The Puna Plateau of Argentina

The Puna Plateau, at an altitude of 4000 meters, is similar in elevation to Tibet, and its topography and geomorphology are strikingly alike. The sky is a deep, pure blue, untainted by any hint of impurity. The ground is covered with low-growing herbaceous plants, home to the vicuña, an animal unique to South America. Where there is no grass, there are vast white salt flats, referred to as lakes, yet they contain no water; they are the result of millions of years of solar distillation. The area receives very little rainfall, and the rate of evaporation is extremely high, leading to a severe lack of water on the surface. Therefore, cacti, which are adept at absorbing and retaining moisture, grow wildly across the hills and plains.