Bolivia to Add Five-Suite Airstream Camp on Uyuni Salt Flats as A and K Plans 2027 Opening

Bolivia to add five-suite Airstream camp on Uyuni Salt Flats as A&K plans a 2027 opening, bringing a new form of high-end accommodation directly onto Salar de Uyuni through Samkani Camp. The A&K Sanctuary property will combine five architect-designed guest suites with a separate dining and lounge Airstream, private guides and more than 30 experiences across one of South America’s most distinctive landscapes.

Samkani Camp Planned Directly on Salar de Uyuni

Abercrombie & Kent is preparing to expand its luxury accommodation portfolio in South America with Samkani Camp, a small-scale property planned directly on Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni.

The project forms part of A&K Sanctuary, the company’s collection of luxury camps, lodges and river experiences.

Unlike hotels situated in towns around the salt flats, Samkani is being designed to give guests the unusual opportunity to stay directly on the salar itself.

A&K describes overnight accommodation in this location as extremely limited, making the camp’s setting one of its principal features.

Current plans call for the property to open in late 2027.

Samkani Camp at a Glance

The limited number of suites indicates that A&K is positioning Samkani as a highly private accommodation experience rather than a conventional large-scale resort.

Five Airstream Suites Form the Core of the Camp

The accommodation concept centres on five architect-designed Airstream units.

A&K says their design takes visual cues from the colours and textures of Salar de Uyuni.

Metal exteriors are intended to respond to the reflective character of the surrounding salt and sky, while interiors will incorporate details including blue Bolivian marble and chrome.

The guest suites will be complemented by another Airstream functioning as the camp’s social centre.

This sixth unit will contain dining and lounge facilities rather than guest accommodation.

That means the project consists of six Airstream structures in total, although only five will operate as suites.

A&K Draws on Mobile Camp Experience

The design approach is informed by A&K’s experience operating mobile camps in other remote destinations.

Salar de Uyuni presents an unusual challenge for hospitality development because of its exposed environment and the need to avoid allowing accommodation to dominate the landscape.

The Airstream concept offers a comparatively contained physical footprint while giving guests access to facilities associated with high-end travel.

A&K says the suites have been designed to sit quietly within the environment, with reflective exterior surfaces responding to the salt flat’s changing light.

The project consequently differs from a conventional permanent hotel complex.

Salar de Uyuni Becomes the Main Attraction

Samkani Camp’s biggest selling point is not the accommodation alone but its location.

Salar de Uyuni is widely recognised as the world’s largest salt flat and is one of Bolivia’s most distinctive natural tourism attractions.

Its appearance changes significantly through the seasons.

During dry conditions, the surface develops vast geometric salt patterns. During wetter periods, shallow water can transform sections of the landscape into a reflective surface where the distinction between sky and ground appears to disappear.

That seasonal transformation has made Uyuni particularly prominent in international travel photography.

Samkani is designed to extend the experience beyond a daytime excursion by allowing a small number of travellers to remain directly within the landscape overnight.

Stargazing Will Be a Major Part of the Experience

Night-time conditions are expected to play an important role in the camp’s tourism offering.

The scale and remoteness of Salar de Uyuni create opportunities for observing the night sky away from major urban light sources.

A&K specifically identifies stargazing as one of the defining experiences planned for Samkani.

The company says guests will be able to experience some of the clearest skies in the Southern Hemisphere.

This potentially gives the camp two very different visual experiences within a single stay: the salt landscape during daylight and astronomical observation after dark.

More Than 30 Experiences Planned

Samkani is being developed as more than an accommodation-only product.

A&K says guests will have access to more than 30 experiences around Uyuni, including activities that will be exclusive to A&K Sanctuary visitors.

Each stay will include a private guide and driver.

Experiences are expected to include:

• Stargazing across the salt flats
• Exploration of Salar de Uyuni
• Visits to hidden islands
• Volcanic cave excursions
• Landscape-focused journeys
• Locally guided cultural experiences
• Private exploration with dedicated guides and drivers

A&K says a Bolivian team with extensive local knowledge will deliver the experiences, connecting visitors with the area’s landscapes and culture.

