Like all countries south of the Equator, Bolivia experiences four seasons. With the Salar de Uyuni weather, however, it really only feels as if there are two: the dry season from April to October and the rainy season from November to March. Of course, this sometimes changes slightly from year to year as the rainy season can extend into the dry season and visa-versa.
Unlike most places, the wet season in Salar de Uyuni arguably brings out the best it has to offer. The rain brings out the magical mirror effect in which a thin layer of rainwater covering the salt transforms the flat into the ‘world’s largest mirror’.
This season brings plenty of rain but sunshine is also quite common. Days are slightly warmer than the dry season, averaging 17/18 C and nights aren’t as cold. If you are lucky enough to experience a clear, sunny day combined with a flooded salt flat, prepare yourself for the most spectacular spectacle of your life. Grab your wheelies and camera and enjoy!
Unfortunately, this season comes with a few difficulties as flooding can sometimes cause parts of Salar de Uyuni to be inaccessible. Interesting attractions such as Isla Incahuasi (the top of the remains of an ancient volcano which was submerged by a huge prehistoric lake 40,000 years ago and now home to giant cacti) often can’t be reached and access to other sites can be limited because of bad roads.
On the other hand, the dry season consists of clear skies and sunny days. Daytime temperatures are quite high but nights are very cold, often falling well below freezing and sometimes even as low as -15 C. Despite the chilly nights, you will still spend some of your night outside gazing at the spectacular stars so warm clothing and sleeping bags are a must for those visiting at this time of year.
The biggest advantage of arriving during the dry season is that everywhere in Salar de Uyuni is accessible. There’s very little risk of being stuck in the rugged roads and tours can operate fully with access to all the major sites. For more information on the Salar de Uyuni weather, when best to visit and the different tours available, check out our tours page here!