Salar de Uyuni

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Potosí

city in Bolivia

201km

-19.5833-65.75

San Pedro de Atacama

city in Chile

300km

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La Paz

La Paz is the administrative capital of Bolivia, while Sucre is the constitutional capital and the seat of the Supreme Court.

388km

-16.4951-68.0474

Sights (3)

Isla del Pescado

The "island" of fossilized coral, covered in ancient cacti that grow only a centimeter a year. It's not an island in the strictest sense, just a big rock sticking up out of the otherwise flat ground, but the salt near the edge of it looks strikingly like water coming up to the shore. The island has a hiking trail to the top, for truly surreal views of the salar. It also has a restaurant, and lunch is eaten by most tour groups on the western "shore" of this island. There are well-maintained restrooms.

35km

-20.14305556-67.8075

Tunupa

A dormant volcano that some longer tours allow you to hike up. At some times of year you can see flamingos eating microorganisms at the foot of the volcano.

35km

-19.8325-67.64583333

Pulacayo

Nearby world's second largest silver mine, at this historical site there's the Bolivia's first rail road and a train robbed by Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

91km

-20.39111111-66.7

Nature

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Salar de Uyuni

Salar de Uyuni is the largest salt flat in the world and one of the most amazing natural attractions of Bolivia. Whether you're walking on the seemingly endless white, desolate surface of the dry flats, or admiring the simply perfect reflection of the clouds and blue sky above when there's water - all travellers agree the Salar de Uyuni offers an out-of-this-world experience.

Salar de Uyuni is part of the Altiplano of Bolivia in South America. The Altiplano is a high plateau, which was formed during uplift of the Andes mountains. The plateau includes fresh and saltwater lakes as well as salt flats and is surrounded by mountains with no drainage outlets.

The Salar is virtually devoid of any wildlife or vegetation. The latter is dominated by giant cacti (Echinopsis atacamensis pasacana, Echinopsis tarijensis, etc.). They grow at a rate of about 1 cm/a to a height of about 12 m. Other shrubs include Pilaya, which is used by locals to cure catarrh, and Thola (Baccharis dracunculifolia), which is burned as a fuel. Also present are quinoa plants and queñua bushes.

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Climate

Average temperatures

Jan

17^°C6

Precipitation: 85 mm

Feb

16^°C9

Precipitation: 38 mm

Mar

15^°C5

Precipitation: 12 mm

Apr

12^°C2

Precipitation: 11 mm

May

6^°C-3

Precipitation: 26 mm

Jun

5^°C-7

Precipitation: 18 mm

Jul

4^°C-7

Precipitation: 4 mm

Aug

6^°C-4

Precipitation: 13 mm

Sep

8^°C-1

Precipitation: 5 mm

Oct

12^°C3

Precipitation: 9 mm

Nov

15^°C5

Precipitation: 8 mm

Dec

18^°C7

Precipitation: 11 mm

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