Salar de Uyuni
The World'S Largest Salt Flat, About 10,000 Square Kilometres Of White Salt Crust At 3,656 M, Left By Prehistoric Lakes. In The Wet Season (Jan Mar) A Thin Film Of Water Turns It Into A Vast Mirror. Holds More Than Half The World'S Lithium Reserves. Visited On 1 To 4 Day Jeep Tours From Uyuni. · Uyuni, Potosi
The Salar de Uyuni is the largest salt flat on Earth, about 10,000 square kilometres of white crust at roughly 3,650 m on the Bolivian Altiplano. It is reached from the dusty town of Uyuni on 1- to 4-day jeep tours. The flat is blinding white and almost perfectly level, so the horizon vanishes. In the wet season, roughly January to March, a thin film of water turns it into a mirror of the sky. Longer trips cross the Lipez highlands to red and green lagoons with flamingos, geysers and hot springs. The honest picture is a harsh, remote place. The sun and glare are fierce, nights are bitterly cold, the altitude affects many people, toilets are basic and the cheapest agencies cut corners on drivers and vehicles. It also sits on huge lithium reserves, and mining is a real debate. Choose a licensed agency, acclimatise first, and bring cash, warm layers and sun protection. Few landscapes feel as strange or as quiet, and the stars at night are unforgettable. Go with time to spare, because weather and roads can change the plan.
Salt flat of about 10,000 sq km at about 3,650 m on the Altiplano in south-west Bolivia, entered from the railway town of Uyuni, with Isla Incahuasi and the Train Cemetery nearby, Uyuni, Potosi, Bolivia
The flat itself is open all day and every day and is FREE to walk on, but you can only reach it by tour or your own 4x4. Tours usually leave Uyuni in the morning and return by evening or after 2 to 4 days. Incahuasi and the lagoon reserves charge small fees. Some routes CLOSE in heavy rain or during blockades, so confirm locally.