Uyuni salt flat in Bolivia: the sky above, the sky under your feet. Uyuni salt marsh. Bolivia. dried salt lake

Modern Travelers, traveling around the world and seeing a huge number of sights, are rarely surprised by anything. It seems that all monuments of nature, culture and history have already been explored. However, it is not. And Uyuni Salt Lake proves it! In this article, you will learn everything about this lake.

General information about the salt marsh

There are places on our planet that are literally breathtaking. You seem to have arrived on an unknown planet. Uyuni is a salt marsh located in Bolivia, a country famous throughout the world for its deposits. Here, in the south-west of the country, at an altitude of almost 4000 above sea level, the largest salt marsh in the world is located. Its area is more than 10 thousand square meters. km.

The thickness of the salt layer sometimes exceeds 10 meters. Every year, crowds of tourists from all over the world attack Uyuni, a salt marsh that attracts not only natural beauty but also many attractions. And taking a photo against the background of the "sky mirror" is considered a real success!

The history of the formation of an amazing lake

Lake Uyuni is part of the Altiplano plateau. This mountain plateau is located at an altitude of 4 thousand meters above the sea and holds not only Uyuni, but also other small salt marshes, as well as dry lakes. How did the miracle of nature - the Uyuni salt marsh - form? Its history takes us back to ancient times. About 40 thousand years ago, the lake was part of the giant Lake Minchin. Under the influence of time, Minchin was transformed into the Tauka reservoir, then into Koipas. After drying, the lakes Uru Uru, Poopa (they still exist) and the salt marshes of Koipas and Uyuni remained. The salt marsh is subject to flooding during the rainy season, as it is flooded by the nearby Poopo and Titicaca. The water that covers the layer of salt turns it into a mirror. Tourists here have the impression that the sky is above their heads and under their feet. People seem to float in the air.

The climate of the area

The rainy season here lasts from November to March. Approximate air temperature in summer time equals 22 °C. As in many deserts and mountains, the hot day on the Bolivian plateau gives way to a cool night. During the summer months in South America it is winter, but, despite this, at such a time the main influx of tourists happens. In winter, the air temperature near Uyuni (salt marsh) reaches +13 °C, at night it drops down to -10 °C.

Due to the high altitude, many tourists (especially those who are not used to changing altitudes) experience inconvenience here. Their heads are spinning, their ears are blocked. There are attacks of nausea and vomiting, but the symptoms quickly pass. The body gets used to the climate, and locals know how to help the tourist. They advise visitors to chew coca leaves, a strong tonic that helps relieve discomfort. However, people visiting the Salar de Uyuni salt flat (Bolivia) should remember that coca leaves are not a weak drug!

Flora and fauna of the lake in the mountains

Due to the huge accumulation of salts, the local soil is unsuitable for life. Vegetation is almost non-existent here. You can only notice tall cacti and rare shrubs that the natives use as fuel. By the way, the cacti here are very interesting. Reaching a height of 12 meters, they all have different shapes and thicknesses. It is difficult to find two identical cacti.

In the summer, you can see a real miracle on the salt marsh: hundreds of the most beautiful birds flock here - pink flamingos, sedately walking on the mirror surface. Chilean, Andean and James's flamingos come here every year to breed.

About 80 species of birds live nearby. Among them there are interesting individuals, such as the Andean goose and the Andean hummingbird. Also here you can see Andean foxes and small rodents viscacha. Appearance the latter slightly resembles the rabbits familiar to us.

Salt flat de Uyuni: economic importance

For the economy of Bolivia, the salt marsh is of tremendous importance. Of course, its main wealth is truly significant salt reserves. Experts suggest that there are ten billion tons of salt here. This is a huge number! At the same time, about 25 thousand tons of mineral are mined on the lake every year. Lithium is also mined here. It is used to make batteries. More than 50% of the world's supply of this substance is in Lake Bolivia.

During the dry season, the flat surface of the salt marsh is one of the main thoroughfares of the Altiplano. And of course, it is considered one of the main attractions of the country. Crowds of tourists flock here, replenishing the treasury of the state.

