Dried Salt Lake Uyuni. Tour at Solonchak Uyuni in Bolivia

26.10.2019

Solonchak Uyuni - a dried salt lake in the south of the desert plain Altiplano in Bolivia, at an altitude of about 3650 m above sea level. Square this unusual place 10582 sq. Cm and it is the largest solonchak in the world.

Main minerals - Galit and Gypsum. The inner part is covered with a layer of cooking salt with a thickness of 2-8 m. During the rainy season, the Solonchak is covered with a thin layer of water and turns into the world's largest mirror surface.

2. About 40 thousand years ago, this area was part of Lake Minskin. After its drying, there are two existing lakes currently: Popo and Uru-Uhru, as well as two large salt peppers: Salar de Kupaas and Uyuni. Uyuni Square is about 25 times superior to the area of \u200b\u200bthe dried lake Bonneville in the United States.

5. In the midst of the endless mirror space, it seems as if it turned out to be on another planet or the end of the world appeared.

6. Due to the large size, a flat surface and a high albedo in the presence of a thin layer of water, as well as minimal highness of the height, the solonchak uin is the perfect tool for testing and calibrating remote sensing devices to orbital satellites. Clean sky and dry air suits allow you to calibrate satellites five times better than if the surface of the ocean was used.

10. After the Solonchak's trip, the machine is completely covered with salt and is subject to a total wash.

11. Due to its flat surface, the Solonchak Uyuni serves as the main transport route in Altiplano. Next to Solonchak under construction international Airportcapable of taking long-haul airplanes. Its discovery is scheduled for 2012.

12. In the center of the salt plans there is a salt hotel, and there is a facility from salt blocs, where tourists come from all over the world are flags of their states. How to see, there is a Russian flag.

14. Solonchak Uyuni contains a stock of about 10 billion tons of salt, of which less than 25 thousand tons are produced annually.

20. Hotels here are built from salt, more precisely, from salt blocks. Tables, chairs, beds and other furnishings are also made of salt. And on the walls hanging announcements with a polite request not to lick anything. You can spend the night in this hotel for $ 20.

26. Salt restaurant. If suddenly the food turns out to be unfavorable, and the salt plots will not be near, you can lick the table.

28. Salt sculptures.

32. Despite the harsh conditions, there are several types of cacti on this saltchard, and rare sphyrious types will be multiplied, three types of flamingos, ostrises and other animals.

35. Every year in November, three types of South American Flamingo - Chiley Flamingo, Andean Flamingo and Flamingo James arrive at Solonchak.

39. Instead of sheep in these edges of Alpaca. From the wool Alpaca make warm and soft blankets, blankets and clothes, and from fur items for home. Wool Alpak has all the properties of sheep, but in weight is much easier.

41. Ropes are tied, apparently, in order to be noticeable from afar.

42. One of the attractions of Solonchak, where tourists will also be visited, is a locomotive cemetery located near the paths railway Of Antofagasta in Bolivia in 3 km from the city of Uyuni. On the "Cemetery", the locomotives of the named railway retractive from the train service in the 1950s are resting, when the mining of minerals on the surrounding mines dropped sharply. In 2006, the local government was adopted by 15th summer program the development of the region, one of the points of which is the transformation of the "cemetery" in the museum under open sky.

Salonchak Uyuni (Spanish version of Salar de Uyuni, Salar de Uyuni) - the world's largest solonchak area of \u200b\u200b10,582 km². It is located in the south-west of Bolivia at an altitude of 3656 meters above sea level and is covered with a salt cork in a medium thickness of several meters (in some places up to 10 m). According to some estimates, the Solonchak uuest contains up to 50% of world lithium reserves. Tourists from all over the world come here to observe the ancient volcanoes, flocks pink flamingo, wandering herds of wild lamas, giant cacti 10 meters high and more, daily changing their color by lakes and magical geysers.

Education and geology

All salt marshs were formed on the site of former lakes and other water pools. If the lake does not have a drain of water into the river, and the evaporation rate exceeds the amount of precipitation, the salt concentration increases in water. After a complete evaporation of water on the surface, the solid peel of salt is formed and the territory turns into salt marsh.

Solonchak Uyuni is part of the Bolivian altiplano - a mining plateau with a height of more than 3000 meters above sea level. The plateau has a number of freshwater and salty lakes, Solonchakov, all surrounded by mountains and volcanoes.

The geological history of Solonchaka Uine consists of a consistent transformation of several huge lakes. Approximately 30,000-42,000 years ago, its territory was part of the Giant Prehistoric Lake Minskin. Lake Minskin (named after Huana Mincina) later transformed into Tauca Lake and then (approximately 11,500 - 13,400 years ago) in the youngest prehistoric lakes of Kupaas. When it dried out, there are two modern lakes (Popo and Urau Ugra) and two Salar De Coipasa, Salar de Coypasa (Salar de Uyuni) and a much larger than Salar de Uyuni. Both Solonchard are separated from each other near the hills. Lake Popoo is a neighbor much lake Titicaca. During the rainy season, the level of Titicaca rises and the water flows into the lake Popo, which, in turn, causes floods of both Solonchakov - Kupaas and Uyuni.

From above, Solonchak is covered with solid peel of salt of different thicknesses: from several tens of centimeters to 10 meters in the center. The lake slope is intermitted with a radip-aqueous solution, saturated sodium chloride, lithium chloride and magnesium chloride. The most valuable of these minerals is lithium chloride.

In the center of Solonchak Uyuni, there are several "islets", which are the remnants of the vertices of ancient volcanoes, fully immersed in the water in the era of the existence of the prehistoric lake of Minskin. Now their surface is covered with fragile sediments, often consisting of fossils and algae, on top of which cacti and shrubs grow.

