Is Uyuni Safe in December 2026?

Some Uyuni tour operators run underfunded or poorly maintained jeep tours across the Salar de Uyuni and surrounding altiplano at elevations above 4,000 metres. Vehicles with mechanical faults, inadequate cold-weather gear for overnight stops, insufficient food and water, and unqualified drivers are documented hazards. Accidents, breakdowns stranding tourists in remote areas, and altitude sickness emergencies without medical support have all been reported.

How to avoid: Research operators thoroughly before booking — read recent reviews on TripAdvisor and travel forums. Choose an established agency with a physical office in Uyuni, a written itinerary, and clearly named vehicle and driver. Avoid the cheapest tours available and verify that cold-weather sleeping gear is included for multi-day trips. Ask specifically about the vehicle's maintenance history.

Unlicensed taxi and minibus drivers wait outside the jeep tour departure area in Uyuni town center during early morning hours when sunrise tours return, typically between 1 AM and 3 AM, and near the Hotel de Sal area on the flats. They offer rides back to town or to the Chilean border at prices that sound reasonable given the cold and exhaustion, but are 4 to 6 times the normal rate. In several reported cases drivers have taken travelers to remote drop-off points far from the town center.

How to avoid: Arrange return transport with your licensed jeep tour operator before departing. If you need a taxi independently, use only vehicles booked through your hotel or the Uyuni town taxi stand on Av. Ferroviaria.

Budget hostels and guesthouses in Uyuni are frequently listed on booking platforms with photos that do not reflect the current state of the property. Heating failures in a town that regularly drops below freezing at night, broken facilities, and rooms far smaller than shown are common complaints. Some properties overbook during high season and turn guests away on arrival.

How to avoid: Read the most recent reviews (within three months) rather than relying on overall ratings or photos. Email the property directly to confirm your booking and ask specific questions about heating. Carry a sleeping bag rated for cold temperatures as backup.

At the Bolivian-Chilean border crossing between Uyuni and San Pedro de Atacama, informal money changers offer to exchange Bolivian bolivianos for Chilean pesos or USD. Exchange rates offered are significantly below official rates and changers may use sleight of hand to pass counterfeit notes or short-change travellers completing a currency swap under time pressure from waiting transport.

How to avoid: Exchange currency only at official exchange offices (casas de cambio) in Uyuni or San Pedro de Atacama before crossing. Carry sufficient local currency for each side of the border without needing to exchange at the crossing itself. Decline all approaches from informal changers.

Uyuni sits at 3,660 metres and the altiplano salt flat tours reach 4,000–5,000 metres. Some gear rental shops and tour operators rent cold-weather equipment (sleeping bags, down jackets, altitude medication) at prices far above market rate, knowing that tourists who underestimated the cold have no other options. Some rental gear is poorly maintained, torn, or rated for temperatures warmer than the altiplano minimum.

How to avoid: Research gear requirements before arriving and bring your own cold-weather layers if possible. Compare prices at multiple rental shops before committing. Ask specifically about the sleeping bag temperature rating for the lowest expected overnight temperature on your tour route.