National Park – Maldo Travels

Cunuyacu – Waterfall and Hot Spring

Jean Maldonado — Wed, 06 Jan 2021 08:47:00 +0000

Located on the foothills of the volcanic twin mountains Los Ilinizas, the waterfall and hot spring of Cunuyacu are about a 2-hour drive away from Quito. These destinations are less frequented by tourists and on an off-the-beaten-path route. To get there, you first need to get to the Ecological Reserve which can be accessed via a dirt road in San Juan de Pastocalle after coming off the Panamericana highway. There is a large tourist sign at the entrance of the dirt road so it should be easy to spot. It had rained the day before so the road was quite muddy. We went in an SUV-type vehicle and managed to get through most of the way without any issues. There was just one part where there was quite a large rock where the passengers had to get off for the car to make it up.

We made it to a car park at around 7.30 AM, and although we could proceed further, we decided to leave the cars there since the road wasn’t getting any better. We then started hiking up, and after a couple of minutes, we came across the entrance that had a large welcome sign. The road at this point was cordoned off to block vehicles access. There was also a house here and I had read up that there was someone who lives in the area that provides transportation. However, it was quite early and no one seemed to be in, so we went across the barrier and continued hiking up. From this point, the dirt road got much worse with large holes and rocks. Only a 4×4 vehicle would be able to make it up, but for a hike the road is fine. It took us about an hour to reach a viewpoint which was also the start of the trail.

First, the trail descends to the river where there is a small wooden footbridge. It was quite muddy so take care when going down the trail as some parts are very slippery. After crossing the bridge, the trail splits with one route leading to the waterfall and the other going to the hot spring. The trail has signposts along the way so you won’t get lost. We first followed signs for the waterfall and we got there in about 10 minutes. The waterfall itself isn’t too big, but the highlight is its red/orange color. The color is due to the rocks that have been tinted red by volcanic minerals. The color of the water itself is clear and it doesn’t give off a bad odor that volcanic minerals tend to produce. We were able to get close to the waterfall which made for some great pictures. To get close to the waterfall you have to cross the stream which has some slippery rocks. Water shoes or wellies would be great but not necessary. We were the only ones there and we didn’t run into any other groups at this time. We spent about 20 minutes taking pictures here before continuing to the hot spring.

We first turned back and walked along the trail to return to the footbridge. Then we followed the other route that leads up to the hot spring. Along the trail, we passed through a mystical forest of Polylepis trees. In Ecuador, this tree is nicknamed the ‘Paper Tree’ due to its appearance of the bark peeling off like layers of paper. This trail is a little longer and we reached the hot spring in about 20 minutes. Once again, we were the only group there and had the place to ourselves. The hot spring is a small natural pool where they’ve stacked some sandbags to contain more water. The water temperature itself is warm, not hot, but it’s more refreshing after the hike. You can smell the minerals here, but it is not off-putting. The highlight is the view since the pool is like a balcony on the mountainside looking over the landscape. The weather wasn’t great so we didn’t get to see much of the neighboring mountains, but it was still a great place to relax. We stayed here for about an hour before it started to rain, so we started heading back before a downpour.

It was a wonderful experience abundant in nature and great for a day trip from the capital city. The hike itself was fairly easy and only tiring due to being at an altitude of over 4000 meters. If you go later in the day, the transportation service would save you the 1-hour initial hike. It was also great to have the place to ourselves without having to deal with tourist crowds.

Seven Sisters – Scenic White Cliffs

Jean Maldonado — Sat, 12 Sep 2020 17:08:00 +0000

The closest towns to the cliffs are Seaford and Eastbourne. Both have train stations with services from London and the train ride is about 2 hours. We decided to go to Seaford by car and it’s also a 2-hour drive. It’s quite a popular tourist site so the car park by the seaside can get full very quickly. There are a couple of stalls at the stone beach for snacks, drinks, and ice cream. It was quite chilly when we went, so there weren’t many people in the sea since it was freezing cold. There’s a path along the stone beach lined with colorful beach huts which makes for a nice walk.

