Tupiza and the South West Circuit

Day 114 – Road trip!

Up early to accomplish our pre-departure task list, including “out of office” message to mums, getting cash, stocking up on water and the added task of finding drugs to combat the stinking cold I seemed to have developed overnight, we were still at “Tupiza Tours” before 9am with time to spare (for once!). We were directed to one of three 4X4s being loaded up with supplies, ours looking to be the most decrepit of the three vehicles and our group of travellers the most odd-ball!

We chatted with Amanda, a quiet 46 year old English lady travelling on her own and met Nicki, the complete opposite – loud and boisterous 25 year old, also English. It wasn’t until we were all getting into the car that we met Dane, Nicki’s travelling companion, who had settled into the front seat, plugged in his iPod and was busy whistling and hassling Bolivian ladies as they walked by the car! Matt and I gave each other a knowing look as our backpacks were passed up to the roof and we hoped into the back.

Our first photo-op was only 10 minutes out of town where we turned the first left up a dry river bank and there opened up a huge red-rocked valley, apparently reminiscent of the Kimberleys (we were told by the Poms who had all been there!)

We then continued up and up and up along the ridges of the Palala and Sillar ranges which provided stunning views back over the valleys. We had reached 4,400 metres by our first pee stop – and a dialogue began that became very familiar over the four days: “Marco…” (our driver) … “Si” … “Baños naturaleza por favor!” (Outdoor bathroom please!) The other being: “Pare – Quiero sacar un foto!” (Stop, I want to take a photo!).

The tour, covering the best natural bits of the south west corner of Bolivia, was another one of the things we have seen and done that just can’t be adequately described with words. Unfortunately being down to just my beaten up little digital it was hard to get photos too! So very sorry, but hopefully you get the idea from these…

Back over the valley at our first pee stop.

A lady (yes, in the middle of nowhere) selling cheese by the side of the road. She must have walked ages from one of the estancias and had ice blocks in her sack as the cheese was cold when we bought some.

The local transport stopped at one of the many small estancias scattered in all kinds of difficult places in these hills.

Sheep intermingled with goats perched on a hillside.

Lunch – a potato ball filled with spiced llama meat.

Bird (big), sorry Graham can’t remember what it’s called in English or Spanish!

We passed through many abandoned estancias along the way.

Our first llama sighting!

An adobe church in the centre of Nazarenito.

A typical streetscape in Nazarenito.

Villa Uturunco (6,008m) looming as we head into town for the night.

A perro pequeño sitting outside our accommodation in San Antonio de Lipez.

Our accommodation in San Antonio – very simple and we could feel every spring in the mattress!

Once we had arrived in San Antonio (a town of only 250 people) and had a cup of tea, it was straight to bed for me for a nap before dinner as added to my cold was a splitting headache, probably made worse by the 4,200m in altitude we were currently at.

Matt on the other hand went for a stroll (to find beer!) with the guys from our jeep and the other jeep of four who were also staying in the same accommodation and took this snap back down over the little settlement in the process.

After a huge dinner (complete with vegie options for me!), we all retired to bed early as we were to be up at 4.30am the next morning to fit in all of tomorrow’s huge day of driving. As we stepped out of our dining room to walk through the dirt to the sleeping quarters it was difficult not to stand in awe of the most glorious starry night I have ever experienced. I stood for ages watching shooting stars and have never seen the milky way and other formations as clear. I tried for ages to get a snap, but just ended up attracting and chatting to a group of local kids (who spoke at my level given they were only 5 or 6!) They were fascinated to see the photos on my camera of their area!

Day 115 – Not another f-ing lagoon!

Leaving in the dark we had no idea why we needed to be leaving so early, but by the variety in scenery we had seen by the end of the day, and the amount of times we wanted to stop to take snaps, we can see why Marco wanted to get an early start!

The sun was rising just as we reached Quetena Chico, a former Spanish colony situated here because of the silver mining prospects. There were originally a few thousand in the settlement, however numbers began to dwindle when greed set in and the Spanish began to fight over entitlement to the point where they wiped themselves out!

Quetena Chico was at 4,690 metres… we were promised we would hit 5,000 metres today.

Laguna Kollpa and Volcan Licancabur emerging in the background.

Some random rock formations along the way.

Laguna Verde. At various points along the trip, Marco let us out for a little walk to stretch our legs and take photos. He would drive a little way up the road and we would catch up. He let us out at the Green Lagoon to takes photos, however we were unaware that this was one such occasion where he would take off, leaving us to wade through! This is our jeep driving away, despite us jumping up and down and yelling not to drive off!