Another fact in favor of the lake: there is a flat mirror surface, clear skies and dry air. These are excellent conditions for testing and calibrating orbiting satellites. That is why the Salar de Uyuni is so dear to the government of Bolivia.

Local Attractions: Steam Engine Cemetery

The cemetery of locomotives is located three kilometers from the city of Uyuni. Now this once large town has a population of 15 thousand people. But once the most important railway lines of the country passed here. In the 40s of the XX century, production fell in the mines, and the city gradually began to empty. The collapse of the railway communication was not long in coming ... Locomotives and wagons were abandoned just like that.

Tourists can even see here steam locomotives, whose age is more than a century. But unfortunately all these historical objects are in a terrible and neglected condition. The authorities have tried to raise the issue of creating a museum, but so far to no avail.

Salt hotels

The inhabitants of Bolivia, who work in the extraction of salt, use it not only for food. Merchants offer visitors to the country and souvenirs made right here from salt. But the inventive people did not stop there! People who visit the Uyuni salt marsh in Bolivia and want to feel the local flavor as sharply as possible stay overnight in hotels made from blocks of salt.

The first hotels were built in the 90s of the last century. They were erected in the middle of the lake. Due to sanitation problems that have a bad effect on the environment, the hotels were demolished and rebuilt in compliance with all the rules. Now the famous salt hotels are located on the edge of the lake.

The Palacio de Sal Hotel is one of the most famous hotels from salt. Walls and roof, floor, furniture, sculptures are made of salt. Tourists will also be offered a sauna and jacuzzi. The only ban on all salt block hotels is that you can't lick the surroundings!

Pescado Island

Another attraction of Uyuni is located right in the middle of the lake. Pescado Island (translated as “fish”) in the rainy season, with its outlines, really resembles a fish. The area of ​​the island is approximately 2 sq. km. Above the desert of salt rises the mouth of an ancient extinct volcano.

It is covered with many petrified corals and huge cacti. Cacti here are ancient, there are even thousand-year-old individuals. Pescado Island is famous for the ruins left from the Inca settlement.

Other local attractions

When visiting the village of Kolchani, a tourist should definitely look into the local museum, where interesting specimens of furniture and sculptures made of mineral are exhibited.

The lagoon of Lake Edionda is also interesting. There are flocks of flamingos here, and you can also watch llamas and alpacas. Flamingos also fly to the nearby Colorado Lagoon.

50 km from Lake Colorado there is a geyser basin called Sol de Magnana. The reservoir seethes and emits sulfuric gas with a characteristic unpleasant odor. You can swim in the thermal spring very close. This is especially helpful for people suffering from arthritis.

If these sights are not enough for you, then go to the Verde lagoon. This salt Lake green is located almost on state border from Chile. Sedimentary deposits with copper give an interesting color to the water.

Aymara Indians tell tourists ancient legend. The mountains surrounding the salt marsh, according to the natives, were giants in ancient times. Kusku was married to Tunupe, but fascinated by Kuzina. The giant left his wife and small child, and Tunupa shed bitter tears for a very long time. Streams of tears mixed with the milk she fed the child, and formed huge lake. The locals revere the legend of Tunul and believe that the area should be named after her.

Memo to the tourist

Going to new and unknown place Don't forget to take everything you need with you. Bring sunglasses if you don't want to squint all the time. If you wish to take a night shot of the Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia, bring warm clothing.

The nights here are very cool. Waterproof shoes and a moisturizer should definitely fit in a suitcase, because the local climate dries the skin very much.

If you settle in budget hotel, take a blanket or sleeping bag. Such hotels often do not heat.

The best place to visit Uyuni is February, when the lake becomes a truly gigantic mirror. Don't forget to take photos of the cute local llamas walking along the shore. Their ears are decorated with funny earrings in different colors.

Uyuni Salt Flats: how to get there?

Tourists usually get to the salt marsh from the capital of Bolivia, the city of La Paz. Several modes of transport run to famous lake. So, how to visit the Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia?

If you want to admire a truly wonderful view of an endless mirror lake, flocks of charming pink flamingos, live in an exotic hotel made of salt blocks and watch an ancient volcano, then be sure to visit the dried-up Lake Uyuni in South America.

