The Salar of Uyuni it the World’s largest salt flat, located at 3,600m high. It was formed when a prehistoric sea dried, thousands years ago. Apparently, the thickness of the salt is comprised between 100 and 110m and there are 10 billions tons of salt. That’s a lot of salt… 25,000 tons of salt are extracted every year. At this rate, there will be no more salt in 330,000 years.

The famous rally race Dakar is in South America since 2009. Every year it goes pretty much in the same area: North of Argentina and Chile, South of Bolivia. in 2014, the Bolivian government, probably to develop the tourism in the area, insisted to get the race through the salar. And it worked. The Dakar being publicised in France, there were a lot of French tourists there. However, when it rains on the salar, it becomes flooded for a few days. It rains very rarely but it did during the race: the salt badly damaged the electrical connections of the motorbikes and the cars and the race will probably not come back on the salar anytime soon!

Uyuni is a small city (10,000 inhabitants) that lives only for the tourists who come to see the salar. I stayed 1 night only, time to buy reserves for the next 4 days (salar the first day and Lipez the 3 next days). Here is the route I did, 1 different colour for each day.The first day was exclusively on the salar. Super flat, super fast, super pictures.The moto is equipped: food, water, and petrol for a few days.The Dakar Monument:The salt flats seem endless! Amazing to ride here!There are a few ‘islands’ on the salar. We can see it from very far away, but it takes for ever to get there.As you can see on the map, I did not cross the whole salar from East to West. In the middle, I decided to go South, using a compass. I wanted to go to San Cristobal a village close to Uyuni, to refuel, before crossing the Sud Lipez, this mountain area between South West Bolivia and North Chile.All afternoon, evening and night, I did not see anyone. On the salar for hours, then sandy tracks. Overconfident, in Dakar mode, I properly crashed in this area. That slowed me down big time. And that was also the first time I had to lift the moto back up by myself. At least now I know I can do it.I did not get to San Cristobal in time, so I camped in the middle of nowhere. I found a good spot near the salar, hidden from the wind.I think for the first time I was experiencing proper solitude… but the sky was fantastic!