Cruise Report

2020/10/9

Outstanding, extraordinary, dynamic … There are many words that can be used to describe the spectacular scenery and unexplored regions of South America. A long way from Japan, South America is usually hard to visit for many of our participants. However, it is quite easy to visit these lands on a Peace Boat Global Voyage. This time, we will introduce the Uyuni Salt Lake, the Iguazu Falls, the Angel Falls, and Wakachina, all of these are among the best views in South America. Each of these destinations is worth putting in your bucket list.

The white land that mirrors the sky

The Andes Mountains were born as the result of crustal movements that occurred hundreds of thousands of years ago. At that time, a large amount of seawater remained in the highlands, becaming a huge lake, that with time dried up and transformed into a land covered with salt. That is the Uyuni salt lake in Bolivia, which is about 100km long and about 250km wide. Although it has a vast area of 11,000km, it is said to be the “flattest place in the world” because the maximum height difference between two points is only 50cm. When a little rainwater falls on such a flat ground, a mirror that reflects the sky is formed. This scenery that melts together heaven and earth is nothing but a superb view.

Here, I feel a mysterious sensation that I’m walking on the clouds. The blue sky and clouds spread both, above and below your feet. Literally, you are surrounded 360 degrees by these scenery. This scenery changes depending on the time, with different colors on sunrise, daytime, evening, or night. At night, when the stars shining in the sky shine, you can find yourself surrounded by them, taking you to outer space for a moment. The Uyuni salt lake has many other attractions, a huge cactus that grows on “Incahuasi Island” located in the center of Uyuni salt lake, and a rare Salt Hotel made entirely of salt. It is one of the best views in Bolivia and the world.