Wildlife – Maldo Travels

San Jacinto – Relaxing Beaches

Jean Maldonado — Sat, 28 Dec 2019 23:25:00 +0000

From the capital city Quito, it’s about a 6-hour 30-minute drive down the winding roads that descend the Andes. We left at around 6 AM and stopped in Santo Domingo de Los Tsachilas for some breakfast at around 8.30 AM. We then continued for another 2 hours and 30 minutes to Chone where we took a small break at around noon. We then drove 1 hour 15 minutes to San Jacinto getting there at around 1.30 PM. It’s a very small town and joins with San Clemente. We stayed in a villa just off the highway which was 2 blocks from the beach. After settling in, we headed to a restaurant in San Clemente. The tide was high in the late afternoon with violent waves crashing onto the rocky shores. It wasn’t possible to get in the sea but there was a beautiful sunset on the horizon.

The following day, we headed to San Jacinto beach where there’s a colorful sign with the town’s name. The tide was low now with gentle waves so it was possible to get in. A family friend was from the area and he met us there and took us to a beach a little further south towards Crucita. This beach was on the mouth of a river so you could bathe in the river as well. There was also a protected mangrove swamp where you can go for a walk. A site official takes you around and provides info on the flora and fauna. It’s free but they sell bracelets to help with the maintenance of the site. There are several birds at the beach, especially cranes. You can also look for small crabs popping out from their burrows.

At around 4 PM, we went to get some food at Hotel San Jacinto. They have a seaside restaurant serving fresh seafood and outdoor seating. They have a viewpoint looking out to the sea that you can climb. The waves break on the banks so you’ll get wet when a large wave comes in. After eating, we headed to Bahia de Caráquez which was about a 40-minute drive away. There’s a small town in this bay which has a large bridge that crosses over to San Vicente. We drove over the bridge and walked out to a pier at San Vicente Malecon which has great panoramic views of the city. After the sun had set, we headed back to our villa.

On the final day, we headed to the beach at Crucita in the morning which was a 20-minute drive south of San Jacinto. This beach is more touristic and we had breakfast at one of the beachside restaurants. After breakfast, we went for a short stroll along the beach before making our way back to Quito.

Beijing – Full Day City Tour

Jean Maldonado — Sun, 08 Sep 2019 21:43:02 +0000

One of the tours we booked online beforehand was a tour of several sites in the city. The travel agency contacts you a couple of days before the tour to arrange for the pick up from your accommodation. The guide had Whatsapp so we were able to communicate with him without issues. We were picked up at 7 AM from our hostel on the pedestrian Dashilan street. We had to walk to the main road where the tour bus was waiting for us. After picking up some other people, we arrived at Jingshan Park at around 7.40 AM. The tour bus left us at the park entrance and we walked up to the main viewpoint. From here, you get a great view of the Forbidden City. We then headed back down and left the park at around 8.20 AM. The next stop is a short 10-minute drive away to Houhai lake for a rickshaw ride around the Hutongs¹ in the area. Many were demolished when the city was modernizing but some survive and are now protected. There are several rickshaws lined up by the side of the roads waiting for tourists. The guide paired everyone up and gave the rickshaw driver instructions on where to take us. It was about a 30-minute ride and we went by the scenic lake and through the narrow roads of the residential area. The rickshaw had already been paid for but the guide said they expect a 10 RMB² tip after.

The next stop was the Beijing Zoo which was a 15-minute drive away. We waited for about 5-minutes whilst our guide went to buy our tickets. The zoo is quite big and has lots of animals but our guide said we only had time to see the Pandas. So he took us straight to the area where the Pandas were. There was an indoor section where you could see some pandas behind a glass wall. Going past the indoor section, you get to the outdoor area where there are a couple of pandas lazing about in the shade. They don’t move much and just chill there. There was a young panda who was munching on some leaves and everyone flocked around him to take pictures. It was a quick 30-minute visit before heading back to the tour bus. We then headed to the Olympic Park arriving at around 10.15 AM. The tour bus leaves us at the entrance and we then walk with the guide throughout the complex. He gives us info on the complex and some of the buildings before giving us some time to wander around to take pictures. It was coming up to midday now and it was getting very hot. So we mainly stayed in the shade near the main stadium.

