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Town · Uyuni, Potosí
Colchani
Village on the edge of the salar, about 22 km from Uyuni, where families extract salt into piles, dry it, iodize it and pack it by hand, with small salt craft workshops and a salt museum.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Colchani
Colchani is a small village on the eastern edge of the Salar de Uyuni, about 22 km from the town where almost all the tours pass through. It lives off salt extraction, carried out by families of the local cooperative, and is the most commonly used gateway to the salar.
On the salt flat's edge, workers scrape the crust and form conical piles of salt that dry in the sun before being taken to the village. In the workshops, the salt is ground, iodized and packed by hand into sacks sealed with fire. Tours usually stop at one of these workshops, where you can see the process up close.
The village has stalls and craft shops selling salt pieces, llama and alpaca wool textiles and souvenirs, and a small museum dedicated to salt, with salt sculptures. Nearby are the salar's water springs and the monument to the Dakar rally, made of salt blocks.
It's a short stop, a passing point on the way into the salar. The houses are simple, made of adobe, and the wind blows strongly during the day.
Before you go
Practical information
Cidade Turismo reviews its information regularly, but something may have changed. Check with the place before planning your trip.
How much time to set aside
From 30 minutes to 1 hour, as a stop on the tour to the salar.
Best time
In the morning, when the workers are on the salt piles and in the workshops. In the rainy season, the edge of the salar near the village usually floods first.
How to get there
It's about 22 km from Uyuni along the road to Oruro, around a 30-minute drive. Agency tours stop in the village on the way to the salar.
Tip
Ask to see a salt-packing workshop and buy a bag of salt from the cooperative: the income goes to the village families.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Colchani
What do you do in Colchani?
Salt extraction and processing: the salt piles on the salar's edge and the workshops where the salt is ground, iodized and packed by hand.
Is Colchani located on the salar?
On the eastern edge, about 22 km from Uyuni. It is the most commonly used entry point for tours.
Can you buy handicrafts in Colchani?
Yes. Stalls sell salt pieces, llama and alpaca wool textiles and souvenirs.