Top Uyuni Tours & Vacations 2024/2025 [reviews & photos]

Uyuni Tours & Travel Packages 2024/2025

70 Uyuni trips. Compare tour itineraries from 26 tour companies. 300 reviews. 4.8/5 avg rating.

Small Group Uyuni Tours

See all 34 Uyuni trips
See all 70 Uyuni trips

Top Uyuni Attractions & Experiences

Uyuni Tours & Travel Guide

Uyuni Attractions & Landmarks Guide

What are the Bolivian Salt Flats?

Salar de Uyuni is the world's most extensive salt flats, spread on almost 11000 square kilometers, and is located in southwest Bolivia, in the Daniel Campos Province, near the crest of the Andes. The transformations between the prehistoric lakes and then their evaporation resulted in the formation of this extraordinary flat white dessert-like salt crust.

The vast salt flats area with polygonal salt rising patterns, along with clear skies, is one of the rare sites of the world. When it rains, the water overflows from the nearby lakes, forming a thin layer of calm water that transforms the flats into the largest mirror on Earth with a stunning reflection of the sky.

This beautiful terrain, Salar de Uyuni, is the largest source of lithium, with 50-70% lithium of the known reserves on the Earth, the element that is used in the manufacturing of major electronic products like smartphones, laptops, electric cars, etc. The dry area does not contain much of the wildlife but breeds a huge number of flamingos. Moreover, the fascinating landscape has the honor of being home to the world's first salt hotel.

Nearby cities and attractions

There is much more to the Uyuni than just the Salar de Uyuni Salt Flats. Set out on some short trips to the surrounding regions and explore the area. Some of the most popular nearby attractions are:

1. Madidi National Park

Stretched between upper Amazon to the Andes, this amazing park is spread on more than 7,000 square miles, with its fascinating biological diversity. You can have the chance to see more than 11% of Earth's bird species here. The beautiful park has the honor to be the home of pink dolphins, elusive jaguar, titi monkey, giant otter, anaconda, and various other rare animal species in the world.

Highly promoted for environmental education and ecotourism, with its exceptional fauna and flora diversity, this fantastic park is one of the largest protected areas of Earth. You can access it from Rurrenabaque, the small Bolivian town, through Beni River, on a ferry ride.

2. Jesuit Missions

During the 16th century, the Jesuits built ten missions around Santa Cruz, out of which six were named UNESCO World Heritage sites during the 1990s that makes them some of the most exciting places of Bolivia. Among the various missions built throughout South America, the ones in Bolivia managed to escape the destruction that others had to face during the colonial period.

They are a vibrant cultural force representing ancient accents and can be visited on a single long tour, and you can also plan a night stay as there are lodges in all of them. Although all of them are a beautiful sample of ancient Spanish frontier architecture, San Jose de Chiquitos is the largest and best one of them.

3. Yungas Road

Running from Bolivia's Amazon rainforest region to La Paz, this cycling route is a 60 km long road that witnesses about 25,000 tourists every year. The picturesque route is also titled as the World's Most Dangerous Road, and about 18 people died cycling along the road since 1998, still, people love to bike along the route enjoying the surroundings.

Various tour operators provide information, equipment, guides, and even transportation for cyclists. Named as the Road of Death, originally, this road was built in 1930 with steep slopes, lack of guardrails, a single narrow track, fog, and rain. In 2006, an alternate route was built with an enlarged carriageway to two lanes, adding asphalt paving, drainage, bridge, guardrails, etc.

4. Eduardo Avaroa Reserve

Located in the tough southwest circuit region of Bolivia was created with the intention to protect the endangered llareta plant and vicuna. You will also find many unusual landscapes in this reserve, along with some endangered and rare South American species. The mineral lakes and salt flats of Los Lipez are very harsh conditions for human life but are the most visited area of the country.

Visiting this beautiful place will make you feel like coming to some strange new planet. Major attractions of this huge area are hot springs, erupting volcanoes, geysers, fumaroles, lakes, and mountains.

5. Cerro Rico, Potosi

The cone-shaped 15,800 feet high mountain is located near Potosi, and is a huge natural monument to the historical tragedies of the Spanish conquest. During the 17th century, this silver mine was the biggest industrial complex in the world. About 60% of the entire silver on Earth was extracted from here.

This abundance was explained in a manner that even the streets were paved with silver. But now the mountain has become unstable and porous due to the ongoing mining for hundreds of years. Experts also claimed it to be in the danger of falling down. The Spanish started calling this huge mountain as Cerro Rico, meaning Rich Mountain, because of all the silver they extracted from there.

6. Sucre

The white city has significance for being an important place where Bolivia's Declaration of Independence was signed. The historical city was founded by Spanish colonials somewhere in the 1500s and had many important buildings that you need to see to get a glimpse of aristocratic life in Spain during the 16th century.

