Salar de Uyuni: Discover the magic of the world’s largest salt flat

Every once in a while, we’ll take a trip somewhere so spectacular and surreal, it’ll have us questioning whether we’ve touched down on a foreign world or stepped straight into a dream. That’s how we felt the first time we visited the Salar de Uyuni salt flat. “Visiting the Uyuni salt flats was an otherworldly experience that I’ll never forget,” said traveler Davis after joining the Bolivia extension of our Grand Tour of Peru: Machu Picchu to Lake Titicaca. Staffer Lael agreed, saying, “It’s the coolest place I’ve ever visited!” Luckily, you won’t have to travel to another planet to explore the unique and expansive terrain of the Salar de Uyuni (though you might recognize it as the planet Crait from the final battle scene of Star Wars: The Last Jedi). You can visit the salt flat when you join us on one of our Bolivia tours—no spaceship required.

Where is the Salar de Uyuni?

The Salar de Uyuni is located in southwestern Bolivia. It lies near the crest of the Andes Mountains, atop the southern portion of the Altiplano plateau. The Altiplano is one of the largest and highest plateaus in the world, stretching across southern Peru, western Bolivia, and even portions of Chile and Argentina. The area has been populated for thousands of years, with people living at elevations up to 13,000 feet above sea level. When you join us on our Grand Tour of Peru: Machu Picchu to Lake Titicaca and book its Bolivia extension, you’ll explore a generous portion of the Altiplano—which, along with the Salar de Uyuni, includes can’t-miss destinations like Lake Titicaca and La Paz.

How big is the salt flat?

There are several salt flats in Bolivia, but the Salar de Uyuni is the country’s most famous—and the largest in the world. The bright-white landscape stretches for more than 4,000 square miles, or three-quarters the size of Connecticut, and is so vast that it can be seen from space. In fact, NASA uses the Salar de Uyuni’s highly reflective, flat surface as a target for satellite calibration.

The size and scope of the flat can create optical illusions, both when photographing it and when visiting it in person. Because the Salar is so flat and devoid of objects, your eyes may have trouble understanding perspective or depth of field. If its surface gets wet, it turns into a pristine mirror that perfectly reflects the sky. These phenomena, combined with the sheer size of the salt flat, make a visit to the Salar de Uyuni a truly one-of-a-kind experience.

How did Bolivia’s salt flats form?

Around 30,000 years ago, most of southwestern Bolivia was covered by a series of prehistoric lakes. The water leached salt from the surrounding mountains, and these massive deposits remained when the lakes dried up. This thick crust is packed in layers with other sedimentary deposits and is nearly 400 feet thick in some areas. There’s an estimated 10 billion tons of salt in the Salar, along with other minerals like magnesium and potassium. This massive Bolivian salt flat is also home to one of the world’s largest reserves of lithium—an element crucial for powering cell phones, laptops, electric vehicles, and other devices.

Both salt and lithium are harvested from the flat. Lithium’s extracted from the watery brine that lies beneath the Salar’s crust, whereas salt is scraped directly from its surface and refined. When you join the Bolivia extension of our Grand Tour of Peru: Machu Picchu to Lake Titicaca, you’ll stop in the tiny town of Colchani, on the outskirts of the Salar de Uyuni, to learn about salt processing. Watch the members of a local cooperative scrape the salt and form it into pyramids to dry in the sun, then browse the town’s shops for animal figurines made of the stuff to take home as souvenirs.

When is the best time to visit the Salar de Uyuni salt flat?

We visit the Salar de Uyuni year-round on the Bolivia extension of our Grand Tour of Peru: Machu Picchu to Lake Titicaca, and there really isn’t a bad time to go. However, the way you experience it may change depending on the season.

• Visit between December and April for otherworldly photo ops. Although this is Bolivia’s wet season, the Uyuni region doesn’t get much rainfall. Instead, overflow from nearby lakes floods the flat during the Southern Hemisphere’s summer (which is the Northern Hemisphere’s winter). The thin layer of water creates a mirror-like surface that perfectly reflects the sky, creating an optical illusion that makes a stunning backdrop for photos. This dreamy mirror effect is reason enough to continue enjoying summer by traveling to Bolivia during the North American winter.
• Visit between May and November to access more areas of the Salar. The Southern Hemisphere’s winter is the dry season across Bolivia. While the Salar’s iconic mirror effect is less likely during this time, you’ll have easier access to areas that can be difficult to reach when it’s flooded, like Isla Incahuasi. Though not truly an island, this rocky outcropping was formed from the top of a volcano that was submerged in the ancient lake that once covered the area. It’s studded with centuries-old giant cacti and appears as a rugged mirage floating on a sea of white salt. A short hike will take you to the peak of the rock formation, offering spectacular views of the salt flat, and a charming cafe on the “island” serves coffee and refreshments.

Legends of Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni

The Aymara are an Indigenous people that have lived in the Altiplano region for around 5,000 years. They have several legends surrounding the formation of the Salar, which have been passed down for generations. The first—and most common—details a love triangle between three of the nearby mountains, which were said to be giant people. Tunupa and Kusku were married, but Kusku left Tunupa for Kusina. Thunapa was heartbroken; while she fed her son, her tears mixed with her breast milk and flooded the area, forming the flat.