Economic importance

Over the centuries, the Indians of Kechua survived the extraction and sale of salt. Salt is scraped, transported to nearby villages, they are processed there, package and send consumers. About 25,000 tone of salt are produced annually - a drop in the sea compared with 10 billion tone reserves.

Under the thick layer of salt is a rap - an aqueous solution having a 0.3% lithium concentration, the easiest metal, to which the Great Future is annexed. For two decades, lithium was used in laptops, mobile phones and other devices. But its main application is expected to be in the production of batteries for electric cars capable of replacing gasoline and diesel for cars in the near future. Many lithium is contained in rock and sea water. But almost all stocks suitable for industrial development are in the form of rappi under salt marshes. The invention of the pneumatic tire turned rubber into a valuable product in the 19th century. The global tendency to green energy has every chance to do the same with Lithium in the 21st.

Attempts to extract lithia by foreign companies in the 1980s and 1990s met a strong opposition from the local population. Despite its poverty, the locals are disapprovingly relate to the idea of \u200b\u200bthe extraction of precious metal. The Bolivian government does not intend to admit foreign corporations to its development and plans to build their own factory.

Due to its location and the perfect plane (the average height difference over the entire region is only one meter), Solonchak Uine is one of the main road routes Through the Bolivian altiplano except for the rainy season.

Effects

In the rainy season from November to March, Solonchak is covered with a layer of water to 30 cm. When a thin layer of water covers the surface of the salt chamber, a mirror effect is created. Clouds are visible not only from above in the sky, but also from the bottom under the legs. Landscapes are just unimaginable. Impression as if people and cars are hired in the clouds.

In the dry season, polygonal furrows are formed on the surface of the salt marsh, but less than the right shape. Preferably there are hexagons, but there are pentagons, sevengoles and even octagons. Such forms of the furrow with a height of several centimeters are formed during the evaporation of water.

Flora and fauna

Solonchak is practically deprived of any wild animals or plants. Giant cacti is dominated from plants. They grow at a speed of 1 cm per year at a height of up to 12 meters. Other plants are shrubs.

Every year in November and December, Solonchak Uyuni attracts three types of South American pink flamingos: Chilean, Andean and James. The pink color of flamingo comes from nutrition with pink micro algae (ALGAE). About 80 other species of birds live in the area, including horned lysh, Andean goose, hummingbirds named Andea Mountain Star. Animal world Presented by the Andean fox, some places of Solonchak (in particular the island of fish) have small colonies of the teacher (rodent, similar to our rabbit).

Interesting places (attractions)

Solonchak Uyuni is a popular tourist attraction of Bolivia. Every year it attracts about 70,000 tourists. This article describes the "Standard" route of the Solonchak and the Lagunas surrounding it. Tour operators use SUVs (usually Toyota LandCruisers), the driver is often entrusted with the duties of cooking. Most of the 3 and 4 day rounds have the same trip route in the first two and a half days (the first day includes a visit to Solonchak Uyuni, then the course in southwestern Bolivia to lakes and volcanoes, and there are already tour routes). Specific sites depend on the selected tour. Accommodation, as a rule, in simple houses, despite cold weather, not always heated, but amazing landscapes are some sacrifices.

First day of travel - Solonchak

On the first day you will visit Solonchak. In the dry season landscape is exclusively white. In the rainy season, the Siberian surface perfectly reflects the blue sky and the clouds.

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

Cemetery of trains (Cementerio de Tres). Usually, the first stop of the tour is the train cemetery, but some operators prefer to complete the excursion in this place. Uyuni, a small town with a population of a little more than 15,000 people, once was a major railway center of Bolivia. With the decline of the mining industry in the 1940s, the railway was declining, the trains were thrown to the arbitrary of fate in the vicinity of the city. The age of some locomotives has more than 100 years. Train cemetery is the most popular attraction of this town.

Quiver(Colchant). This is a small village about 22 kilometers from Uin on the eastern edge of Solonchak. 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. Quiver serves the first stop of most excursions. In addition to salt mining, many of its residents survive at the expense of tourism. A feature of the village (in addition to the stop of drinking the driver and buy souvenirs) are his homes built from salt blocks. Seemingly the village is not very attractive and snow-white, but where else in the world you will meet this street or such buildings from salt? In the salt museum are presented with animal figures made from this material, furniture, the construction technologies using salt are shown.

Salt mining area

A visit to the places where the salt is manually crushed from the surface of the salt chamber in the heaps weighing from ton and more, and leave to dry the sun before transportation to the plant for subsequent processing.

Salt hotel

Because of the high cost of ordinary building materials, many visitors stop in hotels built almost completely (walls, roof) from salt blocks. Juan Kesada first suggested the idea of \u200b\u200bbuilding a salt hotel, because the salt for centuries was the most practical building material in this area. The first such a hotel was built in 1995 in the center of Solonchak Uyuni, and he very quickly turned into a popular tourist object. But the location of the hotel in the center of Solonchak caused a number of sanitary problems. Serious pollution ambient The authorities prompted the closure and dismantle the hotel in 2002. Later, several new hotels from salt were built on Solonchak's outskirts in full accordance with environmental standards.