Salar de Uyuni (Spanish version of the name Salar de Uyuni, Salar de Uyuni) is the world's largest salt marsh with an area of ​​10,582 km². It is located in the southwest of Bolivia at an altitude of 3656 meters above sea level and is covered with a salt crust with an average thickness of several meters (in some places up to 10 m). According to some estimates, the Uyuni salt marsh contains up to 50% of the world's lithium reserves. Tourists from all over the world come here to watch ancient volcanoes, flocks of pink flamingos, roaming herds of wild llamas, giant cacti 10 meters or more high, lakes changing color daily and magical fields of geysers.

Education and geology

All solonchaks were formed on the site of former lakes and other water basins. If the lake does not have a flow of water into the river, and the evaporation rate exceeds the amount of precipitation, the concentration of salt in the water increases over time. After complete evaporation of the water, a hard crust of salt forms on the surface and the area turns into a salt marsh.

The Uyuni salt marsh is part of the Bolivian Altiplano, a mountain plateau over 3,000 meters above sea level. The plateau has a number of freshwater and salt lakes, salt marshes, all surrounded by mountains and volcanoes.

The geological history of the Uyuni salt marsh consists of the successive transformation of several huge lakes. Approximately 30,000-42,000 years ago, its territory was part of the giant prehistoric lake Minchin. Lake Minchin (named after Juan Minchin) later transformed into Lake Tauca and then (about 11,500 - 13,400 years ago) into the youngest prehistoric lakes of Coipas. When it dried, there were two modern lakes(Poopo and Uru Uru) and two salt marshes - Salar de Coipasa (Salar de Coipasa,) and much larger Salar de Uyuni (Salar de Uyuni). Both salt marshes are separated from each other by a series of hills. Lake Poopo is a neighbor of the much larger Lake Titicaca. During the rainy season, the level of Titicaca rises and the water flows into Lake Poopo, which, in turn, causes flooding of both salt marshes - Coipas and Uyuni.

From above, the salt marsh is covered with a hard crust of salt of various thicknesses: from several tens of centimeters to 10 meters in the center. From below, lake silt is interspersed with layers of brine - an aqueous solution saturated with sodium chloride, lithium chloride and magnesium chloride. The most valuable of these minerals is lithium chloride.

In the center of the Uyuni salt marsh there are several "islands", which are the remains of the peaks of ancient volcanoes, completely submerged in water during the era of the existence of the prehistoric Lake Minchin. Now their surface is covered with fragile deposits, often consisting of fossils and algae, on top of which grow cacti and shrubs.

Economic importance

For centuries, the Quechua Indians survived by mining and selling salt. Salt is scraped off, transported to nearby villages, where it is processed, packaged and shipped to consumers. About 25,000 tons of salt are mined annually - a drop in the bucket compared to reserves of 10 billion tons.

Under a thick layer of salt is brine - an aqueous solution with a 0.3% concentration of lithium, the lightest metal, which is predicted to have a great future. For two decades, lithium has been used in laptops, mobile phones, and other devices. But its main application is expected to be in the production of batteries for electric cars, which could replace gasoline and diesel fuel for cars in the near future. There is a lot of lithium in rock And sea ​​water. But almost all reserves suitable for industrial development are in the form of brine under salt marshes. The invention of the pneumatic tire turned rubber into a valuable commodity in the 19th century. The global trend towards green energy has every chance of doing the same with lithium in the 21st.

Attempts to extract lithium by foreign companies in the 1980s and 1990s met with strong opposition from the local population. Despite their poverty, the locals frown upon the idea of ​​mining the precious metal. The Bolivian government does not intend to allow foreign corporations to develop it and plans to build its own plant.

Due to its location and ideal plane (average elevation change across the area is only one metre), the Uyuni salt marsh is one of the main driving routes through the Bolivian Altiplano, except during the rainy season.

effects

During the rainy season from November to March, the salt marsh is covered with a layer of water up to 30 cm. When a thin layer of water covers the surface of the salt marsh, a mirror effect is created. Clouds are visible not only from above in the sky, but also from below under your feet. The landscapes are simply unimaginable. The impression is as if people and cars are floating in the clouds.

