To visit the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia is to enter a world within worlds. How could such a vast expanse of ethereal calm, looking-glass lagoons, angry geysers, giant cacti, and dormant volcanoes exist within our waking reality? And yet, it does!

Spending one day in Uyuni, at the very least, will impress even the most cynical of characters. Because time seems to stand still here, and the imprint of the world’s largest salt flat extends far beyond your passport. So you might ask, do I even need tips to enhance my Uyuni experience and make it magic? Well, perhaps not, but we still have a couple of ideas to transform your once-in-a-lifetime Uyuni journey into an alternate reality adventure!

1. Sleep in a dome

Unique accommodation comes with the territory in Salar de Uyuni, with a couple of different hotels to choose from that are constructed entirely of salt, such as the Luna Salada Hotel & Spa. However, as of May 2019, the unique Kachi Lodge has captivated the lodging scene in Uyuni.

This exclusive otherworldly lodge consists of seven geodesic domes, six-bedroom domes, and one larger lounge dome with a sizable wooden deck. Splayed out on a semi-circle wooden walkway, these domes fly straight out of a scene from Star Wars. This is not a far stretch, considering much of The Last Jedi was filmed in Uyuni to portray the fictional planet Crait. The Kachi Lodge brings this outer space fantasy into reality and will take your Uyuni experience to the next level.

2. Make time for stargazing

If you plan to travel through Bolivia in the dry season (roughly April to November), stargazing is an absolute must. At night, the ethereal expanse underneath your feet does a backflip and paints itself into the sky.

Follow the Milky Way as it lines an unattainable and unmistakable path in the deep hues of the night sky, and the sparse clouds seem to hover in place just below this blanket of stars ebbing and flowing above you. You can arrange a special stargazing moment during your tour away from the lights of your accommodation, and you won’t regret doing so!

3. Bring your own small objects from home for some surreal photography

A coveted Uyuni activity, you will be sure to take the most surreal photos, playing with perception and reality within the camera’s lens. This altered perspective is possible due to the extreme flatness of the salar (salt flat), making it the chosen place for NASA to calibrate satellite board sensors on its surface.

Your Uyuni guide will surely come prepared with objects such as the ubiquitous toy dinosaur, which can be placed in the lens view to make it look like the dinosaur is attacking you, standing just a few feet away. However, bringing a few small doodads from home will add a personal touch to your one-of-a-kind photos.

4. Spend at least three days!

We stress the importance of staying at least two nights and spending three fully packed days in Uyuni’s wonderland. With a one-day tour flying from and back to La Paz on the same day, you will get a glimpse of Uyuni’s majesty without peeking behind the vast curtain to experience its diversity.

Spanning 6,800 miles, the Salar de Uyuni encapsulates so much more than a sea of salt. For instance, with at least two nights, you can take a day trip from Uyuni to the blood-red Laguna Colorada, whose color comes from a mix of minerals and algae. You can also visit the Laguna Verde, whose turquoise waters frame the grand Licancabur Volcano. Three species of flamingos call these lagoons home: The Andean, Chilean, and James’ flamingos!

So you see, enhancing your trip to Uyuni is not about what’s possible (a quick one-day tour), but instead, it’s about exploring the fantastical possibilities beyond that one day. Get your camera travel-ready, and contact us for more details on how to get the ball rolling for your bespoke Uyuni adventure!

Known as the “Tibet of the Americas,” Bolivia claims some of the world’s highest inhabited areas. The Tiahuanaco people created one of the earliest known civilizations in the Andean Altiplano (highlands) of modern-day Bolivia. And now the Altiplano comprises some of the country’s most bustling urban areas. Despite the immediate Andean association that Bolivia inspires, the Andes only make up a third of the nation’s territory. So what covers the other two-thirds? The Amazon basin!

Make the absolute most of your customized trip through Bolivia with the following destinations from the Andes to the Amazon.

