Dry salt lake of Uyuni. Salt marshes of Uyuni - from dream to reality. Practical information. Uyuni in Bolivia

The bottom of a salt lake in the south of the Altiplano high-altitude desert, or in simple terms - the Salar de Uyuni ( Salar de Uyuni), located in the heart of Bolivia, everyone dreams of seeing. A phenomenon that is unique in nature is at the same time the most ordinary place. Here, at the bottom of the ancient sea, table salt was simply always mined. There is so much salt here that there will be enough for everyone for millions of years to come. The thickness of its deposits reaches 8 meters. And during the rainy season, the salt marsh is covered with water, turning into the largest mirror in the world! Tourists are allowed here quite calmly, without fear that they will spoil the precious material. And the Dakar race has also moved to Bolivia and part of it takes place on the salt marsh.

The Salar de Uyuni salt marsh not only seems somehow wild and prehistoric, it is so. Bolivia is the richest country, if you keep in mind Natural resources. Russia and Peru will compare with it. And oddly enough, for the most part the rest of the world's population exploits the resources of these countries. There are rich deposits of tin, gas, oil, lithium, zinc, iron and other minerals. Bolivia was generously gifted. But she also generously allows herself to be robbed.

Forty thousand years ago, an ancient sea splashed on the territory of the salt marsh, from which a lake subsequently emerged Ballyvyan. Now all that remains of the sea are lakes ( Titicaca, Poopo And Uru-Uru) and salt marshes - Uyuni, which is open to tourists, and Koipas.

In Uyuni, the fine line between using resources and living in harmony with nature is most strongly felt. Although the reserves of salt are really large, there is a feeling that when we come here, we are entering the holy of holies of the planet and treating everything with due respect. It’s not us who are so cool that we were able to buy a ticket to the other side of the world, it’s Nature that let us come here.

At any moment, the fragile balance may be disrupted, volcanoes will roar and remake our world beyond recognition, as they have done many times before. - the place is beautiful, its beauty cannot be described. But at the same time, it is an open wound on the body of the Earth. And there is salt in this wound. And salty tears are not at all noticeable here. The technogenic world has practically won. So let us be sensitive to the suffering of our Mother and respect her. Drop by drop and just a little. But small steps always lead to great happiness. Enjoy and rejoice in beauty, but do not disturb it.

Information about the salt marsh

Name	Salar de Uyuni
Where is	In the south of the Altiplano high plateau in Bolivia near the city of Uyuni, near the border with Chile, at an altitude of 3650 m above sea level
What is	The largest salt marsh in the world. Table salt reserves amount to about 10 billion tons
Origin	About 40 thousand years ago, as a result of drying out ancient lake Minchin. As a result, two lakes were formed - Poopo and Uru-Uru and two salt marshes - Salar de Uyuni and Salar de Coipasa
Dimensions	The area of ​​the Uyuni salt marsh is about 10,500 sq. km, which is about 25 times more area the famous Bonneville salt marsh in the USA
Lithium reserves	The Uyuni Salar contains about half of the world's lithium reserves - 100 million tons
GPS coordinates	20° 11′ 14″ S, 67° 32′ 57″ W -20.187222°, -67.549167°

Where to buy a tour to the Uyuni salt flat

To see all the wonders salt marsh of Uyuni, the easiest way to get to the town of Uyuni.

There are two ways to buy a tour to the Uyuni salt marsh:

• Book a place on the tour via the Internet, or by calling an agent of one of travel companies sending tourists to unforgettable journey to the Altiplano high plateau, but this will be more expensive and less clear than fitting into a tour on the spot. One of the advantages of booking is that you don’t have to wait, because during the hottest season you can wait for your turn to go on a tour for a couple of days in the city of Uyuni.
• Come to Uyuni and find a tour on the spot. Usually, arrivals are met by the owners of inexpensive agencies right at the bus and taken to their office, telling along the way about the advantages of working with them. It's much cheaper, and you can bargain.

We were not traveling during the peak season, so we had more than enough options! And we bought the tour from those who offered the most cheap price along our route. Then we were simply placed with other people in a shared car.

Routes through the Uyuni salt flats and high mountain lagoons

The standard itinerary includes three days and two nights in the wildest part of Bolivia. How much does a tour to the Uyuni salt flat cost? depends on how good you are at bargaining. We bought a tour for $100 (or 700 Bolivianos) per person. This amount included everything from food to transfer to the border with Chile. We paid separately only for tickets to national park Eduardo Avora (150 Bolivianos per person), which is home to the amazing Colorada Lagoon and high-mountain thermal springs.

If you are interested in how to choose the right tour from Uyuni, then we decided to publish maps from all the guidebooks that somehow ended up in our hands. By looking at offers and maps of attractions, you can book your own tour and find someone who will take you exactly the way you like. A private tour, of course, will cost more, as will options with a choice of special meals and overnight accommodation.

But if you need to travel on a budget, you can still get an idea of ​​how the tour is organized and find the tour operator that is closest to your desired itinerary.

Interesting fact. If you don't want to drive through the wild altiplano (high desert), you can limit yourself to exploring just the salt marsh and the unforgettable and otherworldly train graveyard. Many come here in the hope of catching famous photo reflections of the sky from the water surface of the salt marsh (during the rainy season). To do this, you need to come to Uyuni, book a hotel here and ride the Salar de Uyuni for as many days as you want, waiting for the right weather. Selection best hotels in Uyuni is presented below.

Detailed map of the Uyuni salt marsh

Tour program

Route map on the Altiplano plateau

Different route options

One-day, two-day and three-day tours from Uyuni in Bolivia

Salar de Uyuni Tour Options

One day tour

• Hotel of salt (Hotel de sal);
• Return to the city of Uyuni.

Two days tour(two days, one night)

• Steam Locomotive Cemetery (Cementerio de Trenes);
• City of salt Kolchani + souvenirs (Ceramica de sal);
  Salt mines (Montones se sal);
• Hotel of salt (Hotel de sal);
• Incahuasi Island with giant cacti (Isla Incahuasi - pescado);
• Volcano de Tunupa;
• Caves;
• Mummies (Momias).

Three days tour(three days, two nights)

• Steam Locomotive Cemetery (Cementerio de Trenes);
• City of salt Kolcani and museum + souvenirs (Ceramica de sal);
• Salt mines (Montones se sal);
• Hotel of salt (Hotel de sal);
• Incahuasi Island with giant cacti (Isla Incahuasi - pescado);
• View of the Oyague volcano (Volcan Ollague);
• Lagoons (Lagunas altiplanicas - Canapa, Hedionda, Honda, Charcota);
• Silioli Desert and Stone Tree (Desierto de Silioli y Arbol de Piedra);
• Laguna Colorada;
• Hot springs and geysers (Aguas Termales y Sol de manana);
• Desierto Salvador Dali (Desert of Salvador Dali);
• Green and white lagoons (Laguna Verde y Blanca);
• Volcan Licancabur;
• Return to the city of Uyuni or transfer to San Pedro de Atacama in Chile.