Samkani Name Draws From Aymara Language

The name Samkani carries a local linguistic connection.

It means “the one who dreams” in Aymara, a language spoken across parts of the central Andean highlands.

The name aligns with the visual identity A&K is building around the property, particularly its emphasis on the salt flat’s night skies and unusual landscape.

However, the local connection will ultimately depend on more than branding.

The extent to which employment, guiding, sourcing and tourism expenditure involve Bolivian businesses and communities will be an important aspect of the project’s longer-term impact.

A&K has said the guest programme will be delivered by an experienced Bolivian team.

Bolivia Gains Another High-End Tourism Product

The announcement is also notable for Bolivia’s luxury tourism market.

Neighbouring South American destinations such as Peru and Chile already have well-established portfolios of high-end lodges serving internationally recognised landscapes.

Bolivia has similarly powerful natural attractions but a more limited inventory of internationally branded luxury accommodation in remote areas.

Samkani could strengthen the high-value accommodation segment around Uyuni by giving travellers an option situated directly on the salt flats.

Its five-suite capacity means the project will not dramatically increase overall visitor numbers.

Instead, it is targeted towards a relatively small luxury segment seeking privacy, specialist guiding and immersive destination experiences.

Camp Will Target Travellers Seeking Privacy

Scale is an important part of the Samkani concept.

With only five guest suites, the property will accommodate a limited number of travellers at any one time.

The remote setting is also designed around physical separation from heavily populated areas.

This makes the project particularly relevant to the growing luxury travel market centred on privacy, remoteness and personalised experiences rather than traditional resort facilities.

Guests will have private guides and drivers rather than relying solely on scheduled group excursions.

That approach gives A&K the ability to customise individual days around interests such as photography, geology, culture or astronomy.

A New Addition to A&K’s South America Portfolio

Samkani Camp also represents a strategic expansion for A&K Sanctuary in South America.

The company has a long history of operating high-end guided journeys internationally, while the Sanctuary portfolio focuses on distinctive accommodation in destination-led settings.

Placing an A&K Sanctuary property on Salar de Uyuni brings Bolivia more directly into that accommodation portfolio.

Guests will eventually be able to incorporate Samkani into A&K Tailormade itineraries or Small Group Journeys through Bolivia.

A firm on-sale date has not yet been announced.

Travellers interested in the camp can currently register their interest with A&K ahead of future booking availability.

Opening Is Still More Than a Year Away

For travellers, the timeline needs to be clear.

Samkani Camp is not currently open.

The project has been announced and A&K is promoting the future property, but guests will need to wait until 2027.

Current information points to a late-2027 debut.

This distinction is particularly important because early coverage of new hotels and camps can sometimes create the impression that reservations or stays are already available.

A&K has not yet announced a final sales launch date.

Uyuni Moves Further Into the Luxury Travel Market

The project demonstrates how remote landscapes are increasingly being incorporated into the luxury accommodation sector.

For many visitors, Salar de Uyuni has traditionally been experienced through vehicle excursions followed by accommodation outside the central salt-flat environment.

Samkani aims to alter that model by making the overnight location itself part of the experience.

Instead of leaving the salar as daylight ends, guests will be able to remain within the landscape for sunset, darkness, stargazing and sunrise.

That could change how high-end travellers experience Uyuni, particularly photographers and visitors seeking extended time away from larger settlements.

The challenge will be balancing that access with careful management of one of Bolivia’s most unusual natural environments.

Conclusion

Bolivia to add five-suite Airstream camp on Uyuni Salt Flats as A&K plans a 2027 opening, bringing Samkani Camp directly onto Salar de Uyuni with five architect-designed guest suites and a separate Airstream dedicated to dining and lounge facilities. The A&K Sanctuary project will pair its remote accommodation with private guides, dedicated drivers and more than 30 experiences spanning stargazing, volcanic caves and exploration of the salt flats. With its opening expected in late 2027, Samkani will add a small-scale luxury accommodation option to one of Bolivia’s most internationally recognised natural destinations.