At around 11.15 AM, we left for lunch which was a home-cooked meal at a resident’s house in the Hutongs we visited earlier. The house was decorated with old traditional Chinese furniture and it was a great place for lunch. We were done with lunch at around 12.15 AM and then headed to the Lama Temple. The guide took us throughout the site telling us about its history and how it was originally a palace. We were given some time to roam around to take pictures and were back at the tour bus at 1.30 PM. This was the last tourist destination and we then continue to the shopping stops. First, we go to a textile store where they talk about the process of making their materials and products. The next and final stop is a silk store where we’re shown how the silk is sourced and how their products are made. At the end of the tour, we’re offered to be dropped off at Hongqiao Market or closer to the Qianmen area. We chose the market since the guide told us we could get some cheap souvenirs there.

Phuket – Sea Canoe Tour

Jean Maldonado — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 20:41:28 +0000

An exciting activity which we looked up beforehand was of a kayak/canoe tour in Bahía de Phang Nga Bay. We did some research and decided on John Gray Sea Canoe who had been operating for some time. They have several tours available and decided to go with the Hong By Starlight tour which costs 2950 THB³ each. Our pick up was 35 minutes late arriving at our hotel at around 11.15 AM. We were the first ones and the driver picked up 2 more groups before heading to the pier. We got there at around 12.15 PM and were given tickets to get on another bus which took us a couple of minutes down the pier to the boat. We then boarded and were handed life jackets to put on. The whole thing was somewhat unorganized and we weren’t always sure who to follow. Once the boat pulled off the pier, the guide gave his welcome talk and went over the schedule.

It took about an hour to reach the first cave (Bat Cave) and this travel time was used for lunch. It was one of the best buffet-style lunches I’ve had included in a tour. Before arriving at the cave, we had to pick a name out of a hat to see who would be our guide. We got ‘Term’ and as our designated guide, he would do all the rowing throughout. Once at Bat Cave, the guides unloaded the canoes and we had to look for Term who helped us onto the canoe. It was 2 people max or 2 adults and a child (plus the guide) per sea canoe. We made it out of the boat first and Term took us into the cave. The cave was a little smelly and Term said it was from the smell of the mud. We soon had no more sunlight and it was pitch black. Term turned on his flashlight and pointed it at the ceiling for us to spot the bats. There were hundreds of them. He handed me the flashlight so that I could have a look around. We soon made it out of the cave and emerged into the lagoon. It was beautiful and looked a lot like the scenery from the movie Skull Island. There were tall peaks all around filled with vegetation.

We continued to another lagoon and the tide here was quite low and we could see some ‘mud islands’. Term pointed out some fish that were jumping through the mud which looked like tadpoles. They had the appearance of an early evolutionary species. Being the first ones at this lagoon, we took several pictures before everyone else came. We couldn’t stay long since the tide was getting lower which would mean there would soon be no water to canoe out of the cave. When we got out of the cave, Term took as along the shore and there were many stalactites. We then reached another cave that took us to a lagoon which looked similar to the previous one but here we managed to see monkeys. They were digging into the mud looking for worms to eat. We stayed for a bit and then had to head out as the tide was getting lower.

Once back on the boat, they served tea/coffee with some banana cupcakes and watermelon. It was about 30 minutes to the next stop and during this time, we were taught how to make a Kratong. This was similar to the lanterns that are lit and released into the sky. But the Kratongs are made from a section of a banana trunk, lit, and sent to float in the water. It was a fun activity and nice to learn about some of the Thai traditions. Once we were done, they stored the Kratongs to show us how to release them later that evening. When we got to the next stop, we were given 40 minutes of free time to go for a swim or take the canoes out. We chose to take the canoes to a nearby shore and walked around for a bit. The guides went to another shore and when we got there, they were digging up clams. We rowed back to the boat and saw they had lined 4-5 canoes for people to attempt to run across them. Many failed but some were successful.

At around 3 PM we made our way to Hong Island since the tide was now high enough. We hopped on the canoe with Term and he took us around the island. We then made it to the cave and this one was much narrower. We only made it to the first lagoon as the tide was too low to go to the next lagoon. When we headed back out, Term took us into another lagoon and told us to look up and at the outline of the trees. It formed the shape of an elephant’s head. After this, we headed back to the boat.