Lexus Tour of Salar de Uyuni

We set off on our trip to the Uyuni salt marsh after 11 o’clock in the afternoon, one of the very last in the city. We got a Lexus and four traveling companions. And unexpectedly, an elderly couple from Uruguay left us on the morning of the second day of the tour: they didn’t like the service, they felt bad from the altitude (the tour takes place in the highlands at an altitude of 3 to 5 km above sea level) and they basically looked unhappy with everything that surrounded them . And then the four of us were left. Traveling with us were nice guys from Brazil, Tasiana and Augusto, with whom we became friends. The driver Rosendo also produced good impression. All that remained was to get used to Bolivian time: if they say that you have to get up at 4 in the morning, you can safely tear your head off the pillow at five.

Salar de Uyuni on the map

Uyuni in Bolivia

Uyuni is a city in Bolivia, famous for being located next to the largest salt flat in the world, Uyuni. This is the place where salt is mined, and now it has also become popular place for tourism. This is where tours to the Salar de Uyuni and the high altiplano plateaus from Bolivia begin.

How we got to Uyuni from La Paz

We got to Uyuni by the cheapest bus from La Paz, driving along terrible Bolivian roads. I couldn’t sleep at night because of the constant shaking and cold. Although we were given a blanket, it was not enough. Our flight arrived in Uyuni at six in the morning and it was the very first bus arriving in the morning. The driver kept up the pace all night along the dirt road, making it completely impossible to sleep. Tired, we quickly found a travel agency and signed up for a tour starting the same day.

Hotels in Uyuni - where to stay

Uyuni is a rather small town. However, there are many hotels here and they are all quite expensive. Therefore, it is important to really choose good hotel and pay specifically for the quality of service, and not just for proximity to the salt marsh. It’s worth settling in Uyuni if ​​you want to look exclusively at the salt marsh or are returning after a tour of the Bolivian altiplano (or the same tour that starts from) and need to recover after a rather difficult trip from an everyday point of view.

• Hotel de Sal Casa Andina- grade 9.3 . A unique hotel in Uyuni made of salt blocks with beautiful ethnic decoration. Guests praise the spacious rooms and cleanliness. Bicycle rentals are available and breakfast is included in the price. Book >>
• Jardines de Uyuni- grade 8.1 . A bright hotel in the city center with heating (which is very important!) and breakfast. Guests note the comfort and warmth. Book >>
• Hotel Palacio de Sal- grade 8.4 . A great option to live right in the middle of the salt desert in a hotel made of salt. Spacious, bright rooms, excellent Wi-Fi and breakfast. The hotel is located near the town of Colchani (20 km from Uyuni), famous for its souvenir market. Book >>

Walk around the city of Uyuni

The town of Uyuni itself is also quite expensive. Compared to the capital, food in restaurants here is much more expensive. We walked around the city a little, even twice. In general, you can get around the entire city of Uyuni in half an hour. We looked at the monument to the Dakar race, which is now held in Bolivia, and went to local market and were glad that we had breakfast in a decent cafe. We had no time to sleep, at 11 we were loaded into our Lexus, and we went to look at the mysterious Salar de Uyuni salt marsh.

Our route through the Uyuni salt marsh and high mountain lagoons

• On the first day we saw the train cemetery and the salt marsh itself. Then we marveled at three species - the Chilean, Andean and James flamingos - that come to such a barren land to start a new life here.
• Bizarre rocks and stones - that’s how it turned out. And it ended with incomparable and beautiful!
• We started the morning with hot springs, and then set off through the Salvador Dali desert.

After leaving Uyuni, we drove around the salt marsh and walked on the salt, saw an island of cacti in the sea of ​​salt, even lay down and ate in a restaurant made entirely of salt, and at night slept in a salt hotel not far from the salt marsh. In the sun, such blinding white light can hurt your eyes, so sunglasses are a must on this trip!

There are still absolutely fantastic places on Earth where you get the feeling of being on another planet. Salar de Uyuni Salar(Spanish: Salar de Uyuni), or simply Uyuni, is one such amazing place.

Uyuni is considered the largest salt marsh on Earth, with an area of ​​10.6 km². It represents dried salt Lake in the south is a desert highland (Spanish Altiplano), located in, at an altitude of about 3.7 thousand meters above sea level. The salt marsh is located on the territory of the departments (Spanish: Oruro) and (Spanish: Potosí) in the southwest of the country.

Thousands of tourists from all over the planet come here every year to admire the endless expanses of salt sparkling in the sun, which change their color more than once during the day, visit unique salt hotels, watch ancient volcanoes and flocks of pink flamingos.

Photo gallery hasn't opened? Go to the site version.

Education and Geology

The geological history of the Uyuni salt marsh consists of the sequential transformation of several large lakes. About 40 thousand years ago, the current salt marsh was part of Lake Minchin (Spanish: Lago Minchin), which had previously emerged from the ancient glacial lake Ballivian (Spanish: Ballivian). After the huge reservoir dried out, there were 2 lakes that still exist today, (Spanish: Lago Poopo) and Uru-Uru (Spanish: Lago Uru Uru), as well as 2 salt marshes: Uyuni and Salar de Coipasa (Spanish: SalardeCoipasa).

Both salt marshes are separated from each other by a chain of hills. Lake Poopo is adjacent to a large one (Spanish: Titicaca). During the rainy season, lakes Poopo and Titicaca overflow their banks, causing salt marshes to flood. A small layer of water covering the salt layer turns the salt desert into a giant mirror. This spectacle cannot be described in words: the sky above your head and under your feet creates an indescribable feeling of “floating in the air.”

Interior dry lake covered with a layer of table salt 2-9 m thick, and in some places the thickness of the salt layer reaches almost 10 m.

In the center of the Uyuni salt marsh there are several “islands”, which are the remains of ancient volcanoes. Today, their surface is covered with fragile sediments consisting of mineral fossils and algae. Below, lake silt alternates with layers of an aqueous solution (brine) saturated with lithium chloride, sodium chloride and magnesium chloride.

Economic importance of the salt marsh

The Uyuni Salar is of great importance to the Bolivian economy.

The salt reserves in the Uyuni salt marsh are truly enormous: according to rough estimates of experts, the salt marsh contains more than 10 billion tons of salt, of which more than 25 thousand tons are extracted annually.

Secondly, the almost perfectly flat surface of the salt marsh (the average height difference throughout its entire territory is no more than 1 m) serves as the main road route in the Altiplano during the dry season.

