Where to stay in Uyuni — pick the right hotel, book in 3 clicks
Uyuni is the gateway to the world's largest salt flat — Salar de Uyuni, over 10,000 sq km of dazzling white that turns into a perfect mirror in the rainy season, blurring the line between earth and sky. The small high-altitude town sits at 3,650 m on the Andean altiplano and serves as the launch point for 1- to 3-day 4x4 jeep tours to the Train Cemetery, cactus islands, blood-red and emerald lagoons, and the otherworldly Lipez desert.
Why stay in Uyuni
World's largest natural mirror
In the wet season (Dec–Apr), a thin layer of water turns the salt into an endless sky reflection — the bucket-list shot every traveller comes for.
Great-value 1–3 day jeep tours
A 1-day tour runs about $30–50 and covers the Train Cemetery, cactus island and sunset; the 3-day tour reaches the colored lagoons and hot springs.
World-class stargazing
Dry, thin, high-altitude air with almost zero light pollution makes this one of the best places on Earth to see and photograph the Milky Way.
Colored lagoons & Andean wildlife
Blood-red Laguna Colorada with three flamingo species, vicuñas, and the surreal Lipez desert that looks like another planet.
Pick an area first — where to stay in Uyuni
Location is the single most important thing about a hotel — choose the right area first, then pick the hotel
Town Center (Plaza Arce)By the clock tower & tour offices · restaurants on hand · walk everywhere
Coming soonAv. Ferroviaria & PotosíMain strip · budget hostels & guesthouses · liveliest at night
Coming soonColchani (salt flat edge)Salt-processing village · salt hotels by the Salar · 22 km from town
Coming soonLuxury salt hotels (Luna Salada / Palacio de Sal)Walls built of salt blocks · spa & Salar views · premium
Coming soonRanked reviews — find your ideal stay in Uyuni
Start with where to stay (the heart of the trip), then explore food and sights
We're rolling out Uyuni stay reviews — meanwhile search Uyuni hotels across all 3 sites now
Local dishes to try in Uyuni
- 1🥟
Salteñas
Baked empanadas filled with juicy beef or chicken in a thick savory sauce, potato and egg — Bolivia's beloved mid-morning bite.
📍 Morning snack - 2🦙
Llama Steak
Lean, tender grilled llama, milder than beef, served with potatoes and quinoa — found on almost every menu in town.
📍 Andean meat - 3🍲
Chairo
A warming lamb soup with potatoes, chuño (freeze-dried potato) and vegetables — comfort food for the cold altiplano nights.
📍 Hearty soup - 4🌽
Api con Buñuelos
Api is a hot, thick, sweet purple-corn drink served with crispy fried buñuelos — the classic Bolivian way to start a cold morning.
📍 Breakfast drink - 5🍕
Pizza (Minuteman & Italian spots)
Town has several pizzerias and Italian spots, with Minuteman Pizza a long-standing favorite passed around by travellers.
📍 Western food - 6🌾
Quinoa
Royal quinoa is grown on the altiplano around Uyuni and turns up in soups, salads and as a side with nearly every meal.
📍 Local grain
- 1🪞
Salar de Uyuni
The world's largest salt flat at 10,582 sq km — a sky-reflecting mirror in the wet season and an endless field of white hexagons in the dry season.
📍 The salt flat - 2🚂
Train Cemetery
Rusting steam locomotives abandoned in the desert, relics of Bolivia's mining boom. Free to visit and one of the area's most popular photo stops.
📍 3 km from town - 3🧂
Colchani Village
A village where salt is processed by hand, with craft stalls, salt hotels and the salt-block Dakar monument.
📍 Salar edge - 4🌵
Incahuasi Island
A rocky island in the salt sea covered in centuries-old giant cacti, with a 360° viewpoint trail (sometimes inaccessible in the wet season).
📍 Mid-Salar - 5🦩
Laguna Colorada
A red lagoon colored by minerals and algae, home to thousands of flamingos — the highlight of the 3-day tour.
📍 Avaroa Reserve - 6🪨
Stone Tree (Árbol de Piedra)
A wind-sculpted rock shaped like a tree, the iconic landmark of the Lipez desert.
📍 Siloli Desert - 7♨️
Polques Hot Springs & Sol de Mañana
Thermal pools above 4,400 m paired with the Sol de Mañana geyser field of bubbling mud and steam at 4,850 m.
📍 Far south - 8💚
Laguna Verde
An emerald-green lake at the foot of Licancabur volcano, the tour's far point near the Chile / Atacama border.
📍 Chile border
Things to do in Uyuni
Day tours, attraction tickets and travel essentials for Uyuni — book ahead on Klook with mobile e-tickets.
Affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
3 Uyuni hotels our team picked for you
Selected from real reviews — one per budget tier, each with a score and instant 3-site price comparison
★ 8.8Upper-mid
★ 8.8Value
★ 8.6ValuePiedra Blanca Backpackers Hostel
Budget, helpful tour-booking host
โรงแรมแนะนำทั้งหมดในUyuni
ครบทุกระดับงบ — คัดจากคะแนนรีวิวจริง พร้อมเทียบราคา 3 เว็บ
Haven't found the one? Search all 3 sites yourself
Compare real-time room availability for your Uyuni dates
🚆 Getting around Uyuni
Fly from La Paz (Joya Andina Airport)
BOA and Amaszonas fly from El Alto (La Paz) to Joya Andina Airport (UYU) in about 1 hour, with daily departures — the fastest, easiest way in.
Overnight bus from La Paz
Sleeper buses (Todo Turismo, Panasur, Trans Omar) leave around 8–9 PM and arrive at dawn, 9–12 hours with heating, toilets and blankets.
Train via Oruro
Take a bus from La Paz to Oruro (~4 hrs), then the Oruro–Uyuni train (~7 hrs) — a classic scenic ride across the altiplano.
Cross from Chile (Atacama / Calama)
Cruz del Norte runs daily buses from Calama, Chile to Uyuni, or enter via a 3-day tour from San Pedro de Atacama.
Walk the town, book a jeep tour
The compact town is walkable from Plaza Arce; everything beyond needs a 4x4 jeep tour (book online or in La Paz over Uyuni). Pay cash in bolivianos (BOB) — ATMs are limited.
Where to go next near Uyuni
Frequently asked — where to stay in Uyuni
When can I see the Uyuni salt flat mirror effect?+
The mirror appears in the wet season, roughly December to April (peaking in February), when a thin layer of water covers the salt. In the dry season (May–Nov) you'll see white hexagonal salt patterns instead. Early morning, when the wind is calmest, is best for reflections.
How high is Uyuni — should I worry about altitude?+
The town sits at about 3,650 m, and some tour stops reach over 4,800 m. Acclimatize in La Paz or the highlands first, drink plenty of water, skip alcohol on day one, and carry altitude (soroche) medication just in case.
Should I book my tour in Uyuni or in advance?+
It's better to book online or in La Paz rather than in Uyuni itself, for better vehicles, guides and safety. A 1-day tour runs about $30–50, and a 3-day / 2-night tour about $120–200, including the colored lagoons and hot springs.
Ready to book your Uyuni stay?
Start with the 3 hotels our team picked, or search all 3 sites — always compare before booking