Salar de Tara y Pujsa

On this occasion we will travel east ascending a mountain that will quickly allow us to to arrive at 4,600 masl or 2,858 fasl to the high-plateau where we can spot springs formed by snowmelt from the high peaks. These streams form vegas (wetlands) like the Bofedal Quepiaco (Quepiaco Wetlands); these areas act as meeting places for several types of Andean birds such as the Juarjual Duck, Coot, Flamingos, Andean Gull, as well as others. We can see the fragil and timid Vicuña in its natural habitat of the high-plateau and if we are lucky, perhaps we will see a Anden Fox. Other species that are more difficult to spot but not impossible are the Suri or Ñandu and the Puma. Then we will visit a salar (salt flat) less commonly visited called Salar de Pujsa (Pujsa Salt Flat), nesting place of the James Flamingo, which in cool weather can be found in the high-plateau and during colder months are found down in the lagoons of the Salar de Atacama (Atacama Salt Flat Basin). We can spot the Volcán Pili (Pili Volcano), meaning duck, and the Volcán Acamarachi (Acamarachi Volcano). meaning stone snail, in the indigenous Kunza language. The Volcán Acamarachi (Acamarachi Volcano) is also one of many Incan alpine sanctuaries where they would connect with their “Apus” or gods. Next, we will travel northwest entering the Caldera la Pacana (Pacana Crater), a huge volcanic depression of 60 meters wide by 35 meters long or 197 feet wide by 115 miles long, where we will be able to see the latest erosionary acts which created the Monjes de Pacana (Pacana Monks), ignimbrite formations and statues, which continue to erode with the high winds, sands, and sediments of the high-plateau. Later, we will cross over to the Salar de Tara (Tara Salt Flat) and Laguna Tara (Tara Lagoon) located within a protected wetland Sitio Ramsar (Ramsar Site) within Reserva Nacional de los Flamencos (The National Flamingos Reserve). You will be amazed by how immense, gorgeous, and pristine this site is. Internationally renowned photographers who have visited this site, have mentioned that it was one of the most beautiful landscapes they have ever captured.