Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia

If someone asked me what I thought the entrance to heaven looked like, I would tell them to watch the sunrise over the Salt Flats of Bolivia. The spectacular early morning display of colors dancing before your eyes—twice, once in the sky and then again with a perfect reflection on the mirror-like inch of water on the salt—will have you questioning where the land ends and the sky begins. 

A trip to Bolivia, encompassing La Paz, Death Road, and the Salt Flats, offers an unforgettable adventure that you won't be able to stop talking about; however, the Salt Flats undoubtedly stand out as the highlight. Being the largest in the world, they are even visible from space.

The optimal way to experience the Salt Flats is by embarking on a 4X4 tour, spanning 1 to 4 days, with 3 or 4 days being the most common duration. Regardless of your choice, every tour commences with a visit to the train graveyard. Initially, this didn't strike me as the most exhilarating experience, yet I ended up enjoying it more than I anticipated. It turned out to be quite enjoyable, offering the opportunity to capture photos and treat the old derelict trains as a makeshift jungle gym.

Next, each tour includes a visit to Colchani village and the salt processing area. This proves to be an intriguing experience and provides you with the chance to purchase specialty salts directly from the source.

Following that, every tour proceeds to Isla Incahuasi (Fish Island) for lunch, making it a major photo stop. Timing your visit to coincide with water being present on the salt can be challenging. Most visitors end up encountering a landscape of salt extending as far as the eye can see, rather than the renowned mirror-like reflection. Nevertheless, this still offers an enjoyable photographic opportunity to play with the expansive scenery. Various humorous pictures can be taken while striking poses at different distances.

Opting for a 2-day tour, which is less common but chosen by us due to its higher likelihood of encountering water on the salt, proved to be a wise decision. The 2-day tour diverges from the typical route at the conclusion of the first day, heading North toward Volcano Tulpana instead of South to the red and green lakes. Through my travels, I've come to realize that lakes touted for their vibrant colors rarely live up to expectations. For me, witnessing the mirror reflection held greater significance than the lakes themselves.

Our decision was vindicated. Close to the volcano, we were met with a breathtaking sight – a flawless reflection of the sky on the tranquil water, merely an inch deep on the salt. When conversing with those who embarked on the 3 or 4-day tours concurrently, it became evident that they never caught sight of the water or the renowned mirror-like reflection.

That night, like everyone else on any other tour through the flats, we spent the night in a salt hotel. The walls, bed and floor were entirely made of salt. It was truly a unique experience.

The next morning, we woke up super early to catch the most magnificent sunrise I have ever seen. Pictures could never do it justice. Be warned, the salt flats are COLD! Dress warm so you can truly enjoy a sunrise unlike any other.