What to see, where to stay and the best time to visit Uyuni, Bolivia.
Photo: Diego Delso / Wikimedia Commons
Uyuni is a small town of about 29,672 people in Bolivia. Most visitors come for one reason: the Salar de Uyuni, the huge salt flat just west of town. The town itself works mainly as a base for tours. Agencies line Avenida Potosí, the Train Cemetery sits on the southwest edge, and a small archaeology museum is in the centre. The best months to go are April, May, September and October.
Plan a full day for the Salar de Uyuni, plus about 1 hour each for the Train Cemetery and the town museum. The Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve to the south needs a multi-day tour, so allow extra days for it.
West of Uyuni town
The world's largest salt flat, a white plain that stretches to the horizon. Most visitors join a jeep tour from town. In the wet season a thin layer of water can turn the surface into a mirror, while the dry season brings a cracked, hexagon-patterned crust that is easier to cross.
Southwest edge of Uyuni town
Rusting steam locomotives and carriages from Bolivia's mining railway era sit in the desert just outside town. You can climb on the old engines, and it is usually the first stop on salt flat tours.
Salar de Uyuni
A rocky hill in the middle of the salt flat, covered in giant columnar cacti. A short, steep trail leads to the top for wide views across the white salt.
Salar de Uyuni, near Colchani
A large salt sculpture marks the route of the Dakar Rally, which once crossed the salt flat. Nearby, flags left by travellers from around the world fly beside the old Playa Blanca salt hotel.
Salar de Uyuni
Small pools where water and gas bubble up through the salt crust. It is a quick stop that shows the salt flat is still active below the surface.
Southwest Bolivia, south of Uyuni
A high-altitude reserve reached on multi-day jeep tours from Uyuni. Highlights include Laguna Colorada, a red lake with flamingos, Laguna Verde below Licancabur volcano, geysers and hot springs. Nights are very cold at this altitude, so pack warm layers.
Uyuni town centre
A small museum in town with mummies, deformed skulls and objects from the region's early cultures. It is a useful short visit before or after a tour.
Average weather and our month score, from 10 years of climate data.
| Month | High / low | Rain days | Sunshine | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 18°C / 5°C | 16 days (89 mm) | 11.7 h/day | 6.5/10 |
| February | 17°C / 5°C | 16 days (91 mm) | 11.3 h/day | 6.5/10 |
| March | 17°C / 5°C | 9 days (43 mm) | 11.4 h/day | 7.9/10 |
| Best month: April | 16°C / 2°C | 2 days (7 mm) | 11.0 h/day | 9.7/10 |
| Best month: May | 13°C / -1°C | 0 days (1 mm) | 10.8 h/day | 9.1/10 |
| June | 11°C / -2°C | 0 days (1 mm) | 10.7 h/day | 8.2/10 |
| July | 12°C / -2°C | 1 day (3 mm) | 10.8 h/day | 8.3/10 |
| August | 13°C / -2°C | 1 day (2 mm) | 11.0 h/day | 8.9/10 |
| Best month: September | 16°C / 0°C | 1 day (3 mm) | 11.5 h/day | 9.8/10 |
| Best month: October | 18°C / 2°C | 1 day (5 mm) | 12.2 h/day | 9.7/10 |
| November | 19°C / 3°C | 4 days (14 mm) | 12.5 h/day | 9.0/10 |
| December | 19°C / 5°C | 8 days (54 mm) | 12.3 h/day | 8.1/10 |
Highs of 17.6°C, but about 16 rain days and 89 mm of rain make this one of the wettest months. Rated good. Expect frequent showers.
Highs of 17°C with about 16 rain days and 91 mm, the most rain of the year. Rated good, with wet weather on many days.
Highs of 17.2°C, and rain drops to about 9 days and 43 mm as the wet season eases. Rated best.
Highs of 16.4°C with only 1.5 rain days. Nights cool to 2.2°C. Rated best, with a score of 9.7.
Highs of 13.1°C and almost no rain, at 0.1 rain days. Nights drop to -0.7°C, so pack warm layers. Rated best.
The coldest days, with highs of 11.1°C and lows of -1.7°C. Dry, with 0.4 rain days. Rated best despite freezing nights.
Highs of 11.5°C, lows of -1.7°C and 0.6 rain days. Cold nights but dry weather. Rated best.
Highs of 13°C, nights still at -1.7°C, and 0.7 rain days. Rated best, with dry, frosty conditions.
Highs of 15.7°C and 0.8 rain days. Nights rise to 0.4°C. The top score of the year, 9.8, rated best.
