The spectacle of flat white magic
Bolivia
It’s white but it’s not. It’s a mirror but it’s not. The one thing I was certain of is that it’s flat. Very flat. I was standing in one of nature’s greatest optical wonders, the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia and it’s like nowhere else on earth. This vast expanse of salt stretches endlessly in every direction, so perfectly reflecting the sky that it feels like you’re walking on a mirror. I felt as if I had stepped into another realm, one where nature’s beauty knows no bounds. These salt flats are more than just a destination, they are where luxury and nature come together to captivate your senses.
The Salar de Uyuni is the world’s largest salt flat, covering an area of over 10,000 km² at an altitude of 3658m above sea level. This awe-inspiring landscape is often referred to as the world’s biggest mirror due to its ability to reflect the sky during the rainy season.
Ancient history
How did we get giant salt flats so high that they’re halfway up to the sky? Millions of years ago the area was a huge prehistoric lake that gradually shrank, leaving behind several smaller lakes. As the climate changed, the lakes evaporated, leaving behind a thick layer of salt and other minerals, forming the vast flats we see today. One of those precious minerals is lithium, a critical component in modern batteries, but lithium extraction must be done sustainably to preserve this fragile ecosystem.
Perfect illusion
There are few places that can take your breath away quite like the Salar de Uyuni. The sheer scale of the salt flats is overwhelming, with the horizon blending into the sky so that it confuses your sense of place. As I ventured further into the flats, the ground transformed into a perfect reflection of the sky above, creating a mirror-like effect so stunning it almost felt like a dream. During the wet season, the salt flats turn into this enormous shimmering mirror but even in the dry months, the patterns formed by the cracked salt surface are mesmerisingly surreal.
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© Explora
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© Explora
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© Explora
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© Explora
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© Explora
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© Explora
Natural wonder
It may be super salty but it’s not dead. The landscape is bursting with colour and life, if you know where to look. I was lucky to spot flocks of flamingos wading through the vibrant red and green waters of nearby lagoons. These rich colours against the stark white of the salt created a sight that felt almost unreal. And as the day faded, the show didn’t stop: at night the sky above became an endless canopy of stars. Lying beneath the Milky Way, surrounded by such a unique landscape, I felt connected to the universe in a way that’s hard to put into words. It was impossible not to feel a profound sense of peace and reflection.
Magical memories
Magical memories
As I left the Salar de Uyuni to return to reality, I knew that part of me would remain in those salt flats forever. It had so completely captured my heart. The beauty of this place is that it’s not just somewhere you visit, it’s somewhere that becomes part of you, a memory you carry with you long after you’ve left. And although Bolivia has so much more to offer, from lively cities to rich cultural heritage, the Salar de Uyuni is one of the most magical places I’ve ever been.
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