Salar de Uyuni - flooded?
 

Hi everybody

We are currently in San Pedro de Atacama, crossing into Bolivia towards Uyuni in a few days. We have been told by other riders recently that there is no point in going to the Salar at the moment as it is rainy season.

Has anybody been through the Salar recently or know what current conditions are like? Should we avoid or go?

Thanks

Not good for camping when its flooded but it's supposed to be beautiful at that time. It was dry and had been for a long time when we arrived around this time last year.


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Rainy season is a beautiful time to go.
The salt flats Mirror the sky.

Thanks both. Sounds good to me. We leave for Bolivia tomorrow.

I was there a few weeks ago when it was flooded, still amazing!

As of 22/2 the Salar isnt very flooded. At the edge of the Salar near the village of Colchani, where the main gate to the Salar from Uyuni seems to be there is a bit of water upon the surface but that only stretches a few hundred meters, maybe a km into the Salar. After that - towards the Salt hotel and Dakar monument its more or less dry and from there and in to the Isla Incahuasi its dry.
Theres a little part on the southeastern side of the salar where there is 2-3 cm of water on the surface - so you can have your reflection photos taken.

Is there a way to know online if the salar is currently wet?

All I could think of is look for rain in the weather apps AND reasearch hastags #uyuni etc... on facebook to see recent posts about Uyuni.

You see Anna and I have already seen the Salar dry and we are headed North and IF its wet we want to take a large detour to see the wet Salar.

What do you guyz think?

The annual weather charts for Potosi (not far, but not exactly Uyuni...) says the greatest rainfall all year is in mid-March.

https://www.worldweatheronline.com/l...potosi/bo.aspx

A former Bolivia tour company director told me the rain water is pushed to the eastern side of the salar by the prevailing winds, which is basically where Uyuni is located. You stand a good chance of find some water this time of year. I was there is early March 2013 and saw areas with water on the eastern side and large areas that were dry to toward the center of the salar.

If you don't want to get salt/salt water on your bike, stay to the edges and work your way to the western side of the salar.

I meet a Japanese tour guide in one of the larger hostels as she was head bed around 9:00 PM. The tour group was getting up way before dawn because, "Seeing the stars reflect on the water is very important to Japanese people." Good to know. I slept in past sun rise when the tour truck took us out to Isla del Pescado, the salt works and salt hotel... My bike stayed in Uyuni as she is on a strict no salt diet. =)

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...salt-truck.jpg

Sometimes you can find a spot where you can whack away at the salt and break off nice chunks of salt crystals. The salar is actually a lake with an extra thick layer of salt floating on it.

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ystals-dig.jpg

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...t-crystals.jpg

I was at colchani yesterday and it was flooded. Tourcompanies and the local bus had to cross water almost as deep as their tires to get to the dryer part. Was still good to be there and take in the action

Even it its foodet its worth going. The lake will turn into a huge mirror. Amazing. I wildcamped in one of the old, empty hotels beside the lake How to Prepare For A Motorcycle Trip Around The World - Buying a bike in Chile

Well we are in Uyuni ans its still wet.

Bike cleaning day tomorrow :-)

It wet. My bike is a Chile moto and is for sale in Santiago. $1800000 Chilean. Phone 935789477

flood
 

how deep is the flood towards the entrance? i have a pulsar 150cc, 165 mm of ground clearance, would you recommend be going through it? Ive actually been thru deeper, but I'm not so sure about the entrance of salar de uyuni, thanks

it depends on the entrance you take. But it can be pretty deep...

ask the locals to get sure before entering the lake. i once left at "chuvica" and hat to take a special way so my 4x4 would not sink. At the same time the main entrance was flooded but easy going.

I see, i saw some other post saying go along the sides where it is much dryer. You think going around Jan20s a perfect time? Thanks