Tour to Uyuni Salt Flats (Salar de Uyuni) in Bolivia

August 15th, 2003 

Where is the world's largest salt flat? The biggest salt desert of the world is located in Bolivia, near the town of Uyuni, at an altitude of approximately 3800 meters above sea level. A tour to Uyuni Salt Flats by 4x4 lets to discover an incredible geological wonder, that hosts also a population of giant cactus over an island emerging from the salt desert.

Driving over Uyuni salt flat Driving over Uyuni salt flat
Photos of Uyuni Salt Flats. The excursion to the salt flat begins with a one hour driving to Fish Island, a small hill in the middle of the salt flat, populated with giant cacti. The Salar de Uyuni is the world's most extended salt flat and is located at an altitude of approximately 3800 meters.
Giant cactus in Bolivia Fish island over Uyuni salt flat
Pictures of giant cacti, probably Trichocereus, populate this small hill made of "fertile" soil.
Cacti at 3800mt on Bolivia's central altiplano
The hill is like a garden, densly populated by wonderful cacti, up to 10 meters tall (more than one hundred of years are required to reach that size).
Cacti at 3800mt on Bolivia's central altiplano
Cacti at 3800mt on Bolivia's central altiplano

Following a marked trail, I start to walk up to the hill's top. Beautiful, giant cactus are everywhere.
Cacti at 3800mt on Bolivia's central altiplano Fish island in the middle of salt flats
On the left picture: the sun illuminates a cactusfrom behind. On the right picture: me under a nice cactus.
Cactus in Bolivia


Salar de Uyuni photos. Giant cacti make a nice contrast with the bright salt all around.

Buildings, made of stone and cactus wood.
Cactus wood
Cactus wood

A door made of cactus wood.
Uyuni salt flat, Bolivia
Panoramic photo of Uyuni salt flat. In any direction, this is exactly what I saw.
Uyuni salt flat, Bolivia
Left picture: me over the salt flat. On the right, the beautiful pattern over the salt.
Uyuni salt flat, Bolivia Uyuni salt flat, Bolivia
Upper picture: the salt flat extends to the horizon, up to the mountains in the background.Lower picture: me rolling on the salt.
Uyuni salt flat, Bolivia
We take the highway again to our today destination of Uyuni. Occasionally we see some jeep going in the opposite direction.
Offroad drive over Uyuni salt flats
Another panoramic photo of Salar de Uyuni
The salt hotel, Bolivia
After about 70 kilometres, we arrive at the salt hotel, a building made entirely of salt.
The salt hotel, Bolivia
The salt hotel, Bolivia

Also the table and the chairs are made of salt. A child is having a small bath in the cold waters of a swimming pool.
Uyuni salt flat, Bolivia Uyuni salt flat, Bolivia
We are approaching the opposite shore of the salt flat. Here the salt is collected and processed in the nearby village of Uyuni.
Vigugnas, Bolivia
Back on the ground... we see a small group of vigugnas.
train cemetery of Uyuni, Bolivia train cemetery of Uyuni, Bolivia
The afternoon continues with a visit to the train cemetery of Uyuni where a lot of old machines are resting here.
Uyuni, Bolivia Uyuni, Bolivia
Pictures of Uyuni. It's almost evening when we reach Uyuni's main street.
Uyuni market, Bolivia
The day finishes with a visit in the Uyuni's public market where fruits, vegetables and spices of many colors and many fragrances, are sold by the locals.

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