I recommend asking your tour operator for a list of mandatory and optional costs you’ll encounter ahead of time, as they’ll vary according to the route and stops your tour includes. Then there are optional costs, like fees to sit in area hot springs or drinks at lodges. The biggest cost is the park entry fee for Eduardo Avaroa National Park (150 BOB per person, or about $22), but there are smaller fees for places like Fish Island in the middle of the salt flats (30 BOB, or about $4 USD). Most “all inclusive” tours still don’t include park entry fees. You’ll need cash if you want access to views like these. Here’s what you’ll want to know before visiting the Uyuni Salt Flats from someone who’s been there themselves. Accommodations range from basic hostels to hotels made from salt to luxury hotels and guesthouses, so there’s something for everyone whether you’re on a budget or not. Tours go through the sprawling flats, stopping at deserts, lagoons, hot springs, photo sites, and more. The most popular way to explore the Uyuni Salt Flats is on a 3- or 4-day Jeep or ATV tour.

You can also spot wildlife, such as llamas and vicuñas, which roam freely across the vast landscape.

Salar de Uyuni is also a draw for its bizarre phenomena, including a mirror effect: when rainwater collects on pools on the salt flat, they reflect the bright blue sky above, creating an awesome effect you won’t find naturally in too many other places in the world. It was once an ancient lake called Lago Minchin, but it dried up during the last ice age, leaving behind only the salt that was in the water.

This massive salt flat covers more than 4,000 square miles and is the world’s largest expanse of salt.

Uyuni salt flat