Another legend suggests that Yana Pollera, a mountain goddess (and the nearest peak to the Salar), was in love with both Tunupa and Q’osqo, a mountain in Peru. When she became pregnant, the two fought over who was the father, forcing Yana Pollera to send her baby away for its protection. Fearing that her baby would go hungry, the goddess flooded the region with milk, which then formed the salt flat.

When you visit the Salar de Uyuni on one of our Bolivia tours, you’ll explore the Pukara de Ayque ruins that lie along the edge of the mythical mountain, Tunupa. Take a guided tour to learn about the region’s pre-Columbian civilizations and hear more of the legends surrounding the region.

What to do when you visit Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

When you visit the Salar de Uyuni on our Bolivia tours, the main attraction is the wide, sweeping landscape itself—after all, it’s first on our list of reasons to visit Bolivia. That being said, you might be surprised at how many hidden gems there are to discover on your trip.

• Explore the Cementerio de Trenes. The small town of Uyuni, Bolivia, is a well-connected transportation hub that serves as the gateway to the Salar. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, there were plans to expand Uyuni’s already extensive train network, but just decades later, they were abandoned—along with dozens of steam trains. Before you set out across the salt flat, take some time to explore this eerie graveyard of rusted, discarded trains on its outskirts.
• Keep an eye out for wildlife. Despite its sparse appearance, the Salar de Uyuni is home to abundant wildlife. Be on the lookout for flamingoes, Andean foxes, and vicuñas—the rare, wild ancestors of alpacas.
• Stop for a picnic. When you visit the Salar with us on the Bolivia extension of our Grand Tour of Peru: Machu Picchu to Lake Titicaca, you’ll enjoy a picnic lunch on the salt flat. It’s a unique opportunity to savor your meal in a truly remarkable setting.

What to bring on a trip to the Salar de Uyuni

Now that you know everything you need to about this iconic Bolivian salt flat, here’s a list of things we recommend bringing on your trip there.

• A camera. Those otherworldly landscapes aren’t going to photograph themselves! We recommend bringing a camera to capture the surreal beauty of the Salar and preserve your memories to share with your loved ones back home.
• Sun (and salt) protection. Sunscreen, sunglasses, a full-coverage hat, and lip balm are all musts when packing for a trip to the Salar de Uyuni. Its elevation and clear skies put you directly in the path of the sun’s UV rays, and you’ll be surprised at how quickly the salt in the air will dry out your lips.
• Altitude sickness medication. The salt flat is located on the Altiplano plateau, around 12,000 feet above sea level. If you join us on the Bolivia extension of our Grand Tour of Peru: Machu Picchu to Lake Titicaca, you’ll have two weeks in Peru to acclimate before visiting the Salar. However, if you’re prone to altitude sickness, we recommend packing some medication just in case.
• Sandals or waterproof shoes. These are a must for walking across the flat—especially when it’s flooded in the wet season.
• A water bottle. Staying hydrated is essential, especially with all the salt in the air. A reusable water bottle is number one on our list of eco-friendly travel essentials, and we’ve never regretted taking one along with us on any tour.

How to take great photos of the Salar de Uyuni

This Bolivian salt flat is the setting for some of the most breathtaking photographs we’ve seen—but many people find themselves asking the same question: “What exactly am I looking at?” Draw on the Salar’s unique landscape to create stunning photos that are unlike any you’ve taken before.

• Take advantage of the Salar’s mirror effect. If you’re lucky enough to take a trip to Bolivia when the Salar de Uyuni is flooded, you’ll find the world’s largest mirror reflecting the sky, clouds, and nearby mountains. This is the perfect opportunity to snap some photos of the landscape, and any subject within your frame will look like they’re floating in a sea of clouds. To capture the ethereal beauty of the salt flat, we recommend angling your photos so that nothing is in them except the subject you’re trying to photograph—that means turning away from any other travelers or vehicles that may otherwise end up in the background.
• Create optical illusions. The Salar’s seemingly endless, flat horizon makes it easy to experiment with forced perspective. If you’ve ever wanted to take a photo of your travel companion riding on a toy dinosaur, balancing a friend in their hand, or climbing a giant hiking boot, now’s your chance! Position your subjects at varying distances to manipulate their apparent size and relationship to each other: Objects closer to your camera will appear larger, whereas those farther away will appear smaller. Keep your phone or camera low to the ground, and use a tripod if you need extra stability. Use a small aperture to keep everything in focus, and make sure to take multiple shots. (It’s one of our most useful photography tips, regardless of what you’re shooting).
• Shield your lens. The open skies and gleaming expanse of the Salar de Uyuni provide a stunning backdrop for photographs—but they also mean you’ll most likely experience a lot of glare. Consider shielding your lens with a lens hood (or, in a pinch, drape a scarf over your head and camera) to eliminate some glare for crisper, clearer photographs.