[yrrryyoderj]

Like the Great Salt Lake in Utah or the Caspian Sea, Spotted Lake is endorheic. That means it’s contained within a closed basin, with no stream or river flowing out. Groundwater, snowmelt and rainfall fill this lake during the fall. But in the summer, when the air is hot and dry, most of the water evaporates, leaving behind shallow, mineral-rich pools separated from one another by crusty salts and minerals that precipitated in the process. The pools look like spots that range in color depending on the minerals inside them. The Okanagan First Nations people say Kliluk has a spot for each day of the year, but others estimate around 400 briny pools rich in sulfates, magnesium, titanium, sodium and other minerals adorn this lake in the summer.

[edwinc112]

Over the summer, as the sun beats down on the dry Okanagan and Similkameen valleys in British Columbia, anyone passing by on the highway can witness a lake’s extraordinary transformation. As water evaporates from the lake, it appears to don a seasonal leopard print — not made of fur, but of minerals, which materialize in colorful spotted pools.

[strella6black]

Spotted Lake looked and felt extraterrestrial, but did it tell him anything about the climate or life on Mars billions of years ago when minerals formed in its ancient lakes? In the end, Mr. Cannon wasn’t able to make any strong conclusions about the Martian climate, but he reminds us that if you can’t make it to another planet, you can feel like you’re on another planet on Earth.

[satamusic]

To go out onto the lake, which is privately owned, you not only have to get permission from the Okanagan Nation Alliance, but also the lake itself. The proper way to experience the lake is to show your respect with an offering explains Bob Etienne, a guide at the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre and First Nations Holy Man, in this YouTube video. If you have nothing to give, you can simply take a walk around the lake. In exchange, the lake provides minerals like Epsom salt to treat ailments, primarily, rheumatoid arthritis.

[dennisouza12]

In case you are a fan of hiking and camping, there are more than 900 miles of hiking trails! Just remember that you are in the bear country so always follow bear-safety rules! here

[sahars]

Ice caving in Iceland did live up to the expectations. While we struggled to take photos in the narrow sections of the cave, at least we managed to do some high-level yoga poses. Eventually, we took a couple of selfies with our helmets and headlamps and enjoyed the surreal blue magical kingdom.

[Cyberdog]

200km North of Perth in the Nambung National Park lies one of the most peculiar landscapes in Western Australia. Thousands upon thousands of sharp protrusions of rock shooting up from the ground like bizarre stone cacti, some as tall as 5 metres.

[FatherMcGruder]

TAKE A NILE RIVER CRUISE: (Egypt) Taking a Nile River Cruise in Egypt will get you up close with the lifeblood of Africa and Egypt. Typically sailing from Aswan to Luxor, or reverse, you’ll experience the mighty river, local life and have a chance to tour off some incredible temples. It’s a great way to see the best sites without having to move hotels every few nights too. here

[ZeroPoint]

CAMEL SAFARI INTO THE SAHARA DESERT: (Morocco) Getting up close and personal with the mighty Sahara Desert is a rite of passage adventure in the Middle East. Taking a Merzouga Sahara desert tour will find you on camels, trekking a few hours across massive sand dunes before arriving at a desert camp for a spectacular sunset followed by campfire stories and some intense star gazing.

[ModVAVet]

Each country has its own offering and unique things to check out during a visit, so be sure to look at our country guides once you decide where your itinerary will take you.

[throughput]

VISIT THE BLUE CITY OF CHEFCHAOUEN: (Morocco) One of the most beautiful cities you’ll find in the Middle East is the blue city of Chefchaouen, located in the northern hills of Morocco. Here you’ll spend your time wandering bright blue colored streets while popping into shops, markets and mingling with the locals.

[morpheus]

There is no shortage of great things to do in the Middle East during your visit and the biggest problem you’ll face is fitting them all into your itinerary.

[dabbad]

The climate of the Lake Chad region is strongly influenced by the seasonal migration and interaction of the dominant air masses of the region: a dry, subsiding continental air mass and a humid, unstable maritime air mass. The humid air mass moves northward during the summer, wedging beneath the drier air mass. Precipitation occurs when the depth of humid air is sufficiently great. The depth of the air mass varies daily as well as seasonally, accounting for variation in precipitation levels. At the end of the summer the dominance of the dry continental air mass is reasserted. Evaporation and transpirational losses from soil and plants increase, and then they decrease as the surface layers of the soil dry and plants lose their leaves. The dry season is also the period of the harmattan, a dust-laden wind that reduces visibility for days at a time. The increased insolation, reduced humidity, and desiccating winds contribute greatly to water loss in the lake. more

[FairUser]

Lake Chad, French Lac Tchad, freshwater lake located in the Sahelian zone of west-central Africa at the conjunction of Chad, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Niger. It is situated in an interior basin formerly occupied by a much larger ancient sea that is sometimes called Mega-Chad. Historically, Lake Chad has ranked among the largest lakes in Africa, though its surface area varies greatly by season, as well as from year to year. When the surface of the lake is approximately 920 feet (280 metres) above sea level, the area is about 6,875 square miles (17,800 square km); in the early 21st century, however, the area was typically about 580 square miles (1,500 square km). The hydrologic contributions and biological diversity of Lake Chad are important regional assets. The region is noteworthy for important archaeological discoveries, its role in trans-Saharan trade, and its association with historic African kingdoms. here

[miernik]

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. here

[h4ck3rk1ng]

The Chad basin is a downwarped section of the Precambrian African Shield. Most of the older crystalline rocks are covered by more recent deposits. The most significant physiographic influence on the basin was the ancient sea. At its maximum extent the sea was more than 600 feet (180 metres) deep, occupied an area of approximately 154,400 square miles (400,000 square km), and drained into the Atlantic Ocean through the Benue River system. It experienced four high stages between 41,000 and 2,300 years ago. The history of the sea is documented in the stratigraphic record, which includes thick layers of diatomaceous earth, lacustrine sands, terraced shorelines, and the remains of modern fish and mollusks in now-arid tracts of the basin. The floor of the basin dips to the northeast of the modern lake, reaching its lowest point in the Djourab Depression, some 300 miles (480 km) away. Lake Chad occasionally overflows into the generally intermittent El-Ghazal River leading into the depression, but it is usually confined by the dune fields of Kanem. more

[denaje]

Precipitation levels are greatest from July to September. Annual precipitation averages 22 inches (560 mm) at the southern margin of Lake Chad and about 10 inches (250 mm) at the northern margin. Variability during the year is high and increases from south to north; variability from year to year is also high, and droughts are frequent. Temperatures during the wet season are moderate, with highs in the low 90s F (low 30s C). In October and November, during the transition to the dry season, daily highs rise above 90 °F (32 °C), and diurnal ranges are almost double those of the wet season. During December and January daytime highs are lower, with nighttime lows sometimes falling to the high 40s F (about 8 °C). April is usually the hottest month of the year, with temperatures occasionally reaching the low 110s F (low 40s C). [links]