Bolivia Travel Guide

January to March is the rainy season, when a thin layer of water spreads across the salt crust and creates the mirror effect, sky reflected perfectly across the plain. May to October is the dry season instead, flat and mirrorless but more settled and predictable.

One option is a three-day 4x4 road trip from Atacama, Chile, crossing the border early morning and taking in pink flamingo lagoons, geysers at 5,000m and an actual train cemetery along the way, typically running $150 to $210 covering transport, guide and meals.

Waterproof footwear is non negotiable in the wet season, since water spreads across huge areas and even a short walk from the jeep will soak and salt-crust your shoes. Temperatures also swing hard, so pack for both extremes.

Yes, if you can. Walls, floors, tables and beds carved entirely from blocks of salt on the edge of the flats make for one of the more memorable nights on a Bolivia trip, even if extras like an en suite bathroom can cost separately.

South America's most underrated city, according to the trip covered here: cable cars instead of buses, dried llama fetuses at the Witches' Market, and $10 fine dining tasting menus using ingredients like quinoa, pumpkin, plantain and giant corn.

Yes. Spending a few nights acclimatising somewhere high beforehand, Uyuni town or Atacama both work, staying hydrated and taking it slow while exploring is the advice that comes up repeatedly at this altitude.