Uyuni Travel Guide

Uyuni is famous for one reason, and one reason only: the salt flats. Years ago this was a tiny railroad junction in the heart of… well, nowhere really, and a place that would barely warrant more than a quick glance from passing merchants. Hit the roads these days, though, and you’re almost certain to meet someone who’s been here, and has the surreal photographs in which they’re holding someone on their finger or hiding behind a pencil to prove it.

The Salar de Uyuni - the biggest salt flats in the world – are found in rural Bolivia. Aside from the salt flats there’s… read more little here, and most of what is to be found is aimed squarely at tourists. While the town can be visited on a daytrip, many stay for as much as four days (often incorporating a trip along the Chilean border), and make the most of their time amongst the seriously surreal, dropping in on the rusty heart of the train graveyard (home to dozens of impressive, rusted old locomotives) along the way. Other nearby sites are less impressive, though the archeology and anthropology museum does hide some mummies and a vast collection of skulls.

Like many places dedicated purely to tourism, Uyuni does have its risks. Many drivers running tours to the site have been reported to drink heavily on the job, while pick pocketing and recent deaths in the local hotels through carbon monoxide poisoning are all things to be aware of.

It might not be resplendent with sights, but Uyuni is no doubt an unmissable Bolivian hotspot, if only for the pictures you’ll take home from the salt flats and the train graveyard. Make the most of your time amongst the surreal by bringing some props for the camera. A frying pan works well, making an image of you being fried by a friend, as does anything that will help make you look a bit wacky – mankinis, household appliances etc. can make your holiday snaps that bit more interesting. It’s not just about the photos, of course, but here they’re a bonding experience, and genuinely unforgettable.