Salar de Uyuni
Salar de Uyuni · Potosí Department, Bolivia
A 10,000-km² sky mirror — the world's largest salt flat
Know before you go
- Don't litter on the salt flat
- don't drive onto it on your own (vehicles easily get stuck)
- tell your guide promptly if you feel unwell from the altitude.
This article is Not yet verified. Please check official announcements for prices, opening hours and dates.
Culture
Culture & customs
Background
A salt crust left when a prehistoric lake dried up; in the rainy season (December–April) a thin layer of water covers the salt and sky and earth meet, hence the name 'mirror of the sky'; in the dry season it's an endless pattern of hexagonal salt cracks. Salt hotels, Incahuasi (Cactus Island) and the train cemetery make up a surreal landscape; it's a treasure trove of lithium and Bolivia's pride.
Local customs
- Salt-flat tours must be done with a group (by jeep)
- at high altitude (3,656 m) watch out for altitude sickness
- Bolivians are unpretentious — please be respectful.
Religion & beliefs
- Land of the Indigenous Aymara people, with the salt flat tied to Andean beliefs
- be respectful and don't desecrate it.
Etiquette
Etiquette & taboos
Rules that apply here
Bolivia: don't force your way through roadblocks
- Go around a roadblock or wait
- Driving or riding through a roadblock
Protests and road blockades happen from time to time.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Bolivia travel advice
Bolivia: carrying any amount of drugs is treated as trafficking
- Stay away from drugs of any kind
- Carrying any amount of drugs
The minimum sentence is 8 years; sniffer dogs check passengers leaving on international flights.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: Bolivia travel advice
Don’t DON'T
- Don't litter on the salt flat
- don't drive onto it on your own (vehicles easily get stuck)
- tell your guide promptly if you feel unwell from the altitude.
Locals appreciate DO
- Bolivians recommend the rainy season for the 'mirror' and the dry season for the 'cracks'
- creative forced-perspective photos are a must.
Plan your visit
Practical info
| Best time | December–April (rainy season) for the mirror (though tours may be cancelled because of rain), May–November (dry season) for the cracks and starry skies |
|---|
Travel tips
- December–April (rainy season) for the mirror (though tours may be cancelled because of rain), May–November (dry season) for the cracks and starry skies. A 3-day, 2-night jeep tour costs about USD 200 (including food and lodging), starting from the town of Uyuni
- bring sunglasses (the glare off the salt is intense) and warm clothes
- we recommend flying from La Paz to Uyuni.
Eat nearby
What to eat nearby
There's no food on the salt flat — meals are mainly jeep-tour meals and picnics
Must-try
- Quinoa dishes
- Salteñas
- Alpaca
Quinoa dishes, llama meat (on reputable tour meals — choose with care), Bolivian salteñas (juicy breakfast pastries), corn / potato highland dishes, hot chocolate / coca tea (provided on tour vehicles)
| Where to eat | Restaurants and markets in Uyuni town, meals at salt hotels (built of salt blocks), picnics from the tour vehicle (cooked by the driver / packed lunches) |
|---|---|
| Dining etiquette | The salt flat's ecology is fragile — take all picnic rubbish and food scraps away, and don't drop food or salt water that pollutes the mirror areas; at altitude (3,656 m) avoid heavy meals and alcohol |
| Typical price per person | A meal in town BOB 35–65 ≈ CNY 36–67; tour meals included in fees |
| Tips | In mirror season (the rainy season) picnics are by the vehicle at the water's edge; bring salty snacks to fend off altitude sickness and low blood sugar. |
Prices are typical rates as of October 2026, not exact quotes; CNY equivalents are approximate where exchange rates fluctuate.
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Tamorlan · CC BY 3.0
Photos
Photos
Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0
Christopher Crouzet · CC BY-SA 4.0
Luca Galuzzi (Lucag), edit by Trialsanderrors · CC BY-SA 2.5
Sources & verification notes
Compiled from Bolivia tourism board guides to Uyuni
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