After an enjoyable few days in La Paz, it was time for the main reason we had come to Bolivia – a Salt Flats tour.

Arriving in Uyuni

Overland travel in South America seems to involve a lot of overnight bus trips and early mornings. We booked seats on Todo Turismo, which is the most luxurious option for the overnight bus trip from La Paz to Uyuni, the starting point for our Salt flats tour. The bus itself was nice, but the roads were not, so it was another uncomfortable night.

Just before arriving at our destination we stopped at a rest area a little way out of town. I don’t really understand why we stopped, but it was a chance to use a toilet that wasn’t swaying and bouncing with every pothole. The desert scenery in the pre-dawn light was pretty, but it was very cold, so after a quick photo or two I retreated back to the bus.

It was still early when we arrived in the small desert town of Uyuni. A representative from our tour company met us at the bus and directed us to a nearby cafe. We ordered some breakfast (and more importantly, coffee) and waited for the tour company office to open. After a while we got the word that they were ready for us to check in and load up the vehicles ready to set off.

Salt Flats Tour – Day 1

The first stop on our tour was the train cemetery just outside Uyuni. There’s a fascinating collection of old trains here from the early 20th century. Grand plans to expand the Bolivian railways (with Uyuni as a hub) didn’t come to fruition due to mine closures and border disputes, so these engines and carriages were left to corrode away in the salty air.

We visited on a similar schedule to every other Salt Flats Tour that left on the same day, so it was pretty crowded. This spoiled the “abandoned” vibe a bit. Nevertheless, it was an interesting place to spend some time and take photos.

You can climb all over the trains, which is fun if a bit scary. It’s a long way to any medical facilities if you cut yourself on rusty metal.

After the train cemetery, we visited a small salt processing operation. There’s not really much to it, but it was interesting to see the salt blocks and crystals harvested from the salt flats.

On to the Salt Flats

Next, we headed onto the salt flats. First, we stopped at a building made from salt blocks. This was originally a hotel, but is now a restaurant and gift shop. Before going outside, we enjoyed our first views of the amazing salt flats.

The sun reflecting of the salt flat was relentless, sunglasses are a must on a salt flats tour.

For a number of years, the famous Paris to Dakar off-road race passed through the Uyuni salt flats after moving from Africa to South America due to security concerns.

Near the salt block building a plantation of flags has been left by travelers from all over the world.

After checking it out, we returned to our tour vehicles parked nearby, where our guide and the drivers had set up lunch for us.

Perspective Photography

After lunch we drove deeper into the salt flats. Away from any buildings or people we could appreciate even more the vast, bright flatness. The conditions play tricks with your depth perception, which you can play with to make photographic optical illusions.

After letting us experiment for a while, our guide gathered the group together to show us how it was done. After taking some photos, he directed the group in a video.

Isla Incuahasi

Our next stop was Isla Incuahasi, which is a rocky outcrop that rises impressively from the otherwise featureless plain. It features giant cactus and coral-like rock formations, which give it an other-worldly vibe.

We climbed to the top of the island for spectacular views over the Island and over the salt flats.

Salt Flats Sunset

By this time it was late afternoon, and the light was getting softer. We headed to a spot on the salt flats to watch the sunset. The drivers expertly parked the vehicles in a photogenic formation. As the sun sank lower in the sky, the temperature also dropped.

Interesting cloud formations boded well for a spectacular sunset.

After a while, the sun reached the horizon and bathed us in a golden glow.