One of these hotels is located in Kolchani (Colchant) on the East Outskown of Solonchak. In addition to walls, floors and ceilings, most of Its inner decoration is also made of salt: chairs, tables, beds, watches and even sculptures. A luxury hotel with an area of \u200b\u200b4500 m² has all modern amenities, including a dry sauna, steam bath, jacuzzi, bathroom. It can accommodate 48 people at the same time in 16 double and 8 single rooms. Previously, the salt was considered only a vital component for cooking, but in the area of \u200b\u200bSolonchak Uyuni, this mineral was used in a completely different quality. You can order a room yourself on the website of the hotel www.palaciodesal.com.bo

Island of fish (Isla de Los Pescados)

The name comes from the Spanish word "Pescado", which means "Fish". The thing is that in the rainy season, the reflection of the island on the Salon surface resembles a fish. The island is covered with petrified coral sediments and 1000-year-old cacti. These cacti (the highest of them are 9-10 m) grow at a speed of 1 cm per year, so that you can easily calculate their age. On the island you can see a few temples (South American rodents, seemingly similar to hares). You can walk around the island, enjoy the panorama of the salt plain and make nice pictures (this is the best placeTo take a picture of Solonchak). Most tourist groups They dine in the western "shore" of this island. For the right to visit a small fee.

Stop overnight. Usually stopped at San Juan for the night, although a travel agency can be searched for real pleasure that provides accommodation closer to Solonchak. Then you can get up to dawn and see the beautiful sunrise.

Second day of the trip - Traveling to Colorad's Lagoon

Continuation of the southwest travel towards the colored lakes (red, blue, white, yellow and green), located in the National Reserve of the Andean Fauna Fauna Avaro (Parque Nacional De Fauna andina Eduardo Avaroa). Water is painted by a number of different minerals, washed out of water flows with surrounding volcanoes. Some tours include the Cueva Galaxia Cave and Devil Caves (Cueva del Diablo).

Laguna Ediding (Laguna Hedionda) - Solen Lake, notable for several types of migratory pink and white flamingos. The Spanish name "La Grande Laguna Hedionda" means "big smelly lake". Laguna-Edindond is one of nine small salted lakes in Andean Altiplano. Lake 3 km² is located at an altitude of 4121 meters and is surrounded by salt marshes and wetlands. From time to time in the area of \u200b\u200bthe lake, you can see grazing Lam and Alpaca. Laguna-Edindond serves popular Moz To stop and lunch.
The habitat is Viskash. A short stop on the rocky ledge, where the colony of Temkash lives. Guides lure them out of shelters with a carrot.

Arbol-de Piedra (Arbol de Piedra) - a stone in the shape of a tree. For many years, water and wind outstand the sculpture from a huge boulder, resembling a petrified tree, which seems to grow out of the ground.

Laguna Colorada (Laguna Colorada) - a shallow-water salt lake located on the territory of the National Reserve of the Andean Fauna Nacional De Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa) near the border with Chile. The red lake is located at an altitude of 4278 m. Red shade of the lake give Algae - microscopic algae. The lagoon contains many other minerals forming a nutrient medium for the development of microorganisms that fed flamingos. Coloranda Lagoon is most famous for large flamingo colonies. Most often there are Flamingo Jems, less than the Andean and Chile Flamingo. For the right to enter National Reserve Andean Fauna Food Avaro need to make a small fee.

Accommodation. Accommodation in the Colorad Lagoon Area in simple brick shacks, sometimes without heating. Electricity is served within a few hours. Note that at night in July in the month, the temperature can be lowered to -10 ° C and below.

Third Morning - Geizers and Hot Springs, Laguna Verde

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

Geyser pool Sol de Manyan (Solar de Manaña). The geyser pool is located 50 km from Colorad's Lagoon at an altitude of 4850 meters above sea level. In this place, burly sulfur reservoirs, fumarols and geasers emit sulfur gas with an unpleasant smell of rotten eggs. Sometimes geasers raise hot couples into the air for tens of meters. The geyser pool is usually visited at the time of sunrise.

Thermal reservoir TERMAS DE POLQUES Located near the Geyser Basin Sol de Manyan. Swim if you want to truly enjoy thermal source. The mineral composition of water, as believed, facilitates 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 is quite cold, so many prefer to observe. Popular breakfast place.

Laguna Verde (Laguna Verde) - Salted Lake at the Chilean border, in the water of which is reflected nearby near Vulcan Licankato (5920 m). The green color of the lagoon is due to sediment sediments containing copper and other minerals. The lake is located at an altitude of 4300 m above sea level. Lagoon Verde is well known for its picturesque landscapes and hot springs. A small corridor separates the lake from the lagoon of the form.

Laguna Blanca(Laguna Blanca) - Lake 5.6 km long and 3.5 km wide, is located at an altitude of 4350 m. The characteristic white color of the water, which gave the lake, is caused by the high concentration of the drill (sodium pyroburnock). A narrow corridor separates the lagoon of the form from the lesser Verde Lagoon.

Tychisur

If you choose a four-day tour including a visit to Tupisa (Tupiza), then you should see the following places:

Laguna Celeste(Laguna Celeste). Lake bluish color with great content of magnesium and manganese. It is located at an altitude of 4529 m, the area is 2.3 km².

Laguna Amaryilla (Laguna Amarilla). Greenish yellow lake with high sulfur concentration.

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

Uyuni.

On the way back in Uyuni, make stops in small villages, and also visit Stone valley (Valles de Rocas) is a place with unusual scalging formations formed by wind erosion. A small village of Aloto (Aloota) is a relatively popular stop at the night.

The fourth day of the trip - Arrival in the city of Tupisur

Continued trip on the way with beautiful landscapes Nature. The last attraction Before arriving in Tychisch, EL SILLAR is highly eroded rock formations.

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

The last day of travel includes a visit small city San Cristobal (San Cristobal), the main attraction of which is old churchAnd then return to Untal.

How to get

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

Plane. July 11, 2011 President of Bolivia Evo Morales opened El Aeropuerto Joya Andina in Uyuni. Currently, the airport is served by two airlines: Amszonas (www.amaszonas.com) and Transporte Aereeo Militar (abbreviated Tam, www.tam.bo). Transporte Aereeo Militar Airline offers flights to La Pasa (with transit landing in Sucre) every Monday, Friday and Saturday. Return flights from Uyuni to La Paz (again, with transit landing in Sucre), also on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays. To date, Transporte Aereo Militar does not provide a ticket to a ticket through its website. Lack of flight with Transporte Aereeo Militar is that the flight from La Pas to Uyunitsa makes landing in Sucre and if there are bad weatherThe flight can be temporarily canceled. Preferred is an option with Amazonas Airlines, which offers daily flights to Uyuni from La Paz.

