The Salar de Uyuni is the worlds largest salt flat at 10,582 square kilometres (4,086 sq miles). It is located in the Potosi and Oruro departments in southwest Bolivia, at an elevation of 3,565m above sea level.
The Salt Flats are generally included on a 3 or 4 day 4WD tour. We chose to
start our tour in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile and finished up in Uyuni,
Bolivia. It is possible to do this tour in reverse, i.e. departing from
Uyuni and ending in San Pedro de Atacama. If a 4WD tour through some of
the worlds most barren, harsh but incredible landscapes isn’t for you –
you can choose to take a day tour from Uyuni to visit the Salar. We
also were lucky enough to stay in a hotel that whilst basic, was made
almost entirely from salt! (I’ll post an article soon about our tour!)
Be sure to check out my photos below, and perhaps get some inspiration for own Salar photos!
In the dry season, the salt flat is a completely flat, dry expanse of
salt, but in the wet season it is covered with a thin sheet of water
which provides you a perfect reflection of the sky above you! During the
rainy season when the Salar becomes covered with a layer of water it
also becomes a breeding ground for pink flamingoes.
Make sure you charge your camera; this unique landscape is truly like no
other! Also don’t forget your sunscreen, the combination of the
reflection from the salt and the altitude will leave you the colour of
one of the Salar’s famous flamingos if you don’t slip, slop, slap as we
say in Australia!
Have you been to the Salar de Uyuni?
