Laguna Verde

Laguna Verde is a salt lake in the southwest of the altiplano of Bolivia. It is located in the Potosí Department, Sur Lípez Province, on the Chilean border at the foot of the volcano Licancabur. Visitors may find some flamingoes dancing in the salt. The Laguna Verde covers an area of 1700 ha, and a narrow causeway divides it into two parts. It is at the southeastern extremity of the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve and Bolivia itself. It has mineral suspensions of arsenic and other minerals which renders colour to the lake waters. Its colour varies from turquoise to dark emerald depending on the disturbance caused to sediments in the lake by winds. In the backdrop of the lake there is the inactive volcano Licancabur (elevation 5,868m) which is the near perfect shape of cone. It is believed that an ancient crypt used to be at its peak. Icy winds are a common phenomenon here and lake waters can attain temperatures as low as -56 degree C but because of its chemical composition its waters still remains in a liquid state. It is 30 km far from the lake Palques. The Laguna Verde is well known for its spectacular scenery and hot springs.