Luxury camp to open on the world's largest salt flat - with Bolivian blue marble interiors and surrounded by 12,000sqkm of silver-white wilderness

It is already one of the most otherworldly locations on Earth, and now travellers will have the opportunity to stay overnight – right in the middle of it.

A new luxury camp is set to open directly on Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flat, in late 2027.

The opening of the new camp will allow guests to experience total privacy and comfort in a place defined by scale and silence.

The remote retreat from A&K Sanctuary, named Samkani Camp, will comprise just five architect-designed 'Airstream' suites: luxury, custom-designed travel trailers promising a five-star experience while surrounded by miles of beautiful white wilderness.

With the camp typically positioned 20-30km from anything or anyone else, visitors are invited to take in the rare solitude the space will provide – far from any noisy neighbours!

The remote retreat from A&K Sanctuary, named Samkani Camp, will comprise just five architect-designed 'Airstream' suites: luxury, custom-designed travel trailers

The Salar de Uyuni spans some 12,000 square kilometres of Bolivia’s Altiplano, and is among the country’s most famous natural attractions.

Its appearance also changes dramatically with the seasons.

During the dry months, from May to November, the surface becomes a vast, white desert marked by crisp, hexagonal salt patterns stretching across the horizon.

From December to April, a thin layer of rainwater completely transforms the salt flats into an incredible, sky-reflecting natural mirror.

Despite attracting visitors from all over the world keen to witness the endless white expanse, places to stay overnight directly on the salar are virtually non-existent.

Samkani Camp looks to change this – without having to compromise on a luxury experience.

While the five individual trailers will be private suites, a sixth, larger Airstream will form the social heart of the camp, serving as its dining and lounge space complete with its own bar.

The sixth larger Airstream trailer will form the social heart of the camp, serving as its dining room and lounge space

The design takes inspiration from A&K’s previous experience creating low-impact mobile camps in Africa, adapted in this instance for the particularly exposed conditions of the Bolivian salt flats.

Outside, the Airstreams’ metallic exteriors have been expertly chosen to complement the spectacular silvery-white salt and enormous skies. Rather than distract from the surroundings, the suites recede quietly into the background.

Inside, things are considerably more luxurious. Each self-sufficient suite will feature blue Bolivian marble alongside chrome detailing, offering a rather glamorous contrast to the stark landscape beyond its doors. 

The camp’s name takes inspiration from its extraordinary setting. ‘Samkani’ translates to ‘the one who dreams’ in Aymara, an indigenous language spoken across the Bolivian Altiplano.

And the name becomes particularly fitting after sunset.

With minimal human activity or light pollution for miles, guests can expect uninterrupted 360-degree views of the night sky stretching all the way to the horizon, stargazing beneath some of the clearest skies in the Southern Hemisphere.

With minimal light pollution for miles, guests can expect an uninterrupted 360-degree view of the night sky stretching all the way to the horizon from the Airstream trailers

There is plenty to do during daylight hours too. Each stay comes with a private guide and driver, with more than 30 experiences across the salar, including a number reserved exclusively for A&K Sanctuary guests.

Travellers will be able to explore the salar’s hidden islands, formed from ancient rocky outcrops, or see the dramatic volcanic caves, before returning for a drink under the stars, where there is the opportunity to witness the Milky Way in exceptional detail.

Excursions will be led by A&K’s Bolivian team, who have decades of experience in the region, and will introduce guests to both the landscape and the local culture.

Samkani will join A&K Sanctuary’s existing collection of luxury safari lodges across Eastern and Southern Africa and riverboats in Egypt and Peru.

The camp is due to welcome its first guests in late 2027 and will be available as part of an A&K Tailormade journey or Small Group Journey through Bolivia. Sale dates are yet to be announced.