Bus. Tourist night bus. There are several tourist night buses coming from La Paz in Uyuni, and vice versa. Buses depart every day. There are no daily buses. The trip takes about 10 hours, but it can take more time during the rainy season (from November to April). All buses go transit through Orura. The total distance is 569 km (from La Pas to Orryo 229 km along the asphalt road, and from Orreo to Uyuni 340 km along the dirt road). The bus leaves from La Pas at 21.00 and arrives in Uyuni around 07.00. Take advantage of the Todo Turismo travel bus (www.todoturismo.bo). This is the best bus Bolivia, friendly staff owns English, offers hot food in the bus cabin. It runs between Uuzhny and La Paz on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Bus - Train. You can get from La Paz to Orry by bus (about 4 hours), and then take the train from Orreo to Uyuni. You will have to take a taxi from the bus station to railway Station In Orura. Every Tuesday and Friday train Expreso Del Sur leaves from Oruero at 15:30, arrives in Uyuni at 22:20. Every Sunday and on Wednesday the train leaves from Orreo at 19:00, arrives in Uyuni at 02:20. Wara Wara Del Sur train from Uyuna to Orryo leaves on Thursday and Sunday at 00:05, arrives in Orreo at 07.00, on Tuesday and Friday, departure from Orreo at 01.45, arrival at Uyuni at 09:10. See below Train schedule Expreso Del Sur and Wara Wara Del Sur ( read Article. Transport in Bolivia (buses, trains)). You can order train tickets online at www.fca.com.bo.

Climate and when to visit

From November to March (summer in Bolivia) - the rainy season. The average temperature in December-January + 21 ° C, but at night it is cold throughout the year. When it rains, the water accumulates on a flat surface of the solonchard uin and reflects as a mirror. The tour can be postponed due to a large amount of precipitation, as cars are very damaged by corrosion from salt water.

In the rainy season, thousands of flamingos migrate to the area for mating and continuing offspring. There are a lot of many of them around Colorad's Lagun and Verde. The best month to see Flamingo - November and December.

In winter, especially in June and July, the average temperature of + 13 ° C, but at night lowered zero, sometimes up to -10 ° C and below. Winter is a dry season (from April to October). In the dry season, Solonchak is an ideal flat plain. The amount of precipitation varies from 1-3 mm per month from April to November and increases to 70 mm in January. Peak tourist season from June to August.

Helpful information

May 28th, 2013

Salonchak Uyuni (Spanish version of Salar de Uyuni, Salar de Uyuni) - the world's largest solonchak area of \u200b\u200b10,582 km². It is located in the south-west of Bolivia at an altitude of 3656 meters above sea level and is covered with a salt cork in a medium thickness of several meters (in some places up to 10 m). According to some estimates, the Solonchak uuest contains up to 50% of world lithium reserves. Tourists from all over the world come here to observe the ancient volcanoes, flocks of pink flamingos, wandering herds of wild lamas, giant cacti, 10 meters high and more, daily changing their color by lakes and magical geysers.

When it dried out, there are two modern lakes (Popo and Urau Ugra) and two Salar De Coipasa, Salar de Coypasa (Salar de Uyuni) and a much larger than Salar de Uyuni. Both Solonchard are separated from each other near the hills. Lake Popoo is a neighbor much lake Titicaca. During the rainy season, the level of Titicaca rises and the water flows into the lake Popo, which, in turn, causes floods of both Solonchakov - Kupaas and Uyuni.

Due to its location and an ideal plane (the average height difference throughout the region is only one meter), Solonchak Uyuni is one of the main road routes through the Bolivian Altiplano except for the rainy season.

Solonchak is practically deprived of any wild animals or plants. Giant cacti is dominated from plants. They grow at a speed of 1 cm per year at a height of up to 12 meters. Other plants are shrubs.

Every year in November and December, Solonchak Uyuni attracts three types of South American pink flamingos: Chilean, Andean and James. The pink color of flamingo comes from nutrition with pink micro algae (ALGAE). About 80 other species of birds live in the area, including horned lysh, Andean goose, hummingbirds named Andea Mountain Star. The animal world is represented by the Andean fox, some places of Solonchak (in particular, the island of fish) have small colonies of the teacher (rodent, similar to our rabbit).

Solonchak Uyuni is a popular tourist attraction of Bolivia. Every year it attracts about 70,000 tourists. This article describes the "Standard" route by the Solonchak and the Lagunas surrounding it. Tour operators use SUVs (usually Toyota LandCruisers), the driver is often entrusted with the duties of cooking. Most of the 3 and 4 day rounds have the same trip route in the first two and a half days (the first day includes a visit to Solonchak Uyuni, then the course in southwestern Bolivia to lakes and volcanoes, and there are already tour routes). Specific sites depend on the selected tour. Accommodation, as a rule, in simple houses, despite cold weather, not always heated, but amazing landscapes are some sacrifices.

Plaza Arce Plaza. Most trips start at 10:30 am from Plaza Arce Square, located near the Uyun railway station.

Cementerio de Teres. Usually, the first stop of the tour is the train cemetery, but some operators prefer to complete the excursion in this place. Uyuni, a small town with a population of a little more than 15,000 people, once was a major railway center of Bolivia. With the decline of the mining industry in the 1940s, the railway was declining, the trains were thrown to the arbitrary of fate in the vicinity of the city. The age of some locomotives has more than 100 years. Train cemetery is the most popular attraction of this town.

