UYUNI SALT FLAT BOLIVIA
Legend has it...
There is an Aymara legend (one of the indigenous cultures of this region of the Andes) that says that the Tunupa, Kusku and Kusina mountains, which are located on the edge of the desert, were giants. According to the legend, Tunupa married Kusku, but he ran away to be with Kusina. In mourning, Tunupa began to cry while breastfeeding her son. Her tears mixed with the milk and formed the Salar. Because of this legend, the local population considers Tunupa an important deity and argues that the region should be called Salar de Tunupa instead of Salar de Uyuni.
About 40,000 years ago, the area of the current salt flat was part of Lake Michin, a gigantic prehistoric lake. When the lake dried up, it left behind the current lakes Poopó and Uru Uru, and two large salt flats, Coipasa (the smaller one) and the vast Uyuni. The Salar de Uyuni has an area of approximately 10,582 km², which is larger than Lake Titicaca, located on the Bolivia-Peru border and which has an area of approximately 8,300 km².
The Salar de Uyuni is estimated to contain 10 billion tons of salt, of which less than 25,000 tons are extracted annually. The salt flat is made up of approximately 11 layers with thicknesses ranging from 2 to 10 meters, with the outermost layer being 10 meters. The total depth is estimated at 120 meters and is composed of a mixture of brine and lacustrine clay.
The salt flat is also one of the largest reserves of lithium in the world, as well as containing significant amounts of potassium, boron and magnesium. The origin of the salt is probably related to the immense number of volcanoes surrounding the Salar de Uyuni, as it is located on a high plateau, 3,650 m above sea level. The concentration of salt is also facilitated by the fact that it is a very arid region.
The Salar is made up of 33 "islands", which are so called because they are small elevations of land, surrounded by salt on all sides. The most famous are the islands of Pescado and Inca Huasi, with their reef formations and cacti up to 10 meters high.
The southwest of Bolivia is home to some of the most impressive landscapes in all of South America. Any trip through this country of over one million km² is a must. In the Lipez region, it is always a demanding adventure of long journeys in 4x4 vehicles, where public transport does not reach, or on board buses that make an endless trip through inland towns.
REA Eduardo Abaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve, considered one of the most visited attractions in Bolivia, the REA is located in the Province of Sur Lípez, in the extreme south of the Department of Potosí. This is where the country shows its wildest side: wildlife that displays itself without shyness, such as flamingos, guanacos and water birds; stunning landscapes that stretch across the horizon, outside the car; and archaeological and cultural experiences that set the tone for the trip through this extremely desert and cold region.
THE MAIN ATTRACTIONS
Stone Tree
One of the icons of the reserve is this wind formation, located among a set of volcanic rocks, 18 km north of Laguna Colorada. Declared a Natural Monument of Bolivia, the 'Stone Tree' is 5 meters high and is isolated in a large desert area in southwestern Bolivia.
Ollagüe Volcano
Along with the Árbol de Piedra, this volcano is usually visited on the second day of the Salar de Uyuni crossing, in the volcanic region of Lípez. Located on the border between Bolivia and Chile, the attraction is 5,870 meters high and has a crater measuring 1,250 meters in diameter.
Dali's Rocks
It is said that the Spanish painter Salvador Dalí was inspired by the region to paint some of his paintings. Nothing has been proven, but those surreal contours make this valley one of the most visually striking experiences in all of Bolivia. It is a unique set of volcanic rocks, close to the Salar de Chalviri.
Morning sun
Early, very early, fumaroles emerge from the earth, produced by a geological phenomenon that takes over the local landscape, formed by geysers. At 5 thousand meters above sea level, in an area of 1 km², lava boiling with sulfur gases rises in the form of water vapor mixed with other elements.
Geysers of the Southern Lípez Province
Not far from there, curious thermal water pools, amidst low local temperatures, receive several groups of visitors, attracted by the fame of their healing waters.
Green Lagoon
The mixture of salt, arsenic and copper gives this lagoon its turquoise green hues, measuring approximately 17 km². It is surrounded by high mountains and snow-capped peaks. The highlight is the imposing Licancabur volcano, which is located on the border between Bolivia and Chile.
Red Lagoon
With 60 km² and a depth of no more than 80 cm, this lagoon takes on surreal colors, due to the high concentration of sodium borate (borax) and the pigments of plants and organisms that are responsible for the reddish waters of this lagoon.
Cañapa and Hedionda lagoons
These two neighboring lagoons are another must-see attraction in the Sud Lípez Province. The first is a saltwater lagoon surrounded by three volcanoes (Caquena, Tapaquillcha and Cañapa), forming a 1.42 km² body of water and located 4,140 meters above sea level, with salt flats on its banks. Hedionda is located 4,100 meters above sea level and has an approximate surface area of 4.5 km².
These and other attractions in Sud Lípez can be visited during crossings through the Salar de Uyuni.
