Plains – Maldo Travels

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.

Salar de Uyuni Tour – Day 2

Jean Maldonado — Sun, 23 Sep 2018 21:43:00 +0000

Our day starts at around 7.30 AM to have breakfast at our lodge in Quetena Chico. We then load our bags onto the Jeep and set out by 8.30 AM. When passing by Quetena Grande, we saw a herd of llamas and alpacas walking through the town and grazing in the fields. Our guide pointed out how the animals are marked on their ears to know who they belong to. He also explained how in these small villages, the local indigenous law applies which has serious repercussions for stealing livestock which includes death. As we continue deeper into the Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve, we reach Lake Hedionda at around 9.30 AM. This lake has a mirror effect because there is no wind. It was formed by glacial waters and minerals from a volcano about 100 years ago. The volcano minerals make the lake toxic which means there’s no life in this lake. You can see the minerals washing up on the shores which form white foam-like deposits. It’s a short 10-minute stop here before heading to Lake Kollpa arriving there around 9.50 AM. At this lake, we found flamingos resting at the lake. Our guide gave us some information on the species and then said when going to the lake, to walk slowly towards them as they startle easily. Surely enough he was right and we couldn’t get close enough for a good close up shot of the flamingos. It’s best to have a camera with a telephoto lens for close-ups. We had about 30 minutes at this lake to walk around before getting back on the Jeep.

Our next destination was the Chalviri Salt Flats. We arrived around 10.45 AM and first stopped higher up for a panoramic view before continuing further down for a closer view of the salt flats. Next, we head to the Dali’s Desert getting there at around 11.15 AM. This desert has been named that way due to it looking like the painter’s Dali’s paintings even though the artist had never visited the site. It’s a great spot for some screensaver worthy pictures. It’s a quick stop here as well before making our way to the The Green Lake and The White Lake reaching around 12.10 PM. These two lakes sit side by side with Volcano Licancabur in the background. Again this is a great spot for pictures and we were lucky to have had such clear blue skies.

We then head back on the road we came from to the thermal hot springs of Polques near the Chalviri Salt Flats. We reach around 1.25 PM and immediately head to the pools. The entrance tickets cost 6 BOB¹ each and the site provides changing room facilities and showers. There are two pools; the water is hotter in the higher pool and the water has a slightly pungent smell from the minerals. The minerals are supposed to detox your skin and it’s a nice relaxing way to chill overlooking the lagoon while waiting for lunch. We’re called in for lunch at around 2.10 PM in the site’s dining area. Once we’re done eating and getting changed, we leave for our next destination at around 2.50 PM. Our next site is the Tomorrow’s Sun Geysers arriving around 3.25 PM. Several geysers are spewing hot mud with the largest one throwing a cloud of hot gasses into the air. There are strong pungent smells at the site, especially as you walk through the cloud of gasses to get to the other geysers. Our guide said temperatures are around 96 degrees Celsius. He also told us to be careful and not get too close to the edges since the ground there can be unstable. After exploring the area and taking pictures, we left for our lodge in Lake Colorada at around 3.45 PM.

En route to our lodge, we passed some frozen shards which our guide said were formed by the strong winds. We reached Lake Colorada by 4.30 PM. This lake stands at almost 4300 meters and is mostly a reddish color with blue and white patches. We quickly unload our bags and then set out to hike up to the viewpoint at 4.50 PM. The trail is easy to follow but the terrain gets muddy at one point so take appropriate footwear. We got to the top of the viewpoint by 5.15 PM. You get great views of the lake from up here as sunset approaches. We had to leave before the sun sets, however, there’s a hill behind the lodge where you can catch the sunset between 6 and 7 PM. Temperatures are freezing so make sure you take very warm clothing. The lodge is quite rudimentary but has hot shower facilities for 5 BOB. We had a shared room between our group of 5 and there was a dining area where dinner was served around 8 PM. Following dinner, we stayed in the dining area playing card games with the group before heading to bed. This was probably the coldest place we stayed at in the 4-day tour, with temperatures falling well below zero to around -8 degrees Celsius. Several blankets are provided but the sleeping bag helped here.

