Where is it?
Probably most of the travelers know where is Uyuni, and if they already not have been there, is one of the places in their check list of places to must go some day.
Placed in the Bolivian highlands, about 3663 meters above sea level, is surrounded by extenses desertics zones where only can be seing the horizont.
Bolivia borders Brazil to the north, Argentina to the southeast, Paraguay and Brazil to the east, Chile to the south, and Peru to the west. Is actually one of the two only Mediterranean countries of all Americas.
How to arrive?
The best option is by air, but if you really are an adventure traveler can use the land route, combining bus and train. That’s what that I choosed, because I love see the landscape through the windows and try to make longest the travelling.
Anyway it depends of where are you coming from and your route’s sheet! Just need your passport, the Vaccination card for yellow fever and somes Bolivianos, that is the Bolivian currency, the formal name is Pesos Bolivianos but everybody call it just Bolivianos.
Where to Stay the first night?
The truth is that are many hotels and hostels around the city, and the major part of them are not available in Booking or that kind of sites, but in my case, I reserved the Hotel Capsula inside the Train Station and was a very good election because the train had a couple of hours of delay for some rocks on the train tracks. Best is having the reservation so you will be sure to got a good night to be prepared for the trips.
What to do in Uyuni?
Obviusly the most exiting thing to do is visit the Uyuni Salt Flat! Are various options to choose, since the single day tour to the 4 days tours that ends in Chile to continue your American Route.
I did the 3 days tours that includes the visit to the train graveyard, the salt hotels, the moon’s valley , the thermal waters and some cute lagoons with extrange colors and beautiful flamingos. But , and of course all the tour is amazing but the extraordinary place is of course Uyuni Salt Flat where you can see the mirror effect that looks you are walking on the clouds and if you like to see the sky at night you will be able to see the largest number of stars in your life
Sunrise in the Uyuni Salt Flat
Optical illusion using toys
Hotel made with salt blocks
Mound of salt to collect
Landscape with mirror effect
Old train car at Uyuni train station
Usefuls Tips
- February is the best month for see the mirror effect because the rain make a water layer where the sky is reflected.
- If you want to be connected with your family and friends all time buy a Bolivian cell phone chip and charge it with balance before leave the city because the most places where you will sleep probably do not offer wi-fi service.
- Always have small coins because all sites charged for using the bathroom!
- If you have some issues with altitude, buy some Coca leaves to chew during the travel, it really will help with the headaches and others symptoms.
- Have all the necessary money in local currency before leave big cities because is little difficult to find where exchange it.
- You need clothes for warm and cold. Yes! In Bolivia in the same day can pass from temperatures near zero grades to the hot. Use always hats and sunscreen.
- Ask for prices albeit prices sounds you ridiculously cheap because the sellers expect always bargaining, but if you are very lucky and don’t need to save money just paid because everything there is very very cheap!
- And most important be sure to have at least 8 Gb of memory for your cam because there are so beautiful landscapes and you will wish remember your trip always.
Related websites of interest
https://www.ticketsbolivia.com/train-tickets.php
https://www.booking.com/hotel/bo/onkel-inn-wagon-sleepbox-uyuni.es.html
http://uyuniland.com/uyuni/donde-se-ubica-uyuni.php
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salar_de_Uyuni
Thanks for reading and good trips! (As long as it is safe to travel) Cheers!