In the dry season, polygonal furrows form on the surface of the salt marsh, similar to a honeycomb, but less regular in shape. Mostly there are hexagons, but there are also pentagons, heptagons and even octagons. Such forms of furrows several centimeters high are formed in the process of water evaporation.

Flora and fauna

The salt marsh is practically devoid of any wild animals or plants. Plants are dominated by giant cacti. They grow at a rate of 1 cm per year to a height of up to 12 meters. Other plants are represented by shrubs.

Every year in November and December, the Uyuni Salt Flats attracts three species of South American pink flamingos: Chilean, Andean and James. The pink coloration of flamingos comes from feeding on pink micro algae (algae). About 80 other species of birds live in the area, including the horned coot, the Andean goose, and the Andean mountain star hummingbird. Animal world represented by the Andean fox, some areas of the salt marsh (particularly Fish Island) have small colonies of vizcachas (a rodent similar to our rabbit).

Interesting places (attractions)

The Uyuni Salt Flat is a popular tourist attraction in Bolivia. It attracts about 70,000 tourists annually. This article describes a "standard" itinerary for a trip through the salt marsh and its surrounding lagoons. Tour operators use off-road vehicles (usually Toyota Landcruisers), and the driver is often responsible for cooking. Most 3 and 4 day tours have the same itinerary for the first two and a half days (the first day includes a visit to the Uyuni salt marsh, then the course to southwestern Bolivia to lakes and volcanoes, and there the tour routes diverge). Specific places to visit depend on the chosen tour. Accommodation, as a rule, in simple houses, despite the cold weather, not always heated, but amazing landscapes worth some sacrifice.

First day of the trip - salt marsh

On the first day you will visit the salt marsh. During the dry season, the landscape is exceptionally white. During the rainy season, the surface of the salt marsh perfectly reflects the blue sky and clouds.

Plaza Arce(Plaza Arce). Most trips start at 10:30 am from Plaza Arce, located next to the Uyuni train station.

train graveyard(Cementerio de Trenes). Usually, the first stop of the tour is the train graveyard, but some operators prefer to end the tour at this point. Uyuni, small town with a population of just over 15,000, was once a major railway hub in Bolivia. With the decline of the mining industry in the 1940s, the railroad also fell into disrepair, and trains were left to fend for themselves in the vicinity of the city. Some locomotives are over 100 years old. The Train Cemetery is the town's most popular attraction.

Kolchani(Colchani). This is a small village about 22 kilometers from Uyuni on the eastern edge of the salt marsh. The main occupation of its inhabitants is salt mining. Salt is processed and sent to other regions of Bolivia, part of it is exported abroad. Kolchani serves as the first stop on most excursions. In addition to salt mining, many of its inhabitants survive on tourism. A feature of the village (besides stopping to drink some water and buy souvenirs) are its houses built from blocks of salt. In appearance, the village is not very attractive and snow-white, but where else in the world will you find such a street or such buildings made of salt? The Salt Museum displays animal figurines and furniture made from this material, and demonstrates construction technologies using salt.

salt mining area

Visiting places where salt is manually raked from the surface of the salt marsh into heaps weighing a ton or more, and left to dry in the sun before being transported to a factory for further processing.

salt hotel

Due to the high cost of conventional building materials, many visitors stay in hotels built almost entirely (walls, roof) of salt blocks. Juan Quesada was the first to propose the idea of ​​building a salt hotel, as salt has been the most practical building material in the area for centuries. The first such hotel was built in 1995 in the center of the Uyuni salt marsh, and it quickly turned into a popular tourist facility. But the location of the hotel in the center of the salt marsh caused a number of sanitary problems. Serious environmental pollution prompted the authorities to close and dismantle the hotel in 2002. Later, several new salt hotels were built on the outskirts of the salt marsh in full compliance with environmental standards.

