The famous Uyuni Salt Flats 🧂

Marco Whyte|2024-05-28 (7 months ago)91 views

Go Back

After an overnight bus from La Paz to Uyuni, I was ready to see the famous salt flats in Bolivia. But this trip was far more than that, it was a three-day adventure all the way to the border of Chile with a great group of people! With lots of wildlife, mountains, volcanoes and incredible scenery, this area of Bolivia is breathtaking.

Day 1

We started off by meeting our guide Elvis as well as the rest of the group. Elvis made it very clear from the start that we would all be a family for the next couple of days, joining together Italy, England, France and Switzerland (Me!). We quickly got our stuff packed and were ready to drive through the Uyuni Salt Flats. The first stop was the Uyuni train graveyard, where you can see all types of abandoned 19th and early 20th-century locomotives and railcars rust away in the desolate high-altitude desert.

This was a fun quick stop and then we were off to the salt flats. I don't think there is a better way to introduce the group than this video, the magic of depth perception 🤣.

Here is another great photo of me being the father of two funny Italians.

We spent most of the day on the salt flats, which is an endless white in every direction. It really is mind-blowing, being the biggest salt flat in the world there is nothing like it. You feel like you are on a different planet. My favorite stop this day was Isla Incahuasi, located in the heart of the salt flats. It is covered in giant cacti and coral-like structures with amazing views.

We ended the day with wine, watching the sunset over the flats.

Day 2

On this day we left the salt flats in the direction of Chile. We had so many stops here that were mind-blowing, with lots of wildlife and lagoons. One of these lagoons is called Laguna Hedionda (stinky lagoon 💩). The water contains high levels of sulfur and other minerals that cause the smell. However this is the perfect condition for algae growth, the primary food source for flamingoes! They went as far as the eye could see.

We got to go so close to them that I got this amazing photo.

We went to several other lagoons, but my favorite was Laguna Colorada (colorful lake). Laguna Colorada is a stunning red lake in Bolivia's Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve, famous for its vibrant color from red sediments and algae, and it's a popular spot for seeing thousands of flamingos including the rare James's flamingo and some vicuñas as well.

We all eagerly headed there, since this was the first time we were able to see vicuñas up close. Vicuñas are graceful, wild relatives of the llama found in the high alpine areas of the Andes, known for their incredibly soft and valuable wool, which is often considered some of the finest in the world. They are never domesticated because of their wild nature, so getting to see them close is really special.

At the next stop, we went to Desierto de Siloli (Siloli Desert). This has a famous rock called the Arbol de Piedra (tree of rock).

It is also home to the viscacha, which I would describe as a mix between a rabbit and a mouse.

Day 3

On the last day, we had an early start at 5am, far before the sun rose. This is in order to see the Geiser de Sol well! Geiser de Sol de Mañana is a geothermal field in southwestern Bolivia, known for its impressive geysers, boiling mud pots, and fumaroles, creating a surreal, otherworldly landscape at an altitude of about 4,800 meters. They are best seen in the dark and are a little scary to stand next to 💣.

It is considered an active volcano, so you have to make sure not to get too close to the crater 🌋.

The next stop was to go swimming in the Termales de Polques. These are hot springs heated by this very volcano, so they are mineral rich and very hot! But getting in is no easy feat, because it is -3°C (26.6°F). We almost didn't want to go in, but we reluctantly took off our many layers and ran in. It was an incredible experience! You really feel the precense of the volcano in the water, as well as watching the sun rise creating a beautiful scenery. I had a funny experience after getting out, after a couple minutes I touched my hair and it was completely frozen 🥶.

The final stop was to the Salvador Dali Desert, which is renowned for its surreal landscapes, featuring bizarre rock formations and vibrant mineral deposits, mirroring Salvador Dali's distinct style.

With incredible views, we had a final stretch of driving to the Chilean border where we got transfered to San Pedro de Atacama. Its impossible to cover everything we did with all the amazing places this part of Bolivia has to offer, an incredible experience I would recommend to anyone. Sadly we had to say bye to Elvis, but the whole group continued to San Pedro so we got a nice final dinner together!