The path leads to the start of the trail at Seaford Head West that goes towards the white cliffs. The walk up the cliff is quite steep so it’s a little tiring. The rest of the trail is easier though and fairly flat. There are no barriers on the cliff edges and there are warning signs throughout the trail stating that ground on the cliff edge can be unstable. So it’s best to stay clear from it and always keep an eye on children. There are some great views along the trail though, and you can pick up some of the white chalk rocks along the way.

We walked along the trail for about an hour until we got to a viewpoint of the Seven Sisters white cliffs. From this viewpoint, you get a panoramic view of the rolling cliffs. You can continue along the trail to get to the Seven Sisters cliffs, but we decided to turn back to Seaford to have time for a quick stop in Brighton that is only a 30-minute drive away.

Mount Ijen – Blue Fire Crater

Jean Maldonado — Mon, 23 Sep 2019 21:36:52 +0000

When looking online, the cheapest tour to hike to the Mount Ijen Crater was around 120 USD¹. We decided to book tours once we arrived at Kuta since it’s usually cheaper to buy once your there. We found a 1-day private tour that cost 1,500,000 IDR² which was around 105 USD at the time of writing. Our driver picked us up from the hotel at around 6 PM and we headed to Gilmanuk Harbor on the western tip of Bali. The drive took around 5 hours making a stop at some stalls on the highway about halfway through. Once we reach the harbor, the driver becomes our guide and buys our tickets for a ferry to Ketapang. We took the 11.30 PM ferry and it takes about 1 hour 30 minutes to cross the Bali strait. At Ketapang harbor, our driver/guide then takes us to the Jeep that’s waiting for us with another driver and Ijen guide. Note that the clocks have gone back 1 hour so it’s still around midnight when we arrive. It’s then about a 1-hour 30-minute drive to the base camp at Bumi Perkemahan Paltuding. In these early hours, it’s pitch black and freezing cold outside. We take refuge in a cafe to get a hot drink and some food before beginning our hike.

At around 1.45 AM we set out with some flashlights to climb Mount Ijen. It’s a dirt trail and starts with a gradual initial ascent which gets steeper. We took a couple of breaks and took these opportunities to look up at the starlit sky which was a wonderful sight. After about 40 minutes, we reach a refuge for a 10-minute break. There are some benches to rest on and you can buy some drinks/snacks at a stall. We then continue for another 25 minutes to the top of the crater. Once at the top, our guide shows us how to put on our gas masks to protect us from the sulfur clouds. It’s then about a 30-minute walk down the crater. The trail here becomes gravel/sandy and is much steeper so it can be quite slippery if you’re wearing trainers. Pay attention and give way to the miners climbing up the crater since they can be carrying around 80 KG on their shoulders. Once at the bottom of the crater, the sulfur smell is quite strong even with the gas masks on. You can see the miners at work here and they also have a stall selling carved sulfur rocks as souvenirs. It is here where you can see the famous blue fire burning down the side of the crater. We got down there at 3.40 AM and there was already quite a big crowd. It’s an amazing sight and it hides behind sulfur clouds which makes it tricky to get a picture that captures its beauty. We stayed for about 15 minutes before heading to the top of the mountain for sunrise.

We started to see some light at around 4.30 AM and we got to our sunrise spot at about 4.50 AM. It’s still quite cold and there are some stone structures to take refuge in while waiting for the sun to come up. One of the guides got a little bonfire going in one of them and people gathered around to warm up. As the sun comes up, it’s a beautiful sight but a bit of an awkward spot as there’s a massive mountain that stands in the way of the sunrise. We stayed until around 5.20 AM and then started our journey back down.

On the way down, we made several stops to take pictures of the lake but it was very cloudy from the gases. However, the view of the surrounding landscape is breathtaking as you can see mountain peaks above a seabed of clouds. We made a stop at a restroom which you can find at the rim of the crater before making the descent. Then, we began our descent at around 6 AM, making a couple stops for pictures of the landscape we had not seen on the way up in the darkness. Along the way, we saw miners offering to take people in their carts. The way down was much quicker and we got back to the car park at around 7 AM.

