The Salar de Surire National Monument is a small, beautiful salt flat and lake covering 11,298 hectares at an altitude of 4250m / 13,950ft surrounded by volcanos high in the Andes close to the border with Bolivia. The Salar itself is also a designated Ramsar Wetland as it is one of the best sites to see the 3 species of Andean flamingo (Chilean, Andean and James's or Puna) together. Along with the Las Vicuñas National Reserve and Lauca National Park to the north it forms the Lauca Biosphere Reserve, recognised by UNESCO in 1981.