There are few places on Earth that would be closer to the stars. The Andes are a powerful, unique, mysterious and amazing mountain range. They are almost like a separate universe on our planet. At the foot of the chain is the largest reserve of drinking water in South America, Campo de Hielo Sur, the enormous Southern Patagonian Ice Sheet on the border between Chile and Argentina. The southwestern areas of the central Andes are exceptionally barren. There is the world's largest salt flat, Salar de Uyuni, which outside the rainy season looks like a desert of crystals.