Llamas who followed the jeep into the lagoon. They each had coloured wool tied to their coats, presumably to denote ownership and identity, however the two Swedish girls in the other car had dubbed this “Llama fashion” and got everyone started on voting on their favourite.

More llamas follow us.

Safely across the other side we can see why the llamas like to hang in this little oasis.

Another lagoon… this one with lovely pinks and purples that my camera could not pick up.

Salar de Chalviri where they were excavating borax as well as salt.
Another lagoon… although with an added bonus…. Aguas Callientes! (Hot springs)

A well earned break in the hot springs with Dane and Nicki in the background and Amanda to the right.

Desierto de Dali, named by whoever as the rock formations (chunks of lava) and hills made them feel like they were in a Dali painting.

Another lagoon…

Geisers Sol de Mañana – some bubbling volcanic geysers coming up out of the desert. Needless to say…. both boys had to pee into one to see what would happen!

Shortly after the geysers our promised 5,000m point. The highest point we’ve been!

A humungous erosion crack and some further changes in plant life.

Kids and their pet llama and dog following them about their town, Huaylljara, our stop for the night.

Matt’s selection of Bolivian beer delights from the local bottle-o.

Day 116 – Flamingo city

Up again for another 4.30am start (although our guides were not!) it was off to see the red and purple colours of Laguna Colorada and the hundreds of flamingos that hang out there.

Laguna Colorada.

Marco on the roof of our jeep looking for the others who had fallen behind due to increasingly more frequent car troubles. Over the 3 days parts were pilfered from our car to fix them!

Árbol de Piedra – The Rock Tree, formed by lava.

Other lava formations.

Matt at the top of the tallest formation he could find.

Me through Matt’s eyes…. well his Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas glasses!

Desierto de Siloli.

Volcan Ollague.

Some more funky erosion.

Our stop for lunch… a bunch of random buildings made from salt bricks and soft drink bottles.

A little foxy watching us as we passed by.

They are pink not white!

A settlement we passed through just as the train was coming up from Chile.

More troubles for the other jeep… this time something simple though – a flat!

Quinoa fields, a grain that is cross between rice and couscous, a bit more tasty and a new favourite staple of ours.

Tonight we stayed somewhere a little different – a hotel made of salt! Chairs, tables, beds, walls – all salt! This is the dining hall.

Just testing!

Day 117 – The amazing illusionary Salar de Uyuni!

This morning we were happy to get up for our 5am start as today was the moment we had all been waiting for… driving across the amazing illusionary salt flats!

Our first stop was sunrise in the middle of nowhere…

Trying our best to look awake at 6am!

Marco our very happy driver. Marco was very quiet when we all first met, only speaking when spoken to and giving info when asked questions, but was joking around and out of his shell by the last day, especially as we insisted he had a turn with his iPod too.

Our first stop after sunrise was the cactus island. This is its resident Rhea who hung around while we were eating breakfast, presumably because other groups feed him. Unfortunately, he was captured as a baby and brought to the island, and with coffee and cake for food and tourists his only friends, we don’t think he was living the best life.

Cactus fun!

And some salt flats fun!

A little Matt to keep in my pocket. Everyone should have one!

Lil Nicki giving Dane a kick up the butt.

How terrible…. being squashed by a giant Toblerone!

The team surfing on the hood.

Matt lending his expert illusionary photography skills to another group.

And getting squished by a giant wine bottle.

The patterns in the salt.

Yipee!

The now illegal Salt Hotel that has been turned into a ‘museum’. There were a few of these hotels made of salt built right on the flats (ours was in a town) that have been outlawed due to eco-issues with waste disposal, etc and ordered to be dismantled. This one has been kept as a museum and contains some kind of eco-toilet system, but having had to visit same, we were glad not to be staying long – a very stinky experience.

A cheeky ride on a salt llama in the museum.

Lucy in the sky with diamonds! Salt piles excavated and waiting to be collected, reflecting off the water flooding the flats. Other minerals that can be extracted from the flats include borax, magnesium, potassium, nitrogen and phosphorous.

Back onto made road.

A jeep that took a little tumble not 5 minutes back onto the road. The driver was going way too fast and luckily the four girls inside were not hurt, but the driver had a decent head injury and refused to go to hospital. We were even more thankful for Marco!

Me and the Swedish chicks Celia and Karin and our colourful sunglasses.

Matt and the beanie crew Dane, Celia and Karin.

The whole team at the end of the tour!

Upon our arrival in Uyuni, a reasonably horrible place, we had a quick bite and beer with the crew and then it was onto our dodgy night bus to Potosi.