After getting changed, we get back in the jeep to head out on the 1-hour 30-minute drive back to the Ketapang Harbor. We took the 9 AM ferry back to Gilmanuk harbor. With the 1-hour time difference, we reached the harbor at 11.30 AM and then set out on our 5-hour drive back to Kuta. We made a stop for lunch at a highway buffet-style restaurant which was probably the most authentic Balinese meal I had. We got back to our hotel at around 5 PM and went to get some sleep to rest from the exhausting but unforgettable experience.

Snowdonia National Park – Snowdon Peak

Jean Maldonado — Sun, 14 Jul 2019 20:52:00 +0000

From our Airbnb³ in Machynlleth, it was a 1 hour and 30-minute drive to Pen-y-Pass car park which has some trails to Snowdon. We got there at around 8.20 AM but the car park was already full, so we drove another five minutes and found a parking spot off the highway. From here, it was about a 45-minute walk up to the car park where the trails start from. We saw a bus go past when we were parking the car, but they don’t come often since we didn’t see one go by whilst walking. Once at the car park, we decided to go on the Pyg Track since it was the shortest one. The trail was quite busy this weekend since there was a race happening to get to the top of Snowdon. The trail is easy to follow and starts with a gradual ascent. About 30 minutes into the hike, we came across the lakes. The trail at this point is mostly a stone path that’s easy to walk on. The next 40 minutes walking along the lakes, the trail becomes more of a dirt path that can be muddy if it has rained. There are some large rocks at some places that you have to climb over, but nothing too difficult.

When we reached the last lake, the path became a steeper climb and more tiring. We climbed up for about 20 minutes and took some rest. We sat down on some rocks enjoying the view of the valley and lakes we had gone past. We then continued another 20 minutes climbing over the clouds. We reached the ridge from where you can continue to some of the Snowdon peaks. The steam train also passes through here and we saw it go past. Since it was cloudy, we couldn’t see any of the landscape from here and decided to head back down. The way back took us 2 and a half hours rather than the 3 hours it took us to head up. At the car park, we had some food at the cafe before taking a bus back down to where we parked the car.

Conwy Castle and Aber Falls

Jean Maldonado — Sat, 13 Jul 2019 18:28:35 +0000

From London, we rented a car and left at around 8.15 AM. The drive took about 5 hours with a quick stop for breakfast on a service stop off the motorway. When we reached the walled town of Conwy, it was around 1.15 PM and there were no more spaces at the main castle car park. We drove a little further in and found another car park which was about a 5-minute walk from Conwy Castle. The ticket office is next to the main car park and entrance tickets cost 10.40 GBP⁴ each. You then cross a small bridge to get to the main castle gate. The castle ruins have been well preserved, especially the 8 towers. You can climb the towers and walk around the castle walls. From the tall towers, you’ll get views of the town, river, and Snowdonia National Park which surrounds the fortress. There are several information panels around describing the original purpose of specific areas of the castle. It took us about an hour to explore the castle before heading to the town for some lunch.

After lunch, we headed to Aber Falls and it’s a 20-minute drive to the car park. There is then a trail leading to Aber Falls which is fairly straightforward to follow. It took us about 45-minutes to get there and we took some rest at some rocks near the falls. We then crossed the stream to get a view from the other side. There’s a bridge further down the path to cross but you can also cross using the rocks on the stream. Some rocks are slippery so cross with caution. You can get fairly close but be prepared to get wet from the spray of the falls. After taking some pictures, we continued down a trail for about 15 minutes arriving at another set of falls. We read up beforehand that this trail circuits back to the car park, but looking at the map it looked a lot longer and it was already 5.30 PM. So we decided to turn around and walk back since we had a 2-hour drive to our Airbnb⁵ in Machynlleth.