One of these hotels (Hotel Palacio de Sal Hotel & Spa) is located in the village of Colchani on the eastern outskirts of the salt marsh. In addition to walls, floors and ceilings, most of its interior decorations are also made of salt: chairs, tables, beds, clocks and even sculptures. The luxury hotel of 4500 m² has all modern amenities, including dry sauna, steam bath, jacuzzi, bathtub. It can accommodate 48 people at the same time in 16 double and 8 single rooms. Previously, salt was considered only a vital component for cooking, but in the Uyuni salt marsh region, this mineral was used in a completely different capacity. You can book a room on the hotel website www.palaciodesal.com.bo

fish island(Isla de los Pescados)

The name comes from the Spanish word "pescado", which means "fish". The thing is that during the rainy season, the reflection of the island on the surface of the salt marsh resembles a fish. The island is covered with fossilized coral deposits and 1000 year old cacti. These cacti (the tallest ones are 9-10m) grow at a rate of 1 cm per year, so you can easily calculate their age. On the island you can see several viscachas (South American rodents that look like hares). You can walk around the island, enjoy the panorama of the salt flat and take beautiful photos (this the best place to take a picture of the salt marsh). Majority tourist groups dine on the western "shore" of this island. There is a small fee to visit.

Stopover for the night. They usually stay overnight in San Juan, although for a real treat, you can look for a travel agency that provides accommodation closer to the salt marsh. Then you can get up before dawn and see a beautiful sunrise.

The second day of the trip - a trip to the Colorado Lagoon

Continuation of the journey to the southwest towards the colored lakes (red, blue, white, yellow and green) located in the National Reserve of the Andean fauna of Eduardo Avaroa (Parque Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa). The water is colored by a range of different minerals washed away from the surrounding volcanoes. Some tours include a visit to the Cueva Galaxia and the Devil's Cave (Cueva del Diablo).

Laguna Edionda(Laguna Hedionda) is a salt lake notable for several species of migrating pink and white flamingos. The Spanish name "La Grande Laguna Hedionda" means "big smelly lake". Laguna Edionda is one of nine small salt lakes in the Andean Altiplano. The 3 km² lake is located at an altitude of 4121 meters and is surrounded by salt marshes and wetlands. From time to time, llamas and alpacas can be seen grazing in the lake area. Laguna Edionda serves popular place to stop and have lunch.
Viscacha habitat. A short stop on a rocky ledge where a viscacha colony lives. Tour guides lure them out of their hiding places with the help of carrots.

Arbol de Piedra(Arbol de Piedra) - a stone in the shape of a tree. Over the years, water and wind have carved a sculpture out of a huge boulder, resembling a petrified tree that seems to be growing out of the ground.

Laguna Colorada(Laguna Colorada) is a shallow salt lake located on the territory of the National Reserve of the Andean fauna Eduardo Avaroa (Reserva Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa) near the border with Chile. The red lake is located at an altitude of 4278 m. Algae - microscopic algae give the lake a red tint. The lagoon contains many other minerals that form a breeding ground for the development of microorganisms that feed on flamingos. The Colorado Lagoon is best known for its large colonies of flamingos. The most common are the James flamingos, less often the Andean and Chilean flamingos. There is a small fee to enter the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve.

Accommodation. Living in the Colorado Lagoon area in simple brick shacks, sometimes without heating. Electricity is supplied within a few hours. Please note that at night in the month of July, the temperature can drop to -10 ° C or lower.

Third Morning - Geysers and Hot Springs, Verde Lagoon

The journey will continue in the early morning (wake up at 4 am) without breakfast to visit the following places:

Sol de Magna geyser basin(Solar de Manana). The geyser pool is located at a distance of 50 km from the Colorado lagoon at an altitude of 4850 meters above sea level. In this place seething sulfur pools, fumaroles and geysers emit sulfuric gas with an unpleasant smell of rotten eggs. Sometimes geysers raise hot steam into the air for tens of meters. The geyser pool is usually visited at the time of sunrise.

Thermal pool Termas de Polques located near the Sol de Magnana geyser basin. Swim if you want to really enjoy thermal spring. The mineral composition of the water is believed to relieve the symptoms of arthritis and rheumatism. The temperature of the reservoir is pleasant for swimming, but in the morning at an altitude of 4400 meters above sea level the air is quite cold, so many people prefer to watch. Popular place for breakfast.

