We went on a day trip to this high altitude (4300 m) and salt water lake with Alfonso, our guide and driver.  The curvy, sandy, and steep road was regularly traveled by large borax mining trucks coming down the mountain as we were ascending.  

At the east end of the lake are salt and borax mines. The minerals are transported to Arequipa for processing during the dry season.

The lake is on the northeast side of Pichu Pichu, one of the three volcanoes surrounding the Arequipa. Other volcanoes border the lake on other sides, and El Misti, the classic cone-shaped stratovolcano towers over the east end of the valley. 

This time of the year the lake is mostly dry so we did not see any flamingos. However we did see Andean geese, viscachas (relative of the chinchilla), vicuñas, and  llamas. Llamas are domestic animals, and vicuñas are wild.