There is so much to do and so much to see in Uyuni. Check out our list of tourist attractions in the region of Uyuni.
The Incahuasi Island is the main destination of every one-day Salar de Uyuni tour. The hilly island is surrounded by hexagonal salt tiles. Visited by many tourists every day, the island has become quite overcrowded. However, after a 15-minute walk to the top of the island, you can enjoy a beautiful view of the salt desert. The entrance fee is 30 Bolivianos, but the island can only be visited during the dry season.
The Siloli desert located in southwestern Bolivia forms part of the Atacama Desert, the driest desert in the world. Strong winds of the region have brought about rock formations. A visit to the Siloli desert is included in many tours because it is surrounded by colorful lagoons and the salt flat of Uyuni.
In the Siloli Desert with its strange rock formations, we find the Árbol de Piedra, the so-called Stone Tree. The “tree” is almost 5 meters high and resulted from the volcanic origin and was modeled by the action of winds and erosion. The stone tree is located at the entrance of the Eduardo Abaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve.
The Laguna Colorada, the Red Lagoon, is a colored salt lake within the Eduard Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve, close to the Chilean border. The red color of the lagoon is caused by red sediments and pigmentation of some algae. The lagoon is 10.7 km long and 9.6 km wide with an area of 54 km². The shallow lagoon is only 35 cm deep. Next, to the red lagoon, you can observe many flamingos. Visiting the Laguna Colorada is a beautiful experience.
The Laguna Verde, or green lake, is a green-colored lake located close to the Chilean border. The color of the lake is caused by copper mineral sediments. It lies at the feet of the Licancabur volcano, at 4,300 meters above sea level.
The geyser Sol de Mañana (Morning Sun geyser) is a more than ten km² wide geothermal field at around 4800 meters above sea level. The truth is that it is not a geyser, but a well. You can find mud lakes and steam pools with mud. Intense volcanic activity can still be measured in this area. Some holes emit steam vapors that are up to 50 meters high.
The hot springs of Polques can be visited early in the morning around 7 am. Water temperature rise from 28 to 30 Degrees and have healing properties. It is said that the minerals in the water can alleviate arthritis and rheumatism symptoms. The hot springs (or aguas termales, in Spanish) are located west of the town of Chalviri. They are very popular among tourists.
The Tunupa Volcano is a dormant volcano on the northern side of the salt desert at 5,321 m. Close to the volcano one can find a cave with several mummies and a hotel made of salt.
The Necropolis and Museum Kawsay Wasy is located in the small village San Juan, 150 km from the city of Uyuni. The Museum provides a variety of tombs and mummies and is a perfect place to see unique pieces of history.
In the 19th century, a railway line was inaugurated in Bolivia to transport tin, silver, and gold. With time, the train that arrived to the station of Uyuni stopped traveling, thus creating cementerio de trenes or cemetery of trains. Today you can find more than 100 train wagons rusting in the sand. The train cemetery is located close to the town of Uyuni. Many tourists climb on the wagons and take pictures with the pieces of history.
The Archaeological and Anthropological Museum of the Southern Andes, located in the city of Uyuni, showcases a nice collection of mummies, skulls, fossils, ceramics, and textiles. The museum can be visited from Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm and from 2:30 pm to 6:30 pm.