Kolchani. This is a small village about 22 kilometers from Uin on the eastern edge of Solonchak. 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. Quiver serves the first stop of most excursions. In addition to salt mining, many of its residents survive at the expense of tourism. A feature of the village (in addition to the stop of drinking the driver and buy souvenirs) are his homes built from salt blocks. Seemingly the village is not very attractive and snow-white, but where else in the world you will meet this street or such buildings from salt? In the salt museum are presented with animal figures made from this material, furniture, the construction technologies using salt are shown.

Because of the high cost of ordinary building materials, many visitors stop in hotels built almost completely (walls, roof) from salt blocks. Juan Kesada first suggested the idea of \u200b\u200bbuilding a salt hotel, because the salt for centuries was the most practical building material in this area. The first such a hotel was built in 1995 in the center of Solonchak Uyuni, and he very quickly turned into a popular tourist object. But the location of the hotel in the center of Solonchak caused a number of sanitary problems. Serious environmental pollution prompted the authorities to close and dismantle the hotel in 2002. Later, several new hotels from salt were built on Solonchak's outskirts in full accordance with environmental standards.

One of these hotels is located in Kolchani (Colchant) on the East Outskown of Solonchak. In addition to walls, floors and ceilings, most of its interior decoration are also made of salt: chairs, tables, beds, clocks, and even sculptures. A luxury hotel with an area of \u200b\u200b4500 m² has all modern amenities, including a dry sauna, steam bath, jacuzzi, bathroom. It can accommodate 48 people at the same time in 16 double and 8 single rooms. Previously, the salt was considered only a vital component for cooking, but in the area of \u200b\u200bSolonchak Uyuni, this mineral was used in a completely different quality.

The name comes from the Spanish word "Pescado", which means "Fish". The thing is that in the rainy season, the reflection of the island on the Salon surface resembles a fish. The island is covered with petrified coral sediments and 1000-year-old cacti. These cacti (the highest of them are 9-10 m) grow at a speed of 1 cm per year, so that you can easily calculate their age. On the island you can see a few temples (South American rodents, seemingly similar to hares). You can stroll around the island, enjoy the panorama of the salt plain and make beautiful photos (this is the best place to take a picture of the salt chamber). Most tourist groups dine in the West Bank of this island. For the right to visit a small fee.

Usually stopped at San Juan for the night, although a travel agency can be searched for real pleasure that provides accommodation closer to Solonchak. Then you can get up to dawn and see the beautiful sunrise.

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

Plane. July 11, 2011 President of Bolivia Evo Morales opened El Aeropuerto Joya Andina in Uyuni. Currently, the airport is served by two airlines: Amszonas (www.amaszonas.com) and Transporte Aereeo Militar (abbreviated Tam, www.tam.bo). Transporte Aereeo Militar Airline offers flights to La Pasa (with transit landing in Sucre) every Monday, Friday and Saturday. Return flights from Uyuni to La Paz (again, with transit landing in Sucre), also on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays. To date, Transporte Aereo Militar does not provide a ticket to a ticket through its website. The lack of a flight with Transporte Aereeo Militar is that the flight from La Pas to Uyuna makes landing in Sucre and if there are bad weather conditions there, the flight can be temporarily canceled. Preferred is an option with Amazonas Airlines, which offers daily flights to Uyuni from La Pas.

Bus. Tourist night bus. There are several tourist night buses coming from La Paz in Uyuni, and vice versa. Buses depart every day. There are no daily buses. The trip takes about 10 hours, but it can take more time during the rainy season (from November to April). All buses go transit through Orura. The total distance is 569 km (from La Pas to Orryo 229 km along the asphalt road, and from Orreo to Uyuni 340 km along the dirt road). The bus leaves from La Pas at 21.00 and arrives in Uyuni around 07.00. This is the best bus Bolivia, friendly staff owns English, offers hot food in the bus cabin. It runs between Uuzhny and La Paz on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

You can get from La Paz to Orreo on a bus and there to make a transplant to another bus, next to Uyuni. But in this case, do not count on special comfort. Buses are often crowded, passengers are sitting in a passage with their luggage. In winter at night, it is very cold, buses are not heated (passengers are often sitting in their sleeping bags), they often break down and then the trip will delay for many hours more from the promised schedule.

Private transport. The advantage of this option is that you are traveling during the day, you can enjoy views, take photos and short stops at will (within reasonable).

Bus - train. You can get from La Paz to Orry by bus (about 4 hours), and then take the train from Orreo to Uyuni. You will have to take a taxi from the bus station to the railway station in Orura. Every Tuesday and Friday train Expreso Del Sur leaves from Oruero at 15:30, arrives in Uyuni at 22:20. Every Sunday and on Wednesday the train leaves from Orreo at 19:00, arrives in Uyuni at 02:20. Wara Wara Del Sur train from Uyuna to Orryo leaves on Thursday and Sunday at 00:05, arrives in Orreo at 07.00, on Tuesday and Friday, departure from Orreo at 01.45, arrival at Uyuni at 09:10. See below, the schedule of departure trains Expreso Del Sur and Wara Wara Del Sur (read Article Transport in Bolivia (buses, trains)).

Solonchak Uuest is located at an altitude of 3,656 meters, so it is quite realistic to get a hard disease. If you arrived with a flat territory, you may need several days for acclimatization. Dizziness, shortness of breath, headaches, bouts of nausea and vomiting - common symptoms of the disease, but after acclimatization, well-being is normalized.

Local residents Cheese the leaves of Coca, and although they are cheating and facilitate the symptoms of the altitude disease, it is unpleasant to taste. Recommended tea from Koki leaves. Most visitors, from simple tourists to Pope and Queen of Spain, drink tea from Koki leaves when visiting Bolivia. If you add some sugar, tea is pretty tasty (read the article how to use Coki leaves).

