The Bolivian Salt Flats

The Salar di Uyuni – A place where Heaven and Earth connect.  Salar de Uyuni is Spanish for “salt flat enclosure” and was described as such because under the right conditions, it is hard to tell where the sky ends and the earth begins.  The enclosure, which is a dried up prehistoric lake bed, is one of the flattest surfaces on the planet.  It is located near the crest of the Andes mountain range in Bolivia.  At nearly 4000 meters above sea level it is one of the highest tourist attractions in the world and during the seasonal flooding, it is certainly one of the most beautiful.  I would like to go in late November, one month after the rainy summer season begins.  I want to make sure I get the best chance at seeing the flats while they are flooded.  When covered in a shallow pool of water, the flats become one of the most breath-taking sights in the world!  The water and salt merge into the largest mirror on the planet and since the area is so elevated, the effect is unique only to this spot on Earth.  The reflective surface can also give the appearance, when walking on it, that you are walking on water or thin air.

I would like to spend a night or two while there to make sure I get the full experience, so I think I would give the Salt Hotel, located right on the flats, a try.  I think it would add to the experience because not only is the hotel located right on the flats, but it is made completely of salt!  What a great idea it was to make a hotel from the most abundant local resource in the area.  I don’t think I would like to spend more than one or two nights there though.  It would be a neat place to see and experience but it is also supposed to be kind of chilly and I don’t know how well I could sleep on a bed made of salt. 

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