Surire Salt Flat National Monument

Surire Salt Flat National Monument is made up of a salt flat, a number of small salt lakes and shallow lagoons, and two low-flow rivers: Surire and Blanco. Both the river and salt flat are named after the “suri”, quechua word for the Ñandú ostrich-like flightless bird typical of the area. It features landscapes of outstanding color contrasts, where the white high salt contents of the water shine against the stark blue of the pristine skies. Some of the animal species that may be found in the area, besides the tall ñandú bird, are vicuña, alpaca and llama camelids; armadillos, 3 species of flamingos, and many other highland birds. Also within the salt flat area, is the natural Geothermal field of Polloquere, with its 60°C waters and out-of-this-world surrounding scenery, to take a dip and relax far away from everything.