Kulen Mountain, Beng Mealea, and Bakong

Jean Maldonado — Wed, 29 May 2019 20:31:00 +0000

On our last day at Siem Reap, we got a private car with a driver who offered to take us to Kulen Mountain, Prasat Beng Mealea, and Prasat Bakong for 65 USD⁵ total. This option is best if you are in a group, however, there were tour options for these locations but they didn’t include all these destinations. Our driver picked us up at around 8.20 AM and we first headed to Kulen Mountain. At around 9 AM, the driver asked if we wanted to stop and try some traditional Cambodian breakfast. We agreed and pulled up to a street food stall. He recommended a pork rice noodle soup or a fish rice noodle soup. Both were coconut-based with lemongrass costing 1.50 USD each and were very tasty. We finished breakfast at around 9.20 AM and then continued onwards for another hour to Kulen Mountain. There’s a ticket office at the park entrance and tickets cost 20 USD each. The last 20 minutes at the mountain is uphill along a narrow dirt road. There are park officials there though who help navigate traffic. Our first stop was at the Tiles of 1000 Lingas which are tiles carved into a stream’s bedrock. The driver told us of the story behind the tiles and then we walked about 5 minutes along the stream to a well. It was currently dry when we got there and the guide said when it fills up in the wet season. The locals believe it to be holy water since Kulen Mountain is considered a holy place.

We then went back to the car and drove another 5 minutes to the parking lot for the temple of the Reclining Buddha. From the parking lot, we walked through a market and up some steps which took about 5-10 minutes. Along the way, several locals have stacks of smaller bills in the local currency to change if you want to leave a donation at the temples. This place has many shrines for both Hindus and Buddhists. There are several cages in the area to leave your footwear if you want to step into the temples. The temples have been built around large rocks, and the reclining Buddha has been carved into the top of the largest rock. We climbed about 4-5 flights of stairs to get to the top where there was a small queue of people visiting the reclining Buddha. From the top, you also get a good view of the national park including a small town inside the park. At this site, it is mostly locals who come for worship but there are also several tourists visiting the area.

Once we were done taking pictures, we went back down to the car and drove a couple of minutes to the car park for the waterfall. From the car park, we walked through a market and arrived at the top of the waterfall. There is a small 5-meter waterfall here and a small stream you can bathe in. There is a trail that goes around the back and down to the large waterfall. It’s about a 10-minute walk and in the end, there is a small boardwalk with a swing that looks out to the waterfall. The locals charge to take pictures with the swing. There are also lockers there that you can rent if you want to go for a swim towards the waterfall. We left our belongings with the driver and jumped in. The water was refreshing but there are lots of small fish in the river, so probably not for the squeamish. There are several boulders in the river you can climb up to take pictures. Some people even ventured to the boulders at the base of the waterfall. Be careful in the water as it’s cloudy and there are several smaller rocks you can hit yourself on. The waterfall was a refreshing destination and a good break from visiting temples. Once we were done, we headed back to the car and onwards to Prasat Beng Mealea.

It took about 1 hour and 15 minutes to get to the ruins of the temple of Beng Mealea. The driver dropped us off at the main entrance and said he will be at the car park which was at the other end. Tickets to the site cost 5 USD and you’re free to roam around. It’s quite a large site and it mostly lies untouched in ruins. There are paths and bridges for you to get around but walking throughout the site feels as though you’re discovering the place for the first time. There are also not many people at this site so it’s easier to take pictures here. We roamed around for about 30 minutes before heading to the exit to meet our driver.

The final destination of our day trip was Prasat Bakong. This was about a 30-minute drive from Siem Reap and about an hour’s drive from Beng Mealea. These temple ruins are part of Angkor so if you already bought the Angkor Wat ticket as we had, then you don’t need to pay for another ticket. There are several temples in the area but the key one is Bakong Temple. It is in the form of a pyramid with several levels and decorated with stone carvings. We also quickly visited the smaller temple of Preah Koh which can be identified by its 3 towers. We then headed back to Siem Reap and our driver dropped us off at our hotel.

Iguazu Falls – Foz do Iguacu, Brazil

Jean Maldonado — Mon, 08 Oct 2018 22:29:00 +0000

From the bus terminal in Puerto Iguazu, we booked a bus to Foz do Iguacu leaving at 8.30 AM for 60 ARS⁶ each. The bus seems to be a standard public transport bus rather than a tour company bus. It takes about 10 minutes to cross the bridge and arrive at the Brazilian Customs Border Control office. Here, the driver told us to go to the customs office and that we’ll be picked up from where he left us. There was no one else at the customs office so we got our entry stamp quickly. We then went back to the bus stop and waited for the next bus into town. The next bus which came wasn’t from the company we booked with, but we got on anyway and they didn’t ask to check our ticket. So we assume they just pick people up from here and assume they’ve paid. It was then another 20 minutes to get into town and the bus stopped at several locations, so we got off at one which was close to our hotel.

