Quick Summary: Two things catch travelers out at the Salar de Uyuni: nights that fall to -10°C and occasionally -20°C in unheated accommodation, and daytime sun amplified by a white salt surface at 3,660 metres. Pack a sleeping bag rated to at least -10°C or rent one, wear your thermals rather than storing them, bring SPF 50 and proper sunglasses, and carry enough small bolivianos to cover fees and tips because ATMs are unreliable. Everything else is comfort; these are the items that decide whether you enjoy the trip.
Why Uyuni Packing Is Different
Most packing lists are about convenience. This one is about two physical realities that a lot of visitors genuinely underestimate.
The first is cold. Uyuni town sits at about 3,670 metres, and the southern circuit on a three-day tour climbs past 4,800 metres and overnights at around 4,200. Between June and August, overnight temperatures on that circuit regularly fall below -10°C and can hit -20°C at the highest refugios, which are almost never heated. Even in the warmer wet-season months, nights hover around freezing.
The second is sun. At this altitude the atmosphere filters far less ultraviolet radiation, and a dry salt surface reflects a large share of what does get through straight back at you — including under your chin, up your nose, and into your eyes. In wet season, standing water makes the reflection worse. Travelers routinely burn in places they have never burnt before.
The Non-Negotiables
- A sleeping bag rated to at least -10°C. Operators usually provide blankets at the salt hotel on night one and thin bags at the refugio on night two. That thin bag is the single most common cause of a miserable night. Either rent a properly rated one from your operator, typically $10–$20 for the trip, or bring your own. Ask about the rating specifically, not just whether bags are provided.
- A down or heavy insulated jacket, worn rather than packed.
- Thermal base layers, top and bottom. Sleep in them.
- A warm hat and gloves. A hat to sleep in is the unglamorous tip regular Altiplano travelers swear by.
- SPF 50 sunscreen and high-quality sunglasses. Reapply the sunscreen more often than feels reasonable, and get under your jaw.
- Lip balm with SPF. The combination of altitude, wind and dry air splits lips within a day.
- Closed trekking shoes for rough ground in the reserve; waterproof footwear in wet season.
- Small bolivianos. Reserve fees, toilet charges of one to three bolivianos at remote stops, and tips all require cash. Uyuni’s ATMs are limited and frequently empty or unfriendly to foreign cards, so withdraw in La Paz.
Season-Specific Additions
Wet Season (December to April)
- Waterproof boots or shoes you do not mind ruining — salt water destroys leather
- A rain shell
- Dry bags for electronics
- A microfibre cloth; salt spray coats lenses within minutes
- Quick-dry trousers rather than jeans
Dry Season (May to November)
- Heavier insulation across the board
- A sleeping bag liner if you feel the cold
- Serious moisturiser
- A buff or scarf for dust on the southern tracks
- A head torch for the refugio, where power runs in limited windows
Comparison Table: Rent in Uyuni or Bring From Home
| Item | Rent locally | Bring your own | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleeping bag | $10–$20 for the trip | Bulky to carry across South America | Rent, but confirm the temperature rating in writing |
| Down jacket | Rarely available to rent; buy in La Paz for $20–$50 | Essential item | Bring, or buy in La Paz before heading south |
| Sunglasses | Sold locally, quality variable | Reliable UV protection | Bring |
| Sunscreen | Available but expensive in Uyuni | Cheaper at home | Bring |
| Camera gear | Not available | Salt is corrosive | Bring, with protection |
| Power bank | Limited availability | Refugio power is rationed | Bring |
The Small Items People Forget
- A power bank. Refugios have electricity for limited windows only, and cold drains camera and phone batteries fast. Keep spares in an inside pocket against your body.
- Perspective props. Toy dinosaurs, a small figurine, an empty bottle — the classic dry-season photographs need something for scale. Cheap and easy to forget.
- Toilet paper and hand gel. Facilities on the circuit are basic and frequently unstocked.
- Snacks. Meals are included on multi-day tours but the gaps are long, and altitude appetite is unpredictable.
- Offline maps and a screenshot of your itinerary. There is effectively no mobile coverage on the southern circuit. Download everything before you leave town and tell someone at home your expected return date.
- Medication and any altitude remedies. Pharmacies in La Paz and Uyuni sell soroche tablets over the counter, and coca tea is ubiquitous. If you have had altitude problems before, read the CDC’s high-altitude guidance and speak to a doctor before travelling.
- A small dry-day bag. If you are crossing to Chile, your main pack rides on the roof under a tarpaulin for three days. Everything you actually need should be inside the vehicle with you.
Documents, Money and Insurance
Travel insurance for Uyuni should explicitly cover activities above 5,000 metres. Many standard policies cap coverage at 3,000 or 4,000 metres, which would leave a claim from the geyser field uncovered — read the altitude clause rather than the summary.