Thirdly, the lithium chloride found here in significant quantities is used to extract lithium, which is widely used in the battery industry. About 100 million tons of lithium, i.e. 50-70% of its world reserves are located in the salt marsh.

Fourthly, thanks to dry air, clear sky, large area of ​​flat surface and high albedo (from the Latin "albedo", a characteristic of the reflective properties of a surface) in the presence of even a slight layer of water, the Uyuni salt marsh is actively used as an excellent tool for testing and calibrating remote sensing instruments of orbiting satellites.

Fifthly, the unique salt marsh is an extremely popular tourist route.

Seasonal effects

During the rainy season (November - March), the salt marsh is covered with a layer of water up to 30 cm, which creates an amazing mirror effect: clouds float across the sky and underfoot. You can observe simply unimaginable landscapes, when cars and people seem to be floating in the clouds.

Amazing mirror effect of the salt marsh...Clouds float across the sky and under your feet...

During the dry season, as water evaporates, polygonal cells resembling a honeycomb are formed on the surface of the salt marsh. Mostly 6-gons are found, but there are 5-gons, 7-gons and even 8-gons.

Climate

In summer, the air temperature in the Uyuni salt marsh area fluctuates around +22 °C. Hot days usually give way to cold nights. Winter (June - August) is considered the most tourist season here, although during the day the air warms up to a maximum of +13 °C, and at night the temperature can sharply drop to -10 °C. During the dry season, the salt marsh landscape is exclusively white.

The rainy season lasts from November to March, during this period the surface of the salt marsh turns into a titanic mirror.

Flora and fauna

The territory of the world's largest salt marsh is practically devoid of vegetation, with the only exceptions being small shrubs and giant cacti (up to 12 m in height). In the summer, from November to December, you can see an absolutely stunning picture here: hundreds of amazing pink flamingos walking along the mirror-like surface of the lake. Every year, 3 species of South American flamingos fly to Uyuni to breed: Chilean, Andean and James flamingos (lat. Phoenicoparrus jamesi).

The vicinity of the salt marsh is also home to about 80 species of birds, including the Andean goose, horned coot and a species of hummingbird called the Andean mountain star. In some parts of the salt marsh there are Andean foxes and viscachas - small rodents similar to our rabbits.

Attractions

The Uyuni Salt Flat is one of the most unusual attractions in Bolivia, attracting many travelers - about 70 thousand tourists visit it annually.

Locomotive Cemetery

Going to the Uyuni salt flat, tourists will certainly make a stop at the “steam locomotive cemetery” (Spanish: “Cementeriode Trenes”), located 3 km from the city of Uyuni. Once this town, whose population today does not exceed 15 thousand inhabitants, was a major center of Bolivia with a developed network of railways. A sharp drop in mineral production at the surrounding mines in the 40s. last century led to the complete collapse of railway communication in this region. Huge locomotives, electric locomotives, carriages and trolleys were abandoned to the mercy of fate.

Some of the cemetery exhibits are over 100 years old! All these historical specimens are in a very deplorable condition. Local authorities have repeatedly raised the issue of creating a museum under open air, but, unfortunately, “things are still there.”

Quivers

The small village of Colchani (Spanish: Colchani) is located on the eastern edge of the salt marsh, 22 km from Uyuni. The main occupation of the village residents is salt extraction, processing and shipping it to other regions of Bolivia. A special feature of the village are houses built from salt blocks. The local Salt Museum displays furniture and sculptures made from local natural materials.

Salt hotels

Many tourists prefer to stay in hotels built from salt blocks. In 1995, the first such hotel was built in the center of the Uyuni salt marsh, which soon became a popular tourist attraction. The salt hotel was dismantled in 2002 and several new, environmentally compliant salt hotels were built on the outskirts of the salt marsh.

One such luxury hotel, Palacio de Sal (Spanish: Palacio de Sal) is located in the village of Colcani. Walls, floors, ceilings, as well as most of the furniture and interior decoration of the hotel - sculptures, beds, tables, chairs and even clocks - are made from salt. The comfortable hotel, covering an area of ​​4,500 m², has all the amenities, including a Jacuzzi bath, sauna and steam bath.

The only thing visitors are prohibited from doing inside such buildings is licking the walls and interior items. To prevent guests from succumbing to temptation, there are signs all around: “Do not lick!”

Pescado Island

In the very center of a huge salt marsh is the island of Pescado (Spanish: IsladelPescado). The word "pescado" means "fish" in Spanish. During the rainy season, the reflection of the island on the surface of the salt marsh really resembles a huge swimming fish.

The island, with an area of ​​about 2 km², represents the pinnacle of an ancient volcano. He towers over salt desert at 100-120 m. The island is covered with fossilized coral deposits and giant cacti, some of which are more than 1000 years old. The age of a cactus can be determined by its height, since it is known that cacti grow 1 cm per year. The ruins of ancient settlements are located on the island.

Edionda Lagoon(Spanish: La Grande Laguna Hedionda)

Edionda is a salt lake favored by migrating pink and white flamingos. Since the 3 km² reservoir is surrounded by wetlands, its name is translated from Spanish. does not sound very euphonious: “Big stinking lake.” In the vicinity of the lake you can see herds of llamas and alpacas.

Laguna Colorada(Spanish: Laguna Colorada).

This is a small reddish salt lake located in the National Reserve of Andean Fauna (Spanish: Reserva Nacionalde Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa). The unusual red hue of the pond is given by microscopic algae “algae”. Lake Colorada is notable for its large colonies of flamingos.

Sol de Mañana Geyser Pool(Spanish: Solarde Manaña)

Sol de Mañana is located 50 km from Lake Colorada. The bubbling sulfur pools and geysers of the basin emit sulfur gas with a characteristic unpleasant odor of rotten eggs.

Not far from the geyser pool is the Termas-de-Polques thermal pond, the temperature of which is pleasant for swimming. The mineral composition of the water improves the well-being of those suffering from arthritis and rheumatism.

Laguna Verde(Spanish: Laguna Verde)

Verde - a salt lake at the foot Licancabur volcano(Spanish Licancabur; 5920 m), located on the border with. The green color of the lake is given by sedimentary deposits containing copper. Verde is famous for its hot springs and picturesque scenery. A small “corridor” separates the lake from Laguna Blanca (Spanish: LagunaBlanca) with white water (where the name of the lake comes from), due to the high concentration of sodium pyroborate (borax).

The Salar de Uyuni (Spanish version of the name Salar de Uyuni) is the largest salt flat in the world with an area of ​​10,582 km². It is located in the southwest of Bolivia at an altitude of 3656 meters above sea level and is covered with a salt crust with an average thickness of several meters (in places up to 10 m). According to some estimates, the Uyuni salt marsh contains up to 50% of the world's lithium reserves. Tourists from all over the world come here to observe ancient volcanoes, flocks of pink flamingos, roaming herds of wild llamas, giant cacti 10 meters or more high, lakes that change color daily and magical fields of geysers.

