“El Salar de Uyuni” or Uyuni salt flats is one of nature’s most beautiful creations. Located in the southwest of Bolivian territory at 3,656 meters (11,995 feet) above sea level, and it is the largest salt flat desert in the world. Uyuni salt flats are immense due it has 10,582 square kilometers of surface area, so it is easy to get lost if you are not familiar with the place.
The salt flat is the result of the transformation of several prehistoric lakes. The elevation variations in the surface range from one meter throughout the area of the Salar, which will give everyone who visits the salt flat the feeling of walking on an endless terrain.
Here are some essential tips before going on a tour to the salt flats of Uyuni in Bolivia:
1 While the main tourist attraction of the area is the Salar, there are also other attractions inside to visit, such as the Paruma volcano, Fish Island, or the Incahuasi island where you can go for a walk or eat brunch with a majestic view.
2 Uyuni is at 3,656 meters altitude, so it is very likely to suffer from altitude sickness. For this altitude issue, we recommend you buy “Sorojchi” pills that will help you fight the mountain illness.
3 The temperatures of this magical place range between -11°C and 20°C depending on the season. June will be the coldest month and January the warmest month. During winter, it can be freezing, that is why we highly recommend buying warm garments, and especially a LAM sweater that will help you with the coldness.
4 Being a desert place, you will be with no signal or communication with the rest of the world. Do not forget to charge the battery of your devices to be able to take photos or selfies with your friends or family.
5 Before you start your journey through this land, we suggest you take out the necessary cash, as, with the batteries of your devices, you will not find ATMs anywhere in this area.
6 The “incommunicado with the world” part also includes calls, social networks, and text messages, your phone or computer will not have a signal of any kind once you are in the Salar.
7 If you plan to take an adventure trip on your own, please seek the necessary precautions, it’s easy to get stuck and disoriented in this place if you don’t know the terrain, be very careful!
Extra Tip! Don’t forget to visit the Uyuni town where you can eat delicious food and visit our LAM UYUNI store for the best alpaca garments.
Curious Facts:
Among the curious highlights of this natural wonder is that it contains between 50% and 70% of the known lithium reserves in the world.
When rain falls on the salt flats, it becomes a gigantic mirror that fully reflects the entire sky, becoming an enormous mirror.
The large surface area, the clear skies, and its exceptional flatness make the Salar an ideal place for calibrating the altimeters of Earth’s observation satellites.
It has become a perfect spot for movies like Star Wars or concerts.