2020 updated information to help you choose the best time to visit the Uyuni Salt Flats
Exploring the Uyuni salt flats
The Uyuni salt flats in Bolivia are the biggest salt flats in the world and one of the main attractions in South America. You can get there by taking a tour from La Paz or San Pedro de Atacama if you are in Chile. You can do one day tours to even spend the night in this unique place. Exploring the largest salt flat in the world gives you the chance to see wildlife, get relaxed in hot springs, amazing views, and get fun taking pictures.
If you are planning to visit the Uyuni Salt Flats, you can do it almost at any time of the year, but of course, depending on the time you arrive there, the conditions can change. You can go many times and always it’s going to be different.
The winds liberated by the Salt flats can be pretty intense almost the whole year, reaching a speed of even 90 Km per hour with northeast direction. These winds are constantly shaping the big white sea of salt, so that’s the reason why a second visit to this amazing place, might be quite different from the first.
Visiting the Salt flats during the rainy season
The big sea of salt has its days to be a paradise or a badland, the rainy season goes from December to March, and with this wet weather you should keep in mind that it’s going to be hot, so the temperatures will be between 13 to 20-celsius degrees.
Visiting the Salt flats during the dry season
The dry season starts around May and ends on the first days of December. Even though this season it’s dry, it gets much colder so the temperatures can go down to -10 Celsius degrees during the night.
The Uyuni Salt Flats are constantly changing
In Uyuni, the salt flats have their water saturated by lithium, magnesium, salt, and other chemical compositions. During the dry season, the strong sun hits the salt flats and evaporates its water, creating small fractures on the ground with geometric shapes that spread on this huge white sea.
The incredible mirror effect from December to February
During the months from December to February, the rainy season allows the water to flow and clean the massive white sea of the Uyuni salt flats, so when the sun comes out and the rain stops, the result it’s just amazing. The mirror effect created by just a few inches of water, will surround you and give you an “Up and down” view. So this time of the year it’s a perfect opportunity if you are seeking to get nice pictures with this unique effect.
The lonely season from March to May
If you want to avoid crowds of tourists and be just by yourself, or only with your group. This might be the best time for you to visit the Uyuni salt flats. You will have more freedom to explore the area, and during this cold season, the sky gets clear and unbelievably more bright to provide a panoramic view of the salt flats.
Just in case, keep in mind that during this season, strong rains can limit access to the salt flats, that’s also the reason why it’s less crowded, but some days depending on the weather conditions, you can be lucky and be able to get in.
The immensity of the white sea of salt from June to August
During this time of the year, the Uyuni salt flats reach its greatest optic illusion effect. It gets completely white, so it’s like walking on a huge sea that got dry.
At this time of the year, the weather can get extremely cold at night reaching freezing temperatures below zero Celsius degrees. So remember to bring enough warm clothes and a sleeping bag if you are spending the night on the salt flats.
Feel the warm exploring under the sun from September to November
For those who don’t like the cold weather, this is one of the best times to visit the Uyuni salt flats. The sun, during these months, keeps the salt flats with warm weather. Reaching the white salt sea before sunset, during this time of the year would be a breathtaking experience for you, a unique spectacle for your eyes full of colors combined with the white of the salt flats.
Choose the best time for you to visit the Uyuni salt flats
Now that you know the differences between each time of the year, you can choose the best time that suits you to explore this amazing place in South America. Being one of the best attractions in Bolivia, you can plan your trip with enough time to make sure you get the best of your experience.
