Uyuni Salt Flats, Bolivia

The Salt Flats of Bolivia (Salar de Uyuni) are a spectacular natural phenomena: an otherworldly dreamscape tucked away in the Andes, 3,600m above sea level.

The Salar is the world’s largest salt flat, covering some 12,000 square km, estimated to contain 10 billion tonnes of salt. It’s a remote place – well off-the-beaten-path – and seemingly cut off from the modern world, but somewhere that can’t be missed if you’re in Bolivia.

With a luxury tailor-made tour from Lightfoot Travel you discover one of South America’s greatest natural treasures, while enjoying a little adventure on the frontier lands of Bolivia.

The raw beauty of the Salar’s UNESCO-listed lunar landscapes is mesmerising. Stark chalk expanses, formed into hexagonal patterns, stretch into the distance disappearing only when they meet the snowcapped Andean peaks. The sheer emptiness of the terrain is a very surreal experience, while no words could ever do the sunsets here justice.

During the rainy season between November and April something strange happens. The Salar is transformed into a vast shimmering mirror, leaving you unable to tell where the flats finish and the sky begins. Where they converge at the horizon, anyone walking in the distance looks as if they’re floating among the heavens, while the reflective symmetry creates the illusion of upside down mountain ranges.

Until recently, accommodation was rather basic as it’s just so remote, but a number of hotels and designer eco-lodges have sprung up recently. Booking a luxury tour with Lightfoot Travel, means you’ll receive impartial advice from our experts on the best accommodation to suit your needs.

As part of a tailor-made tour you can also take in the Eduardo Avaroa national reserve, where the striking red and green lakes, steaming hot pools and geysers contrast the whiteness of the Salar. Flocks of flamingos live here too, painting the vistas in a blur of pink.

When booking a luxury tour to the Bolivian Salt Flats with Lightfoot Travel, our specialists will use concierge-style service to design your perfect tailor-made itinerary.