Uyuni

Eat

Western food for tourists is generally overpriced and bad. Stick to Bolivian dishes. For a cheap lunch (Bs. 10 for soup and main) head for any little joint with the sign Almuerzo outside.

Stay safe

If the sun is not shining in Uyuni and the salt flats, it can get extremely cold. Make sure you wear a lot of layers and to bring thermal underwear, a scarf, a hat and gloves. When the sun is shining, it will get very warm in the car and outside if you are out of the wind. If traveling by (rental) car, find and pay for a gated and secured car park. (Or you may lose some external parts.) Do not lose sight of your luggage when taking public buses from Uyuni. Some bus companies might 'forget' and then it will be nearly impossible to get your luggage back. Watch them actually put your luggage on the bus and make sure it is coming to your destination. It is better to spend a little more money on a quality tour company than go for the cheapest. A lot of people going on an Uyuni trip, spend 3 days with car trouble in the cold desert instead of enjoying the breath taking views. There are also some guides that steal from their passengers or drive drunk. That can be dangerous on the road. Do not attempt to walk into the desert or cross it walking unless you are under expert advice. People die there.

Connect

The cheapest international phone calls seem to be at Call Shop Uyuni, Av. Arce, 30 m from the clock tower. Bs. 2.50 to most of the world. Internet here is expensive, though, at Bs. 6 an hour.

There are several slow internet places for around Bs. 5 per hour. Quite fast internet you can find in Hotel Julia.

Go next

Salar de Uyuni - with over twelve thousand square kilometers, is the largest salt flat in the world. It can be done as a day trip, or with a few overnights, often combined with the lagoons and geysers closer to the Chilean border. If you plan to go to Chile, or instead of returning to Uyuni, you can opt for San Pedro de Atacama or Tupiza for around an extra US$10. Some tours include this in the tour price, ask first. Remember to get an exit stamp in Immigration Office in Uyuni (the date on the stamp is the expected exit day, so you may get a Chilean entry stamp with an earlier date). The Immigration Office is open 7 days per week with a 2 hr break at noon (as of 2019 reports say that it's not possible to get an exit stamp beforehand).

Once you're finished with the salt flat, buses go from Uyuni to other Bolivian destinations such as: Oruro – Just an overnight train away from Uyuni, famous for its carnival and a good jumping-off if you intend to head towards Sajama National Park. Potosí – A high-altitude mining town, once one of the wealthiest cities in the world due to its silver mines. Popular for its mining tours. Sucre – The constitutional capital and seat of judiciary. Also, a popular tourist magnet with lots to see and do including hiking, partying and seeing dinosaur footprints. Tupiza – With interesting trails and sights nearby, and gateway for some Salar de Uyuni tours and into Argentina. La Paz – The administrative capital and seat of the government. Gateway to the …