Salar de Uyuni Tour – Day 1

Jean Maldonado — Sat, 22 Sep 2018 21:18:00 +0000

When we were in La Paz, we went to the main terminal to buy our tickets for Tupiza which cost 160 BOB¹ each plus 2.50 BOB for the terminal fee which is paid at departure. It was an overnight 10-hour 30-minute journey to Tupiza. The seats were the most comfortable I’ve ever been on since they turned into a bed by reclining 180 degrees and the footrest came up so you could lay completely flat. The Tupiza terminal is close to the Independence Plaza which is where you can find several shops, restaurants, and tour agencies. Once we got there, we immediately went looking for a 4 days and 3 nights tour to the Salar de Uyuni. After asking at several places, we decided to go with Valle Hermoso Tours since they seemed to have good reviews. The tour which included meals, shared accommodation, a guide, and transportation dropping us off at Uyuni came to 1300 BOB. All agencies charge a service fee if you pay by credit card so it’s better to pay cash due to the large payment. Note that if you have to withdraw money, the highest ATM limit I found in Tupzia was 2000 BOB. So if you’re paying for multiple people, keep that in mind.

Setting out from Tupiza

The meeting point was at the Valle Hermoso Hostel at 7 AM for breakfast with the rest of the group we would be going with. Our group was a total of 5 people plus the driver/guide. There was also another Jeep with a group of 4 who also left with us. As soon as everyone was done with breakfast, we set out at around 7.30 AM. The first stop is El Sillar which is a short 30-minute drive from Tupiza. At this viewpoint, we get to see some interesting red rock formations. We’re only here for about 10-15 minutes to take some pictures before continuing. The next stop is at the Awana Pampa plains. We pull up by the road and have some time to wander around. There’s a small hill you can climb to get some panoramic shots of the landscape. We make a couple of stops to rest and take pictures of the different landscapes along the journey. For lunch, we arrive at the small town of San Pablo de Lipez. We go inside what looks like a communal house which has some tables and chairs. The driver then preps some food with help from the locals.

Following lunch, we head to the Ghost Town. Once at the site, the guide drops us off at the top of the hill and tells us to walk down where we’ll find a site official to pay the entrance fee. Our guide then said that he’ll pick us up from the bottom in the town. You get some great views from the top of the hill and the trail down is easy to follow. The site official collects the 15 BOB entrance fee from everyone and gives some history of the site. He then points us in the direction of where to go and meet our guide/driver. We continue down and through the ghost town, walking past abandoned decaying buildings. You can make out the remains of what looks to have been a church. At the bottom, there are toilet facilities which you can use before continuing. The next main stop is Lake Morejón. This lake stands at 4855 meters above sea level with a beautiful mountain landscape sitting behind it. At this altitude the weather is cold and windy, so we stayed just long enough to take a couple of pictures before running back to the warmth in the Jeep. Our journey then continues towards the Eduardo Avaroa Reserve. There’s a checkpoint just before reaching Quetena Chico. Everyone has to register here with their passport and pay the 150 BOB ticket. There’s also a stamp here which you can put on your passport.

We then arrive at our lodging for the night just as the sun finishes setting. We unload our bags and settle down in our room while dinner is being prepared. The room is shared between the 5 people in our room. Dinner is served in the dining area around 7 PM. The lights are kept on until around 9 PM so we spent some time playing cards with the other travelers until then. Once it’s lights out, you have to use a torch or the flashlight from your phone to get around as there are no lights in the rooms or outside. The bathrooms are also in another building so you have to step outside to get to the other building if you need the toilet or want to have a shower. It’s quite cold in the room but there are several blankets and our tour provided us with sleeping bags as well. This was enough to keep us warm throughout the night. Facilities are rudimentary but comfortable enough a place to get a good night’s sleep.