Education and Geology

All salt marshes were formed on the site of former lakes and other water basins. If the lake does not have water flow into the river, and the rate of evaporation exceeds the amount of precipitation, the concentration of salt in the water increases over time. After complete evaporation of water, a hard crust of salt forms on the surface and the area turns into a salt marsh.

The Uyuni Salar is part of the Bolivian Altiplano, a mountain plateau more than 3,000 meters above sea level. The plateau has a number of fresh and salt lakes, salt marshes, all surrounded by mountains and volcanoes.

The geological history of the Uyuni salt marsh consists of the successive transformation of several huge lakes. Approximately 30,000-42,000 years ago, its territory was part of the giant prehistoric Lake Minchin. Lake Minchin (named after Juan Minchin) later transformed into Lake Tauka and then (approximately 11,500 - 13,400 years ago) into the youngest prehistoric Lake Coipasa. When it dried up, there remained two modern lakes (Poopo and Uru Uru) and two salt marshes - the Salar de Coipasa and the much larger Salar de Uyuni. Both salt marshes are separated from each other by a number of hills. Lake Poopo is a neighbor of the much larger Lake Titicaca. During the rainy season, the level of Titicaca rises and the water flows into Lake Poopo, which in turn causes flooding of both salt marshes - Coipas and Uyuni.

The top of the salt marsh is covered with a hard crust of salt of varying thickness: from several tens of centimeters to 10 meters in the center. Below, lake silt alternates with layers of brine - an aqueous solution saturated with sodium chloride, lithium chloride and magnesium chloride. The most valuable of these minerals is lithium chloride.

In the center of the Uyuni salt marsh there are several “islands”, which are the remains of the peaks of ancient volcanoes, completely submerged in water during the era of the existence of the prehistoric Lake Minchin. Now their surface is covered with fragile sediments, often consisting of fossils and algae, on top of which cacti and shrubs grow.

Economic significance

For centuries, the Quechua Indians survived by mining and selling salt. The salt is scraped off, transported to nearby villages, where it is processed, packaged and shipped to consumers. About 25,000 tons of salt are mined annually - a drop in the ocean compared to reserves of 10 billion tons.

Under a thick layer of salt is brine - an aqueous solution with a 0.3% concentration of lithium, the lightest metal that is predicted to have a great future. For two decades, lithium has been used in laptops, mobile phones and other devices. But its main application is expected to be in the production of batteries for electric cars, which can replace gasoline and diesel fuel for cars in the near future. A lot of lithium is found in rock and sea water. But almost all reserves suitable for industrial development are found in the form of brine under salt marshes. The invention of the pneumatic tire turned rubber into a valuable commodity in the 19th century. The global trend towards green energy has the potential to do the same for lithium in 21st.

Attempts to extract lithium by foreign companies in the 1980s and 1990s met with strong opposition from local population. Despite their poverty, local residents frown upon the idea of ​​mining the precious metal. The Bolivian government does not intend to allow foreign corporations to develop it and plans to build its own plant.

Thanks to its location and ideal level (the average elevation difference across the entire area is only one meter), the Salar de Uyuni is one of the main road routes through the Bolivian Altiplano, except during the rainy season.

Effects

During the rainy season from November to March, the salt marsh is covered with a layer of water up to 30 cm. When a thin layer of water covers the surface of the salt marsh, a mirror effect is created. Clouds are visible not only from above in the sky, but also from below under your feet. The landscapes are simply unimaginable. The impression is as if people and cars are floating in the clouds.

During the dry season, polygonal grooves are formed on the surface of the salt marsh, similar to a honeycomb, but less regular in shape. Mostly hexagons are found, but there are also pentagons, heptagons and even octagons. These forms of furrows several centimeters high are formed during the process of water evaporation.

Flora and fauna

The salt marsh is virtually devoid of any wild animals or plants. Plants are dominated by giant cacti. They grow at a rate of 1 cm per year to a height of up to 12 meters. Other plants are represented by shrubs.

Every year in November and December, the Salar de Uyuni attracts three species of South American pink flamingos: the Chilean, the Andean and the James. The pink coloration of flamingos comes from feeding on pink microalgae (algae). The area is home to about 80 other bird species, including the horned coot, the Andean goose, and the Andean mountain star hummingbird. Animal world represented by the Andean fox, some salt marsh areas (in particular Fish Island) have small colonies of viscachas (a rodent similar to our rabbit).

Places of interest (attractions)

The Salar de Uyuni is a popular tourist attraction in Bolivia. It attracts about 70,000 tourists annually. This article describes the "standard" route for a trip through the salt marsh and surrounding lagoons. Tour operators use off-road vehicles (usually Toyota Landcruisers), and the driver is often responsible for cooking. Most 3 and 4 day tours have the same travel itinerary for the first two and a half days (the first day includes a visit to the Uyuni salt flats, then heads into southwestern Bolivia to lakes and volcanoes, and then the tour routes diverge). Specific places to visit depend on the tour chosen. Accommodation, as a rule, is in simple houses, which, despite the cold weather, are not always heated, but amazing landscapes are worth some sacrifices.

First day of the trip - salt marsh

On the first day you will visit the salt marsh. During the dry season the landscape is exclusively white. During the rainy season, the surface of the salt marsh perfectly reflects the blue sky and clouds.

Plaza Arce(Plaza Arce). Most trips start at 10:30 am from Plaza Arce, located next to railway station Uyuni.

Train Graveyard(Cementerio de Trenes). Typically, the first stop on the tour is the Train Graveyard, but some operators choose to end the tour at this location. Uyuni, small town OK with a population of just over 15,000, it was once a major railway center in Bolivia. With the decline of the mining industry in the 1940s, the railway also fell into disrepair, leaving trains to fend for themselves in the outskirts of the city. Some locomotives are over 100 years old. The Train Graveyard is the most popular attraction in this town.

Quivers(Colchani). It is a small village about 22 kilometers from Uyuni on the eastern edge of the salt flats. The main occupation of its inhabitants is salt mining. The salt is processed and sent to other regions of Bolivia, and some of it is exported abroad. Kolchani serves as the first stop on most excursions. In addition to salt mining, many of its residents survive through tourism. A special feature of the village (in addition to stopping to drink some water and buy souvenirs) are its houses, built from blocks of salt. In appearance, the village is not very attractive and snow-white, but where else in the world will you find such a street or such buildings made of salt? The Salt Museum displays animal figurines and furniture made from this material, and demonstrates construction technologies using salt.