Instead of returning to unts, you can go further in San Pedro de Atakama, Chile. Some of travel companies (For example, Colque Tours, www.colquetours.com) offer trips to Jeep to San Pedro. They are departed from Uuzhny around 15:00, the journey takes from 7 to 10 hours. The disadvantage is that the agencies do not know in advance whether the jeep will go or not, as it depends on the order of the tour in San Pedro de Atakam.

To go to San Pedro de Atakam, you need to get an outdoor seal in the Immigration office in Uyuni. Immigration office (Migración) is located on Avenida Potosí 35 Street and open 7 days a week. Similar printing can also be obtained on the Bolivian border, but this procedure can delay the trip. Although it is rarely observed, you must leave Bolivia for three days from the date of receipt of the press in the passport.

As well as extreme The original article is on the site Inforos Link to an article with which this copy is made -

At an altitude of 3,650 m above sea level.

A few years ago, Loneley Plenet published a list of the most vibrant natural attractions of the world, putting a Solonchak Uyuni in the first place. Since 2014, Dakar races from 2014.

Experts believe that in Solonchak Uyuni, which arose as a result of drying out the huge Lake Minskin, contains 10 billion tons of salt, less than 25 thousand tons are produced annually. However, it is not worth trying to a language, you can not choose (although the cook salt here mining on an industrial scale).

At salt sediments, a very complex composition, comprising in addition to sodium salts, calcium, magnesium and lithium salts. A huge amount of lithium chloride is detected in Solonchak, suitable for the production of lithium necessary in the battery industry. Experts estimate lithium reserves in Solonchak about 100 million tons, which represents 50-70% of world lithium reserves.

The thickness of the salt layers is from 2 meters from the edge to 10 meters in the center. In the dry season, Solonchak sparkles a snow-white dry salt, and a thin layer of water is formed on the surface of the rain on the surface of the uinger.

Unique Salt Lake Uyuni is used in astronautics. Big size The aqueous mirror, the perfect surface plane and the minimum altitude change allow scientists to use the salt chamber for testing and calibrating satellites. Thanks to the clean sky over the uin and dry air, the calibration of remote sensing devices in orbital satellites occurs several times more accurate than when using the surface of the oceans.

When it is better to go to the uin

The best period for visiting the Solonchak Uyuni is the rainy season lasts from December to January, then the salt smooth is covered with water and you can admire the unique mirror reflections of the sky with clouds.

In December, you can see all the variety of solonchak, like dry areas where the dried surface is covered with patterns in the form of hexagons and wet "mirror" zones. In January and February, it rains are strengthened, so sometimes it turns out to be blurred all the entrances to Solonchaka or some areas become unavailable. However, according to locals, at any time of the year, even in a dry season, you can find areas covered with water on the uin.

Tourists who visited Solonchak, advise stock sunscreen And the clothes that protects the body from the burning alpine sun, however, warm clothes will need and at night, since the temperature difference is very large and after the sunset sharply cold, sometimes up to minus 10-15 degrees. By the way, it is worth considering that there is no cellular communication in Solonchak, only weak Wi-Fi is found nearby in some hotels.

Tours at Solonchak Uin and Prices

To pick up the tour at Solonchak Uine is easy, most of the Bolivia and Chile's travel agencies provide this service. In most cases, tourists order a 3-4-day tour that allows you to visit not only Solonchak, but also other surrounding attractions.

The tour is usually held on Toyota Land Cruiser cars, with a driver and 5-7 passengers. Tourists can specify the route, highlight more time to visit certain places.

The price of tours starting to Solonchak from Chile and from Bolivia depends on the preferences of the hotel's comfort and skills to bargain. For a 3-4 day round of a group of 5-7 people will have to pay from 100 to 230 US dollars. This price includes food and overnight.

However, for visiting some national parks, it is necessary to pay separately. For lifting on looking platform On the island of fish you need to pay 5 US dollars, and for the mandatory entrance ticket in national Park - 22 US dollars. A visit to the paid toilet will cost $ 0.5.

It is desirable to have a certain amount in the local currency Boliviano.

Attractions Uyuni

In addition to the most unique salt marsh, in excursion routes Other interesting objects are also included.

Cemetery of steam locomotives

Near the railway tracks connecting Antofagast with Bolivia, 3 km from the city of Uyuni, the locomotive cemetery is located, representing one of the attractions of Solonchak. In the 1950s, when the mining of minerals on the surrounding mines declined sharply, the city of Uyuni ceased to be a large transport center and the railway began to reduce the rolling stock. Due to this, tourists can consider old steam locomotives, among which there are rare and interesting specimens, and also make an unforgettable photo in the Spirit of "Retro".

Salt Hotel Playa Blanca

Usually all tours include a visit to this hotel, located about 20 km from the edge of Solonchak. The whole hotel, like all the furniture inside it, is made of salt blocks. In 2002, the hotel was closed at the request of ecologists, but in a few years, after the necessary re-equipment, the hotel was again opened as a museum and a resting place during the tour.

And on the shores of Solonchak, a few more hotels were built from the salt blocks. According to the reviews of tourists, in the salt chambers is quite warm and breathing easily. The night in this hotel will cost 80-100 US dollars.

A salt flower bed is built in front of the hotel, on which tourists establish flags of their states.

Island of fish

A small volcanic island, located approximately 70 km from the edge of Solonchak, is more famous as the island of fish, since his outlines resemble fish.

The island is covered with petrified corals on which cacti grow. Since such cactis grow at a speed of 1 cm per year, many of them are several hundred years of them, and the largest, nine-meter - about 900 years.