Laguna Verde(Laguna Verde) - a salt lake on the Chilean border, in the water of which the nearby Licancabur volcano (5920 m) is reflected. The green color of the lagoon is due to sedimentary deposits containing copper and other minerals. The lake is located at an altitude of 4300 m above sea level. Laguna Verde is well known for its picturesque scenery and hot springs. A small corridor separates the lake from Laguna Blanca.

Laguna Blanca(Laguna Blanca) - a lake 5.6 km long and 3.5 km wide, located at an altitude of 4350 m. The characteristic white color of the water, which gave the lake its name, is caused by a high concentration of borax (sodium pyroborate). A narrow corridor separates the Blanca lagoon from the smaller Verde lagoon.

tupisa

If you choose a four-day tour that includes a visit to Tupiza, then you should see the following places:

Celeste Lagoon(Laguna Celeste). The lake is bluish in color with a high content of magnesium and manganese. It is located at an altitude of 4529 m, the area is 2.3 km².

Laguna Amarilla(Laguna Amarilla). A greenish-yellow lake with a high concentration of sulfur.

Ruins of the colonial city of San Antonio(San Antonio). This is an abandoned mining town of the sixteenth century.

Uyuni

On the way back to Uyuni, you will make stops in small villages, as well as visit stone valley(Valles de Rocas) - a place with unusual rock formations formed by wind erosion. The small village of Alota is a relatively popular place to stop for the night.

The fourth day of the trip - arrival in the city of Tupisa

Continuation of the trip along the road from beautiful scenery nature. The last sight before arriving in Tupiza will be El Sillar - heavily eroded rock formations.

The fourth day of the trip - arrival in the city of Uyuni

The last day of the trip includes a visit small town San Cristobal, the main attraction of which is the old church, and then return to Uyuni.

How to get there

There are several ways to get from La Paz to Uyuni:

Airplane. On July 11, 2011, Bolivian President Evo Morales opened El Aeropuerto Joya Andina Airport in Uyuni. The airport is currently served by two airlines: Amaszonas (www.amaszonas.com) and Transporte Aereo Militar (abbreviated as TAM, www.tam.bo). Transporte Aereo Militar offers flights to Uyuni from La Paz (with a transit stop in Sucre) every Monday, Friday and Saturday. Return flights from Uyuni to La Paz (again, with a transit stop in Sucre), also on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays. To date, Transporte Aereo Militar does not provide ticket booking through its website. The disadvantage of flying with the Transporte Aereo Militar is that the flight from La Paz to Uyuni lands in Sucre and if the weather conditions are bad there, the flight may be temporarily cancelled. The preferred option is with Amazonas, which offers daily flights to Uyuni from La Paz.

Bus. Tourist night bus. There are several tourist night buses running from La Paz to Uyuni and vice versa. Buses leave every day. There are no day buses. The trip takes about 10 hours, but may take longer during the rainy season (November to April). All buses transit through Oruro. The total distance is 569 km (from La Paz to Oruro 229 km on an asphalt road, and from Oruro to Uyuni 340 km on a dirt road). The bus leaves La Paz at 21.00 and arrives in Uyuni around 07.00. Take advantage tourist bus Todo Turismo (www.todoturismo.bo). This is the best bus in Bolivia, friendly staff speaks English, offers hot meals in the bus. It runs between Uyuni and La Paz on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Bus - train. You can get from La Paz to Oruro by bus (about 4 hours) and then take the train from Oruro to Uyuni. You will have to take a taxi from the bus station to railway station in Oruro. Every Tuesday and Friday, the Expreso del Sur train leaves Oruro at 15:30 and arrives in Uyuni at 22:20. Every Sunday and Wednesday the train leaves Oruro at 19:00 and arrives in Uyuni at 02:20. The Wara Wara del Sur train from Uyuni to Oruro departs on Thursday and Sunday at 00:05, arrives in Oruro at 07.00, on Tuesday and Friday, departs from Oruro at 01.45, arrives in Uyuni at 09:10. See below the departure schedule for the Expreso del Sur and Wara Wara del Sur trains ( read the article Transport in Bolivia (buses, trains)). You can book train tickets online at www.fca.com.bo.

