Experience – Potosí, Bolivia: Laguna Verde
- Location: Laguna Verde, Sur Lípez, Potosí, Bolivia (Google Maps)
- Hours: All Day
- Recommended Time: 2 hours
- How to Arrive: By car
- Distance from Uyuni: 381km / 236 miles
- Distance from San Pedro de Atacama: 67 km / 41 miles
- Ideal Month(s): November – April
Laguna Verde is a salt lake in the southwestern Altiplano in Bolivia. It is located in the Sur Lípez Province of the Potosí Department. It is close to the Chilean border, at the foot of the volcano Licancabur.
The laguna covers an area of 1700 hectares, and a narrow causeway divides it into two parts. It is located inside the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve. Its high mineral concentrations of lead, sulfur, arsenic and calcium carbonates give the lake water its distinct green color. The color varies from turquoise to dark emerald, depending on the disturbance of its sediments, which is caused by heavy winds. Due to the high mineral content, the waters can remain liquid at temperatures as low as -21.2 degrees Celsius (-6.16 degrees Fahrenheit).
Laguna Verde sits at the base of the inactive volcano, Licancabur. The volcano has an elevation of 5,868 meters (19,252 ft).
