Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

© John Shaw/Minden Picture

Info. Salt cones on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

What we’re looking at isn’t snow and ice – it’s a surreal landscape of salt in the Andes of south-west Bolivia. Located 3,656 meters above sea level, Salar de Uyuni is the world’s largest salt flat (or salt pan), spanning just over 10,000 square kilometres. It was formed when prehistoric lakes dried up over centuries, leaving behind a desert of bright white salt that can be seen from space. During the rainy season (December to April), a thin layer of water covering the salt transforms the area into a giant mirror that reflects the beautiful Bolivian skies.