The City

The city was much bigger than I was expecting, and a lot bigger than Puerto Iguazu. The city center was quite busy and there is even a mall near the city center. Our hotel was in the city center, and after dropping off our bags, we headed to the bus terminal to try and find a bus to the falls. We needed cash though and we stopped by an ATM on the way but it didn’t work. The bus terminal only takes cash, so we headed to the mall which was a 20-minute walk away. There were ATMs there and if they didn’t work for our cards, then we planned to buy a SIM to order an Uber. Luckily. the ATM there worked and at this point, it was around noon so we hailed a taxi to get back to the terminal rather than walk back. However, when we got in the cab, the driver said he could take us to to the national park for 50 BRL⁷. It was only a 30-minute drive by taxi and this was cheaper than expected so we agreed.

Foz do Iguacu National Park

At the park entrance, we joined the queue and waited about 15 minutes to buy our tickets. It cost 63.60 BRL and they accept credit card payments. With the tickets, you have access to buses that go up and down the park. They leave every 10 minutes or so and are on a first come first serve basis. The bus makes several stops and we got off at the one of a viewpoint with the start of a trail. From the viewpoint, you get a panoramic view of the smaller falls. We took some pictures here and then started the trail to the viewpoint for the Garganta do Diabo (Devil’s Throat). About 10 minutes into the trail, there is another viewpoint of another panoramic of the falls. This viewpoint was a little busy so we had to wait a couple of minutes to get some pictures here. Then, we continued for another 10-15 minutes to reach the Devil’s Throat viewpoint.

From the trail, you walk onto some bridges which extend into the river. There are falls all around you and below you. You’ll get wet from walking around since the force of the falls creates a mist that reaches the bridge. On this day, we had clearer skies so the sun created a small rainbow on one of the falls below. The bridge can get quite busy so it took some time for us to get pictures with the surrounding falls. We spent around 20 minutes walking around the bridges before heading to the Elevadores do Garganta do Diabo (Devil’s Throat Lifts). This is a concrete observation tower built next to the falls. You can get some close-up pictures from the deck below. From the upper deck, you’ll get a panoramic view of the falls from above. Leaving this deck, there is a food court and bar to grab some lunch or drinks whilst enjoying the view. It was now around 3 PM so we decided to get take the bus back to the Macuco Safari where the boat tours leave from.

Once at Macuco, there were still some slots left for a safari and boat ride to the falls. It was quite pricey at 215.40 BRL, more expensive than when we asked in Argentina, but it’s a once in a lifetime experience so we went for it and did not regret it. The safari tour goes through the rainforest to the shore. A train buggy takes you about halfway through. Then you’re given the option to walk the rest of the way for about 15-20 minutes or continue on the train buggy. On the walk, the guide leads you through the rainforest giving info on the flora and fauna in the area. Once we reach the shore, there are changing room facilities and lockers to leave your stuff. Lockers cost 10 BRL and you should leave all valuables and electronics that aren’t waterproof since you will get soaked. Once the group has changed, we head down to the pier, put on life vests, and board the speedboat. The speedboats are quite large with capacity for about 20 people. We then set out upstream for about 10 minutes. The river has a strong current and the boat maneuvers into the waves which make for an adrenaline-filled ride.

Once we reach the falls, the boat floats around for a couple of minutes for everyone to take pictures. Then the boat positions itself in front of one of the towering falls. Everyone holds their breath as the boat heads towards the waterfall. As we get closer, sprays of mist turn into a high-pressure shower as the water comes thundering down meters away. These 5-10 seconds are exhilarating and the boat pulls away for a couple of seconds allowing us to catch our breath before heading in again. It’s amazing feeling the power of the falls this close up. After going in a second time, the boat pulls away, and it’s then time to head back; our hearts still pounding fast as it recovers from what we’ve just put our body through. Back at the pier we return the life vests and head up to the changing rooms to get our belongings. We then take the train buggy back to the main road where we wait for the bus back to the park entrance. It was now around 5.15 PM and the buses were coming by already full. We managed to get on the 3rd bus which had a couple of empty seats. At the park entrance, we asked where we could take a bus back to the city and were directed towards the bus stop. Several people here were waiting for the bus which came after about 10 minutes of waiting. The one-way ticket cost 3.05 BRL and took about 40 minutes to reach the city center.

