets and clothes are made of alpaca wool, and items for the home are made of fur. Alpaca wool has all the properties of a sheep, but it is much lighter in weight.
41. The ropes are tied, apparently, so that they are visible from afar.
42. One of the attractions of the salt marsh, which is also visited by tourists, is the steam locomotive cemetery, located near the railway tracks from Antofagasta to Bolivia, 3 km from the city of Uyuni. The "cemetery" is home to the steam locomotives of the railway, which were retired from train service in the 1950s, when the extraction of minerals in the surrounding mines fell sharply. In 2006, the local government adopted a 15-year program for the development of the region, one of the points of which is the transformation of the "cemetery" into an open-air museum.
Brief conclusion:
▫ Book online is not necessary(more expensive and useless)
▫ In Uyuni, we immediately go to the agencies and choose who we like. All of them are opposite the railway station, coordinates: -20.463591, -66.823359
▫ All tours start from Uyuni to 10.00-10.30
▫ Agencies are open since 7.00 to 19-20.00... If you arrived by night bus, you manage to book a tour for today, buy a hat and have breakfast.
▫ We bought in Andes Salt Expeditions, but everything depends on the guide-driver, not on the agency. Tour for three days 105$ + surcharge for the national park 22$
▫ You don't need to spend the night in Uyuni, tours end at 17.00 ... Next by night bus to where the free wind calls
▫ « Mirror»Should be during the rainy season from January to early April. In fact, in 2018, the water on the salt marsh was in May and even in July.
Bolivian Altiplano, Colorada Lagoon
There will be a lot about prices below. Multiply the amount in bolivians by 10 to get ≈ in rubles.
How to get to Uyuni
▪ Airplane from La Paz, 45 minutes, 80-95$ one way
▪ Bus
From Potosi - 4 hours, from 20 BOB / 3$
From Tupis - 6 hours, from 40 BOB / 6$
From La Paz - 10 hours, from 60 BOB / 9$
Tickets at ticketsbolivia.com or at the train station.
Direct bus La Paz - Uyuni is available only at night. 15$ for seven-kama and 22$ for cama (expands 160 degrees).
In the afternoon with a change in Oruro. We took tickets at the station on the day of departure, there are a lot of buses, not everything on the Internet. We drove like this:
La Paz-Oruro, 9.30, 30 BOB ( 5$
)
Oruro-Uyuni, 14.00, 30 BOB ( 5$
). The road is good, infa about bad coverage is outdated.
In Uyuni arrived in 18.00
, spent the night, left in the morning on a tour for three days.
We went during the day, because at night I wanted to sleep in bed. During the day, buses are cheap, old and uncomfortable. From La Paz to Oruro, the boy was selling impotence powder. Shouted 3 hours into the microphone for the whole salon. I wanted to kill him, but people liked the speech - they bought everything.
Know how to sleep on the bus - take a ticket for night tourist without transfers. It's quiet there, the backs are reclined (almost lying), food is given.
Uyuni on the map
Hotels in Uyuni
Booked Castillo de Liliana for one night, rating 7.3, 25 $... Of the pluses hot water, heater, breakfast, check-out at 10.30. Of the minuses - did not change the bedding, in general fuuu.
After returning from the tour, we spent the night at Hotel Jumari, rating 8.6 paid 50$ for a double with a shower. There was a heater, hot water and clean bed, better than the first option.
Sal Casa Andina stands out from a number of monotonous hostels (rating 9.2 ), but it costs 90$.
Prices for tours in Uyuni
Price per one on Spanish... On English more expensive by 30-50%. I indicate the average prices. Transport, accommodation, food, guide services are included (the driver will say a few words about each place).
$ 1 ≈ 7 Bolivians (BOB)
1 BOB ≈ 9 rubles
1. Tour on 1 day(steam locomotive cemetery, Dakar statue, Uyuni salt marsh, cactus island, museum). 150 BOB + 30 BOB for the island of cacti. Total $ 26
2. Tour on 2 days(everything above + two lagoons and / or climbing the Tunupa volcano, 4500 m), 500-550 BOB + 30 BOB for the cacti. Total 84 $
3. Tour on 3 days(everything in the first one + volcanoes + colorful lagoons with flamingos, geysers, swimming in thermal springs)
The lower threshold for reviews is 600 BOB / 90$ (did not find such a price), average tour 720-850 BOB + 30 BOB cactus island (optional) + 150 BOB entrance to the national park Laguna Colorada (required) + 6 BOB hot springs (optional). Total 130 $
Transfer to Chile is possible for an extra charge 10$ or return to Uyuni.
4. Tour on 4 days, ≈180 $, return to the city of Tupitsa, from there you can go to Argentina
How to choose a tour operator?
