Colchani

The small town of Colchani is an excellent entry point to the Salar of Uyuni. Here, the great majority of the population lives by the exploitation of salt and they extract it in blocks (for animals) or in grain (for the human consummation), thanks to picks shocks. Only a part is sold, the other part is given in exchange of provisions. A museum opened a few time ago, there are pedagogical explanations concerning the salt business and caravans of lamas, commercial practices belonging to the past. A bit further, in the southwest of Colchani, the workshop of Cooperativa Rosario sculpts in enormous salt blocks furniture and art objects. An entire hotel, entirely made of salt, has been built; El Palacio de Sal, still being an unreal thing in the region. Due to its location on the banks of the Salar River, tourist activity is now developing rapidly.