Highs of 17.8°C, 1.3 rain days and 12.2 sun hours a day. Rated best, with a score of 9.7.
Highs of 19°C and 4.2 rain days, with 12.5 sun hours a day, the most of the year. Rated best.
The warmest month, with highs of 19.3°C. Rain returns, with about 8 rain days and 54 mm. Still rated best.
Climate averages 2015–2024 · Best time to visit Bolivia →
The best areas to base yourself and who each one suits.
Good for budget travellers, tour shoppers
This street runs through the centre and is lined with tour offices, simple guesthouses and places to eat. It is handy for booking a salt flat trip and grabbing food before departure. Tour jeeps load and leave here early, so expect engine noise and activity in the morning.
Good for train travellers, late arrivals
This wide street runs along the railway, close to the station and the clock tower. It suits you if your train arrives late at night or leaves early, because you can walk to your room. Trains and passengers arriving at odd hours can make it noisy, and the street feels empty and windy after dark.
Good for photographers, salt hotel stays
This small salt-processing village sits right at the edge of the salt flat, north of Uyuni town. Staying here puts you close to the flat for sunrise and sunset, and several hotels are built from salt blocks. There are very few shops or restaurants, so you rely on your hotel for meals and transport.
Good for quiet, slow travel, hikers
This tiny village lies at the foot of Tunupa volcano on the far northern side of the salt flat, with views across the white surface. It suits travellers who want silence, starry skies and a hike on the volcano's slopes. It is remote and a long drive from Uyuni town, with basic services and limited heating.
Typical journey times and fares from the airport and other cities.
| Route | By | Time | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| La Paz → Uyuni Overnight bus taking about 9–12 h. Bolivia Hop recommends Todo Turismo, which offers semi-cama and cama seats with blankets, a meal and a toilet. Fares start at about USD 43 (Bs fare not found). VIP seats cost extra. Another option is a bus to Oruro (about 4 h), then a train to Uyuni (about 7 h). | bus | 9 h | 43 USD ↗ |
| Potosí → Uyuni 204 km on a paved road, about 3 h. Leaves from Potosí's old bus terminal on Av. Universitaria. A traveller report says Uyuni–Potosí buses leave around 9:00–9:30 and 18:00–18:30. Fare not found. | bus | 3 h | – ↗ |
Llama is raised across the high plains around Uyuni, and locals eat it as steaks, stews or dried strips. Many restaurants in town serve it grilled with rice, potatoes and salad.
Quinoa grows in the dry farmland around the salt flat. Locals eat it in soups, as a side instead of rice, or in sweet breakfast drinks and porridges.
Api is a hot, thick drink made from purple corn, often spiced with cinnamon. It comes with a fried pastry dusted in sugar, and people buy it at market stalls on cold mornings.
These baked pastries hold a juicy, slightly sweet stew of meat, potato and egg. Bolivians eat them as a mid-morning snack, usually bought from bakeries or street sellers.
This peanut soup is a common lunch starter in Bolivia, often with pasta or potatoes and topped with fried potato sticks. It is a filling, warming dish suited to the cold highland climate.
Best: May, Jun, Jul, Aug
Best: May, Jun, Jul, Aug
Best: Jun, Jul, Aug
September is the top-scoring month at 9.8, followed by April and October at 9.7 and May at 9.1. These months are very dry. September averages 0.8 rain days and 3 mm of rain, and April averages 1.5 rain days and 7 mm. Daytime highs in these months range from 13.1°C in May to 17.8°C in October.
January is a good month, with a score of 6.5, but it is the start of the wettest period of the year. January averages 16.1 rain days and 89 mm of rain. February is similar, with 15.8 rain days and 91 mm. Days are still mild, with highs around 17°C and lows around 5°C. The sun shines for about 11 hours a day.
July is cold, with an average low of -1.7°C and a high of 11.5°C. June and August have the same -1.7°C lows. These are the coldest months of the year, so pack warm layers for early starts. Rain is rare, with about 0.6 rain days in July. That dryness helps July score 8.3.
Most rain falls from December to March. December averages 54 mm, January 89 mm, February 91 mm and March 43 mm. From May to September, monthly rain is only 1 to 3 mm. Even in the wet months, all months still score as good or best, and December scores 8.1.
Plan a full day for the Salar de Uyuni, plus a few extra hours in town. The salt flat stops, such as Incahuasi Island (1–2 hours) and Ojos del Salar (30 minutes), fit into the full-day visit. In town, the Train Cemetery and the Archaeological and Anthropological Museum of the Southern Andes take about 1 hour each. Allow extra time for a multi-day tour to the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve.
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