Next, we headed back to Bat Cave to watch the sunset. Once the sun had set but wasn’t completely dark, we set out on the canoes again with the Kratong we made earlier. We went into the cave until it was pitch black. Term then lit the candles on the Kratong and told us to make a wish. He then told us to release the Kratong into the water for our wish to come true. We let it float for a bit and then turned it off. Then when it was pitch black again, he taught us how to reveal the plankton. When you splash the water, the plankton emits light. As you splash you see hundreds of little dots of light. It’s a wonderful experience and unfortunately, it cannot be captured on a GoPro (I tried). We then headed out of the cave and back on the boat. It was now home time and took about 1 hour 30 minutes to get back to the pier. From the pier, we were put back on the buses and it took about an hour to reach our hotel.

Phuket – Elephant Jungle Sanctuary

Jean Maldonado — Fri, 31 May 2019 21:09:00 +0000

Several of our friends had previously been to Phuket and recommended this website to visit elephants. There are several options and we went with the morning visit which cost 2,500 THB¹ each. The sanctuary rescues elephants forced to work in places like shows, circuses, or carrying lumber. Pick-up was included for hotels in Patong and the tour bus arrived at around 6.30 AM. It was about a 30-minute drive to the sanctuary which was in the middle of the jungle. Once there, we were directed to a seating area with several benches and waited for about 10 minutes for everyone to arrive. There were elephants nearby and we were free to approach them to take pictures. It was entertaining to watch as they scratched themselves against the trees. Once everyone was there, the guide called us to the seating area again to give his introductory talk. He went over the itinerary and spoke about some of the elephants. He told us how they bought them off the circuses or log workers. The younger ones were more expensive and they only had females at the sanctuary. That’s because only females are captured since males get aggressive during mating season. Lockers were available for free with a refundable deposit of 100 THB for the key. Once we put our stuff in the locker, we went to help the carer prep some food. He mixed banana, rice, and some other fruits which he handed out to us to shape them into balls.

Then we were directed into an area where they showed us how they made paper from elephant poop. They extracted some wood-like fibers from the poop and left them to dry. They then mixed it with water and some other stuff to make a paper mache kind of mixture. That was then put onto a square sieve and flattened out. This was then left to dry and the result was like paper. Next, everyone carried a basket of fruit between 2 people to go feed the elephants. It was about a 2-minute walk to where the elephants where. We got the 81-year-old ‘sassy grandma’ and fed her bananas by placing a branch on her trunk. She’s cheeky and edges forward to try and take bananas from the bucket so you have to be alert. It took her a while to eat a branch and looked like she was about to fall asleep. The carer told us that she does fall asleep while eating sometimes. We took a couple of pics and after about 20 minutes of feeding, we went to see some of the other elephants.

Next, we were called to another seating area and briefed on the bathing activity. We were told to leave our footwear there and step into the mud pool to first rub mud on the elephants. You can pick up small buckets as you walk into the mud pool. As you walk further into the pool, you’ll find more mud. Four elephants came in. The younger ones were more playful and rolled in the mud. The carers told us to always stand facing their backside when they lay down since they could kick you when they try to stand back up if you’re on their front side. After about 15 minutes, they take a group photo and then they initiate a mud fight. Then we go to the next pool to brush the mud off the elephants. This pool was deeper and the elephants seemed a little apprehensive going down and used their heads/trunk to hold themselves up. Once in the pool, they lay in the water and the young one would play rolling around in the water. Sometimes it was scary because she would disappear and then emerge right next to you. The little cheeky one also sprayed me with water from her trunk. After about 15 minutes, the elephants were led out by their carers. You can see and hear how much energy they put into getting out of the pool. Weighing between 2 and 4 tons, it would take tremendous strength for them to climb even a few stairs.

Now it was our turn to wash up and we were directed to the showers whilst they prepped lunch for us. Before having lunch, they got volunteers to make a salad. The ingredients were already chopped up so they had to grind them together as the guide talked through the process and put them in. He then asked for volunteers to make a Pad Thai. I volunteered and had to stir a wok as he put the ingredients in and explained the process. It took about 5 to 10 minutes and was delicious. They then invited everyone up to the buffet and I got to keep my Pad Thai. Once lunch was over, we got our belongings from the locker and there was time for some pictures with the elephants. The buses then came and we were back at the hotel by 1.30 pm

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 ARS⁴ 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 BRL⁵. 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 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 BOB⁶ 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.