Climate and when to visit

Between November and March (summer in Bolivia) is the rainy season. The average temperature in December-January is +21°C, but it is cold at night throughout the year. When it rains, water accumulates on the flat surface of the Uyuni Salt Flats and reflects like a mirror. The tour may be delayed due to a large number rainfall, as cars are severely damaged by corrosion from salt water.

During the rainy season, thousands of flamingos migrate to the area to mate and procreate. There are especially many of them around the Colorada and Verde lagoons. best month see flamingos - November and December.

In winter, especially in June and July, average temperature+ 13 °C, but at night it drops below zero, sometimes down to -10 °C and below. Winter is the dry season (April to October). During the dry season, the salt marsh is a perfectly flat plain. Precipitation varies from 1-3 mm per month from April to November and increases to 70 mm in January. The peak tourist season is from June to August.

Helpful information

The Uyuni salt marsh is considered the largest salt marsh in the world. It is located in Bolivia on a sufficient high altitude above sea level. The thickness of the salt crust is 10 meters. Pretty impressive, isn't it? The salt marsh is rich in lithium and contains more than half of the world's supply of the metal. Tourists on the salt marshes are attracted by ancient volcanoes, flamingos and huge cacti.

There is nothing surprising in the formation of solonchaks. These are lakes and rivers. If water and precipitation do not enter the reservoir, and the temperatures are very high, then the concentration of salts in the water increases sharply. It evaporates, and places with a thick crust of salt are formed. Uyuni Salt Flats is located on a mountain plateau with a height of 3000 meters. It is surrounded by smaller salt marshes and lakes with fresh water.

A salt marsh was formed from several large lakes. Once in its place there was one large lake Minchin, which later formed Lake Tauka. Subsequently, Lake Koipasa was formed from Tauk. It did not last long, drying up and creating two modern lakes: Uru Uru and Poopo and two salt marshes, one of which is the Uyuni salt marsh. Lake Poopo is adjacent to Lake Titicaca. And when the second floods, the water from it enters the Poopo, thus flooding both salt marshes.

The structure of the salt marsh is quite ordinary. On top it is a thick crust of salt, and below is a small layer of silt rich in minerals. The most valuable is lithium chloride.

For many centuries, salt mining has been the main source of income for the local population. It was collected, taken to the nearest village, processed and sent for sale. Approximately 25,000 tons of salt are collected annually. Quite a trifle compared to the billion-dollar salt fund of the entire salt marsh. Under the crust lies brine - a special chemical substance containing lithium. Lithium is popular in the production of batteries, batteries for phones, laptops, accumulators. In the future, they plan to create batteries based on metal, eventually displacing gasoline and diesel fuel. There is also a lot of lithium in mountains and sea water, but it is not suitable for industrial processing.

In the last century there have been many attempts to extract the metal, but local population resisted fiercely. There are plans to build our own metal mining plant. effects

The rainy season begins in November. A thin layer of water does not dry out for a long time, forming a kind of mirror. This is a mesmerizing sight. All is reflected in the water the world including clouds. It creates an unearthly feeling of floating above the ground. During the dry season, the salt crust cracks, forming honeycomb-like cracks of less than perfect shape. And if you look closely, then the cracks, connecting, form polygonal shapes.

Flora and Fauna of Uyuni Salt Flats

The fauna of the solonchak is more diverse. Scientists have counted more than 80 different types birds. Among them you can find pink flamingos. They got this color by eating pink algae. Flamingos are another attraction of the salt marshes. Tourists often come to Bolivia to watch these majestic birds.

Attractions Uyuni

Another tourist destination is Kolchani, a small town whose inhabitants have always collected salt. From here it was transported to other cities for further sale. Even the houses of the inhabitants of Kolchani are built of salt. In the museum of the city you will also find salt figurines and figurines of animals. The local hotel is considered an expensive place, so it was decided to build the building almost entirely from salt. Tourists enjoy staying there. In 2002, the hotel was decided to be demolished. The influx of tourists increased, and the ecology of the salt marsh suffered.

