Due to the shortage of time, I opted for a day tour of the salt flats. If you have more time, I'd recommend a two day or longer stay here, to get a chance to see the Chilean side of the flats, a much longer drive from Uyuni. 

Our first stop was an old abandoned railway site, where tracks that were laid to transport the salt produced by the flats were left so suddenly that the trains are still there, rusting away, year after year.

An eerie site, easily resembling any movie set of a post-apocalyptic movie. Deserted, but in stark contrast with the white and blue of most of the flats.

We arrive in the midst of the salt flats after a short drive. Though the vast white plains make be mistaken for snow from afar, this is in fact the world's largest salt flat, spanning 10,582 square kilometers (4,086 miles). 

Even panoramic photos don't do the vastness and endless salt plains justice. Here, the sky and the flat seem to coincide at the edge of the world, and there is nothing here, except salt.

A final stop in the day-long tour was an 'island' in the middle of the salt flats. Shrouded in cactuses, the island rose out of the flats in a strange, extraterrestrial fashion to greet visitors from afar. 

The addition of the marble colored sand and green vegetation made for a scenic vantange point. 

Definitely don't forget your sunscreen when visiting, as the white of the salt can reflect sunlight, making UV rays that much stronger during the day.

All in all, a truly fantastical, out-of-this-world destination.