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Polaroid of the Week: Pink Flamingo in Chile's Vast Salar de Atacama Salt Flats

Polaroid of the Week: Pink Flamingo in Chile s Vast Salar de Atacama Salt FlatsWhen we decided to fly from Chile to New York that spring, we assumed our Bolivian salt flats adventure was on hold until returning to South America. Unexpectedly, we explored salt flats in two countries beforehand: Argentina's during our road trip through the breathtaking Quebrada de Humahuaca, and then Chile's Atacama Desert—the world's driest—where the Salar de Atacama, Chile's largest salt flat, was a highlight of our week-long stay.

Unlike the bright white expanses of Argentina or Bolivia, this 100km by 80km expanse is rugged, with grayish salt formations rising prominently. Impressively, the salt basin plunges over 1.5km deep, far thicker than the 100-200cm crusts of more famous flats. Amid volcanoes and mountain ranges, the hyper-saline Laguna Cejar in the Los Flamencos Nature Reserve hosts endangered pink flamingos, diverse birds, and lizards. The striking pink-on-white contrast created unforgettable photos at our final Chile stop (for now!).

 


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