Following tourist place- Edionda Lagoon. One of the salt lakes, famous for its large migrations of flamingos. Colorado Lagoon is a shallow lake. Belongs to the national park-reserve of the Andean fauna. It has a bright pink, almost red color. Pink algae are to blame for everything. This is where the flamingos eat them and take on a nice pink coloration. To get into the reserve, you have to fork out.

Also on the territory of the salt marsh is a geyser pool. But it is not advised to come close to it, as sulfur geysers release steam with the smell of rotten eggs.

Conclusion

Salt flat Uyuni does not carry secrets. It has long been explored far and wide. But still, it attracts a lot of attention with its delightful, sometimes fantastic landscapes. And whoever wants a complete immersion, the doors are always open to a hotel made of salt.

Salar Uyuni - (Spanish version of the name Salar de Uyuni, Salar de Uyuni) - the world's largest salt marsh with an area of ​​​​10,582 km².
Uyuni is located in southwestern Bolivia at an altitude of 3,656 meters above sea level.
It is covered with a salt crust of 2-8 meters.
The salt marsh contains a reserve of 10 billion tons of salt. And also up to 50% of the world's reserves of lithium chloride, from which lithium is obtained.

The salt marsh is subject to flooding during the rainy season, as it is flooded by the nearby Poopo and Titicaca. Water covering a layer of salt turns it into a mirror. Tourists here have the impression that the sky is above their heads and under their feet.

In the dry season, polygonal furrows form on the surface of the salt marsh like a honeycomb.

Uyuni salt marsh on the map

Attractions around Uyuni

Cemetery of steam locomotives (Spanish: "Cementeriode Trenes")

Located 3 km from the city of Uyuni.
This town was once major center Bolivia with a developed network of railways. A sharp drop in the extraction of minerals in the surrounding mines in the 40s. of the last century led to the complete collapse of the railway communication in this region. Huge locomotives, electric locomotives, wagons and trolleys were abandoned to the mercy of fate.

Edionda Lagoon (Spanish: La Grande Laguna Hedionda)

Edionda is a salt lake favored by migrating pink and white flamingos. In the vicinity of the lake you can see herds of llamas and alpacas.

Colchani (Spanish: Colchani)

A small village is located on the eastern edge of the salt marsh, 22 km from Uyuni.
A feature of the village are houses built from salt blocks.

Pescado Island (Spanish: IsladelPescado)

An island with an area of ​​​​about 2 km², located in the very center of a huge salt marsh, is the pinnacle of ancient volcano. He rises above salt desert at 100-120 m. The island is covered with fossilized coral deposits and giant cacti, some of which are over 1000 years old. On the island are the ruins of ancient Inca settlements.

Salt hotels

Walls, floors, ceilings are made of salt, as well as most of the furniture and interior decoration of the hotel - sculptures, beds, tables, chairs and even clocks.

Laguna Colorada (Spanish: Laguna Colorada)

A small salty lake of reddish color. Located on the territory of the Andean Fauna National Reserve (Spanish: Reserva Nacionalde Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa). Microscopic algae "algae" give an unusual red tint to the reservoir. Lake Colorada is notable for its large colonies of flamingos.

Sol de Magnan Geyser Basin (Spanish: Solarde Manaña)

The geyser is located 50 km from Lake Colorada. Not far from the geyser pool is the thermal reservoir Termas-de-Polques, the temperature of which is pleasant for swimming.

Laguna Verde (Spanish: Laguna Verde)

Verde is a salt lake at the foot of the Licancabur volcano (Spanish Licancabur; 5920 m), located on the border with Chile. The green color of the lake is given by sedimentary deposits containing copper. Verde is famous for its hot springs and picturesque scenery.

How to get to Uyuni Salt Flats

Tourists usually get to the salt marsh from the capital of Bolivia, the city of La Paz.
Where is the first thing you need to get to.
There are no direct flights from cities in Russia and the CIS to Bolivia; you will have to fly with two transfers, often by different airlines.

Monthly flights from Moscow to La Paz: