Hey all, so my wife and I recently completed the Salt flats tour Salar de Uyuni in Boliva, in August 2013, and after much research and discussion with other travellers we decided to do it from Tupiza, not Uyuni.
Yes, it was more expensive, longer and Tupiza is further away (if you're traveling South, like we were), but as soon as we got into Uyuni at the end of the trip (though we were subsequently given a free transfer back to Tupiza by our guide), I was so glad we didn't start our tour there.
In comparison to Tupiza, Uyuni isn't really that nice. It's dirty, busy and packed with tourists. Surely this town would be nothing more than a tiny village without the Salar trade, and really not a 'must see' for tourists.
We wanted (as many people do) a few days either side of our Salar tour to relax, and you really don't want to be doing that in Uyuni. Tupiza, on the other hand, is sleepy and charming - albeit a bit limited for restaurants.
I've posted a trip report here: http://myyearinflux.com/salar-de-uyuni-salt-flats-bolivia but if you're considering the Salar and don't know where to start from I'd seriously recommend Tupiza. No crowds, no cowboys (well, there are some real cowboys working the land!) and 4 incredible days. Enjoy!
