Spectacular views of the Salt Sea

The biggest salt surface in the world is in Bolivia and called Salar de Uyuni. To believe in the existence of a mysterious place, it is necessary to see with their own eyes. We invite you to join us to visit one of the most bizarre and unusual places on our planet.







1. Have you ever had a desire to go on a visit to another planet? If you are willing to take such a step, then as an alternative to fly into space, visit the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia. This is one of the few places on Earth where you feel that you are somewhere in the universe.

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3. This place is huge. Its area is more than twelve thousand square kilometers, making it the largest salt surface in the world. So that you have some idea about it, then, for example, this is the place in twenty-five times more than the famous Bonneville salt surface in the United States.

4. It is also the highest salt surface in the world, which rises to 3,700 meters above sea level. Mound in these photos are not a natural phenomenon, all made by man.

5. Locals clean the surface of the salt, which is then folded small hill.

6. Salar de Uyuni - is all that remains of a prehistoric lake. Around this place one can see continuous mountains, which means there is no drainage system and, therefore, the salt remains on the bottom of the lake. After the salt is collected, made these mounds. This allows the water to evaporate faster and transport salt from the salt plains becomes easier.

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8. From a distance the salt plains look like huge white sea. Tiles on the surface stretched to infinity and beyond. It's just an amazing sight - and this is no exaggeration. Plain like a scene from a sci-fi movie - half of us expect to see at any moment Captain Kirk, pursued several Klingons. Rains even at this height, and when that happens, then there is something amazing. Salt surface becomes a mirror and it reflects the sky.

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10. Origin of Uyuni brings us to forty thousand years ago. In those days it was part of a huge prehistoric Lake Minchin. Over time, the lake dried up. So far, there are two lakes - Uru Uru and PoopĆ³. The remaining two salt flats, smaller - Salar de Uyuni and Koipaza. Twelve thousand square kilometers is quite a lot by any measure.

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12. From a distance it looks like a huge plain white ocean. It is believed that the salt comprises a surface to ten billion tons of salt. Each year, taken about twenty-five tons of salt - the whole point belongs to the miners, who share the profits from its sale. Although mound created in the traditional way, you need more modern equipment for the removal of salt from Uyuni. You did not expect that it will be Lamas, is not it?

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20. Of course, the mountains of salt further underline the strange, supernatural appearance Uyuni. Even despite the fact that located in the departments of Oruro and Potosi in the south-west of the country, this place is very isolated, Bolivians encourage the development of tourism in the region. As is plain from the crest of the Andes, it is included as part of the tourist route and bolder travelers can easily get here.

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24. The main minerals that can be found in the salt are salt and gypsum. In some cases, the salt is used as a reactant in the winter. She sprinkled roads and trails to avoid slippery. Gypsum is used for walls and ceilings, it is part of the drywall. Also, there are significant deposits of lithium salar, which is used in the manufacture of batteries and certain pharmaceuticals. However, at the moment Bolivia does not export any of the above minerals.

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26. You may not have heard of Uyuni to the present day, but our astronauts have this idea. The lake is used as a target for calibration and testing of remote sensing satellites in orbit. What is it? It is very, very large and has an incredibly smooth surface with high reflectivity, and when the lake is covered with water, it is ideal for this task.

27. In the wild, it is not the best place to visit while on vacation. However, the edges of the salt plains (and, sometimes, even on it) you can find the ubiquitous Lama.

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29. South of Uyuni are the Andes and the other two lakes. Three different types of flamingos visit these lakes from their flight, many simply breathtaking.

30. Flamingo is one of the few large animals thriving in these conditions, their flocks can be seen by visiting those places.

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33. But where to stay? It would be remiss not to take advantage of the hospitality of the local hotel, which is made entirely of salt. As well as inside furniture.

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38. If you wish, you can even arrange a picnic. Of course, a picnic table is also made of salt.

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42. Undoubtedly, the main reason why people come here is the breathtaking view of the salt flats. While the photos of these places are amazing, imagine how it would be great to see with your own eyes.

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