One of the most beautiful buildings in the city is the whitewashed building of Casa de la Libertad, with amazing galleries telling the story of the capital city. Declared in 1991 as UNESCO World Heritage Site, the downtown has a beautiful combination of colonial past with stunning present colonial architecture creating a unique charm.

7. Lake Titicaca

Spread among the Andes Mountains, on the border of Bolivia and Peru it is the largest freshwater lake of South America. This million years old ancient lake is home to various ruins with its brightly reflective and famously still waters. Near the south-eastern shore, the ruins of an ancient city show this lake to be the precursor of Incas and various other native people.

Sitting 3,810 m above sea level, the beautiful lake is spread over 3200 square miles with a narrow strait, separating the lake into two parts. Titicaca National Reserve is sheltering various rare aquatic wildlife species. The water level varies seasonally, rising during the rainy season of summer and reduces during the wintertime.

8. Tiwanaku

Located on the Altiplano, near Lake Titicaca's southern shores, this ancient city was the political and spiritual center of the Tiwanaku culture. The city was built as a small settlement but flourished into a planned and organized city between 400 A.D. and 900 A.D. Most of its part is now overlaid by modern structures, but the expression of its culture is still visible in the civic.

One of the specialties of this city is its religious space that is shaped by a series of beautiful architectural buildings relating to various times of cultural accessions of the region. Akapana's Pyramid, Kalasasaya Temple, and Punapumku's Temple are some of the most important religious structures.

9. Laguna Colorada

Situated about 4,000 meters above sea level in the southwest region of the altiplano, this fascinating red lake is full of beautiful flamingos. The shallow salt lake is home to white borax islands that create a stunning effect with their color contrast with the lake.

The otherworldly landscape with nearly-extinct flamingo is home to various fauna like alpacas, Andean foxes, llamas, pumas, etc. The magical deep orange-red hue of the lake is because of the microorganisms like red algae. The craggy rock shores, rolling mountains, amazing fauna with the staggering beauty and varied terrain together makes it a popular tourist destination.

10. Termas de Polques

These stunning hot springs are situated in the middle of the desert at the foot of Cerro Polques. With 29.4 °C, this spring pool with its mineral-rich water is suitable for bathing. The soothingly warm water not only has a calming effect but is also considered beneficial for medical conditions like rheumatism, arthritis, etc.

The hot and comforting water feels really pleasant after spending the chilly night at Salar de Uyuni, especially when the outside temperature is below zero degrees. Even if you don't want to swim in the spring, you can just enjoy the beauty of the surroundings for as long as you desire. End your trip with a delicious meal from the nearby restaurant.

Top things to do                              

The little town of Uyuni does not have a huge variety of places to visit or activities to enjoy. But here is the list that can help you to enjoy your time in the city, other than the amazing Salar de Uyuni.

1. Train Cemetery

Once an important hub, Uyuni, was connected to various major cities. There were big plans to make a larger train network for trains out of Uyuni but couldn't complete due to various technical difficulties and regional problems. The trains and other things remained there rusted and forgotten, forming this huge train graveyard. Most of the trains here were imported from Britain in the 20th century.

They might have been in better condition in some other region of the world, but due to the salty atmosphere of Uyuni, all these metal bodies have corroded over time. There is no restriction to approach this train, so you will see unique structure occasional graffiti.

2. Plaza Principal Aniceto Arce

In this small and clean town, Plaza Principal Aniceto Arce is a good landmark to get some pictures and enjoy your time around. Making the important center of the city, the place is filled with beautiful flowers, plants, and trees. The typical city square is the hub for all the activities you can enjoy during Uyuni tours. You will find various decent restaurants, souvenir shops, stores, and even tour agencies, all at the same point, making it a little busy throughout the day.

3. Isla Incahuasi

The small island is located in the middle of these salt flats and lets you have a broad and amazing stretched view of the salt flats. It is the primary location for most of the Uyuni tours due to its optimal position. You will see cacti everywhere as about 24 hectares of the island's region is filled with these nature grown beauties. If you climb up the top of the hill, you can have an even more fascinating view of the stunning landscape.

4. Nightlife

Enjoy the salt flats, city square, shopping, and eating all day long, but your night time should be reserved for the vibrant energy you are going to witness. Gather your energies to enjoy the most out of your night with music, dance, drinking, and much more.

5. South American Cuisine

Uyuni tours are incomplete without experiencing the delicious cuisine of the region. There are numerous decent restaurants with a huge variety of Bolivian dishes to give you the true essence of what locals love to eat. Eat like locals to enjoy your trip to an extreme level.

Photography tips for Uyuni    

The world's largest mirror is the best place to take amazing funny photos with fascinating illusions. But to make the best out of it, you need to know some tips that will help you a lot.

You need to have a great vision to shoot perfect angles. It is not just as easy as taking out your camera and starting to take photos. You need to compose your photos to make them worthy.

1. Make your mind according to the season you are going to visit in. In summer, you will have a large reflective mirror plain that gives you the chance to take gorgeous sunrise or sunset photos. If you are going there in winter, the plain white salt floor perfects to take perspective photos.

