The small town of Uyuni is a speck on the map of south-western Bolivia. With a population of just over 10,000 people, there is seemingly no reason to visit. However, this little town amazingly receives over 60,000 visitors a year from all over the world. Why? One reason, only – it is located in the world’s largest salt flats.
The Uyuni salt flats are a sight to behold. Formed by a number of prehistoric lakes, the salt flats are a unique sightseeing option for your Bolivian travels due to the extraordinary flatness of the region. The landscape of the salt flats is unlike anything else and will give you the opportunity to come up with some extremely creative photoshoots. If you cannot believe it, just Google images of the Uyuni salt flats to see what we mean!
The salt flats are also home to a number of breeds of pink flamingos as well as many other birds and wildlife including the Andean goose and the Andean fox. Large cacti scatter the surrounding areas of the flats.
Many of the tours of the area also include Laguna Verde (the green lake) in the National Reserve Eduardo Avaroa as well as Laguna Colorada (the red lake) situated at the foot of Licancabur volcano, and the hot springs.
If you have time to spare, it is also worth checking the aptly named train cemetery in Uyuni. It is located about 3 km outside town along the old train tracks. When the mining companies collapsed in the 1940s, the transport system dried up, and many trains were left abandoned. They now sit there left to rust in the elements and are a popular tourist attraction for those passing through the region.
Other sights of Uyuni include an old locomotive on Avenida Ferroviario as well as many other railway relics scattered all over town. Uyuni also houses a small archeological and anthropology museum featuring a handful of skulls and mummies.
If you intend visiting the region, remember to pack your winter woollies. The icy winds can surprise even the most prepared visitors.