Iguazu Falls – Puerto Iguazu, Argentina

Jean Maldonado — Sun, 07 Oct 2018 20:45:00 +0000

There’s a bus option that takes 18-hours from Mendoza to Puerto Iguazú, but we decided to take a flight leaving at 5.55 AM and arriving at 7.45 AM. The Puerto Iguazú airport is very small and being an internal flight, getting through customs was quick and easy. The airport is quite far from the town so you have to get a taxi or bus transfer. There’s no ATM at the airport and only some agencies take credit cards. Also, there’s bad network service at the airport so the sales rep had to try to take our credit card payment 3 times for it to go through. With that in mind, it would be best to take some cash just in case. Our bus transfer cost 200 ARS¹ each and it took about 30 minutes to get to the bus terminal in Puerto Iguazu. If you’re staying at one of the large hotel chains on the highway to Puerto Iguazu (e.g. Marriott), the driver will ask beforehand to drop passengers off there.

The Town

Since we arrived in the early morning, our room wasn’t ready at our hotel so we went for a walk around town. Puerto Iguazu is quite small with most of the shops and restaurants concentrated around the town center. There’s a boundary post mirador about a 30-minute walk from the town center which we visited. This is a tri-border point where you can see Paraguay and Brazil from the Argentinian side of the river. What’s most interesting here, is how the muddy brown waters of the River Iguazu and the grey/blue waters of the River Paraná merge. Other than the viewpoint, there are a couple of stalls at this site to buy drinks, snacks, and souvenirs.

On the way back, we walked by the riverside road and came across a small boat port. Here, there were boat tours available of the river and also boats to Paraguay. As we continued along the road, we went by a customs office. So if you came to Argentina by boat, that’s probably where you have to get your entry stamp. We continued further to the town center to find a restaurant for some lunch. There are several options around an area called 7 Esquinas (7 Corners). However, we found a lot of places didn’t accept credit cards, so we headed to an ATM first to take some cash out. By the time we were done with lunch, it was around 3 PM so we headed back to the hotel to get some rest. Later that evening we went for dinner in the 7 Esquinas area but this time walked further down the Avenida Brasil. There were several pop-up restaurants here serving mainly grilled skewers and steaks. It was very lively with musicians performing in the outdoor seating areas.

Iguazu Falls

At the terminal, we booked return tickets the day before for a bus to Iguazu Falls National Park for 260 ARS each (cash only). You can take any bus and we took one for the second departure leaving at 8.30 AM. It took about 30 minutes to reach the park entrance and at this time, there were already some short queues. We waited for about 15 minutes and bought our ticket for 600 ARS each which you can pay by cash or credit card. Once inside the park, there’s an information area, some shops, and restaurants. Going past all of these, there’s the platform entrance to take the train to different parts of the park. There are 3 main trails in the park; Garganta del Diablo (Devil’s Throat), Upper Circuit, and Lower Circuit. The main site is the Devil’s Throat which is the biggest part of the falls. You have to get a (free) ticket first to get a time slot to board the train. We got our ticket for the train leaving at 10 AM, so we had about 30 minutes to check out the information center. There is also a trail to walk between different parts of the park but it’s really hot and humid outside.

Once on the train, it takes about 30 minutes to reach the station for the start of the trail to the Devil’s Throat. The trail goes to some wooden bridges that go over the River Iguazu to reach the Devil’s Throat. As you get closer, the roaring sound of the falls gradually grows louder. It takes about 10 minutes to reach the viewpoint and here, the sound is completely deafening from the power of the falls. You will also get wet since the water falls with such force that it creates a permanent cloud of mist above it which reaches the viewpoint. A section of the viewpoint is cordoned off by a professional photographer who takes an elevated picture from a step ladder. There is plenty of space elsewhere, although you may have to wait a couple of minutes to shift into an empty spot. We spent about 40 minutes at this viewpoint before heading back to the train station.

