Located in the Andes Mountains of Bolivia, Salar de Uyuni is the largest salt flat in the world. It is covered by a few feet of salt crust, which has an extraordinary flatness with the average altitude variations within 3 feet (one meter) over the entire area of the Salar. The expanse of salt creates an unending white landscape during the dry season, but the area is most breathtaking in the rainy season when it is covered in water. The reflection of the blue sky creates an even more surreal landscape, although some tourists insist on seeing the salt.
The Salar contains large amounts of sodium, potassium and magnesium. It also holds about 40% of the world’s lithium reserves which is a vital component of many electric batteries. The Salar also serves as the major transport route across the Bolivian Altiplano and is a major breeding ground for several species of pink flamingos during the rainy season.