Walking Among the Clouds: Chile’s and China’s Stunning Salt Lakes
With China opening its doors to visa-free travel for citizens of Chile and several other South American countries from June 1, 2025, to May 31, 2026, now is the perfect time to explore the breathtaking salt lakes that link these two distant lands.
Chile’s Salar de Atacama: An Oasis in the Desert
In the heart of Chile’s Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on Earth, lies the expansive Salar de Atacama. Spanning over 3,000 square kilometers, it’s Chile’s largest salt flat. The landscape is otherworldly: salt-crusted plains stretch to the horizon, interrupted by bright turquoise lagoons that mirror the clear sky.
Wildlife thrives here despite the harsh conditions. Graceful flamingos wade through the shallow waters, adding splashes of pink to the stark white salt flats. The towering Andes mountains frame the scene, their peaks catching the light at sunrise and sunset, when the sky paints the salt in hues of pink, gold, and purple.
China’s Chaka Salt Lake: The Mirror of the Sky
Halfway around the world, China’s Chaka Salt Lake in Qinghai Province offers a similarly magical experience. Known as the “Mirror of the Sky,” this salt lake, situated over 3,000 meters above sea level on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, reflects the heavens so perfectly that visitors feel like they’re walking among the clouds.
For over a thousand years, Chaka has been a source of salt, but today it’s also a haven for travelers seeking tranquility and awe-inspiring vistas. In the summer months, tourists can venture onto the lake’s surface to capture stunning “sky-mirror” photographs or ride a small train across the gleaming white expanse. Surrounded by snow-capped mountains and vast grasslands, Chaka Salt Lake offers a surreal and peaceful escape.
Connecting Worlds Through Natural Wonders
Despite being on opposite sides of the globe, Chile’s Salar de Atacama and China’s Chaka Salt Lake share striking similarities that highlight the beauty and diversity of our planet. With the new visa-free travel policy, adventurers from Chile have a unique opportunity to explore these natural wonders firsthand, bridging cultures through the shared experience of walking among the clouds.
