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| I´d never get myself into one of these! |
The Moon Valley is as impressive geologically as it is stunningly beautiful. I rented a bike from the hostel (thought it would be good idea with some exercise) to check out the Moon on Earth. Although the park isn´t far away from San Pedro, nor that big, I spent a good six hours marvelling at the out-of-this-world rock formations, landscapes and natural history that is preserved in this unique place. It is strongly recommended to visit the park in the early morning or the afternoon (and stay for the sun set), because the sun is very strong.
Since my German room-mates were leaving for Uyuni in the early hours, I was ready to set off on my day´s adventure in the early morning. I carried with me a backpack with my 2 liter Camel-bag and food for the day ,and enthusiastically biked through the vast desert, saluting the road-construction workers along the way. After 20 min I reached the entrance / ticket office, where I enjoyed a very interesting and informative exhibition of the geological history of the area (in Spanish), and some shade from the ever present sun (for us Swedes, we don´t do well with desert heat / sun). (There was a group with a guide who was explaining everything in English!)
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| Strategic photo-seshion break |
On the way up the first really steep hill, I noticed my fitness was way off the charts. I thought to myself, "Even if I haven´t been exercising actively for some time, this is ridiculous!" But before taking my photo sesh break, I guide passing my on her bike explained, "It is the high altitude!" as she continued onward ...
The name of the park was obviously adopted due to the resemblance of the moon´s surface, and sure enough, many of the things you see don´t seem to belong, but to another planet.
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The Moon
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The Amphi Theatre: This formation was the result of thin layers of materials (sand, salt and clay) that were destroyed due to movements in earth´s crust. This formation normally occurs when a separation at lower levels makes the surface level drop in this manner. It is a spectacular sight!
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| The Amphi Theatre |
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| A salty landscape |
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| No, its not snow! ...its the moon! |
The Three Maries: Only two remaining (someone "accidentally" pushed the third over) represent a formation of intense erosion processes that have shaped the rock into what it is today. These ladies have been around for an impressive one million years.
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| Me and the Maries |
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| "Onix, I choose you!" |
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| ..and the Great Sand Dune |
The Great Sand Dune! The sand has accumulated for over thousands of years on top of what was once a natural barrier and now stands as the base for the dune. This is normally the end of the park, but you can also visit the salt mines..
.. which I naturally decided to do! Although there was no cave, I found the setting very fascinating, with a great view point of the grand white landscape! It sort of reminded me of an apocalyptic waste land, with little life and lot of... "waste land".
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| The entrance to the mine |
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| a salty pond in the mine |
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| An apocalyptic waste land (aka. The Salt Flats) |
I noticed on my way back that more people were arriving in the afternoon. I had not been informed that the park offers an excellent spot for watching the sunset. Do keep in mind that you cannot enter the park after 6pm, so you need to get there earlier to enjoy the actual sunset much later. These are some shots from the way back:
I recommend to visit the park in the morning or in the afternoon, as the sun is very strong during midday. Also, do bring plenty of water and sun-block! If you are interested in the geological explanations of the formation of the sights, I´d recommend taking a tour, private guide, or a friend that can translate the information available in the exhibit!
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| - Enjoy!! |
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