Lake
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Lakes of Ounianga
Forming an astonishing oasis in one of the most hyper-arid deserts on Earth, the Lakes of Ounianga consist of eighteen interconnected freshwater, saline, and hyper-saline lakes set among red sandstone cliffs and golden sand dunes. Despite receiving less than two millimeters of rainfall annually, these vibrant blue and emerald waters are continuously replenished by a unique subterranean fossil aquifer. Local Saharan legends regard the lakes as sacred spirit mirrors, recounting tales of aquatic phantoms, glowing underwater lights, and disembodied singing rising from the deep saline waters.