Valley of Geysers

Many tourists visit this valley, stretching at an altitude of 4,800 m to admire hot jets of water shooting from under the ground, and also the terracotta mountains surrounding them.

Hot Springs

Sources are located at an altitude of more than 3,000 meters above sea level. Infrastructure is poorly developed, but there is a place where you can change clothes. However, swimming in a hot tub overlooking the beautiful valley makes you forget about inconveniences.

Stone Tree in the Desert

An amazing formation of a stone with a height of 5 meters arose as a result of wind and sand. A few years ago "Tree" was fenced with a rope that prevented to do beautiful picturesHowever, in recent years, the attraction can be photographed without interference.

Salvador Dali desert

Landscapes in this area are surprisingly reminding the works of the famous surrealist.

Multicolored lagoons

Most tourists are trying to visit the Eduardo Avaro National Park, on the territory of which are famous multicolored lagoons. The unusual color of the lagoon is red, green, white, black - formed as a result of leaching by mountain rivers of various minerals and the subsequent population of lakes by bacteria. Fluffy lamps and alpaca walk around the lagoon, they are so friendly that they can be stroked.

In November, pink flamingos flies at Solonchak. In this desert terrain, the birds multiply multiply, and thanks to reddish wipes, the flamingos acquire a pink color. You can watch 3 types of Flamingo: Chilean Flamingo, Andean Flamingo and Flamingo James.

Acting volcano Olgaue

Volcano Olgyague is on the border of Bolivia and Chile, its height above sea level - 5868 m. Volcano Olgaoi shows a small fumaroid activity, which means that hot gases are broken through the cracks and holes in the volcano. Fumurol activity may indicate the attenuation of the volcano, and may be a sign of an intermediate stage between eruptions. date last eruption Volcano Olgyague is unknown.

"Solonchak's eyes"

From under the fine saline edges, they break into the surface of a jet of water with gas bubbles, it is not as entertaining as a geyser, but also beautiful.

How to get

Until Solonchak Uyuni can be reached from Bolivia or Chile.

Road from Bolivia

If you are already in Bolivia, you need to drive to Uyuni, from where the complex tours to Solonchak will start and surrounded attractions.

Plane

Faster to get into Uyuni from La Paz, South Amszonas or BOA airlines. Every day, carriers perform two flights, in the morning and in the evening. The duration of the flight is about an hour, the price of a ticket for both sides is about about 160 USD. Flights arrive at Joya Andina Airport, 3 km from Uyuni. This distance can be overcome by taxi (3-5 US dollars) or on foot for half an hour.

If you buy a ticket Amszonas airline via the Internet, you must use a bank card that you can show when landing, otherwise you will not be allowed to the plane.

Bus

Budget travelers are often choosing moving to the smoking bus, especially since the night crossing will save on the hotel. Buses to Uyuni are departed from the main transport terminal of the city of La Paz and arrive at the city center. The cost of the ticket is 7-10 US dollars, on the way will have to spend 12-13 hours. Tickets can be booked on a special website.

According to travelers, the buses often include air conditioning at full capacity, so it is better to capture warm clothes with you.

A train

Lovers save also can reach Uuzhny by train departing from the city of Orura. This way of movement allows you to admire the beautiful views from the window. However, when planning such a trip, it is necessary to be attentive, trains to Uyuni and back are not going every day.

Ticket price - $ 8, and a business class ticket - 17 US dollars (included drinks and snacks).

Tickets for the train to Uyuni are sold online, but many tourists complain about the unreliability of the ticket sales system and advise you to buy them personally at the checkout.

Road from Chile

Since Solonchak lies on the border with Chile, it can be reached from the Chilean side. In this case, the tour begins in the city of San Pedro de Atakama, in the attacm desert of the same name.

Plane

The nearest airport is El Loa Airport in Kalam, 100 km from San Pedro de Atakama. This distance can be overcome by taxi for an hour and a half, paying 40-50 US dollars.

You can get to Kalaama from Santiago in 2 hours by Latam and Sky Airlines airlines. The price of a ticket to 2 parties is 80-100 US dollars.

Bus

From Santiago bus to Kalaama leaves from the alameda terminal. The trip will take about 12 hours, the cost of the ticket is 60-100 US dollars (depending on the class of the bus).

Solonchak Uyuni in Bolivia

Solonchak's video review in Bolivia

Location: Bolivia
Area: 10 588 km²
Coordinates: 20 ° 10 "41.9" S 67 ° 30 "48.6" W

Content:

Short description

The modern traveler, spoiled by a huge number of proposals from travel agencies, is impossible to surprise anything. Many attractions, architectural monuments and history in various cities and countries are so amazing and unique that it seems to see even more delicious creation of ancient people or a miracle created by nature itself is already simply impossible.

Single Solonchak

However, this is a big misconception. In the world there will always be what amazing imagination; What captures the Spirit; Where else and still want to return. In this material speech will go About the very the largest lake In the world, but, as it is not difficult to guess, about not an ordinary reservoir, but about the beautiful sneezing salt lake - Solonchak Uyuni.

Lake Solonchak Uyuni is in Bolivia, in the south-west of this amazing country, in the vicinity of the city of Uyuni, in the territory of the Potosi and Orrio Departments and at an altitude of almost 4,000 meters (!) Over the sea level. This is the largest salt chain in the world, its area exceeds the mark of 10,500 square kilometersand the thickness of the salt layer in some places is almost 10 meters. Every year, hundreds of thousands of tourists come here from all over the corners of our immense planet, to see the "endless kilometers" of salt spots, to visit unusual salt hotels and capture on the cameras and camcorders this is a miracle of nature, which, by the way, can change its miracle Color.