2. Make your focus obvious, whether you need your photos people vs. people or people vs. objects. Keep it simple and have only two people or objects in one photo, especially if this is your first experience as a beginner.

3. You can bring small inanimate objects like some toy dinosaur or any other toy animal, bowls, pringles can, or anything that gives you some creative ideas.

4. Keep one of your subjects as close as your camera as you can while the other object should be further in the distance to make them appear above or below each other or in ascending/ descending into the distance.

5. The location of the photographer is also very important as he/she needs to be closest to the first object without cropping it out. Don't be afraid to get low or lie down on the ground. In fact, getting down on the floor lets you take pictures at an optimal level creating the illusion perfectly. You cannot take the best illusion shot while standing or kneeling.

What to wear

Clothing in Bolivia depends upon in which season you are going to visit. In this easy-going country, you can conveniently mingle up with the locals, whether in western-style outfits or in traditional clothing. Jeans are popular in every place. Pair it up with camisoles or t-shirts or for a warmer tone with sweaters or long-sleeved shirts.

Bring more fancy clothes if you intend to enjoy the night shenanigans. For restaurants and bars, casual jeans with a nice top and comfortable shoes will go perfectly fine. For higher altitudes, you will have an intense sun through mid-day, but evenings get comfortably chilly. Keep an extra clothing layer with you in case you need to keep yourself warm.

Long trousers and shirts with full sleeves are the best options while going through the tropical regions so that you can stay protected from infectious insect bites. You will easily find places for laundry everywhere in Bolivia, so you don't need to make yourself overloaded with extra clothing.

Weather

May to October is the most popular season to visit Bolivia with cold and dry weather, making it convenient to visit every region of the country. The absence of rain makes winter perfect for road trips or sightseeing in the region, except for the mid months.

July and August have temperature extremes, so you might want to pack your warm clothes, however, you can still travel around in the pleasant sunny winter. Being a high tourist season, winter also has high prices for everything, making it an expensive time as well. Avoid the months of school holidays or festival times if you want to get better rates. You might also get some discount during the shoulder season on hotel fares, but there is not much difference for the airfares.

November to April brings monsoon when the weather is wet and humid, and you cannot access many important places in the country. Summer is not an ideal time to visit Bolivia as the heat and humidity can turn you off from traveling. The strong air with heavy rainfall makes road trips inconvenient and even impossible at times. Most of the hiking trails are closed, and the lowland areas are prone to flooding.

Uyuni Reviews & Ratings

4.8/5  Excellent
300  Reviews
See all Uyuni tour reviews
Excellent
366
Great
117
Average
0
Disappointing
0
Terrible
0
G

Gabriella

Nov 2022

Written on

Thank you for being available to us during our vacation when we needed clarity!

The nicest part of traveling with you was the prompt replies we received from the start of the planning process all the way through the trip. We were able to make a ...

L

Laurel

Sep 2022

Written on

They were all very knowledgable and jovial, and they clearly like their jobs.

Dear Lujan, We returned from our vacation to Argentina, which you organized for us, two days ago. I would just like to say a big thank you for your help; we had a wo...

L

Laurel

Sep 2022

Written on

They were all very knowledgable and jovial, and they clearly like their jobs.

Dear Lujan, We returned from our vacation to Argentina, which you organized for us, two days ago. I would just like to say a big thank you for your help; we had a wo...

C

Catherine

Jul 2022

Written on

I had a fantastic experience!

I'd like to express my gratitude for all of your efforts in preparing and organizing my recent visit to your great nation. Everything went smoothly, and the places I...

C

Catherine

Jul 2022

Written on

I had a fantastic experience!

I'd like to express my gratitude for all of your efforts in preparing and organizing my recent visit to your great nation. Everything went smoothly, and the places I...

Write a Review

Traveling to Uyuni, an FAQ

1. Does Travelstride have all the tour operators?

Travelstride has the widest selection of tours and tour companies. All the largest companies are on the site and most smaller local operators though we are adding new operators daily. Unlike other websites and agencies, we show you all the options, regardless of whether or not we are paid by the company.

2. How does the Member Savings program save me money?

Travelstride membership is absolutely free. You receive special benefits including saving up to $700 on select tours with top tour operators. The main requirement is to write a review after your trip to access the savings.

3. Can I trust the tour operator and trip reviews on Travelstride?

Yes. Travelstride has both expert reviews, written by Travelstride staff and local experts as well as traveler reviews written by people like you who have used the company and traveled to that destination.

4. What does ‘Stride Preferred’ mean?

Stride Preferred and Stride Premier are status categories to help you sort quickly through known and reliable travel companies. Since there are thousands of tour operators around the globe, Preferred or Premier badges are awarded to companies that Travelstride has determined meet the highest standards of professionalism, customer satisfaction, and quality.
Sign in to reveal savings up to $700 per person!