The largest lithium andsaltreservoir on theplanet, theSalar de Uyuniis avast expanseof rugged beautyandinfinite horizons.A true"inland sea" withtraces ofmarine fossils,limestone formationsand giant cacti, where the most startling solitudeand silence can be experienced.Impeccably whitein the dry seasonand a perfectmirror of the skyduring the rainy season, the Salt Flats offers its visitors unique mirages and levitation illusions that disruptthe senses, making a visit to Uyuni avery personaland always different experience.
The extensionof theSalar de Uyuni, part of the EduardoAbaroaNatural Reservein SudLipez, is home tonatural andgeologicaltreasuresof incomparable beauty. Strange rock formations mingle here withhot springspools, fumarolesand the famous colored lagoons such as the Laguna ColoradaandVerde, the latterat the footof the imposingLicancabur volcano.
TheSalarde Uyunicovers an areaof 6,510 square miles,it encompasses the entireterritory of theDanielCampos province in Department ofPotosi, bounded to thewest bythe Republic ofChileand to the south withNor Lipez province (Potosi).
Oruro Carnival
One of the major cultural expressions of Bolivian folklore, the Oruro carnival was declared a "Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity" by UNESCO. This carnival is a festival of religious-pagan devotion dedicated to the Virgin of the Mineshafts to whom tribute is paid through music and dance. This manifestation of folklore has its origins in the Uru culture and one of its main features is the convergence of different cultural expressions, rituals and traditions.
The most important representation of carnival is the Carnival Saturday pilgrimage, in which the participants walk on their knees to the Shrine of Our Lady of Candelaria to receive a blessing of the parish priest.
