The third largest Salt Flats in the world or also known as Salinas Grande is located on the border between the Argentine provinces of Jujuy and Salta. From Purmamarca village, it is a 126km adventurous and unforgettable up hill trip. It is a constant breath taking mountain sceneries and reaching 4,140m above sea level, a glimpse of the first panoramic view of the Salinas Grande can be admired. Arriving there, you will be over whelmed by the vast white space of salt that stretches up to approximately 1,500 square kilometers.
Look out for children that may appear from no where while driving, they usually just want to greet you or sell you some interesting fish fossils. Whether or not those fossils are genuine the interaction with the children could be interesting, a conversation of their point of view living in the middle of nowhere can be a new insight.
Travel Tips:
When reaching high altitudes, remember that it is easy to get tired so do everything slow as oxygen is very thin especially if you have tendencies of low blood pressure. Chewing coca leaves are common amongst indigenous communities to overcome fatigue particularly effective against altitude sickness and the good thing about it is that it does not cause the euphoric and psychoactive effects associated with use of the drug. The coca leaves are sold in local markets on the way to the Salinas Grande for $5,- (Argentine pesos) a bag.
You might likely want to find accommodation in San Salvador, the capital of Jujuy. For more adventurous back packers there are lots of amazing camping sites to choose from such as "El Carmen Camping" which offers lots of out doors activity.
Photography Tips:
The mountains of Jujuy are all photogenic, you don´t have to be a professional photographer to take amazing photos. The main photo of this site was taken in Jujuy with my Nikon N75 camera and a graduated colored Cokin filter which is great to use for dramatic color effects. The black and white pictures I took also with my Nikon N75 except with a ISO100 black and white film. Remember the RGB rules on black and white photography. See my photography tips on black and white photography in my older posts.
I really like these pics
ReplyDeleteI really like these photos. I would love to see more Salinas Grandes's picture. Is it far from Buenos Aires?
ReplyDeleteHi Kikis, thanks for commenting on my blog! Salinas Grande is in Jujuy, by plane it´s more or less 2 hours from Buenos Aires. From San Salvador, the capital of Jujuy you would need to rent a car and drive 2 hours to reach the salt lake if you decide to drive their directly. I suggest you make a pit stop in a small village called Humahuaca to have lunch and bring home with you handy crafts. Hope Argentina is one of the countries in your next travel list ;)
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