Uyuni Salt Flats There are more than 50 operators in Uyuni. Those in the top ten according to tripadvisor reviews sit opposite the railway station. They carry in their cars or hire freelance drivers.
We went to eight agencies. I wanted to find a jeep with fewer people. The price and program are the same for everyone. In jeeps, 6 passengers + driver. Departure to 10.00-10.30
Took a tour in Andes Salt Expeditions per 105$ per person. They are # 3 on tripadvisor and ready to negotiate. Bought an hour before departure, no need to book in advance.
Overall approx. He was driving a smart guy (he warmed up the car, treated lollipops, joked).
It is believed that the best time in Uyuni is February-early April when there is water and mirror effect. We were in mid may... The driver knew where to look for the "mirror" at this time and made a detour on his own initiative.
I read hundreds of reviews about tours with different agencies, and they all had shoals. Cars break down, overlays, delays. It will be ideal only if you take individual tour/ rent a car and go according to your program. Private tours for 3 days ≈ $ 700-800.
What to take on tour?
In such clothes it is warm in the evening and in the morning, in the afternoon you can do without a jacket and a hat. ▪ Toilet paper, soap - can be bought in shelters on the salt marsh, just 3 times more expensive. I rented a towel at the hotel for 5 BOB ($ 0.7)
▪ Small money... Toilets during the tour cost between 2 and 5 BOB
▪ Power bank for phone (there were no sockets during the second night)
▪ Chocolates, icicles, tangerines, water (3 liters was enough for two)
▪ Warm clothes: hat, gloves, jacket, sneakers, thermal socks. Sunglasses, cap, 50 sfs cream (not needed), sleeping bag (optional). Flip flops in the shower walk, swimsuit and hot spring towel.
Backpacks with MacBooks and summer clothes were left at the agency. With you only small backpacks with the necessary. You can take a large backpack, it will ride on the roof of the jeep.
Internet and money
There is no connection during the tour.
The sockets were only on the first night (about 30 in the common room)
There are ATMs in Uyun. Change currency at the bank, but it is better in La Paz (the rate is more profitable).
We paid for the tour in dollars, for the hotel and cafe in Bolivians.
It's hard to breathe because of the altitude and strong wind Altitude and altitude sickness
The heights are:
Uyuni town, 3700 m
Solonchak, 3650 m
Overnight in San Juan, 3900 m
Overnight at Laguna Colorado National Park, 4400 m
Geysers, 5000 m
Below 4000 meters everything is ok. It's hard to spend the night at 4400. My head ached, I even missed dinner.
The French from our group drank three bottles of beer every evening and ran cheerfully around the Altiplano. The driver chewed coca and looked great. Everything is individual.
Day tour program
1200 km in three days on roads without asphalt
Day 1
▪ Steam locomotive cemetery, 20 minutes. Trains used to carry useful metals and minerals to Chile. Then everything was covered, the locomotives were abandoned.
▪ Village with souvenirs, 1 hour
▪ Saline Uyuni. Statue "Dakar", an island with flags (no Belarusian)
▪ Dinner in a hotel made of salt. The drivers took food with them. We had llama meat(haven't tried it), rice, salad, banana, omelet.
▪ Salt marsh again, games with perspective
▪ Incahuasi cactus island, entrance 30 BOB... You can climb for free somewhere on the side. They did not go to the island, took refuge in its shadow and enjoyed the absolute silence.
Cacti 12 m tall
▪ "Mirror"- drove to where the water remained in May. The Italians took some mirror pictures of themselves. It turned out beautifully. At the same time, the boots were bleached with salt.
▪ We drove past the quinoa fields, watched how the grains were separated from the spikelets (they were driven by a jeep).
▪ At 18.00 arrived at the hotel from salt. A room with two beds, shower and toilet for all. We slept in our clothes.
Chargeable shower 10 BOB... I went quickly, because an hour later another 7 cars (40 people) arrived at the hotel.
For dinner, chicken, fries, fried eggs.
Day 2
▪ Breakfast at the hotel (tea, rolls, jam). Departure at 7.30
▪ Railway and the volcanoes of Chile in the distance
▪ Lookout overlooking the volcano
▪ Canapa lagoon, flamingo
▪ Hedionda Lagoon, more flamingos. Here is lunch and 2 hours of time
▪ Another lagoon where no one wants to live
▪ Arbol de Piedra- many, many stones and "Stone tree". There met four viscacs (mountain viscacs). This is such a huge rabbit with a squirrel tail and chinchilla behavior. Eats from hands and allows stroking on the head.
▪ Laguna colorada- a red lagoon and thousands of flamingos somewhere far below. We flew to Bolivia for the winter from Chile and Argentina. How does the wind not blow them away? Here they paid for the entrance to the national park by 150 BOB (22$ )
