Tupiza is gaining popularity among travellers as an alternative launch-pad for visiting the surreal salt flats of the Salar de Uyuni. 

The town itself is a laid-back agricultural and mining centre, set in a valley surrounded by multi-coloured eroded mountainscapes and giant cacti.

The stunning surrounds lend itself to horseback trips to nearby canyons, day treks along old Inca trade routes and biking in the hills. Local tour companies can also arrange rural homestays with campesino families.