visit the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia

Sunset, Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia, Luca Galuzzi 2006

A recent issue of the New Yorker magazine has a fascinating article about Lithium mining in Bolivia. It discusses the issues around how Bolivia could become the next “Saudi Arabia” of Lithium as their Salar de Uyuni salt lake flats have the world’s largest Lithium deposits and with the advent of increased production of new electric cars – could position Bolivia to become a leading force, however some people worry there may be serious environmental costs to lithium mining in Bolivia. Here is a good article that you can read online from In These Times about this issue.

In the meantime the area is largely untouched and the riches of this area are more apparent in its natural surreal beauty and amazing diversity of wildlife. This YouTube video gives a good taste of what it’s like.

Sacred Earth Travel has a great package for travel to the Uyuni in Bolivia that you can read about here.

If you decide to visit Bolivia and the Salar de Uyuni consider getting the excellent guide book Bolivia, 5th: Tread Your Own Path (Footprint Bolivia Handbook), A book by the the same people who contributed to the South American Handbook (considered the definitive, classic guide to travel in South America) since the first edition back in the 70′s.