Carry your passport accessibly rather than buried, especially if you are crossing to Chile at Hito Cajón. One regional issue worth knowing: travelers moving between Bolivia and its neighbours have long reported problems arising from a missing entry stamp, sometimes only discovered on exit when a fine is applied. Check your passport physically before leaving any immigration window and photograph the stamp.
On cash, the boliviano moved to a managed float on 29 June 2026 and has traded well above its old fixed rate, so check the reference rate at the Banco Central de Bolivia before deciding how much to withdraw. Plan on roughly 600–900 bolivianos in small notes per person for a three-day trip.
Packing for the Journey In
What you carry matters less if you are being collected from your door than if you are hauling it across a terminal at dawn — which is a real packing consideration, not a marketing point.
Public buses in Bolivia hold terminal-to-terminal transport licences, so they cannot pick you up at a hotel or drop you anywhere but a station. You will need a taxi at each end, and you are expected at the terminal around 45 minutes before departure. There is no onboard staff; the driver’s cabin is closed. Bolivia Hop runs the Cusco–Puno–Copacabana–La Paz corridor under a tourist licence with hotel pickups and drop-offs, a bilingual onboard host, blankets on night services and curated stops that terminal-to-terminal services cannot make; Peru Hop does the same on the Peruvian side. For fluent Spanish speakers travelling point to point, public buses are perfectly workable and often the practical choice.
“The bus itself was very comfortable, with reclining seats and blankets.” — iwona1d1s, Country not stated, October 2025.
It is also worth remembering that it is essential to schedule travel time to destinations that are conveniently located and arranged in a logical sequence. Packing well cannot rescue an itinerary that puts you at 4,800 metres 36 hours after landing at sea level. Two nights around La Paz first does more for your comfort than any jacket.
A Note on Camera Gear
Salt is corrosive and it gets everywhere. Bring lens cloths, keep a dry bag handy, change lenses as little as possible, and wipe everything down at the end of each day. Cold drains batteries quickly, so carry spares warm. In wet season, expect spray on every surface; in dry season, expect fine salt dust. Neither is fatal to equipment that is looked after, and both will damage equipment that is not.
For more on seasonal conditions, see our Uyuni salt flats tour guide and the Bolivia Hop wet versus dry season breakdown.
FAQ
Do I really need my own sleeping bag, or is the rental fine?
The rental is fine if it is rated properly, and inadequate if it is not — which is why the question to ask is about the temperature rating rather than whether bags are provided. Operators commonly supply thin bags suitable for mild conditions, and travelers then spend a night at 4,200 metres in sub-zero temperatures learning the difference. Paying $10–$20 for a bag rated to -10°C or lower is one of the highest-return decisions on the whole trip. If your operator cannot tell you the rating, assume it is inadequate.
How bad is the sun, really?
Worse than almost anywhere else most travelers have been. At 3,660 metres there is substantially less atmosphere filtering ultraviolet radiation, and a white salt surface reflects much of it straight back up. People burn under the chin, inside the nostrils and on the eyelids — places sunscreen routinely misses. In wet season, standing water intensifies the reflection further. Use SPF 50, reapply every couple of hours, wear a wide-brimmed hat, and treat proper sunglasses as safety equipment rather than a style choice; snow blindness from salt glare is uncommon but not unheard of.
Can I buy warm clothing in La Paz if I arrive underprepared?
Yes, easily and cheaply, and a lot of travelers do. The markets around the Witches’ Market and Sagárnaga sell alpaca-blend jumpers, hats, gloves and socks at very reasonable prices, and outdoor shops in the city stock jackets and thermal layers. Budget $20–$50 to fill gaps. Buy before you head south — Uyuni has some options but the range is narrower and the prices higher.
How much cash should I bring, and can I use cards?
Bring roughly 600–900 bolivianos in small notes per person for a three-day tour, covering reserve fees, tips, toilet charges and snacks. Some larger hotels and established operators in Uyuni accept cards, occasionally with a 5–10% surcharge, but restaurants, market vendors and every roadside stop are cash only. Withdraw in La Paz, where ATMs are more numerous and more reliable, and carry small denominations because change is scarce.
What should I leave behind?
Jeans, which are heavy, cold when damp and slow to dry. Anything valuable you do not need on the circuit — leave it in stored luggage rather than on a jeep roof. Hair dryers and similar, which the refugio power supply will not support. Drone operators should check current rules with their operator before packing one, since access and permissions around the reserve vary. And do not bring fresh fruit, meat or dairy if you are crossing into Chile; agricultural inspection at the border is strict and items will be confiscated.
Limitations
Temperature figures here are typical seasonal ranges rather than forecasts, and conditions on the southern circuit can be significantly colder or milder than averages suggest — as a work-around, check recent traveler reports and ask your operator about current overnight conditions the week before you travel. Equipment provision varies substantially between operators at similar price points, so confirm sleeping bag ratings, water allowance and power availability in writing rather than assuming a standard. Cash requirements are affected by Bolivia’s floating currency and current inflation, so check the central bank reference rate close to your departure and carry a buffer above the figures given.