Matty salt

Solonchak Uyuni: Education History

Before talking about the history of the formation of the largest salt lake, Uyuni, perhaps it is worth a little to stop on what Solonchaki is and how they appear. All Solonchaki available on our planet have been formed on the site of former water pools. In the lake where there is no stock, and the rate of evaporation of moisture exceeds the amount of precipitation, which falls into this territory, with time the salt concentration in water increases. With complete evaporation of water on the surface, a solid salt crust is formed, which allows scientists to call drying lake Solonchak.

Solonchak Uyuni is part of the Bolivian altiplano mining plateau, which, as mentioned above, is at an altitude of about 4,000 meters above sea level. At this plateau, in addition to Uyuni, there are other salt marshes of much smaller sizes, as well as freshwater and salty lakes.

Salt mining

The history of the formation of the biggest Bolivian Solonchak goes its roots in prehistoric times. Approximately 30-40 thousand years ago, Uyuni was part of the huge lake of Minskin, which was transformed under the influence of time first in Lake Tauka, and later, in Kupaas. After his partial drying, there were two existing lakes of Popo and Urau Ugra, and two salt marshes - Kupass and Uyuni, divided by a number of hills.

During the season of the rainy, the lake and neighboring a much larger Titicaca neighboring him, go out of his shores and cause the natural flood of salt marshes of Kupass and Uyuni. A small amount of water covering the salt layer of uin, converts a salt desert to the most huge mirror in the world. "Once in any part of the salt chamber in the period when it is covered with water, it seems that you suddenly turned out to be on another planet: the sky and on top, and under the legs. The spectacle is indescribable words. It creates a feeling of "steam in the air". However, lowering his hand into the water and capturing in a hassle of what you stand, you understand that there is a ton of salt, which seems to never end, "the tourist visits his impressions, who visited Lake Uyuni.

Indeed, salt reserves on the territory of Solonchaka Uyuni are truly huge. By approximate estimates of specialists, about 10 billion (!) Tons of salt are located here, and about 25 thousand tons of this natural mineral produces annually in the area. First of all, it should be noted that the Solonchak uin is of great importance for the Bolivian economy. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account the fact that it keeps in huge amounts of lithium chloride supply, from which lithium is produced, used in the production of batteries.

With an ancient lake is associated no less ancient legendHer essence is the following ... Long-time Mountain Ridges, which are surrounded by a joy, tunauca, a piece and cousin were the people-giants. The piece was married to the tuno, but the beauty of Kuzina managed to charm his. A piece of wife threw a wife and escaped from the house, even despite the fact that the child grows up in the family. Tunapa roared long, shedding tears for days and nights. Her tears mixed with breast milk, which she fed her son, they formed a snow-white lake Solonchak. Tunapa for Bolivians is a deity whose name, in their opinion, must be lake.

Solonchak Uyuni: Salt Hotels

Local residents engaged in the production and treatment of solo salt use it not only as seasonings for food. All travelers who have admired to one of the main attractions of Bolivia, merchants offer to buy a souvenir from this natural mineral. In addition, guests of the city are invited to settle in hotels in which the walls, roof and some furniture are not made of expensive modern building materials, but from ... salts.

For the first time, such hotels were built in the mid-90s, in the very "heart" of Solonchak. The news about so colorful hotels flew around all countries: the influx of tourists surpassed all the expectations. However, because of many problems with sanitation, which have fallen into the surrounding area, hotels were closed and dismantled. Over time, they rebuilt them again, but already on the outskirts of Solonchak and in compliance with all environmental norms and standards.

One of the salt hotels

In modern salt hotels, there are all the necessary amenities, including a bath, a steam room and a jacuzzi. The daily cost of such apartments will cost a tourist about $ 20.

Lake Solonchak Uyuni: Train Cemetery

Going to Bolivia on Lake Uyuni as part excursion groupAlmost all tourists first or at the end of his journey make a stop at the train cemetery. Today, the population of the town of Uyuna does not exceed 15 thousand people, and once it was a major center of Bolivia with a railway track network. Reducing revenues from the mining industry, which began in the 40s of the last century, led to the full collapse of the railway on this territory. Huge electric locomotives, locomotives, wagons and trolley were thrown. The age of some instances of the train cemetery has more than a hundred years. Among them, you can even meet the locomotives of Garant and Meira (these people among the first began to build articulated steam locomotives), but, unfortunately, they are all in a rather deplorable state. The local administration in 2006 raised the question of creating an open-air museum at this point, but so far this idea has not been embodied.

Cemetery of trains

Solonchak Uyuni: Flora, fauna and climate

On the territory of the world's largest salt lake, as it is not difficult to guess, there are practically no vegetation, only 10-meter cacti and small shrubs that local residents are used as fuel are exception. In the period of time from November to December, which, by the way, in Bolivia is considered in the summer, here you can see another stunning picture: hundreds of pink flamingos in the infinite salted lake stroit. Some surroundings of Solonchak Uyuni lived foxes and small rodent-templesi, something resembling all well-known rabbits.

The rainy season begins in November and ends in March. The air temperature in Solonchak Uzunya in the summer is held at +22 degrees Celsius. A hot day in Bolivia is always replaced by cold nights. June, July, August (Winter in South America) are considered the tourist season, despite the fact that in the afternoon the air is heated only to +13 degrees Celsius, and during the night the temperature can drop sharply to -10.

As mentioned above, Solonchak Uyuni is quite high above sea level, and tourists who arrived from the flat territory will experience discomfort (dizziness, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath and headache). It will take several days before the body gets used to the new climate. Local residents for cheerfulness of the Spirit chew the leaves of Coca. Their townspeople advise to consume and visit, talking about what they are helping to fight unpleasant sensations. However, all travelers should know that the leaves of Coca have not only a tonic effect, but are the strongest drug, which in a short period of time is able to cause persistent addiction.