For the way back, there’s no need to get a ticket and it’s on a first come first serve basis. We got off at the next stop after a 20-minute ride which was in the center of the park. This is where the Upper and Lower Circuit trails start and we chose to first go on the Upper Circuit. This trail takes us through several falls with views from above. You can hear the thundering noise of the falls fade in and out as you go past them. There are several viewpoints along this route which took us about 45 minutes to complete.

Once back at the station at the center of the park, we were about to start the Lower Circuit trail but it started to pour down with rain. We took refuge in the food court for about 15 minutes to wait for the rain to die down before setting out again. The rain didn’t completely stop, but we set out anyway since the grey skies indicated it wasn’t going to stop raining anytime soon. This Lower Circuit trail overlaps with some of the falls from the Upper Circuit trail, but you get a view from a lower elevation. There are also several viewpoints and panoramic photo opportunities. The highlight of this trail is when you reach Salto Bossetti (Bossetti Falls). This is one of the bigger falls and the viewpoint gets pretty close. As you walk up to the end of the viewpoint, you’ll feel a gust of mist from the force of the waterfall literally take your breath away. Needless to say, you’ll get soaked from approaching the waterfall but it’s a great experience and my favorite part of the visit. From here, the circuit then leads you back to the station at the center of the park. It took us about an hour to complete this circuit so we were done at around 3.20 PM. There was still one more trail that goes through the rainforest, but because it was still raining, we decided to head back to the hotel.

Salar de Uyuni Tour – Day 4

Jean Maldonado — Tue, 25 Sep 2018 20:14:00 +0000

On this final day, it’s a very early morning 5 AM start to leave in time to catch the sunrise. Our sunrise spot is at Isla Incahuasi and it takes about 30 minutes to get there. The entrance fee costs 30 BOB⁸ and we got there at around 6.10 AM. The sun was already rising by this time so we quickly headed up to a viewpoint to catch the rest of the sunrise. We spent about 40 minutes watching the sunrise and exploring the island. The island is mainly made of rocks and has many cactus plants scattered around. Once we were done walking around the island, we went back down where our guide was waiting for us with breakfast. There are several tables and chairs outside the island entrance where we had breakfast. During breakfast the guide gave us some more info on the salt flats, telling us that it used to be a lake that dried out approximately 10,000 years ago. He also said that the white salt we see on top is just one layer resulting from the last lake that dried out. There are a total of 11 layers which means 11 lakes have gone extinct here. After breakfast, the guide said we could walk around the island whilst he put everything away.

We then left at around 8.40 AM to go deeper into the salt flats for a photo session. We stopped at around 9.30 AM in the middle of the salt flats. Other than the odd mountain in the distant horizon, all you could see was the white salt terrain. The view was truly incredible and great for pictures. The guide took out a toy dinosaur for some pictures, playing around with perspective. We spent about 30 minutes taking pictures before continuing to the first salt hotel. The salt hotel is no longer operational since it was closed down due to being built illegally in a protected site. So now you can just wander around inside to see what it was like. At this site, there is also the Plaza de las Banderas where you’ll find flags from all over the world. There’s also a Dakar Monument nearby a short walk away. Once we were done walking around and taking pictures, we continue across the salt flats to our lunch stop in Colchani.

On the way, we first pass by the Ojos del Salar which is where water from underground rivers below the salt flats surface. The guide stops quickly for us to take pictures but we don’t get out. Continuing a little further down, we come across the Montones de Sal. These are piles of salt which are extracted and taken to the nearby town of Colchani to be processed. Again it’s just a quick pause for pictures and then continuing to Colchani. We arrive in Colchani at around 11.30 AM. It’s a small town and the guide says we can walk around the arts and crafts market while we wait for lunch. He mentioned that the souvenirs here were cheaper than in Uyuni so we bought a couple here. We were done with lunch by around 12.30 PM and continued to the last site – the Train Cemetery. It was a quick 30-minute drive there and we pass Uyuni to get there. We spend about 20 minutes here walking around, taking pictures of the abandoned train skeletons. Some have pretty cool graffiti designs on them. Once we’re done with this, the guide takes us to the Uyuni city center to drop us off near the bus terminal. He shows us where we can get bus tickets to our next destination – Calama, Chile. We just missed the last bus as we saw it pull away, so we had to look for accommodation and booked the first bus out the next day.

