Uyuni salt flats holidays
Uyuni salt flats holidays at a glance
Journey Latin America describes the Salar de Uyuni as a blindingly white expanse of salt stretching across Bolivia’s remote southern altiplano at an altitude of 3,656m. The landscape is marked by distinctive hexagonal salt patterns and offers some of the most surreal scenery in South America.
Conditions vary dramatically through the year. During the rainy season, a thin layer of water transforms the salt flats into an immense natural mirror, perfectly reflecting the sky and creating the sensation that land and horizon have disappeared altogether.
Beyond the salt flats themselves, the surrounding region reveals extraordinary landscapes including the mineral-rich Laguna Colorada and Laguna Verde, steaming geysers and the dramatic Licancabur volcano.
Why choose Journey Latin America for your holiday to Uyuni salt flats
We’ve been planning trips to Central and South America for over 45 years, longer than any other UK specialist. Every holiday is built around you by a Travel Expert who has been to the places they recommend, with support from your first enquiry to the day you fly home.
The mesmerising Salar de Uyuni salt lake stretches out to the horizon, offering utterly surreal vistas of sparkling white sheets.
When to visit Uyuni salt flats
The Uyuni Salt Flats offer very different experiences depending on the season, with travellers often choosing between accessibility and the famous mirror effect.
The dry season in Uyuni runs from June – September, bringing sunny weather and blue skies, though it can be very cold at night. Wider areas of the salt flats are accessible, and you’ll enjoy horizon-bending views of the sparkling white desert etched with hexagonal patterns. The months of April and October transition into the wet season, with increased rainfall creating a reflective layer of water across the lake.
This is the wet season, with the most rain falling between Jan – Apr. Roads in the areas can be muddy and some areas are not accessible. A shallow layer of rain water covering the salt creates a stunning mirror effect; with the sky reflected beneath your feet, you’ll feel as though you are floating in mid-air.
Top Things to do in Uyuni salt flats
The salt flats and surrounding altiplano offer some of Bolivia’s most extraordinary natural landscapes and photographic opportunities.
Discover a surreal landscape of endless salt, blindingly white in the dry season or mirroring the sky in the wet season.
Accommodation in Uyuni salt flats
Many properties are designed specifically for exploring the surrounding altiplano landscapes and provide convenient access to the salt flats and nearby lagoons.
Overnight in a deluxe vintage-style Airstream camper – in the middle of the Salar under the stars. Enjoy waking up to the otherworldly landscape of the salt flats bathed in a pink gold at sunrise.
Simple guesthouse decorated in a bold, rustic style which gives plenty of character and atmosphere.
Small, magical hotel built of salt, with ethereal views of Bolivia’s stunning Uyuni salt flats.
Atmospheric hotel built into the side of a rocky outcrop in an isolated and spectacular location, offering a stay that is anything but ordinary.
Cluster of thatch-roofed cabins resembling a tiny desert hamlet in an extraordinary setting, offering basic but tremendously atmospheric accommodation.
A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.
Holidays to Uyuni salt flats
Group Uyuni salt flats Tours
Our group tours follow expertly designed, well-planned routes with an experienced local guide throughout. Prefer to keep it to your own party? Book the same trips privately for four or more.
Andean Flamingo: Andes laid bare
Places visited: Lima · Cusco · Sacred Valley of the Incas · Machu Picchu · Lake Titicaca – Peruvian side · Lake Titicaca – Bolivian side · La Paz and the altiplano · Uyuni salt flats · Atacama Desert · Santiago and the vineyards
17 days from £5,636
Pato Andino: Panorama of the Andes
Places visited: Buenos Aires · Salta · Atacama Desert · Uyuni salt flats · La Paz and the altiplano · Lake Titicaca – Bolivian side · Lake Titicaca – Peruvian side · Cusco · Sacred Valley of the Incas · Machu Picchu · Lima
20 days from £5,222
Tailor-Made Uyuni salt flats Tours
Prefer to travel on your own terms? We’ll build a trip around your dates, your pace and the things you most want to see – whether that’s a first run at Machu Picchu, a family adventure mixing history and wildlife, or a food-focused journey through Lima and the Sacred Valley. Our Travel Experts can help shape it with you.
Discover Bolivia and northwest Argentina
Places visited: Buenos Aires · Salta · Uyuni salt flats · Sucre and Potosi · La Paz and the altiplano
14 days from £4,800
Signature Andes: Highlands of Peru, Bolivia and Chile
Places visited: Lima · Sacred Valley of the Incas · Machu Picchu · Cusco · Lake Titicaca – Peruvian side · Lake Titicaca – Bolivian side · La Paz and the altiplano · Uyuni salt flats · Atacama Desert · Santiago and the vineyards
16 days from £5,510
Signature Bolivia: The final frontier
Places visited: La Paz and the altiplano · Uyuni salt flats · Sucre and Potosi · Santa Cruz and the Oriente
15 days from £4,800
FAQs about visiting Uyuni salt flats
Uyuni salt flats is one of the most popular destinations, and there’s plenty to think about before you go. Here, our specialists share their best advice.
- When To Go
Most rain falls between January and April when the roads can be very muddy. The dry season, Jun-Sep, guarantees sun and an easy drive across the flats, but it can be very cold at night.
For more detailed information visit our When To Go section.
- Language
Spanish.
- Getting Local Currency
Peso boliviano. There are also money exchanges (casas de cambio) in Uyuni but it is best to acquire local currency from an ATM in a larger city beforehand.
- Time Difference
GMT -4 hours.
- Combines With
The Atacama Desert in Chile, a wilderness drive across the border from the salt lake to San Pedro de Atacama; visiting the mines and museums of Potosí, once the richest city in the world (140km by road).
- Getting There
Drive to Uyuni from Potosí (140km) or from Sucre (217km) and continue by 4WD. There are domestic flights between La Paz and Uyuni most days.
Ready to start planning?
Tell us where you want to go, and we’ll take it from there. No obligation, no sales pitch – just a conversation with someone who knows the region inside out.
Papagaio
Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.
Featured Articles
South America is a land of stunning nature and pulsating culture, and its wealth of iconic landmarks is the perfect starting point for getting to know this incredible continent.