Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia is the largest salt flat on Earth, famous for its shimmering white surface and view like no other. Its natural beauty and unique geology draw visitors from around the world.
Salar de Uyuni
Salar de Uyuni contains an estimated 10 billion tonnes of salt, supporting both local use and global export.
The salt forms natural hexagonal patterns, resembling a giant beehive spread across the landscape.
During the rainy season, a thin layer of water transforms the flats into the world’s largest natural mirror.
NASA uses Salar de Uyuni’s flat surface to calibrate Earth-observing satellites for precise measurements.
The salt flats once formed from an ancient prehistoric lake that evaporated thousands of years ago.
Volcano remnants rise as islands in the salt flats, with Incahuasi Island hosting giant cacti native to the area.
Salar de Uyuni holds the world’s largest lithium reserves, a critical mineral for electric vehicle batteries.
The flats have inspired many sci-fi films due to their otherworldly, endless white landscapes.
Salar de Uyuni’s mirror effects create stunning visual illusions, making it hard to distinguish sky from land.
Local communities harvest salt by hand, maintaining traditional methods that also support tourism.
The landscape supports minimal vegetation but hosts unique flora like giant cacti that can reach over 10 meters.
Sunset and sunrise at the flats produce magical colors, turning the sky into vivid purple, pink, and orange hues.
The area includes a famous train cemetery filled with rusting locomotives from Bolivia’s mining era.
The flats act as a crucial habitat for rare Andean flamingos that feed on algae in nearby lagoons.
A hotel built entirely of salt blocks offers visitors the chance to stay immersed in Salar de Uyuni’s unique environment.
