Uyuni's Salar de Uyuni 2026: Stargazing & Sunrise Tour in Bolivia
Explore Uyuni, Bolivia, with our guide to Hotel Julia and the unforgettable Oasis Tours' Stargazing & Sunrise adventure on the Salar de Uyuni. Get tips for your 2026 trip!
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Explore Uyuni, Bolivia, with our guide to Hotel Julia and the unforgettable Oasis Tours' Stargazing & Sunrise adventure on the Salar de Uyuni. Get tips for your 2026 trip!
Around 9 PM, we landed at Uyuni airport and hopped into a taxi to head into the city.
I thought the taxi fare was a bit steep, so I tried to share a ride with other travelers,
but everyone had already paired up, so I ended up taking one by myself.
Our accommodation was Hotel Julia.
We planned for 3 nights in Uyuni, so we booked 3 nights at Julia for $90 (double room).
(It seemed like there were plenty of rooms available even if you booked on arrival, and it might even be cheaper.)
Since most people journey to Uyuni specifically for the salt flats, shower facilities felt like the absolute most important thing.
Places offering hot showers were super popular, and since Julia promised hot showers, that's what we booked!
Plus, the general consensus was that the differences in accommodation conditions aren't huge; most places are pretty similar.
So, without further ado, we settled on Hotel Julia.
And guess what? When you open the front door of Julia,
right next door is... the famous tour agency, OASIS!
Given the nature of these tours – often leaving in the wee hours to stargaze or catch the sunrise –
having our accommodation so incredibly close was just perfect...!!
So, we unpacked our bags, then stepped out to exchange some dollars into Bolivian currency, BOL,
and headed straight to the tour agency.
As planned, we signed up for the <star light + sunrise> tour, which kicks off at 3 AM and gets back around 7:30 AM.
There's a sign-up sheet posted in front of the tour agency where you can check the tours and times you want, then simply write down your name.
After that, you just head into the office to pay the tour fee, and they'll stamp your paper with "Oasis Bolivia," just like in the photo.
Once you've done all that, your tour departure is officially confirmed!!
Then, all that's left is to bundle up warmly and show up at the designated time.
We went back to our accommodation... and took a shower.
My hot shower was wonderfully warm and relaxing, but my friend said there was absolutely no hot water when she went in after me.
My furious friend kept pacing between our room and the front desk, practically shouting "Hot shower!!!!!!" ㅠㅠ
It turns out there might be specific times when the hot water is actually on???
(The front desk just kept saying "ok ok" without much explanation, but the exact same thing happened at the same time the very next day!!!)
Anyway, after all the drama and back-and-forth about potentially changing accommodations because of the hot water situation,
I just drifted off to dreamland first, lolol.
After that blissful sleep, I woke up around 2 AM,
layered on all my warmest clothes... (two pairs of pants, three pairs of socks... lol!),
and headed to Oasis right on time at 3 AM.
The area in front of Oasis was already bustling with activity... and a huge throng of Koreans, lol!
You couldn't even tell if we were in Korea or Bolivia.
So... we met up with the wonderful people who had chosen the same tour,
and off we went in the car!
Our guide wasn't one of the 'famous' ones, but he was incredibly friendly and worked so hard for us – we were truly satisfied!
What was his name again~~
Even on the way there, Big Bang songs were blasting in the car, 'Bam Bam!'
We had such an exciting ride~~
Upon arrival, we were greeted by the incredible sky and stars of the Uyuni Salt Flats.
I had no idea how to adjust the camera settings, so I just snapped away, doing my absolute best, lol!
Even though I tried my best to capture it...
it's a given, but seeing it with your own eyes is a hundred, even a thousand times more magnificent!
Our team consisted of a group of four women, plus me and my friend, making a total of six women.
We all stood together, gazing at the stars, exclaiming "Oooh, ahhh~~" – our reactions were absolutely the best... lol!
Everyone else was shouting that they saw shooting stars...
but sadly, I suffer from severe dry eyes, so lolololololol,
I guess because I kept blinking, not a single shooting star caught my eye.
It was so disappointing ㅠㅠ
We were all looking at the same amazing sky... but I couldn't see any of them ㅠ.
Just when we were starting to get our fill of stargazing...
our guide had us stand in place and took some amazing photos like these.
I was thinking, "What on earth is he doing behind us, making us stand still like this?"
But when I saw how the pictures turned out!! It was absolutely mind-blowing.
He also captured some fantastic shots of my friend and me like this~~
Even as the sun slowly started to creep up, we barely noticed it...
we were just busy taking photos.
We basically came here to take pictures ㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠㅠ
lolololololololol
Whoa, my hair was a complete mess... like a wild ghost!
My tail...
I'm bringing up the rear ㅠㅠㅠ
Phew! ~~~~~~~~~~~~
You might wonder what all this elaborate posing is for,
but looking at the photos, it just makes me so incredibly happy... +_+
The dawn is breaking, my friends~~~~~~~~~
The sun is incredibly strong... seriously, so powerful.
Oh, and a crucial tip: you absolutely have to be careful of the sun in Uyuni.
The ground is pure white, reflecting everything, and you're 100% exposed to the sun's intensity.
Apparently, someone even had to be rushed to the hospital after a tour during our stay because they temporarily lost their sight...
Since they say there's a risk of blindness, I definitely had to put on my shades!
Ta-da!
Even though I'd just met them, everyone had such wonderful personalities...
The whole tour was so much fun!
Alright!
Even when it's tough, let's smile!
After all, Uyuni... we came all this way... to take photos!
There have been instances where hot water was not available when using the hot shower at Hotel Julia. It seems there are specific times when hot water is turned on, so it's advisable to check this in advance.
You can check the desired tour and time slot on the paper posted in front of the OASIS Tour Company office and write down your name. Afterwards, go into the office to pay the tour fee, and your reservation will be confirmed with an Oasis Bolivia stamp.
Uyuni has a brilliant white ground and is 100% exposed to sunlight, so you must be careful about the sun. There have been cases where people were taken to the hospital after a tour due to temporary blindness, so you must wear sunglasses to prevent the risk of permanent blindness.
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