Can you drive a car on the Bolivian salt flats?

Even though it is physically possible to drive a personal vehicle across the salt flats, it’s wildly dangerous and strongly discouraged without a local guide. GPS tends to be unreliable, and the landscape feels calm but isn’t, so it becomes deceptive fast.

People often end up stuck in muddy, thin areas of the salt crust, especially closer to the margins of the flats. On top of that, the thick salt inevitably clings to the undercarriage. If the vehicle is not vigorously rinsed right after the trip, severe rust shows up, and mechanical damage follows quickly.