- Address: Salar de Uyuni, Daniel Campos, Potosi, Bolivia
- Area: 10 588 sq. M. km
- Elevation above sea level: 3656 m
On Earth there are still absolutely fantastic places where you feel like on another planet. Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia - the largest in the world solonchak - is just one of such unique places.
The Uyuni solonchak is a parched salty lake in Bolivia, which is located in the south of the desert plain of Altiplano at an altitude of about 3656 m above sea level. The dried-up lake of Bolivia is located in the vicinity of the town of Uyuni in the territory of the departments of Potosi and Oruro , in the south-western part of the state. The area of the unique solonchak is 10 588 sq. Km. km.
Every year, Uyuni's solonchak in Bolivia is visited by thousands of tourists from all over the world. Here you can admire the endless salt spaces, visit the most interesting salt hotel , look at ancient volcanoes, giant cacti and numerous flocks of pink flamingos. And, of course, to capture on video cameras and cameras one of the wonders of nature, which repeatedly changes color throughout the day. Photos made on a salt lake in Bolivia will become an unusual decoration for each traveler's album.
Uniqueness of the Uyuni solonchak
Salar in Bolivia is a real sea of minerals. According to some reports, there are 10 billion tons of salt. The thickness of the salt layer varies from 1 to 10 m, depending on the location. It is known that in the salt pyramids, which rise several meters above the lake, contains up to 70% of the world's lithium reserves. In addition, the salt marsh is rich in minerals such as halite and gypsum.
In the rainy season, a thin layer of water within 30 cm covers the territory of the Uyuni solonchak in Bolivia, creating the effect of a giant looking glass.
Flora and fauna of solonchak
In the territory of the largest salt lake of Uyuni in Bolivia, you will not see numerous exotic plants. Representatives of the local flora are only low shrubs and huge cacti. "Spiny giants" grow 1 cm per year, reaching a height of 12 m. You can see such on the island of Inkauasi .
In the summer season, from November to December, on the mirror surface of the lake you can see several kinds of pink flamingos that fly here for reproduction. Neighborhood Uyuni inhabits about 85 species of birds, including Andean goose, horned bald patch and a peculiar kind of hummingbird. In some areas of the solonchak live Andean foxes and viskasha - small rodents, reminiscent of our rabbit.
Uyuni Attractions
It would seem that the solonchak of Uyuni itself is a unique landmark of Bolivia . However, in its territory there are other, no less amazing and interesting places. For example, the famous cemetery of locomotives , which is located several kilometers from the city of Uyuni. Now the population of this town barely reaches 15 thousand inhabitants, and at one time it was a major center of the country with a developed railway network of roads. The decline in mining minerals led to the collapse of the railway communication in the area. Without need, huge locomotives, electric locomotives, wagons and trolleys were left. Some exhibits of the cemetery stood for more than 100 years. Perhaps, local authorities will be able to open an open-air museum here.
A huge interest among tourists is caused by hotels built from salt blocks. The first such object from salt was erected in 1995 in the central part of the solonchak and immediately became very popular. In 2002, this building was demolished, replacing it with several new hotels on the periphery. The luxurious salt hotel Palacio de Sal is located in the village of Colchani. In it everything is made of salt: walls, floors, ceilings, most of the furniture and interior.
How to get to the Uyuni solonchak in Bolivia?
You can get to the salt lake in several ways. First, fly by plane from La Paz to one of two airlines: Amaszonas and Transporte Aereo Militar. Secondly, to get from La Paz on a night tourist bus in transit through Oruro . The trip will take about 10 hours, in rainy weather a little more. Flights daily, but no buses yet. The best tourist buses are allowed by the company Todo Turismo. Thirdly, from Oruro to Uyuni you can get on the train Expreso del Sur, Wara Wara del Sur. Fourth, you can use private transport, which gives some advantages in traveling.
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