Is Uyuni safe?
Quiet small town with low crime. Cold nights, high altitude, unsafe tour vehicles and hasty drivers are the real risks.
Key facts
- SoloSquare safety rating: 4/5, safe with normal care.
- US travel advisory: Level 2: Exercise increased caution, updated 2026-04-27.
- Homicide rate in Bolivia: 4.4 per 100,000 people (2023, UNODC via World Bank).
- Road deaths in Bolivia: 21.1 per 100,000 people a year (2019, WHO).
- Emergency numbers: Police 110 · Ambulance 118 · Fire 119.
Safety in Uyuni at a glance
| What to expect | |
|---|---|
| Overall | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Crime | Petty theft from rooms and unattended bags; some tour agency fraud and overbooking. Violent crime against visitors is rare. |
| At night | The town is quiet and sleepy after dark; temperatures drop below zero in winter, so dress warmly. |
| Solo women | Generally comfortable for solo women; harassment is mild. Join established tour groups rather than unknown private drivers. |
| Other risks | Altitude of 3,650 m and above on the tours; Freezing nights, Jun–Aug; Traffic accidents on tour routes; choose agencies with seatbelts and spare fuel |
Scams, areas and local laws
Common scams
- Agencies promising a cheap tour, then using an unsafe vehicle or skipping stops
- Pre-paid bookings made online for operators that don't exist
Take care
- Tour vehicles with speeding or drinking drivers: refuse and change agencies
- Unlit streets at night: dogs and uneven ground
Calmer areas to stay
Laws visitors break by accident
- Any amount of illegal drugs counts as trafficking; the minimum sentence is eight years
- Prison tours are illegal and unsafe
- Coca leaves are legal in Bolivia but illegal to carry into most other countries
How Uyuni compares in Bolivia
| Place | Safety |
|---|---|
| Uyuni | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Sucre | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Copacabana | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Rurrenabaque | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Potosí | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| La Paz | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
| Santa Cruz | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
Quick answers
Is Uyuni safe for solo female travelers?
Generally comfortable for solo women; harassment is mild. Join established tour groups rather than unknown private drivers.
Is Uyuni safe at night?
The town is quiet and sleepy after dark; temperatures drop below zero in winter, so dress warmly.
What is the crime rate in Uyuni?
Petty theft from rooms and unattended bags; some tour agency fraud and overbooking. Violent crime against visitors is rare. Nationally, Bolivia records 4.4 homicides per 100,000 people a year (2023).
What number do I call in an emergency in Uyuni?
Police 110 · Ambulance 118 · Fire 119.
More about Uyuni
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Sources
- US State Department travel advisory
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bolivia
- Entel Bolivia
- World Bank: intentional homicides (UNODC)
- World Bank: road traffic deaths (WHO)
Safety ratings are SoloSquare's editorial judgment from official advisories, crime data and local reporting. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.