The Salar (or salt flats) was one of the most spectacular things I have ever seen in my life. We flew to Uyuni, in the Atacama Desert of Bolivia. At 13,000 feet, it is one of the highest deserts in the world. Long, long ago, as the Andes formed and plates shifted, salt water lakes appeared in this area. Over time, the salt continually rose to the lakes’ surfaces, creating a 10-40 foot crust that you can walk and even drive over. We visited during ‘rainy’ season, so the Salar was covered in a thin layer of water, rather than its normal, crunchy surface. This made for the great reflections and distorted sense of perspective.
We stayed in a hotel made of salt – literally. The walls were constructed with bricks of salt with some sort of protective coating. Since the local people survive exclusively on tourism, they work hard to bring the experience to life. As you can see, we caught a spectacular sunset and full moon rise, including their reflections.
This was a truly unique and unforgettable experience. I can’t recommend it highly enough.
Wandering South America 