Chaxa is not apt for swimming, and its surroundings have sharp, slippery rocks, so it is recommended to wear good shoes. There is also a varied avifauna, the main species being the flamingo. On its surface you can see floating salt pieces blocks created by the evaporation of subterranean water.

On the North and West side there is the Cordillera de la Sal (Salt Mountain Range), a chain of hills with in the shape of dinosaurs located by the route connecting Calama and San Pedro de Atacama.Ĭhaxa Lagoon: Chaxa Lagoon is part of Los Flamencos National Reserve and it is located 56 kms south of San Pedro de Atacama.

The surroundings of the salt flat also have a large number of attractions. There are also fauna species like the Chilean and the Andean Flamingo, Puna Plover, Hudson Mohawk, Andean Seagull, Austral Negrito, Burrowing Owl, and some types of Swallow. This salt layer has holes which have become small lagoons which are home to a number of aquatic birds, such as flamingoes, red-gartered coots, and guallatas. This mineral is highly used in the technology industry, and it is exploited in the southern area of the flat. The lake under the salt flat has one of the largest lithium reserves in the world.

What are salt flats