When to visit El Salar de Uyuni- a paradise of salt

This photo was taken in April 2022. The salt flat was not entirely wet, but our tour guide took us to a spot that usually has water, and the reflection was created.

The largest natural mirror in the world

El Salar de Uyuni (the Uyuni salt flat) is located in the Department (state) of Potosi, southwest of Bolivia. This enormous desert covers an area of approximately 4,000 square miles with an elevation of 11,995 feet above sea level, near the crest of Los Andes, becoming the largest salt flat and natural mirror in the world.

When is the best time to go to the salt flat?

I have been able to go to the salt flat several times and at different times of the year. I have seen both wet and dry landscapes and experienced different temperatures. The salt flat is blessed with many extraordinary places and activities. No matter what time of the year you decide to go, you will always have an unforgettable experience. However, picking one season over another might vary the landscape and your itinerary in the salt flat. So, before choosing a date to go to Bolivia and planning your time there, here are some considerations.

• The rainy season in the salt flat

As you may know or not, summer in Bolivia starts in December and ends in March. These months are the "rainy season" in Uyuni; the salt flat is typically covered in water, creating a magical mirror illusion on the horizon. Although the salt flat is naturally a dry place (because it is a desert), the rainy season is most notorious from January to February. This means that your chances of experiencing a mirror reflection are way higher, which can be good or bad depending on your plans.

Having a rainy day is not always the best scenario if you want to explore many places in the salt flat. One of my favorite activities is visiting the Isla Incahuasi (an island in the heart of the salt flat), which is usually restricted for safety reasons these months. It is dangerous to go deep in the salt desert when it's super wet because the salt can damage any motor vehicle. And nobody wants to end up stuck in the middle of a desert full of salt, right?

Therefore, catching a rainy day might not sound good if you only go for a day or two. However, if you stay after a rainfall, you might be one of the luckiest because you can see almost the entire salt flat wet! Yes, it means that the mirror illusion would be as it best.

This photo was taken in early January of 2021, the rain had happened 2 days before we arrived, and we still found water in some places of the salt flat.

If you plan to go to the salt flat in the early months of the year, remember your probability of experiencing the mirror reflection is higher but not certain because, as we all know, rain is not precisely predictable. You might still find some wet spots from previous rains that will make your day and your next insta post. Also, consider that the itinerary might be limited, and a day might be enough to see everything in the salt flat.

• The dry season in the salt Flat

On the other hand, winter in Bolivia starts in June and ends in August; these months are, as imagined, the coldest and driest months in Uyuni. During this time, the salt flat is as white and dry as the salt desert; yes, I know, it is exactly what it is.

The pros of visiting the salt flat in the cold season are that you have more activities; as mentioned before, Isla Incahuasi is a must-do. Can you actually believe the salt flat has an island in the middle of it? Isla Incahuasi is such a fantastic place! You change your environment drastically. It does not feel like a desert full of salt when you start experiencing it by seeing hills, dirt, rocks, and so many cacti.

This photo was taken in June of 2015 in the Incahuasi Island right in the middle of the salt flat.

Yes, cacti are giants!! This island is the perfect spot for a hike (not too long, not too short). You will get to an elevated viewpoint where you can evidently realize how big the salt flat is and take amazing pictures of its white view. This is a great place to stop and explore. You can get some food, buy souvenirs from local artisans, and do breathtaking walking (the altitude that will literally take your breath out). Other places to visit during this time are La Cueva de Diablo (Devil's Cave) and La Cueva Galaxia (Galaxy Cave). These places are farther away and are extraordinary rock formations created when the salt flat was still a sea.

If you're hesitant to go during the dry season mainly because you think you won't see the mirror reflection, don't worry... there is a spot on the side of the salt flat that typically has water all year long, and the tour guides know exactly where it is and will take you there. However, I would be lying if I told you it is the same as in the rainy season because it is not. You will see some reflection but not as neat as after rainfall, but it is still worth the experience and the pics.

To conclude, I recommend picking a date based on what you want to see the most or do. Rainy seasons might have limitations, but mirror reflections are more likely to happen. The dry season has fewer restrictions and more to do. So pick a date that works for you and your itinerary, and just come. I guarantee you won't regret a single thing. All seasons are unique and breathtaking; this place is literally one of a kind, and either way, you will feel you are on another planet.