Uyuni Town

Uyuni Town is the gritty, dusty gateway to the otherworldly Salar de Uyuni, the world's largest salt flat. This high-altitude Bolivian outpost (elevation 3,700m) has a frontier feel, with red-brick buildings, a lively market, and a palpable sense of purpose as the launchpad for salt-flat tours. While the town itself is utilitarian, its setting against the stark altiplano and the nearby train cemetery gives it a unique, photogenic character. Most travellers pass through briefly, but a night here offers a glimpse into life on the edge of one of Earth's most surreal landscapes.

Highlights & What to See

• Salar de Uyuni – The main event: a blindingly white expanse of salt crust stretching to the horizon, famous for its mirror effect during the rainy season (December–April) and its hexagonal salt patterns in the dry season.
• Train Cemetery – A fascinating open-air museum of rusted, abandoned steam locomotives from the 19th and early 20th centuries, just 3km from town. A photographer's dream, especially at sunset.
• Isla Incahuasi – A rocky outcrop covered in giant cacti rising from the salt flat, offering panoramic views of the Salar. Accessible only by tour.
• Uyuni Market – The bustling central market where you can stock up on snacks, llama wool sweaters, and other essentials before heading into the salt flats.
• Colchani – A small village near Uyuni where you can see traditional salt processing and buy salt crafts directly from locals.

Suggested Time to Spend

Most visitors spend 1–2 nights in Uyuni Town, which is enough to take a full-day or sunrise-to-sunset tour of the Salar de Uyuni. If you're continuing to the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve (lagunas route), budget for a 3-day/2-night tour that returns to Uyuni. Arrive a day early to acclimatize to the altitude and explore the Train Cemetery and market.

Nearby Areas Worth Combining

• Salar de Uyuni – The salt flat itself is the obvious extension; most tours include it as the main destination.
• Laguna Colorada – A striking red lake in the Eduardo Avaroa Reserve, home to flamingos and part of the multi-day tour from Uyuni.
• Laguna Verde – A jade-green lake at the foot of the Licancabur volcano, also on the multi-day route.
• Sol de Mañana Geysers – A geothermal field with bubbling mud pots and fumaroles, often visited on the return leg of the lagunas tour.
• Tupiza – A scenic town to the south, which can be reached by a multi-day jeep tour through stunning red-rock canyons (the 'southern circuit').
• Potosi – A historic mining city about 7 hours north by bus, famous for its silver mines and colonial architecture.

Please check official sources for current details.