The world's largest salt flat may be Bolivia's claim to landscape fame, but the entire Bolivian Altiplano features breathtaking scenery.
The region between the city of Uyuni and the Chilean border near San Pedro de Atacama is dotted with mineral-rich lagoons, snow-capped volcanoes and barren desert.
The photos from my three-day trip to Salar de Uyuni are some of the best I've taken in my life. These are 10 of my favorites. I hope they inspire you too.
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clay weir says
March 26, 2014 at 9:07 ami remember our 3 day tour into Bolivia via the altiplano…it’s hard not to take good pics with such stunning and varied scenery and landscapes!!! a definite must for people who like a rugged trip and beautiful scenery!! thanks for sharing
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Amanda says
March 26, 2014 at 10:43 amThese look amazing. I’ve had my eye on the Salt Flats in Bolivia for a long time. Definitely on the To Do list!!!
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Jenna says
March 26, 2014 at 3:08 pmSo beautiful! I especially liked the first one because it took a while for me to notice the man in the lower left, and when I did, it put the whole scene in scale for me.
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Dave says
March 26, 2014 at 6:55 pmGlad you noticed Jenna :) I was going to mention the traveler in the caption, but then thought I’d leave it up to readers to find him.
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Jen says
March 27, 2014 at 2:54 amWhat incredible photos Dave, I;m gobsmacked!
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Matthew Karsten says
March 27, 2014 at 5:06 amWow Dave! These are incredible! Great job. That first one is especially awesome. Did you tell that guy to stand there? :-)
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Dave says
March 27, 2014 at 9:22 amThanks Matt, the first one is my favorite. A little editing in Lightroom brought helped to bring out the green in the lake. And nope, the guy in the white shirt was one of the young British backpackers on my trip.
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Dennis Kopp says
March 27, 2014 at 8:08 amThose are really great photos Dave and looking at them really makes me want to visit Uyuni again! I also did the three day drive and remember being totally amazing by how diverse the landscapes were. But especially the stone tree and the coral island with the ancient cacti were my absolute favorite… :)
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Brigid says
March 27, 2014 at 9:21 amTruly stunning photos Dave! We just finished our Salt Flats tour a couple of days ago and literally have about 1000 and 1 photos to cull down to a respectable amount…going to a be a tough job. Unfortunately we only had an Iphone, really the only time on our trip we wished we had one of those fancy, pro cameras. Oh the memories, will never forget bathing in the hot springs at night with a cold beer watching the clearest night sky I’ve ever seen. Salar de Uyuni…a must do when in Bolivia :)
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Jimmy Dau says
March 27, 2014 at 10:31 pmGreat shots. Seems like you were blessed with no wind. It was blowing quite a bit when I went!
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Dave says
March 28, 2014 at 12:29 amAh, that sucks. I imagine the wind caused ripples in the lakes, which then affect the quality of reflections?
Or was it just a lot of sand and salt being blown into your face :)
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Corinne says
April 2, 2014 at 3:10 amI have yet to make it here…it’s definitely on my list. Did you go with a tour or by yourself?
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Dave says
April 2, 2014 at 9:16 amI went on a 3-day tour from San Pedro de Atacama, Chile to Uyuni, Bolivia. The only way you can go yourself is if you have your own 4×4 transport, or you’re bicycling it.
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Rebecca says
April 10, 2014 at 7:37 pmstunning!
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Mark says
January 7, 2016 at 10:28 amIs an SUV necessary to get to these areas?
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Dave says
January 7, 2016 at 6:02 pmYes, as far as I’m concerned. There were no paved roads where I was taking these photos. You’re driving on dirt, sand, and once you hit the salt flats… salt (with mud underneath). The only vehicles doing tours are SUVs.