Bolivia Tips - Uyuni

[airiq]

Planning on taking a trip through Bolivia, and wanted to visit Uyuni as part of that.

Anyone have some information on what the major differences would be between just doing a day trip into the flats, opposed to taking a longer trip farther out over the course of 1, 2 or 3 nights total?

 

[lucha54]

Day trip = you only go to the salt flats (and maybe the island with the cacti). I don't think 2 day trip is possible. With a 3 day trip, you go down south (into very high altitudes) towards the border with chile. You see the tree-shaped rock, many lagoons of beautiful colors, flamingos, and the hot springs and geysers.

 

[ARbound]

Let me give you some suggestions. I just came back from Uyuni 2 weeks ago.

You'll only need 2 days/nights max. Visit the flats and the train cemetery, both doable in 1 full/long day if you're committed.

The salt hotels are all over priced/very difficult to find. The best hotel of our trip through northern arge/BO, I'd say was this hotel, Hostal Magia de Uyuni
Also, you can get USD at the official exchange rate from the Bolivian National Bank on the main street, though banks won't take ARS
(money changers will take them though).

There is an island in the middle of the flats that has food/camping and it has a great quinoa soup. A bit pricy but good.
Also, Bolivians in general aren't that friendly towards argies, just an FYI.

Here are 2 pics I took at each place. Have fun! If you have any more questions feel free to ask!

 

[Splitty]

That's not the train cemetery ! It is the northern end of the Sarmiento line

 

[airiq]

Thanks for the information. We are thinking of going sometime in the first half of October.

With the information above, and some additional research, seems like multiple days into the flats can consist of more than just the salt portion, and other sights such as the lagoons and flamingos.

We're going in the beginning of October. Looks like it's not prime time for the flamingos nor for the mirror-like effects of the sky and watery salt pools, but, if we're there, might as well see as much as possible over a couple days.

Anyone recommend any specific tour companies to book in advance? Or better to simply show up into Uyuni and figure it out there. I assume the best deal would be to do upon arrival, but not sure of how scare open seats may be.

Also, for those who did multiple days; did you just start and end in the town of Uyani? Or would it be recommended to start and stop in different towns to maximize the ground covered?

 

[lucha54]

No no, you gotta do the longer one, don't miss this stuff! (unless you are also going to Northern Chile Atacama Desert area, which is geographically similar). Go for the one that is 2 or 3 nights... check it out here : https://www.google.com/search?q=lagunas+of+bolivia&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&authuser=0&ei=VucKUrHGKsfxiwL4_IDACA&biw=1437&bih=743&sei=WucKUrDAAcHNiwLJw4D4Cw

 

[lucha54]

Thanks for the information. We are thinking of going sometime in the first half of October.

With the information above, and some additional research, seems like multiple days into the flats can consist of more than just the salt portion, and other sights such as the lagoons and flamingos.

We're going in the beginning of October. Looks like it's not prime time for the flamingos nor for the mirror-like effects of the sky and watery salt pools, but, if we're there, might as well see as much as possible over a couple days.

Anyone recommend any specific tour companies to book in advance? Or better to simply show up into Uyuni and figure it out there. I assume the best deal would be to do upon arrival, but not sure of how scare open seats may be.

Also, for those who did multiple days; did you just start and end in the town of Uyani? Or would it be recommended to start and stop in different towns to maximize the ground covered?

Great time to go, as it's not as cold as middle of winter, and it's end of dry season so you won't have to miss the island in the salt flats that I previously mentioned (I couldn't go as it was March after wet season and there was water on the ground; not safe enough to drive over to the island). Don't worry about the reflections; there will be beautiful lagoons/scenery and flamingos no doubt!!!