Salt mining area

Visit places where salt is manually raked from the surface of the salt marsh into piles weighing a ton or more, and left to dry in the sun before being transported to a factory for subsequent processing.

Salt Hotel

Due to the high cost of conventional building materials, many visitors stay in hotels built almost entirely (walls, roof) from salt blocks. Juan Quezada was the first to propose the idea of ​​​​building a salt hotel, because salt has been the most practical thing for centuries building material in this area. The first such hotel was built in 1995 in the center of the Uyuni salt marsh, and it very quickly became a popular tourist attraction. But the hotel's location in the middle of a salt marsh caused a number of sanitary problems. Serious environmental pollution prompted authorities to close and dismantle the hotel in 2002. Later, several new salt hotels were built on the outskirts of the salt marsh in full compliance with environmental standards.

One of these hotels (Hotel Palacio de Sal Hotel & Spa) is located in the village of Colchani on the eastern edge of the salt marsh. Apart from the walls, floors and ceilings, most of its interior decoration is also made of salt: chairs, tables, beds, clocks and even sculptures. The luxurious 4,500 m² hotel has all modern amenities, including a dry sauna, steam bath, jacuzzi, bathtub. It can accommodate 48 people at a time in 16 double rooms and 8 single rooms. Previously, salt was considered only a vital component for cooking, but in the Uyuni salt marsh area this mineral was used in a completely different capacity. You can book your room on the hotel website www.palaciodesal.com.bo

Fish Island(Isla de los Pescados)

The name comes from the Spanish word "pescado", which means "fish". The thing is that during the rainy season, the reflection of the island on the surface of the salt marsh resembles a fish. The island is covered in fossilized coral deposits and 1,000-year-old cacti. These cacti (the tallest ones are 9-10 m) grow at a rate of 1 cm per year, so you can easily calculate their age. On the island you can see several viscachas (South American rodents that look like hares). You can walk around the island, enjoy the panorama of the salt flat and do beautiful photos(This the best place to photograph the salt marsh). Majority tourist groups dine on the western "shore" of this island. A small fee is charged for the right to visit.

Overnight stop. Typically stay overnight in San Juan, although for a real treat you can look for a travel agency that provides accommodation closer to the salt marsh. Then you can get up before dawn and see a beautiful sunrise.

The second day of the trip - a trip to the Colorada Lagoon

Continuation of the journey southwest towards the colored lakes (red, blue, white, yellow and green) located in the National Reserve of Andean Fauna Eduardo Avaroa (Parque Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa). The water is colored by a number of different minerals washed away from the surrounding volcanoes by currents. Some tours include visits to the Galaxy Cave (Cueva Galaxia) and the Devil's Cave (Cueva del Diablo).

Laguna Edionda(Laguna Hedionda) is a salt lake notable for several species of migrating pink and white flamingos. The Spanish name "La Grande Laguna Hedionda" means "big stinking lake". Laguna Edionda is one of nine small salt lakes in the Andean Altiplano. The 3 km² lake is located at an altitude of 4121 meters and is surrounded by salt marshes and wetlands. From time to time, llamas and alpacas can be seen grazing in the lake area. Laguna Edionda serves as a popular stopover and lunch spot.
Vizcacha habitat. A short stop on a rocky outcrop where a colony of viscachas lives. The guides lure them out of their hiding places using carrots.

Arbol de Piedra(Arbol de Piedra) - a stone in the shape of a tree. Over the years, water and wind have carved the sculpture from a huge boulder, resembling a petrified tree that seems to grow from the ground.

Laguna Colorada(Laguna Colorada) is a shallow salt lake located in the National Reserve of Andean Fauna Eduardo Avaroa (Reserva Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa) near the border with Chile. The red lake is located at an altitude of 4278 m. The red hue of the lake is given by algae - microscopic algae. The lagoon contains many other minerals that form a breeding ground for the development of microorganisms that flamingos feed on. Laguna Colorada is best known for its large colonies of flamingos. James's flamingos are most common, and Andean and Chilean flamingos are less common. For the right to enter national reserve Andean fauna Eduardo Avaroa requires a small fee.

Accommodation. Accommodation in the Colorada Lagoon area in simple brick shacks, sometimes without heating. Electricity is supplied for several hours. Please note that at night in July the temperature can drop to -10 °C or lower.

Third morning - geysers and hot springs, Laguna Verde

The journey will continue in the early morning (waking up at 4am) without breakfast to visit the following places:

Sol de Mañana Geyser Pool(Solar de Manaña). The geyser pool is located 50 km from the Colorada Lagoon at an altitude of 4850 meters above sea level. In this place, bubbling sulfur pools, fumaroles and geysers emit sulfur gas with an unpleasant smell of rotten eggs. Sometimes geysers lift hot steam tens of meters into the air. The geyser pool is usually visited at sunrise.

Termas de Polques thermal pond located near the Sol de Magnana geyser basin. Swim if you want to really enjoy it thermal spring. The mineral content of the water is believed to relieve the symptoms of arthritis and rheumatism. The temperature of the reservoir is pleasant for swimming, but in the morning at an altitude of 4400 meters above sea level the air is quite cold, so many people prefer to watch. Popular place for breakfast.

Laguna Verde(Laguna Verde) is a salt lake on the Chilean border, in the water of which the nearby Licancabur volcano (5920 m) is reflected. The green color of the lagoon is due to sediments containing copper and other minerals. The lake is located at an altitude of 4300 m above sea level. Laguna Verde is well known for its picturesque scenery and hot springs. A small corridor separates the lake from Laguna Blanca.

Laguna Blanca(Laguna Blanca) - a lake 5.6 km long and 3.5 km wide, located at an altitude of 4350 m. The characteristic white color of the water, which gave the lake its name, is caused by a high concentration of borax (sodium pyroborate). A narrow corridor separates Lagoon Blanca from the smaller Lagoon Verde.

Tupisa

If you choose a four-day tour that includes a visit to Tupiza, then you should see the following places:

Laguna Celeste(Laguna Celeste). The lake is bluish in color with a high content of magnesium and manganese. Located at an altitude of 4529 m, area 2.3 km².

Laguna Amarilla(Laguna Amarilla). A greenish-yellow lake with a high concentration of sulfur.

Ruins of the colonial city of San Antonio(San Antonio). This is an abandoned sixteenth-century mining town.

Uyuni

On the way back to Uyuni, you will make stops in small villages and also visit Stone Valley(Valles de Rocas) - a place with unusual rock formations formed by wind erosion. The small village of Alota is a relatively popular overnight stop.

Fourth day of the trip – arrival in the city of Tupiza

Continuing the trip along the road with beautiful scenery nature. The last attraction before arriving in Tupiza will be El Sillar - a heavily eroded rock formation.

