Salar de Antofalla

The Salar de Antofalla, in the province of Catamarca, boasts some fantastic landscapes. This 150-kilometre-long stretch of salt itself has many interesting sites to discover.

I only covered the northern half of this gigantic salar, from Botijuela to Antofallita.

Cono de Antofalla.

Botijuela

Pool from which hot water gushes out.

Botijuela is a small paradise in the middle of a very hostile and arid area. Located at an altitude of almost 4,200 metres, this little oasis has long been isolated from the rest of the world. The nearest neighbours are 25 kilometres away, and there is only one family there.

Before the roads were built and when very few vehicles could get to the Salar de Antofalla and Botijuela, this place was part of legend, as very few people had seen or believed that a family lived here. In winter, the temperature can drop to 20 degrees Celsius below zero.

The view from the hill is absolutely fantastic, and you can enjoy it by taking a dip in a natural pool from which a jet of hot water flows. The small pool can only accommodate a maximum of one or two people.

The highest Jacuzzi in the world?

One family lives in Botijuela for a few months of the year.

Water sources allow life to flourish.

A small oasis lost in the Argentine puna.

Ojos de Campo

Right in the centre of the salar are the lagoons collectively known as Ojos de Campo or the 'eyes of the camp'.

Laguna Verde

Despite the fact that this site is called a 'green lagoon' in the singular form, there seems to be a whole series of lagoons. They may all be interconnected, as they are very close to each other.

The colour of these lagoons is green, but sometimes they look red or blue due to reflections from the sky or from the minerals.

Wild camping

A beautiful campsite at the northern end of the Salar d'Antofalla with magnificent scenery.