Ojos de Mar

The Ojos de Mar, the eyes of the sea, are a handful of small, deep pools of intensely turquoise water set directly into the white salt crust beside Tolar Grande, at around 3,500 metres. Their colour against the blinding salt is startling, and their scientific interest is greater still: the pools contain stromatolites, mounded structures built by colonies of microbes, of the same kind that dominated Earth's oceans billions of years ago and helped fill its atmosphere with oxygen. Living examples are rare worldwide, and researchers study these as analogues for early life and for possible life on Mars. The pools are fragile, and access is managed by the local community, with walkways and a strict rule against entering the water, however inviting it looks.

What you actually see

• The turquoise pools - deep blue-green eyes set in the white salt crust.
• The stromatolites - mounded microbial structures visible in the shallows.
• The salt plain - the blinding white expanse the pools sit within.
• The volcanic horizon - distant cones ringing the basin.

When to go

April to November, when the tracks in are reliable. Midday sun makes the colour most vivid but the glare is punishing; sunglasses and sun protection are not optional at this altitude. Visits are short by design.

Honest expectations

The pools are small, and photographs make them look larger than they are. Swimming is prohibited to protect the stromatolites, which disappoints some visitors. Getting here means committing to the long, rough drive to Tolar Grande, so the pools alone do not justify the journey.

Nearby

Tolar Grande village is minutes away; the Cono de Arita lies far south in the salar.