Fourth day of the trip – arrival in the city of Uyuni

The last day of the trip includes a visit to the small town of San Cristobal, whose main attraction is the old church, and then return to Uyuni.

How to get there

There are several ways to get from La Paz to Uyuni:

Airplane. On July 11, 2011, Bolivian President Evo Morales opened El Aeropuerto Joya Andina Airport in Uyuni. The airport is currently served by two airlines: Amaszonas (www.amaszonas.com) and Transporte Aereo Militar (abbreviated TAM, www.tam.bo). Transporte Aereo Militar offers flights to Uyuni from La Paz (with a stopover in Sucre) every Monday, Friday and Saturday. Return flights from Uyuni to La Paz (again, with a stopover in Sucre), also on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays. To date, Transporte Aereo Militar does not provide ticket booking through its website. The disadvantage of flying with Transporte Aereo Militar is that the flight from La Paz to Uyuni lands in Sucre and if there are bad weather, the flight may be temporarily cancelled. The preferred option is Amazonas, which offers daily flights to Uyuni from La Paz.

Bus. Tourist night bus. There are several tourist overnight buses going from La Paz to Uyuni and vice versa. Buses leave every day. There are no daytime buses. The journey takes approximately 10 hours, but may take longer during the rainy season (November to April). All buses transit through Oruro. The total distance is 569 km (from La Paz to Oruro 229 km on a paved road, and from Oruro to Uyuni 340 km on a dirt road). The bus leaves La Paz at 21.00 and arrives in Uyuni around 07.00. Take the tourist bus from Todo Turismo (www.todoturismo.bo). This best bus Bolivia, friendly staff speaks English, offers hot meals on board the bus. It runs between Uyuni and La Paz on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Bus – train. You can travel from La Paz to Oruro by bus (about 4 hours) and then take the train from Oruro to Uyuni. You will have to take a taxi from the bus station to railway station in Oruro. Every Tuesday and Friday, the Expreso del Sur train leaves Oruro at 15:30, arriving in Uyuni at 22:20. Every Sunday and Wednesday the train leaves Oruro at 19:00, arriving in Uyuni at 02:20. The Wara Wara del Sur train from Uyuni to Oruro departs on Thursday and Sunday at 00:05, arriving in Oruro at 07:00, on Tuesday and Friday departure from Oruro at 01:45, arriving in Uyuni at 09:10. See below the departure schedule for the Expreso del Sur and Wara Wara del Sur trains ( read the article Transport in Bolivia (buses, trains)). You can book train tickets online at www.fca.com.bo.

Climate and when to visit

From November to March (summer in Bolivia) is the rainy season. The average temperature in December-January is + 21 °C, but it is cold at night throughout the year. When it rains, water accumulates on the flat surface of the Uyuni salt marsh and reflects like a mirror. The tour may be postponed due to large quantity precipitation, as cars are severely damaged by corrosion from salt water.

During the rainy season, thousands of flamingos migrate to the area to mate and reproduce. There are especially many of them around the Colorada and Verde lagoons. Best month see flamingos – November and December.

In winter, especially in June and July, average temperature+ 13 °C, but at night it drops below zero, sometimes down to -10 °C and below. Winter is the dry season (April to October). In the dry season, the salt marsh is a perfectly flat plain. Precipitation varies from 1-3 mm per month from April to November and increases to 70 mm in January. Peak tourist season is from June to August.

Helpful information

When the Uyuni salt marsh is covered with water, it looks like a huge mirror reflecting the sky

The Uyuni salt marsh is made of gypsum, and its inner surface, which has a depth of 2 to 8 m, is covered with a layer of rock salt - halite. According to experts, it contains at least 10 billion tons of table salt.

From November to March, when the rainy season comes to the plateau, the surface of the salt marsh is covered with a thin layer of water, and then Uyuni resembles a giant mirror. The horizon line becomes almost invisible, the surface of the lake merges with the sky, and the landscapes around the Uyuni salt marsh acquire an unearthly beauty. Excellent conditions for photographers!

Many tourists from different countries peace. The peak tourist season is from June to August. Especially for travelers, local residents have built hotels, the walls of which are made of salt blocks, and you can spend the night in them. A night in a salt hotel costs about $20. The owners even post notices for guests asking “not to lick” the interior items.

Next to the salt marsh is the mining town of Uyuni, home to 10.6 thousand inhabitants. Here you can see several monuments to workers, a monument to a railway carriage and sculptures in the steampunk style. The town is small; an hour is enough to explore it.

The inhabitants of Bolivia have a beautiful legend about the birth of the Uyuni salt marsh. It is framed by the Kusku, Kuzina and Tunupa mountain ranges. The Aymara Indians believe that these mountains were once inhabited by giant people. Tunupa was Kusku's wife and bore him a son. However, the beautiful Cousin separated the spouses, and Kusku went to live with her, taking with him the infant. Tunupa was very worried about what happened and cried. Her tears mixed with breast milk and gave birth to a huge salt marsh. Since then, local residents have called it Tunupa.

Origin of the Uyuni Salt Flat

In ancient times, on the Altiplano there was a huge reservoir called Minchin, the depth of which reached 100 meters. About 40 thousand years ago, due to the hot sun and lack of tributaries, it began to become shallow. Gradually, on the site of Minchin, two lakes (Uru Uru and Poopo) and two large salt marshes - Uyuni and Salar de Coipasa - formed. By the way, the Coipasa salt marsh with an area of ​​2,218 km² is the second largest in Bolivia after Uyuni.

Climatic features

On the high plateau where the Uyuni salt marsh lies, the air temperature is stable. From November to January, the thermometer during the daytime reaches +21...+22°C, and in June it drops to +13°C. Since the salt marsh is located at an altitude of more than 3500 m above sea level, it is cold at night at any time of the year. In July, temperatures drop below 0°C and can sometimes drop to -10°C.

Relative humidity in the mountain plateau area is always low - 30-45%. The air is dry and precipitation is low. Even during the rainy season, there are only five days of precipitation per month.

Industrial significance of the salt marsh

The Uyuni Salt Flat plays a large role in the Bolivian economy. Rock salt is mined there. Every year it reaches 25 thousand tons. Tourists can visit the small village of Colchani, located 22 km from the city of Uyuni, in the east of the salt marsh. Its residents have long been involved in salt mining, and most of the village's houses are built from rock salt blocks.

The salt marsh also contains huge reserves of lithium chloride. From this salt, the light alkali metal lithium, needed for the production of batteries, is extracted. Uyuni contains from 50 to 70% of all lithium reserves on the planet - about 100 million tons. There are also large reserves of magnesium chloride here.

