Sur Lípez: Lagoons, Volcanoes and Hot Springs

Sur Lípez is characterized by colorful lagoons with different physical and chemical compositions, predominantly saline. Small salt flats have emerged from many of them as remnants. The landscape can be understood through specific differences: the colors and areas of the bodies of water, their rock formations and volcanic features. This lets you compare the themes that you want to shape your trip to Sur Lípez.

Lagoons: Color, Area and Birdlife

The coloring of Laguna Colorada is attributed to the alga Dunaliella salina. It is a Ramsar site and a wetland of international importance. The lagoon covers 60 km² and is home to three of the world’s six flamingo species. Its color, its international importance as a wetland and the flamingo species mentioned describe different aspects of the same place.

Laguna Verde is emerald green and covers approximately 1,700 hectares. If you compare the lagoons based on their described characteristics, Laguna Colorada stands out for its coloring, attributed to an alga, and its flamingo species, while Laguna Verde stands out for its emerald-green hue.

Volcanoes, Rock Formations and Hot Springs

Desierto de Dalí consists of volcanic rocks in the Pampa Jara near the Salar de Chalviri and lies at an elevation of approximately 4,320 m. The Aguas Termales de Polques emerge from rocky ground at an elevation of 4,300 m; their temperature is 38 to 40 °C. Both elevations are around 4,300 m, but describe different features: volcanic rocks and their location near a salt flat in one case, thermal water and its temperature in the other.

The volcanoes also offer different points of comparison. Volcán Licancabur has an almost perfect cone shape. In its crater, at an elevation of 5,916 m, lies a lagoon that freezes over in winter. Volcán Uturuncu is a semi-dormant volcano with active fumaroles and reaches 6,020 m. This lets you compare a crater lagoon that freezes seasonally with a volcano that has active fumaroles.

Among the notable rock formations is Árbol de Piedra: The rock is five meters tall and was shaped by the wind over thousands of years. It stands among volcanic rocks of different shapes on the Pampa de Siloli. Laguna Blanca at the foot of Volcán Juriques offers a different natural feature. Its waters have bird nesting sites. Thus, shaped rocks and a lagoon with bird nesting sites stand side by side as distinct landscape features in Sur Lípez.

Access and Travel Planning

An article dated April 7, 2021, names Uyuni in Potosí as the best access point to the reserve and gives a travel time of six hours from there to the municipality of Quetena Chico. For the south, the same article describes access from San Pedro de Atacama in Chile via a road that connects with roads from Laguna Colorada. Before departing, check current travel conditions and border access, especially for the southern route. This lets you take the route information described into account in your planning without treating it as a current journey time or confirmation of access.

Discover more destinations: San Pablo De Lipez, Charcas, Antonio Quijarro, Tomás Frías, Nor Lípez, Sur Chichas, Daniel Campos

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