What to see, where to stay and the best time to visit Uyuni, Bolivia.
Photo: Diego Delso / Wikimedia Commons
Uyuni is a small, windswept town in southwest Bolivia, and most people come for one reason: the Salar de Uyuni, the world's largest salt flat, right on its doorstep. The town itself is basic, with a train cemetery and a small museum to fill an hour, but it's really a base for salt flat tours, island stops at Incahuasi, and multi-day trips into the Eduardo Avaroa reserve further south. Best months to visit are September, April, October and May, when conditions suit both the dry salt crust and the mirror-like flooded season.
Most visitors need 2 to 3 days: one for the classic Salar de Uyuni day tour, plus extra time if you add a multi-day trip into the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve.
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 reach 17.6°C with 16.1 rain days and 89mm of rain, the wettest month of the year. Score 6.5, good: the salt flats can flood, which some travellers seek out for mirror photos.
Highs of 17°C and 15.8 rain days with 91mm of rain keep the wet season going. Score 6.5, good, with flooded salt flats still likely.
Rain eases to 9.1 days and 43mm, with highs of 17.2°C. Score 7.9, best, as the flats start drying while mirror effects can still appear.
Rain drops sharply to 1.5 days and 7mm, with a high of 16.4°C. Score 9.7, best, giving dry, walkable salt crust and clear skies.
Nearly rain-free with 0.1 rain days and a high of 13.1°C, though nights fall to -0.7°C. Score 9.1, best, for dry conditions and cold, clear nights.
The coldest month: highs of 11.1°C, lows of -1.7°C, and just 0.4 rain days. Score 8.2, best, but pack warm layers for sharp nighttime cold.
Highs stay low at 11.5°C with lows of -1.7°C and only 0.6 rain days. Score 8.3, best, with dry air and strong sun despite the cold.
Highs climb slightly to 13°C while lows still hit -1.7°C, with 0.7 rain days. Score 8.9, best, for dry, stable weather.
Highs of 15.7°C, 0.8 rain days, and 11.5 sun hours mark the start of warmer, drier conditions. Score 9.8, best, the top-rated month.
Highs reach 17.8°C with just 1.3 rain days and 12.2 sun hours. Score 9.7, best, for dry weather and long daylight.
Rain starts returning with 4.2 rain days and 14mm, alongside highs of 19°C, the warmest month. Score 9, best, still favourable overall.
Rain picks up to 8.1 days and 54mm as the wet season begins, with highs of 19.3°C. Score 8.1, best, though afternoon showers become more common.
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 a staple meat on the Bolivian altiplano around Uyuni. Locals grill it as steak or stew it with potatoes and herbs, often served in simple family-run restaurants near the town centre.
Quinoa grows in the highlands surrounding Uyuni and appears in soups, stews and side dishes. It's a filling, high-altitude staple eaten at lunch in most local eateries.
These baked pastries filled with meat, potato and a juicy sauce are a popular mid-morning snack across Bolivia, including in Uyuni's market stalls and bakeries.
Dried, salted llama or beef meat, charque is a traditional preservation method from the altiplano. It's often rehydrated and served with corn, cheese and potatoes.
Freshwater trout, caught in lakes and rivers of the region, shows up on menus in Uyuni, usually pan-fried and served with rice or potatoes.
A warm, thick purple corn drink called api is served alongside a fried pastry called pastel, often as a breakfast combination sold by street vendors in the early morning.
Best: May, Jun, Jul, Aug
Best: May, Jun, Jul, Aug
Best: Jun, Jul, Aug
Yes. August scores 8.9 out of 10 and counts as one of the best months. Days reach 13°C and nights drop to -1.7°C. Rain is rare, with only 0.7 rain days and 2mm of rain, so the salt flat stays dry and easy to cross.
September, April, October and May are the top months, all scoring 9.1 or higher. These months sit between the wet and dry extremes: rain drops off sharply after March, and daytime highs stay comfortable between 13°C and 19°C. October and September also offer the most sunshine, at 12.2 and 11.5 hours.
January is rated good but not the best, scoring 6.5 out of 10. It's the wettest month, with 16.1 rain days and 89mm of rain. This is when the famous mirror effect on the Salar de Uyuni happens, since a thin layer of water covers the salt and reflects the sky.
Most travellers need 1 to 2 days for the town itself and the main salt flat sights. The Train Cemetery takes about 1 hour, Incahuasi Island 1 to 2 hours, and the Dakar Monument around 30 minutes to 1 hour. If you add the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve, plan for a multi-day tour.
Yes, nights are cold most of the year. Lows drop below freezing from May through September, reaching -1.7°C in June, July and August. Even in the warmer months of November and December, nights only reach around 3°C to 5°C, so warm layers are needed year-round.
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