A great way to do it is starting or ending in Tupiza; then you also get to see the scenery outside of Tupiza. These are more expensive but worth the extra because you get an extra day of different sites that you wouldn't see if you just started and ended in Uyuni. If you're heading to Northern Chile, you can also do it one way from Uyuni to Chile. The way I did it was to start in Northern Chile, and then we had our final day at the salt flats in Uyuni. This was wonderful because we arrived in the town of Uyuni in the afternoon, and did the salt flats for sunrise!! You usually can't do it this way if you have a tour that starts in Uyuni because they start mid-day. Maybe if you do a tour that starts in Tupiza and ends in Uyuni, they would do it this way.

Just get a package when you get there. You won't encounter any shortage of seats; there are plenty of companies and it's not over school holidays.

 

[Xeneizes]

Hi,

I am also planning a trip to Northern Argentina / Northern Chile / Southern Bolivia at the end of September. I don't think we can visit all 3 in thd allotted time so I am trying to figure out the most feasible plan.

We are thinking of arriving to Salta on a Friday evening, and departing the following Friday morning back to BA. This would be Saturday-Thursday of full days (6 days) plus 2 travel days.

I've been told that Uyuni and the surrounding areas are a must see. I have also been reading that the end of the San Pedro de Atacama desert is great during this time and the desert flower bloom may even be occurring?

I realize seeing all 3 places is too tough in our time schedule. With 8 days (2 travel + 6 full), could we do Salta + San Pedro, or Salta + Salar de Uyuni? Between the two, what would you guys recommend? Could anyone provide some logistics info of how to get from place to place? The internet hasn't been too helpful.

 

[lucha54]

With 8 days you should just do Salta. I know that is not what you want to hear. There are enough beautiful/mind-blowing/incredible/once in a life time things to see just there alone. Don't bother trying to get to Uyuni and/or San Pedro, it will take anywhere between 10-24 hours depending on which one and how you go, and you will need time to rest after the travel. The bus from San Pedro to Salta is 10 hours during the daytime, so that's a day wasted. San Pedro is the most expensive of the 3 regions.

If you must insist on seeing more than just Salta in 8 days (and I guarantee that at the end of it you will decide that you must go back to Salta for more later- as I did!) then you should do San Pedro as it's closer and more comfortable than entering Bolivia and going all the way to Uyuni for a more 'rugged' (and exhausting) tour. That's not to say you shouldn't go to Uyuni at a later time!! But in San Pedro you need 2.5-3 full days minimum as well not including travel times. There is the Valley of the Moon half-day tour, the full day lagoons/salares tour, and the early morning geysers tour (which I wouldn't recommend but it's some people's 'favorite') .

I still recommend just doing Salta for now and then go to San Pedro + Bolivia on another trip. If you don't do it this way, you will just have to see what I mean when you go. You will decide that it wasn't enough time and that you have to go back anyway.

Salta is AMAAAAAAAAZING... 4 main circuits plus much more:
1. Altiplano + Salina Grande (salt flat of Argentina and more; amazing but if you can't do them all, this is OK to miss)
2. Quebrada de Humahuaca (don't miss this)
3. Drive to and town of Cachi (don't miss this)
4. Quebrada de Cafayate (don't miss this)
others which I have never done but I heard are great : Molinos and Iruya

Plus you need a day or two in the city of Salta (mummy museum and the lift up the hill) and some days to rest in between the 12-14 hour day tours.

Any more questions just ask!!!

 

[airiq]

Those photos are pretty amazing! Ok, pretty much sold on the multi-day trip!

And good to know that upon arrival, can just figure it out then.

With respect to starting/stopping the tour in Uyani or another town; we'll be flying in/out of La Paz, so just need to figure out if a second town of Uyani will be worth the logistics of getting back to La Paz from there. Assuming it's easy enough to do from Tupiza, sounds like it may be worth the extra money.

Lastly, in terms of timing, we do have some flexibility of the dates. We can also go in the second week of November, which it seems is closer to the wet season, so maybe a little water enough to create some of the cool reflections, but not too much to hinder the access to various areas.

Thoughts on October vs November for anyone familiar with the differences?

Thanks!