South America is filled with the exotic and the delightful diversity that nature has to offer in full view. The continent is blessed with thick rain forests that are still undisturbed by human activity, tall mountain ranges that present a challenge to the best climbers in the world and ancient structures like the Machu Picchu that still leave you in a mystic haze. Yet the continent holds close to its heart, delights that are still less popular, yet equally enthralling.
Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt flat in the world, is one such wonder that is well and truly a photographer’s delight.
Located in Southwest Bolivia, the scenic Salar de Uyuni spans an area of 10,582 square kilometers and resides in the heart of the mighty Andes, at an altitude of 3,650 meters above sea level. Salar looks stunning, with its large and never-ending flats that make the place perfect for transportation and tourism. The flats produce around 25,000 tons of salt annually from its store of 10 billion tons.
The Salar owes its present scenic beauty and its origin to a prehistoric lake called Lake Minchin that dried up to bring Salar into its present state of existence. With shallow waters, high reflective ability of the surface and the clear skies make this an ideal testing ground for Remote Sensing satellites as they are calibrated using the Salts of Salar as testing grounds. Salar though is not just a testing ground for big boys like NASA as one look at the salt flats will tell you that it is a photographer’s nirvana. The clear skies, the highly reflective surface and the perfect scenic background allow you to send home the ‘picture perfect’ postcard from your trip in South America.
Despite its commercial salt production, much of Salar de Uyuni is still untouched by modern mechanized mayhem and hence is a perfect retreat away from the hassles of civilization in nature’s beautiful abode. The vast emptiness, soothing salt water springs that rejuvenate your senses, the scenic panorama and beautiful clear skies make this ‘once in a lifetime’ holiday. If all that does not impress you, then surely the vibrant view of hundreds of South American Flamingos to light up your holiday in Salar should surely tip the scales over for any nature lover!
Images courtesy of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
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HotelClub Travel Blog is where the weird, the wacky and the wonderful world of travel comes together. You will find posts on green/environmentally friendly travel ideas, interesting and obscure destinations and hotels as well as posts about the cultural side of travel. We also feature 
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wow all beautiful pictures … indeed! Bolivia seems to be an interesting country to visit