Salar De Uyuni: a Peek Into The World’s Largest Natural Mirror

Image source: boredpanda.com

Last summer, I traveled to Bolivia to see the world’s largest natural mirror. I thought it was all just hype, so my expectations weren’t that high. Little did I know that I’d be for a major treat. Salar de Uyuni is the world’s largest salt flat, spanning thousands of square miles in southwestern Bolivia. Not your typical sandy desert, the Salar de Uyuni features vast expanses of shimmering white salt.

The landscape is unbelievably flat. It was created when a prehistoric lake dried up and left a salty crust behind. Located at the Altiplano (high plateau) where there are no drainage outlets, the area forms vast but shallow lakes when it rains and then disappear once the skies get clearer. With the presence of these lakes, the salty crust becomes a giant mirror ... and a giant mirror means giant, double sunsets! The scenery is so surreal it almost seems like CGI in a fantasy film. I thought the glassy Pacific featured in the film “Life of Pi” won’t translate into reality. I was wrong.

Image source: huffingtonpost.com

The best and most popular way to fully experience Salar de Uyuni is by taking a 4x4 tour across the salt flats. Shared tours usually accommodate for up to six tourists, and thus, for a more comfortable experience, a private tour might more preferable.

My name is Louis Habash. I’m a freelance travel writer based in Los Angeles, California. For more of my adventures, follow me on Twitter.