The Uyuni salt marsh has been used in space exploration of the earth's surface. It is used to calibrate and test remote sensing instruments carried on orbiting satellites. Calibration at Uyuni is five times more successful than at the surface of the ocean. The reason for this is the high reflectivity, large size and flat surface of the salt lake.

Salt in Uyuni is mined for the needs of the food industry and for making tourist souvenirs. Rock salt blocks are used not only to make walls, but also to make tables, beds and various interior decorations.

The first salt hotels appeared in the 1990s in the very center of the salt marsh, and they became very popular among tourists. However, due to non-compliance with sanitation standards, such hotels heavily polluted the environment, and local authorities decided to dismantle them. The hotels were rebuilt on the outskirts of the Uyuni salt marsh. Now they work in compliance with all sanitary rules and environmental standards.

Panorama of the Uyuni salt marsh

What you can see in the Uyuni salt flat

In November, when the rainy season begins, more than 90 species of birds come here to breed, including three species of flamingos. They feed on algae algae and crustaceans, and from this the feathers of graceful birds acquire a bright pink color. The salt marsh is also home to several rare species hummingbird

The area surrounding the Uyuni salt marsh is home to rabbit-like rodents - viscachas, foxes and alpacas. Soft and extremely warm, alpaca wool is similar in properties to sheep wool, but much lighter. It has long been used by local residents to make blankets, rugs and clothing items.

The surface of the Uyuni salt marsh is covered with large salt “honeycombs”. At the beginning of spring, when the rainy season ends, the salt crust dries out. The water that has accumulated below begins to break out through it to the surface, and small cone-shaped volcanoes are formed.

Uyuni is almost completely devoid of vegetation. In its center there are several islands, which, by their geological origin, are craters of volcanoes extinct in ancient times. During the existence of Lake Minchin, they were entirely hidden under the surface of the water.

Many tourists travel by jeep to Fish Island (Isla de los Pescados), covered with coral deposits. Giant cereus cacti up to 10 m high grow here. Botanists believe that the age of individual specimens exceeds 1200 years. In addition to cacti, several types of shrubs grow on the island, and local residents use them as fuel. There are also three small restaurants on Pisces Island for travelers to rest and refresh themselves.

Fish Island

Another attraction of the huge salt marsh is the Valley of Stones (Valles de Rocas). This is the name of the place where you can see unusual stone remains. The bizarre shapes of these stone sculptures were created over many millions of years by the forces of wind, water and sunlight. And in the center of Uyuni there is a platform made of blocks of rock salt. Travelers leave flags of their countries on it.

3 km from the city of Uyuni, near the single-track railway line leading from Bolivia to the northern provinces of Chile, is located unusual museum– “cemetery” of steam locomotives (Cementerio de Trenes). Here, in the open air, you can see examples of rusted railway equipment that were used until the middle of the last century. Steam locomotives were abandoned as unnecessary after production from local mines fell sharply. Of particular interest are the articulated steam locomotives of the Meyer and Garratt systems.

Video: Reflections from Uyuni

Salt perfectly reflects sunlight. It glitters so much that it hurts your eyes, so it is difficult to do without sunglasses and a hat on the Uyuni salt marsh. Experts advise to be sure to use sunscreen, because you can get very sunburned in 1-2 hours.

In addition, you need to understand that the salt marsh is located in the highlands, and some tourists at the beginning of the trip may experience signs of altitude sickness - lethargy, apathy, dizziness, nausea and sleep disturbances. It takes time for your health to normalize. A local acclimatization remedy is coca leaf tea.

The cheapest salt flat tours are sold in the city of Uyuni or online. They are usually designed for two days and two nights so that tourists can explore the main local attractions. Many people travel around the Uyuni salt flat on their own using rented transport.

How to get there

The Uyuni salt marsh is located 500 m south of the city of La Paz, the capital of Bolivia. The nearest settlement is the small town of Uyuni.

Opened next to the salt marsh since 2011 international Airport(El Aeropuerto Joya Andina). There are two flights from the Bolivian capital here at once. local airlines. Traveling by air is the fastest way to get to the salt marsh, as the flight takes only 40-45 minutes.

In addition, you can come to the Uyuni salt marsh by land transport - a rented car or bus. Tourist buses run from La Paz and other major cities. The length of the road from the capital through the city of Oruro is 569 km. Tourists leave La Paz at 21.00 and arrive in Uyuni in the morning; accordingly, they travel from 10 to 15 hours.

There is another route option: you can travel from La Paz to Oruro by bus in 4 hours, and then get to Uyuni by local train.

At an altitude of 3,650 m above sea level.

A few years ago, Lonely Planet published a list of the most striking natural attractions in the world, putting the Uyuni salt flat in first place. Since 2014, the Dakar race has been held in Uyuni.

Experts believe that the Uyuni salt marsh, which arose as a result of the drying up of the huge Lake Minchin, contains 10 billion tons of salt, of which less than 25 thousand tons are extracted annually. However, you should not try Uyuni salt on your tongue, you can get poisoned (although table salt is also here mined on an industrial scale).

The salt deposits of Uyuni have a very complex composition, including, in addition to sodium salts, also calcium, magnesium and lithium salts. Found on a salt marsh great amount lithium chloride, suitable for the extraction of lithium needed in the battery industry. Experts estimate lithium reserves in the salt marsh at approximately 100 million tons, which represents 50-70% of the world's lithium reserves.

The thickness of the salt layers ranges from 2 meters at the edge to 10 meters in the center. During the dry season, the salt marsh sparkles with snow-white dry salt, and during the rainy season, a thin layer of water forms on the surface of Uyuni.

Unique salt lake Uyuni is used in astronautics. Big size The water table, ideal surface plane and minimal change in altitude allow scientists to use the salt marsh for testing and calibrating satellites. Thanks to the clear skies above Uyuni and dry air, the calibration of remote sensing instruments on orbiting satellites is several times more accurate than when using the surface of the world's oceans.

When is the best time to go to Uyuni?

The best period to visit the Uyuni salt marsh is the rainy season, which lasts from December to January, when the salt surface is covered with water and you can admire the unique mirror reflections of the sky with clouds.

In December, you can see all the diversity of the salt marsh, both dry areas where the dried surface is covered with hexagon-shaped patterns, and wet “mirror” zones. In January and February, the rains intensify, so sometimes all the approaches to the salt marsh are washed away or some areas become inaccessible. However, according to local residents, at any time of the year, even in the dry season, you can find areas covered with water on Uyuni.

Tourists visiting the salt marsh are advised to stock up sunscreens and clothing that protects the body from the scorching high-mountain sun, but at night you will also need warm clothes, since the temperature difference is very large and after sunset it gets sharply cold, sometimes down to minus 10-15 degrees. By the way, it is worth considering that there is no cellular communication, only some hotels nearby have weak Wi-Fi.