Salar de Uyuni Tour – Day 3

Jean Maldonado — Mon, 24 Sep 2018 21:21:00 +0000

It’s another early 6.30 AM start for breakfast at our lodge in Laguna Colorada. We then load our bags onto the Jeep and leave around 7.30 AM. It’s a short drive to our first stop – Árbol de Piedra (Rock Tree) – arriving at around 8.15 AM. Located in the Siloli Desert, the iconic rock in the form of a tree sits among a field of large rocks. Our guide said these were volcanic rocks that had been shaped by winds reaching 200 Km/h over hundreds of years. We were given around 25 minutes to walk around and managed to get some great pictures. We then get back on the Jeep and drive through the Siloli Desert towards a stretch of lakes.

We arrive at the first stop at Lake Honda at around 9.15 AM. We first stopped at a viewpoint for a panoramic view of the lake and then headed down to the lake. From the bottom, you can see the lake has a mirror effect reflecting the mountain landscape. Next, we continue for another 30 minutes to Lake Hedionda. We saw a couple of birds at this lake and walked about for about 10 minutes before getting back on the Jeep to head to the next lake. While driving we passed Lake Charcota and then reached Lake Cañapa. There were some more birds at this lake so we spent around 10 minutes walking around.

Then it was back to the Jeep and off to the viewpoint of the active Volcano Ollagüe. We reached the viewpoint at around 11.45 AM. There was a rock that you can climb up to take some pictures. We spent about 15 minutes here before continuing to another lake. I believe this lake was Laguna Negra (Black Lake) due to its dark color. Opposite the lake, there some more rocks dispersed in the desert. This was a quick 10 minute stop before heading to the last destination before lunch – Valle de Rocas (Rock Valley). It was only a 10-15 minute drive to get to this valley. Many rocks are laying all over the place in this valley, but the most iconic one was named the headless condor. This rock formation looked like a condor taking flight with only its head missing. We’re only here for 5 minutes to step out and take a picture since everyone was getting hungry by 1.30 PM. So it was onwards to the small village of Villa Alota where we had lunch in what seemed to normally be a restaurant. There are restroom facilities here which cost 2 BOB¹ per person.

Once we finished lunch, we continued towards the Uyuni Salt Flats. On our way, we passed through a scenic valley where we stopped to take pictures at the bottom of the valley and then when we reached the top. Shortly after, we also came across some plains where we saw llamas grazing in the field so we stopped there for some pictures. What was particularly interesting was how it looked like the wall of the mountains had been cut to make way for the road. Next, we arrived at the small town of Julaca which has railway tracks running through the middle of the town. There is a bar/restaurant in the town we visited where you can buy drinks and snacks. There was also an abandoned decaying train by the railway tracks which we climbed to take a picture. From here, we were now in the final leg of our journey to the Uyuni Salt Flats.

We were a little ahead of schedule so the guide suggested visiting some caverns before the sunset at the salt flats. The group agreed so it was a quick visit to Hell’s Cavern. The entrance tickets were 15 BOB each. As you step in, the cavern is dark until the site’s guide turns on the lights. He then hands out helmets before going deeper into the cavern. Some crouching and squeezing through gaps are involved but it’s a small cavern and takes about 15 minutes to complete. We then drove into the salt flats for about 30 minutes arriving at our sunset spot at around 5.45 PM. We stayed here to watch the sun fall behind some mountains. Following the sunset, it’s back on the Jeep to head to the hotel around 6.25 PM. Our hotel was made of salt and here we were allocated rooms between 2 people. There were shower facilities here as well which cost 10 BOB each. The dining area is on the first floor and dinner is served around 8 PM. There are sockets in the dining area if you need to charge any electronic devices. The rooms are basic but comfortable for a good night’s sleep.