Have you heard of the Uyuni Slat Flats? Yes, No, Maybe? Well here are 33 Impressions of the 3 day Uyuni Salt Flats Tour starting from San Pedro de Atacama to Uyuni.
Well let me tell you a little about them, the Uyuni Salt Flats lie in the South West Corner of Bolivia. (Bolivia is in South America). The Salar de Uyuni (Uyuni Salt Flats) are the largest Salt flats with 10,562 square kilometers, and lie an impressive 3,656 m above Sealevel. The Flats where originally formed from prehistoric lakes, and covered by a few meters of Sal Crust. These Crust are also extremly rich in lithium. These Salt Flats contain 40 to 70 % of the worlds lithium reserves. Now I find that a little scary!
But although the MAIN reason to take the Uyuni Salt Flats Tour are these Salt Flats, (me included) I found them to be the most boring part in the end. It may be because of the frequent pictures that you see, it may be because you have heard of it before, but what about the amazing Landscapes that are all a part of these Tours it never seams to be shown. I was truly amazed that there are still parts where pictures have not been prodcasted of yet.
There are a few ways to start this Uyuni Salt Flat Tour, either from San Pedro Atacama, Chile to Uyuni (3 days) or reverse. Tilqara to Uyuni (4 days) or Uyuni return (4 days). Coming from Argentina, and not wanting to miss the Atacama Desert, I choose the first route. As this also was the easiest way to cross the Border from Chile to Bolivia.
On a fine August Morning at 8 am the Uyuni Salt Flat Tour started, the first thing on the Agenda was to get stamped out of Chile. Of course everything went well. Why would there be any trouble? But until the Bolivia Border it would be another Hour. So officially your not in a Country for around 1 hour. It is a little bit of a strange feeling.
These Geothermal Fields known under the name Sol de Mañana (meaning “Morning Sun”) are Often referred to as a Geyser, which is not true. Spread over a large Distance these Geothermal are at an elevation between 4800m and 5000m Altitude. The Major part, including these Mud Lakes lie at an Altitude of 4850m.
The Uyuni Salt Flats a truly impressive Salt. The small hills are the mentod of how the Salt is dried. Meters deep you will find layers of Water and Salt.
The Uyuni Salt Flats Tour is a trip of a once in a life time. It is fascinating to see what a Country has to offer besides the things that are all along the known Tourist Trail. I am extremely glad that I took a three day tour instead of the only one day tour that is also offered which just includes the Uyuni Salt Flats. The only thing that would have been nice (that of course you often only realize later) is that the perfect reflection that is portrait in so many Photgraphs is only visible during the Wet Season (December to February). But we can’t have it all.
Have you been to Bolivia and done the Uyuni Salt Flats Tour? What is your experience?
All content, pictures Copyright © 2015 by InkasTour.com • All Rights Reserved. All other content is copyrighted by the respective authors and linked to Origin.
Leave a Reply