On the subject of the recent South America trip that one of our lot’s just got back from, here’s proof that anything National Geographic can do, HostelBloggers can do, well, almost as well…

If we’ve said it once before, we’ve said it a thousand times, but the Salt Plains of Uyuni in Bolivia are, without a doubt, one of the world’s strangest landscapes.

The approach to the plains is punctuated by a series of outlandish rock formations like the ‘Arbol de Piedra’ (or ‘Stone Tree’) below:

In every direction, meanwhile, a barren, dusty landscape runs away upwards towards snow-dusted peaks and the startling blue of the horizon… As you bounce along the track, you pass a fair few cacti, many of which of which are believed to be hundreds of years old:

But even with a bit of a lead-in (and plenty of forewarning), nothing can quite prepare you for your first glimpse of the plains. There’s something utterly unique about the dazzling light, and the big sky (it’s the only way of putting it!) that you get right the way across South America. Even by these standards, though, Salar de Uyuni, and its surrounding lakes and geyzers is something else altogether:

Sitting on the shore and looking out…

…you see the odd flock of flamingos – a burst of pink against the unerring white and blue of their salty habitat. (In HostelBloggers’ opinion, incidentally, flamingos are all fine and dandy until you get close up… and then they tend to be a bit stinky!):

But it’s the unique visual spectacle of the plains themselves that’s so mind-blowing…

…and, apart from anything else, so lends itself to photo opportunities!

Honestly, it really is like nowhere else on earth.