Things to see and do in Uyuni

Top Activities and Experiences in Uyuni

Uyuni, where the sky melts into crystalline salt and volcanoes loom on the horizon, offers mirror reflections, geothermal wonders, and Andean wildlife. Whether you're driving across the endless Salar at dawn, climbing cactus islands, or gazing at galaxies in the thin air, Uyuni delivers mind-bending beauty and profound solitude.

Tour Salar de Uyuni

Embark on a 3–4 day 4x4 jeep tour across the 10,582 sq km salt flat. Sunrise hexagons crackle underfoot; rainy season (Dec–Apr) creates a flawless sky mirror for epic photos.

Visit Train Cemetery

Wander this rusty graveyard 3km from town with 19th-century steam locomotives abandoned in the desert. Climb twisted metal at sunset for haunting silhouettes against the Altiplano.

Explore Incahuasi Island

Rise from the salt sea on this cactus-covered volcanic rock. Hike the 20-min trail amid 1,000-year-old trichocereus giants—360° views of infinite white stun at midday.

Photograph Perspective Tricks

Play with depth on the featureless Salar—pose with toy dinosaurs “attacking” friends or “bottling” the jeep. Best in dry season for pristine white canvas.

Visit Colored Lagoons

Drive to Laguna Colorada’s blood-red waters teeming with James’s flamingos. Wind-whipped borax islands and Andean foxes add to the surreal palette.

Soak in Hot Springs

Bathe in Termas de Polques’ 30°C pools overlooking Laguna Chalviri. Steam rises as vicuñas graze nearby—pure relaxation after bumpy jeep days.

See Geysers at Sol de Mañana

Witness bubbling mud pots and sulfur fumes at 4,900m. Morning light paints the volcanic field gold; the ground hisses like a dragon’s breath.

Stay in a Salt Hotel

Sleep in Palacio de Sal or Luna Salada with walls, floors, and furniture carved from salt blocks. Starlight floods through crystalline windows.

Spot Wildlife in Eduardo Avaroa Reserve

Scan for three flamingo species, Andean geese, and rare culpeo foxes. The reserve’s deserts bloom with llareta moss in electric green.

Visit Thunupa Volcano

Hike the northern Salar’s dormant giant for mummies in Coquesa caves. Legends say the volcano’s tears formed the salt flat.

Stargaze on the Salar

Lie back on the cool salt under the Milky Way’s brilliance—no light pollution at 3,700m. Shooting stars streak across the hemisphere’s clearest skies.

Explore Galaxy Cave

Duck into this underground wonder with petrified algae formations resembling coral. The “galaxy” ceiling sparkles like stars in headlamp glow.

Taste Local Cuisine

Savor llama steak, quinoa soup, and salted lama tea in tour refugios. Uyuni’s markets offer fresh api and empanadas before dawn departures.

Day Trip to Pulacayo Mines

Bus 30 min to this silver ghost town with Butch Cassidy’s hideout. Abandoned rails and ore carts evoke the wild mining era.

Watch Sunrise on the Flats

Rise at 5am for jeep pickup—pink hues bleed into gold as the sun ignites the hexagons. Silence broken only by crunching salt.