1. Salar de Uyuni

Picture yourself sleeping in a hotel made entirely of salt, surrounded by an expanse of endless sky and surreal barren landscapes that Dalí could only create in his dreams. This is the magic of the Salar de Uyuni in the heart of the Bolivian Altiplano. Covering just about 8,000 square kilometers (3,100 square miles), the Salar de Uyuni is the largest salt flat in the world and the highest at a whopping 12,000 feet above sea level; and the salt flat itself formed through the evaporation of prehistoric lakes. There is no other place quite like it on this planet.

If traveling during the rainy season from December to April, you will experience the sky’s extreme mirror effect reflected in the flooded salar (salt flat). For this ethereal vista, you should consider arriving in March or early April to avoid the torrential rains of December and January. But even if you can’t make the trip during the rainy season, the dry season from May to November also presents an advantage. These months make exploring the farther limits of the salt flat possible, and you will have a better chance of touring the islands that miraculously crop up out of the salty earth.

2. Lake Titicaca

The superlatives don’t stop with Salar de Uyuni, considering the highest navigable lake in the world, Lake Titicaca, can also be found in Bolivia. This magnificent lake shares its shores with Peru to the west; however, many argue that the Bolivian side offers a richer experience.

According to Andean legend, both the Sun and the first two Incas were born on the Isla del Sol (Island of the Sun) on the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca. You can visit Isla del Sol for just the day, or spend the night in one of the island’s many eco-lodges. Either way, you are guaranteed the marvelous view of the white-peaked Cordillera Real lining the lake’s shores, and a moment to commune with one of the world’s most stunning lakes.

3. La Paz

Welcome to “the city that touches the clouds!” La Paz is the perfect gateway for exploring places like Salar de Uyuni (via short flight), the Tiahuanaco archaeological site, and the Moon Valley. It is also a fascinating city to explore in its own right. La Paz shares quite a bit of economic and political power with Bolivia’s capital Sucre to the south. So, wandering La Paz, you will instantly notice the sharp contrast between cosmopolitan city blocks and held-fast Aymara indigenous traditions coursing through the vibrant open-air markets.

You will want to take it easy during your first 24 hours because the city of La Paz lies at 11,940 feet (3,640 meters above sea level), therefore acclimating is crucial. However, once you are ready to adventure, make sure to check out some of the city’s most iconic spots, such as the “witches market,” as well as some of its most up-and-coming, such as the restaurant Gustu.

4. Sucre

Sucre is not your average capital city. Bolivia’s capital upholds significant historical integrity not only for the nation but for the colonial era throughout South America. It is Bolivia’s sixth-largest city and lies at 9,219 feet above sea level (2,810 meters above sea level). Like the Sacred Valley in Peru, Sucre serves as the perfect stop-over destination to acclimate to the altitude before heading up to La Paz and Uyuni.

While in Sucre, you can marvel at grand colonial architecture, explore colorful open-air markets, navigate beautiful hiking trails, meander through fascinating museums, and visit with dinosaur footprints – the world’s most extensive collection to be exact! On the outskirts of Sucre’s city limits, you can take an easy day trip to check out the 5,055 preserved footprints from about 15 different species of dinosaurs.

5. Rurrenabaque – Pampas and Madidi National Park

A quick forty-minute flight from La Paz will bring you to the Bolivian Amazon, and more specifically, the town of Rurrenabaque – the jumping-off point to the Pampas (wetlands) and Madidi National Park. Once in Rurrenabaque, you will be able to travel to the Pampas, east of Rurrenabaque along the Yacuma River, or the deeper jungle of the Madidi National Park to the west.

For those who are anxious to see as much wildlife as possible, consider a couple of days in the Pampas. Here, you are sure to catch glimpses of pink dolphins, piranhas, anacondas, spider monkeys, and so much more. The only downside is that you will be sharing those glimpses with many other tour groups, as this is the most popular tour option. So, if you are aiming for more of a rugged jungle experience, you should stay in the Madidi National Park. Exploring the dense flora of Madidi, you might not spy as many animals. However, you will be able to connect with the Amazon’s diverse ecosystems on a deeper level and fall asleep to a jungle symphony.

If you have adopted some local slang by the end of your journey through Bolivia, you might feel compelled to shout ¡Qué pintudo! (How beautiful!), especially after navigating these breathtaking destinations.