Tours to the Uyuni salt marsh and prices

Finding a tour to the Uyuni salt flat is not difficult; most travel agencies in Bolivia and Chile provide this service. In most cases, tourists book a 3-4-day tour, which allows them to visit not only the salt marsh, but also other nearby attractions.

The tour is usually carried out in Toyota Land Cruisers, with a driver and 5-7 passengers. Tourists can stipulate a route, allowing more time to visit certain places.

The price of tours starting to the salt marsh from Chile and Bolivia depends on preferences for the comfort of the hotel and the ability to bargain. For a 3-4 day tour in a group of 5-7 people you will have to pay from 100 to 230 US dollars. This price includes meals and overnight accommodation.

However, for visiting some national parks need to pay separately. There is a $5 fee to go up to the Pisces Island Observation Deck and a $22 fee for the mandatory national park entrance fee. A visit to a paid toilet will cost 0.5 US dollars.

It is advisable to have some amount in the local currency Boliviano with you.

Sights of Uyuni

In addition to the most unique salt marsh, in excursion routes usually includes other interesting objects.

Locomotive Cemetery

Near the railway tracks connecting Antofagasta with Bolivia, 3 km from the city of Uyuni, there is a cemetery for steam locomotives, considered one of the attractions of the salt marsh. In the 1950s, when mineral production at the surrounding mines declined sharply, the city of Uyuni ceased to be a major transport center and the railway began to reduce its rolling stock. Thanks to this, tourists can look at old steam locomotives, among which there are rare and interesting examples, and also take unforgettable photos in a “retro” spirit.

Salt Hotel Playa Blanca

Typically all tours include a visit to this hotel, located approximately 20 km from the edge of the salt marsh. The entire hotel, like all the furniture inside it, is made of salt blocks. In 2002, the hotel was closed due to environmental concerns, but a few years later, after much needed refurbishment, the hotel reopened as a museum and tour accommodation.

And along the banks of the salt marsh, several more hotels were built from salt blocks. According to tourists, the salt chambers are quite warm and easy to breathe. A night in such a hotel will cost 80-100 US dollars.

In front of the hotel there is a salt bed where tourists plant the flags of their countries.

Fish Island

Small volcanic island, located about 70 km from the edge of the salt marsh, is better known as Fish Island because its shape resembles a fish.

The entire island is covered with fossilized corals on which cacti grow. Since such cacti grow at a rate of 1 cm per year, many of them are several hundred years old, and the largest, nine meters, is about 900 years old.

Valley of Geysers

Many tourists come to this valley, located at an altitude of 4,800 m, to admire the hot streams of water shooting from the ground and the surrounding terracotta mountains.

Hot Springs

The springs are located at an altitude of more than 3,000 meters above sea level. The infrastructure is poorly developed, but there is a place where you can change clothes. However, taking a dip in a hot tub overlooking a beautiful valley makes you forget about the inconvenience.

Stone tree in the desert

An amazing formation of stone 5 meters high was created as a result of the work of wind and sand. Several years ago the “tree” was fenced off with a rope, which made it difficult to beautiful pictures, however in last years the attraction can be photographed without interference.

Desert by Salvador Dali

The landscapes in this area are surprisingly reminiscent of the works of the famous surrealist.

Colorful lagoons

Most tourists try to visit the Eduardo Avaroa National Park, where the famous colorful lagoons are located. The unusual color of the lagoons - red, green, white, black - is formed as a result of the washing away of various minerals by mountain rivers and the subsequent colonization of the lakes by bacteria. Fluffy llamas and alpacas walk around the lagoons and are so friendly that you can pet them.

In November, pink flamingos flock to the Uyuni salt marsh. In this desert area, birds breed, and thanks to the reddish crustaceans included in their diet, flamingos acquire a pink color. There are 3 species of flamingos that can be seen on Uyuni: the Chilean flamingo, the Andean flamingo and the James flamingo.

Active volcano Olhague

Volcano Olhague is located on the border of Bolivia and Chile, its height above sea level is 5868 m. Volcano Olhague exhibits slight fumarolic activity, which means that hot gases escape through cracks and holes in the volcano. Fumarolic activity may indicate the extinction of the volcano, or may be a sign of an intermediate stage between eruptions. date last eruption Olhague Volcano is unknown.

"The Eyes of the Salt Marsh"

From under the thin salt edge, streams of water with gas bubbles burst out to the surface; this is not as spectacular as a geyser, but still beautiful.

How to get there

The Uyuni salt flat can be reached from Bolivia or Chile.

Road from Bolivia

If you are already in Bolivia, then you need to get to the city of Uyuni, where comprehensive tours to the salt marsh and surrounding attractions start.

Airplane

The fastest way to get to Uyuni is from the city of La Paz by boarding an Amaszonas or Boa airline. Every day, carriers operate two flights, in the morning and in the evening. The flight duration is about an hour, the price of a round-trip ticket is about 160 USD. Flights arrive at Joya Andina Airport, located 3 km from the city of Uyuni. This distance can be covered by taxi (3-5 US dollars) or on foot in half an hour.

If you are purchasing an Amaszonas ticket online, you must use bank card, which you can present upon boarding, otherwise you will not be allowed on the plane.

Bus

Budget travelers often choose to travel to Uyuni by bus, especially since night crossing will save on hotel costs. Buses to Uyuni depart from the main transport terminal city ​​of La Paz and arrive in the very center of the city. The ticket price is 7-10 US dollars, the journey will take 12-13 hours. Tickets can be booked on the dedicated website.

According to reviews from travelers, the air conditioning on buses is often turned on at full power, so it is better to take warm clothes with you.

Train

Those who like to save money can also get to Uyuni by train departing from the city of Oruro. This method of transportation allows you to admire beautiful views from the window. However, when planning such a trip you need to be careful; trains to Uyuni and back do not run every day.

Tickets are $8 and Business Class are $17 (drinks and snacks included).

Train tickets to Uyuni are sold online, but many tourists complain about the unreliability of the ticket sales system and advise buying them in person at the ticket office.

Road from Chile

Since the salt marsh lies on the border with Chile, it can also be reached from the Chilean side. In this case, the tour begins in the city of San Pedro de Atacama, in the Atacama Desert of the same name.

Airplane

The nearest airport is El Loa in the city of Calama, 100 km from San Pedro de Atacama. This distance can be covered by taxi in an hour and a half, paying 40-50 US dollars.

You can get to Calama from Santiago in 2 hours with flights from Latam and Sky Airlines. The price of a two-way ticket is 80-100 US dollars.

Bus

From Santiago, the bus to Calama departs from the Alameda terminal. The trip will take about 12 hours, the ticket price is 60-100 US dollars (depending on the class of the bus).

Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia

Video review of the Uyuni salt flat in Bolivia