Copacabana – Bolivian Lake Titicaca

Jean Maldonado — Mon, 17 Sep 2018 18:07:00 +0000

From Puno, we took an early morning bus departing at 7 AM. The bus agency provided pick up from our hotel picking us up at around 6.40 AM. It’s only a 5-minute drive to the terminal, but before boarding the bus you have to go to the terminal stall to pay the terminal fee of 1.50 PEN⁷. We were the last people that boarded and the bus left promptly. En-route to the border, the bus operator announced that there’s a 2 PEN toll charge per person and there’ll be a stop at a currency exchange place. We were annoyed by this since we weren’t told about this when we bought our tickets and had spent all our PEN the day before. We spoke with the bus operator and he said we can pay in BOB⁸ as well. It took about an hour and a half to get to the currency exchange place before the border where we changed some USD⁹ for BOB. It’s then another 15 minutes to the border where everyone has to get off and queue up for customs. It took about an hour to get through customs, walk across the border, and board the bus again. From the border, it’s then about another hour to Copacabana.

The Town and Finding Tours

We reached the town at around 11 AM and there is no proper terminal in Copacabana, so the bus dropped us off near the town center. Copacabana is smaller than Puno and we walked to our hotel which was about a 5-10 minute walk away. Our room wasn’t ready yet so we dropped off our bags and walked to the town center. At the central plaza, there are several stalls and a market in the area. On the main road leading to the lake, there are several tour agencies and restaurants. We started looking for island tours and we chose a tour for transportation to The Moon Island and The Sun Island. Since there is no terminal, we also asked the tour agencies about transportation to our next destination – La Paz. We found one for a bus leaving the next day at 6.30 PM after our tour, so we opted for this to save on spending another night in accommodation at Copacabana. Our final task was then to find out where we could get a SIM card to get data on our phones. This proved challenging but we managed to find an office for the national Telecomms company – Entel. Being a national company, this was the cheapest option with the SIM card costing 10 BOB and a top-up of 50 BOB for 2 GB of data. Once we had everything sorted, we went back to the hotel to rest for a bit. Then in the afternoon, we decided to hike up to a viewpoint at Cerro El Calvario just north of the town. It’s quite a tiring hike but the views of Copacabana and Lake Titicaca are amazing. We headed back down at around 5.30 PM and went to a lakeside restaurant to catch the beautiful sunset over the lake.

Isla De La Luna

The meeting point for the tour is at the docks and the departure was at 8.30 AM. We handed the tour ticket to the boat operator and boarded the boat. It took about 1-hour 20-minutes to get to the island and we were given about an hour to roam around. After getting off the boat, you’ll find the locals charging the entrance fee for the island. It costs 20 BOB and you’re given a receipt. We walked up for about 10 minutes to the temple of Iñaq Uyu and there was a guide there offering his services for tips. Once a group gathered around, he gave a history of the site and explained the temples. Once he’d finished giving out the info and taking questions, he went around the group gathering tips. It’s a small site and can be completed in under 20 minutes. Since we still had some time, we headed back via a detour to a viewpoint of the lake. It took about 20 minutes to walk there and then 10 minutes to head back to the pier via the beach.

Isla Del Sol

It takes about an hour to cross over to Isla del Sol. On the way, a guide offers his services and explains what he’s going to take us to see. This island is much bigger and it’s always best to go with a guide, so when he went around to collect the money we opted in for 25 BOB each. Once we reached the island, once again the locals are there to collect the entrance fee which is another 20 BOB. The guide then first takes you up to the ruins of the Templo del Sol. At the ruins, he points out a tunnel and explains that it’s believed to connect to the Isla de la Luna, but is closed off and hasn’t been fully excavated. He then takes us around the island for about 1-hour 30-minutes, stopping at some viewpoints until we arrive at a small village. In the village, he gives some history on a holy water fountain at the foot of the Inca Stairs. The village pier is where we take our boat back and we have about 40 minutes here to wait for the boat. The guide recommended a restaurant overlooking the lake to have some lunch while we wait. The boat arrived at around 2 PM to take us back to Copacabana, reaching the town at around 3.30 PM.