Last year one of my best friends and I decided we want to go on a real adventure, somewhere off the beaten path. We landed in Bolivia, known for its stunning salt flats at Salar de Uyuni as well as for its unique terrain, beautiful landscape and incredible affordability. We chose the end of March, which is the beginning of the rainy season, allowing you the best mirror-like images of the salt flats but without being full-on rainy season when driving becomes treacherous. I can easily say our expectations were exceeded – this was a trip of a lifetime.
Getting to Salar de Uyuni
After arriving in La Paz, where we spent two days becoming acclimated to the high altitude, we took a quick 45-minute flight to Uyuni, the small town where we would begin our Salar de Uyuni flat adventure. Note that you can take a treacherous, overnight bus to Uyuni but to save time and energy, we jumped on one of the daily La Paz- Uyuni flights, which was not only fast but inexpensive.
All the Sights to See
Upon arrival in Uyuni, we took to an airport taxi (really the only mode of transportation available to you!) and checked into our hotel. We had booked a tour with Ruta Verde Tours, in advance, and with them designed a three-day tour to visit the Salar de Uyuni flats and the surrounding areas. We chose the “comfortable” versus “basic” options, which allowed us to stay in hotels rather than hostels, and have a private car and driver, as there is quite a bit of travel involved and we didn’t want to be uncomfortable. Our driver, Rodrigo, picked us up the morning after we arrived in Uyuni and our adventure began!
Salar de Uyuni
After a good night’s sleep and a hot breakfast, the first day of our tour was spent touring the salt flats. Salt flats are lakes in a desert that have dried up. The salt and minerals in the dried-up lakes form a solid layer of salt when it rains, which also happens to create a mirror-like effect, which is stunningly beautiful. The salt flats are uninhabited and massive, spanning nearly 11, 000 sq-km.
The bright salt, when covered in water, reflects the surrounding sky and mountains, causing an effect where you can’t tell where the earth ends and the sky begins. It is the most magical, mind-blowing landscape I have ever laid my eyes on. We spent hours wandering around marveling at the landscape. Our guide set up a table in the middle of the salt flats for lunch, complete with Bolivian food and wine. We dined quite literally in the middle of nowhere.
Lagunas
On our second day, we drove from Salar de Uyuni along the Chile-Bolivian border through the Andean Altiplano and visited a series of lagoons, each one more beautiful than the last. There is the Laguna Hedionda, teeming with gorgeous pink and red and white flamingos, the Laguna Colorada which is a bright red, Laguna Verde which is a marvelous sea green, as well as Laguna Ramadita, Laguna Honda, and Laguna Negra.
Surrounded by the Andean mountains as well as volcanos, the lagunas are unbelievably picturesque. We also stopped at the Valley of Rocas, where we scrambled over a massive rock formation, developed over hundreds of years of volcanic activity and wind erosion.
Siloli Desert
On our third day, we woke up in the Siloli desert, which has a whopping 16,000 feet altitude. The terrain is sandy, beautiful, and full of sights to visit. We drove through different rock formations such as the Arbol de Piedra and Dali’s Desert and then stopped at the Termas de Polques, the most beautiful hot spring you could ever imagine. After three days visiting the Salar de Uyuni and the desert, which are extremely cold, there is nothing as divine as getting into the hot water while marveling at the mountains, volcanoes, and lagoons around you. It was truly breathtaking.
Where to Stay at Salar de Uyuni
Luna Salada Hotel: The first two nights we stayed at this magnificent salt hotel. Located on a hill in the middle of the salt flats, it is constructed entirely of salt. The spacious venue has gorgeous rooms, where you can look out through huge windows at the flats, as well as large bathrooms and super cozy beds. The hotel has a spa, complete with a hot tub, as well as dozens of comfy pockets of indoor and outdoor seating where you can have a drink or a coca tea while enjoying the views. I booked a massage both nights! There is also a lovely bar where you can have a pre or post-dinner beverage.
Hotel Tayka del Desierto: The third night we stayed at this hotel in Potosi, Bolivia, one of the only hotels in the Siloli desert and the highest altitude hotel in the world! Keep in mind the altitude means less oxygen, so drink as much coca tea and water as you can to fight off fatigue, nausea, and headaches. The hotel has comfortable rooms, but electricity is turned off at 10pm. Don’t worry – you will be so tired you will be asleep before then!
What to Eat
Tanupa: While staying Luna Salada, we enjoyed breakfast and dinner at the hotel’s restaurant. Breakfast is a series of breads, spreads, eggs and fruit, while the buffet dinner offers a variety of dishes including eggplant baked with melted cheese, quinoa salad, veggie patties, rice, roasted tomatoes, and more. I highly recommend the soup, it was warm, creamy and exactly what you need after a long day of sightseeing.
Takya del Desierto Hotel Restaurant: Dinner at this restaurant includes a three-course meal, a warm fideo soup, followed by a baked vegetable and cheese dish, heaps of warm, freshly baked bread, and fresh fruit with chocolate for dessert. Breakfast included more fresh bread, as well as eggs and fruit, and api, a classic warm Bolivian breakfast drink made with purple corn, cinnamon, and cloves.
The Verdict
This was one of the most epic trips of my life. I will never forget the sights, which reminded me of how wondrous our planet can really be and how small I am in such a huge world. The best tips I can offer are to travel light but bring warm clothing, sunscreen, comfortable shoes and a sense of adventure. I always want to travel because it gives you the opportunity to truly marvel at something beyond what you see in your everyday life. In Salar de Uyuni, I marveled at the world we live in and was reminded of how truly lucky I really am to be able to see something this awe-inspiring.
