The World’s Mirror: Salar de Uyuni

An immense salt-flat stretches to the horizon like nature’s most enigmatic mirror. Here, a seamless expanse of crystalline salt reflects the sky’s ever-changing colors, creating a mesmerizing illusion of the sky and ground becoming one. This otherworldly landscape, with its intricate patterns up close and glistening surface from afar, transforms into a dazzling white sea during the dry season and a shimmering, reflective pool during the rainy season, capturing the essence of an endless and ethereal realm. Even after being in a huge morning caravan of other intrepid travelers, there is still a feeling of being alone because of the expanse of the salt flats. Out the window, the tires splash and salt chunks fly off of the fenders like snow, then the vehicle stops, passengers emerge, and the vastness of this landscape continues to flabergast.

During the rainy season (December to April), the salt flat is covered with a thin layer of water, creating a stunning mirror effect that reflects the sky perfectly, when the wind is not too strong. This creates one of the most surreal and photogenic landscapes on the planet. The flat is composed of a thick crust of salt, (but there are little holes in some spots, which is freaky) which covers a vast underground reservoir of lithium-rich brine. This makes Salar de Uyuni a crucial site for lithium extraction, which is a key component in modern batteries. Estimates suggest that it holds around 7% of the world’s known lithium reserves. The area for exploration is the more eastern section of the flat, and the Lithium mines are seen more to the south.

The Salar De Uyuni was formed from the remnants of a prehistoric lake called Lake Poopó. Around 30,000 to 40,000 years ago, this lake dried up, leaving behind two main features: the salt crust of Salar de Uyuni and the smaller saline Lake Poopó. Now when it rains, the flats create a reflective surface that is so large it can be used to callibrate satellites since its basically the worlds largest mirror.

There truly is such beauty in this place- but we also could not pass up the opportunity to have fun with the mirror-effect!

Uyuni does have an airport so you can tour the flats, even though we came in from the south via bus. It’s not a super vibrant town, but the people there are quite friendly, the town is also geared towards the salt flat tours and mining almost exclusively, so don’t expect much else to do there. We did find the local market to be fun, as well as some of the restuarants and gardens to be quite beautiful for such an austere place. There were even hotels made out of salt bricks that you can stay in!

Salar de Uyuni is not just a vast expanse of salt; it’s a dynamic, awe-inspiring landscape with significant geological, ecological, and cultural importance. Whether you’re a photographer, nature enthusiast, or simply a traveler seeking an unforgettable experience, Salar de Uyuni offers a truly unique adventure in one of the most remarkable places on Earth.

BUT WAIT… THERE’S MORE!

Now we ascend to the Andean High Plateau, a vast high-altitude plateau that commands awe with its rugged grandeur and expansive vistas. Atop this lofty realm, the land unfurls in dramatic, unyielding sweeps, framed by towering mountain ranges and framed by sky that seems to stretch infinitely. The Altiplano’s harsh beauty is both stark and majestic, offering a profound sense of isolation and an expansive canvas where the raw forces of nature sculpt a landscape of remarkable ruggedness and sublime elevation. The best way to experience this is a 3-4 day trip, where you can see the highlights of this diverse region and visit the Eduardo Avaroa National Park, home to flamingoes, the strange yareta plant, viscachas, & vistas and stars that stretch beyond comprehension.

These geothermal features, such as the Sol de Mañana and the Laguna Colorada, arise from volcanic activity. Sol de Mañana, for example, is a geothermal field with bubbling mud pots, steam vents, and fumaroles that emit sulfurous (read: stinky) gases. The most interesting part is that there are no ropes, signs, paths or anything else in this area. It’s remeniscent of stories about Yellowstone in the 1890s, where people could wander around at thier own peril, but also get close and experience the geothermal activity like no other place on earth.

The intense volcanic heat beneath the surface drives these phenomena, creating a surreal landscape of colorful mineral deposits and steaming vents, all set against the stark, high-altitude backdrop of the Andes. The stars are the most intense in the thin mountain air, and the sunrises are filled with the desert pastel colors that are the reason this place has been compared with paintings from Salvador Dali.

We arrived to the geothermal fiels in the early morning when the steam is most intensely in contrast with the cold mountain air. We highly recommend taking a tour, as the tour operators know the ins and outs of each little region, as well as where the roads actually are (there are some confusing little side trails and dead ends out there as well).

Most tours that go up into the Altiplano leave out of Uyuni and are part of the 3 day tours. This is the perfect time because any shorter and things would be too fast. It was hard enough to adjust to the altitude as is, but rushing things will definitely make you miserable. Be prepared for the altitude to kick you down no matter how much you are ready, because there are some passes in the desert that look like nothing online, but in fact are about 15-16,000ft high in elevation, so they will leave you breathless in more ways than one.

Overall this was one of the most diverse and otherworldly places we have ever been. Like we talked about in the Atacama post, the pastel colors are incredible and the changes are immense. Usually deserts are pictured as bland and monotone both in activities and appearance, this was anything but!

As always, we hope this post inspires you to also get out there and have a grand adventure! Remember to refer back to our NowVertakking Radical Sabbatical as we continue to post updated parts of our adventures.