Salar del Hombre Muerto lies at elevation in the southern Puna and is surrounded by mountains, including volcanoes and summits reaching elevations that exceed . The Galán volcano lies just south of Hombre Muerto and has produced large ignimbrites, while Cerro Ratones is located on the northeastern margin; additional volcanoes and faults exist in the area of Hombre Muerto. Farther west-southwest lies the long Salar de Antofalla while the Salar de Ratones and Salar de Diablillos are found north-northeast and northeast from Salar del Hombre Muerto. farther east lies the city of Salta.