Lagunas Canapa and Hedionda

South of the Salar de Uyuni the road climbs onto a plateau above four thousand metres scattered with shallow lakes, and Cañapa, Hedionda, Chiarkota and Honda are the first cluster on the standard three-day circuit toward Laguna Colorada and the Chilean border. They are saline and mineral-rich, which produces the algae and brine shrimp that flamingos feed on: James's, Andean and Chilean flamingos all occur, sometimes in the thousands, standing in water with volcanoes reflected behind them. Hedionda means stinking, from the sulphur smell at its edge. The lakes freeze at the margins on winter nights. There is nothing here but the lakes, the road and a few basic refuges; everything is done as part of a tour.

What you actually see

• Three flamingo species - James's, Andean and Chilean together on the water.
• Volcano reflections - peaks mirrored in the shallow lakes.
• Sulphur margins - the smell and mineral crust at Hedionda's edge.
• High plateau - bare altiplano above four thousand metres.

When to go

April to November for the driest roads. Flamingo numbers vary with water and food and are generally lower in the coldest months when some lakes partly freeze. Mornings are calmest for reflections.

Honest expectations

These lakes are visited as part of a multi-day four-wheel-drive tour, not independently. Altitude above 4,000 metres affects most people, and accommodation on the circuit is very basic and unheated. Operator standards vary a great deal, including vehicle maintenance and driver hours.

Nearby

Laguna Colorada lies south; the Salar de Uyuni is north.