Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni is a destination worthy of any travel bucket list, ranking among the world’s most extraordinary landscapes alongside Machu Picchu and the Pyramids of Giza.
Covering more than 10,500 square kilometres, the world’s largest salt flat becomes a vast mirror during the wet season, from December to April. Visitors are also rewarded year-round by its striking network of salt formations.
Those planning a trip may want to wait until late 2027, when a boutique camp is scheduled to open directly on the salt flats.
Samkani Camp, from A&K Sanctuary, will feature five architect-designed Airstream suites and a sixth Airstream serving as a dining space, making it one of the area’s most luxurious accommodations.
Although the daytime hours are ideal for exploration, the nights may offer an even more memorable experience. With minimal light pollution, guests should have exceptional views of the night sky.
The camp’s name, Samkani, means “the one who dreams” in Aymara, the indigenous language spoken across Bolivia’s Altiplano.
The project is the latest addition to A&K Sanctuary’s collection of boutique luxury lodges, camps and riverboats. Its design team drew on experience developing low-impact, mobile camps in Africa.
Getting to Salar de Uyuni
Direct flights from Europe to Bolivia currently operate from Madrid. Air Europa and Boliviana de Aviación fly to Santa Cruz de la Sierra, with a journey time of approximately 11 hours.
There are no direct flights from Santa Cruz de la Sierra to Uyuni. Travellers must instead connect through Bolivia’s capital, La Paz, before continuing to Uyuni.
A more efficient option is to combine Bolivia with another destination. Several European cities, including London, Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt and Barcelona, offer direct flights to Bogotá. From there, travellers can spend time in Colombia’s capital before flying to La Paz and then Uyuni.
Lima in Peru and Santiago in Chile are the only other major airports with direct connections to La Paz.
