Salt, Scenery and Elvis: Uyuni

Every time someone on the road asks me about Uyuni I immediately think of one word to describe it: Spectacular. The whole experience was fantastic between the surreal, one of a kind landscapes we observed and the wonderful time we had with our group. Uyuni truly is a treasure and the most marvelous thing about Bolivia. It was the perfect way to end our visit to this country and something I will never forget.

Uyuni- World's largest salt flats
Uyuni- World’s largest salt flats

After a whole lot of research we decided to book our tour with Cordillera Traveller for 800 Bs/115.75 USD per person. This included a guide who drove us around for 4 days, basic accommodations, meals and a transfer over the border to San Pedro de Atacama. In addition we paid an entrance fee to Reserva Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa at a cost 150 Bs for foreigners.

Like many of the tours we had been on before the guide really made a difference this time. Our guide Elvis was fun, easy-going, stopped for pictures and even helped us take some photos. There has been concern in the past with different companies having issues with irresponsible and drunk drivers so you need to do your research before booking. However, we feel we got lucky and ended up with a great guide and a great group.

We all had so much fun shooting these pics!
We all had so much fun shooting these pics!
Playing around in the salt flats
Playing around in the salt flats
Great group
Great group
Thanks to our guide for the prop and taking this great pic
Thanks to Elvis for the prop and taking this great pic

Our adventure really started back in Oruro where we hopped on a train to Uyuni. Some friends we met in our previous hostel in La Paz had just been in a bus crash on the way back from Uyuni so I was definitely not ready for a long bus ride down. Instead we took a 3-hour ride to Oruro and stayed in the town overnight in order to catch the train the next day.

Taking the train Oruro to Uyuni
Taking the train Oruro to Uyuni

There are two trains to choose from: Wara Wara del Sur and Expreso del Sur leaving at 7:00pm and 2:30pm respectively. We read that the Expreso el Sur was a better choice so we booked two tickets for the executive class at 120Bs/ 17.36 USD and never looked back. It was a great decision as the ride was smooth and comfortable and the scenery—well that was really hard to beat.

"Hershey's Kiss" bushes along the ride
“Hershey’s Kiss” bushes along the train ride
Gorgeous sunset as seen from our comfy train
Gorgeous sunset as seen from our comfy train

Over the 4 days of the tour we visited the Train Cemetery, the Salt Flats (the world’s largest), Inka Wasi, Arbol de Piedra, the Red Lagoon, White Lagoon, Green Lagoon, Sol de Mañana Geysers, hot springs and the Dali Desert. It is hard to describe just how incredible all the places we visited were so I will let all of the pictures do the talking!

Train Cemetery
Train Cemetery
Feeling like a scene out of Mad Max
Feeling like a scene out of Mad Max
Cool swing in the graveyard
Cool swing in the graveyard
Teeny car?
Teeny car?
Tiny me?
Tiny me?
Inka Wasi- Cacti Oasis
Inka Wasi- Cacti Oasis
We made it! Climbing Inka Wasi
We made it!
The cacti grow 1cm per year!
The cacti grow 1cm per year!
Rooster outside our first accommodation
The rooster and I enjoying the view outside our first accommodation
Can't help but photographing a skull when I find one...
Can’t help but photographing a skull when I find one…
Incredible sky that evening!
Incredible sky that evening!
Manu and I
Manu and I
Sitting on the tracks
Sitting on the tracks
Manu contemplating his next pose
Manu contemplating his next pose
Flamingoes everywhere!
Flamingoes everywhere!
Such an amazing lagoon. Perfect place to stop for our lunch
Such an amazing lagoon. Perfect place to stop for our lunch
 Arbol de Piedra
Arbol de Piedra
Red Lagoon
Red Lagoon
It was freezing but the flamingoes were having a blast!
It was freezing but the flamingoes were having a blast!
Up before dawn... frozen ponds and breathtaking palette
Up before dawn… frozen ponds and breathtaking palette
Visiting the geysers
Visiting the geysers
Panoramic view of the geysers
Panoramic view of the geysers
Surreal Dali Desert
Surreal Dali Desert
Green lagoon
Green lagoon
The end of a great adventure!
The end of a great adventure!