Covering more than 10,0002 kilometres at an altitude of over 3600 metres, the famous Salar de Uyuni is a monumental geographical landscape that does not disappoint.
Stepping off the short flight from La Paz, we begin our day with breakfast in the small settlement of Uyuni. Founded as a railway hub in the 1890s, it primarily serves as the gateway town to the Salar de Uyuni. After our short stop there, we head out towards the salt flats.
Drawing ever closer, as the driver begins to navigate the flats my guide suggests I close my eyes and relax for a short while. It’s a recommendation that I choose to take up, and one that only adds to the anticipation. After what feels like only a short while, my guide proposes we step out of the vehicle to digest the surroundings.
I’ve seen many photographs of this famous region but what’s before me now is quite simply stunning: a magical, bright, truly awesome sight. My camera struggles to capture the scale, the three-dimensional depth and the sheer emotion that fills fortunate visitors. The vivid sunshine, the shimmering reflection, the 360 degrees of glorious, glistening white. I’m captivated.
We drive further across the Salar de Uyuni, at a speed that feels impossible to judge. I can only compare the experience to being on a motorised boat in the middle of the ocean – definitely moving, but with the landscape unchanged as it passes us by. We make our way to Isla Incahuasi, an island in the heart of the salt flats. It’s name means ‘house of the Inca’. Years before vehicles, local people would use the island as a temporary refuge when crossing the flats.
Upon arrival, what’s striking is the island’s terrain, covered in a native species of cactus and surrounded by a sea of white hexagonal salt tiles. These giant cacti are hundreds of years old and grow at a rate of just one centimetre per year. Most here are now over two metres tall, with some reaching a massive 10 metres in height. We hike up and around the island, the views remaining spectacular throughout.
In time, we head a mile away from the island, where a second vehicle awaits with a table and chairs, and a delightful spread for lunch. This is a meal to remember.
Much of the Salar de Uyuni is covered in inches of water, the source of the iconic mirror images that captivate a global audience. It’s quite the sight to see for myself how physical objects reflect in such a perfect way. We drive across this surreal landscape before stopping to walk around and have fun with the camera.
As the day draws to an end, the sunset adds yet more colour to the flats, a different dimension with which to appreciate where I am. And this is just day one.
