Bolivia

Cusco to La Paz

Before I got to Bolivia…

So, I genuinely thought that I was going to arrive in La Paz in the morning and have at least a day to explore the city, before heading to Uyuni. But no! that was obviously not meant to be (I guess the birthday luck ran out). My flight to La Paz, Bolivia was CANCELLED at the very last minute. No replacement flights, nothing. Camped out at the airport in Cusco for an hour before Peruvian Airlines provided us with alternative transportation. A COACH BUS. A freaking coach bus which would take us to La Paz from Cusco in 12 HOURS (OK we did have stops in between for meal and bio breaks)! Skeptical as I was over this arrangement, it was by far one of the best road trips I had ever taken in my life.

The scenery along the route was stunning. Imagine mountainous valleys, snow capped peaks, vast grasslands, lakes, llamas, amazing sunsets and the changing faces and culture as we moved closer to the Bolivian border. It really made me want to cancel my return ticket to Singapore and start life anew among such beauty.

PS: I got to see Lake Titicaca for FREE on the road trip, didn’t have to pay exorbitant tour prices to do so, as the bus had to circle around the lake to reach La Paz.

I know I said that I was on a bus for 12 hours. However, upon crossing into the Bolivian border, we were required to change buses to a Bolivian registered one and cross the lake on a barge. So basically, my bus drove up onto a barge and was towed across the lake (Cost: 10 Bolivianos per Pax), enabling us to reach La Paz earlier than expected.

This was certainly an interesting 12 hours. Trust the Peruvians and their ingenuity!

Uyuni

After the harrowing trip from Cusco to La Paz, i only had about 4 hours of sleep, before i had to wake up early in the morning to ctach my flight to Uyuni. Without a hitch, i was able to land in Uyuni after a short 45 minutes flight from La Paz ( Highest international airport in the world!) .

At Uyuni airport, i was picked up by my friendly tour guide Bismark, and our very experienced driver.

After a short briefing at their tour company office, we were finally on our way to explore what the salt plains had to offer. On route to the salt plains, our first stop was at the “Cemeterio de Trenes” ( Train Graveyard) which is home to abandoned trains and railway tracks from the 20th century when Bolivia was aiming to become South America’s transportation hub. There are no fences nor guards to restrict your access to the trains. I was able to climb on the trains ( at your own risk!) and get some great shots !. The vastness of the graveyard itself created an ambiance of a bygone western era ( a common theme in the town of Uyuni).

Our next stop was to the salt mining town of Colchani. There, we were able to see how the salt from the plains were extracted and processed into the edible salt. You will also be able to buy salt from the independent farmers if your require. The souvenirs were interesting enough, as they were made out of salt. however, be sure to store them properly, as they are fragile. After this short stop, we were finally on our way to the Salar de Uyuni.

Upon entering this vast plain, you cant help but be in awe of the sheer whiteness of the place, and how far the plains stretch, with the horizon seemingly so far away. Though there were many tour companies out on day trips that day, our driver was able to find a secluded spot, where i felt as if my group had the salt plains to ourselves. The exclusivity meant that we were free to take un photo bombed pictures, as well as experiment with perspective picture at our leisure. Of course not forgetting just taking sometime to yourself, to take in the breathtaking beauty of the salt flats themselves.

After a relaxing picnic in the salt flats, we made a quick stop at the Dakar Rally site in the salt flats before heading over to Incahausi Island. Home to an annual off-road endurance event we were greeted by a massive structure commemorating the race, held every January. Next to the monument, there was a collection of national flags brought by travelers from all over the world, permanently wanting to leave a piece of their culture in the salt flats.

Our final stop before heading back to the hotel, was that of Incahausi Island ( Inca House). This spectacular hilly outcrop situated in the heart of the salt flats is covered in gigantic cacti dating back to the prehistoric times, when the area was submerged in a lake. Hiking up to the top does not require much effort, and you are usually left to your own devices to explore. Upon reaching the top, you will be greeted by the expansive views of the Salar and a glimpse of Tunupa volcano in the background !. Not a sight to be missed !

Cemeterio de Trenes

Dakar Rally

Incahausi Island

Lunch Picnic in the Salar

Salar de Uyuni

Uyuni: Day 2

After a well-deserved break in the amazing Luna Sa Lada Hotel (literally made out of salt bricks, from the beds in the rooms, to the walls & the flooring), it was time to begin day 2 of my Uyuni adventure. The morning started off with a drive to the southern most part of Uyuni where most of the volcanoes, lagoons and Andean flora and fauna were. Be sure to keep your camera on hand as you will drive pass some amazing scenery. Our first stop was amongst eroded volcanic rock formations with Ollague Volcano (bordering Bolivia and Chile) in the background. The periodic splash of neon green from some of the moss-covered rocks provided a fresh feel to an otherwise brown, arid landscape.

Continuing the drive through the truly dazzling landscape, we arrived at the first of the 4 lagoons of the trip, the Canapa Lagoon. Ignoring the strong smell of Sulphur, a colony of Chilean, Andean, and rare James’s flamingos greeted us. Having never been up close and personal with a flamingo in its natural habitat before, I was thoroughly amazed by these beautiful birds. Standing at the edge of the lagoon, in the company of these magnificent birds and imposing mountains in the horizon, was indeed a surreal experience. This was also our pitstop for catered lunch, before moving on to the rest of the lagoons.

Chiarkota and Turquiri were minor lagoons along the drive (black and green in color) surrounded again by amazing landscapes minus the flamingos. Despite the lack of wildlife, they were also amazing in their own way, given they were just there, like in the middle of no where.

The last stop, Hedionda was another feast for flamingo lovers as we chanced upon another colony of flamingos just doing their thing.

Overall, I was truly amazed by what Uyuni had to offer. The mix of landscapes, flora and fauna she had to offer, was beyond compare to any destination I have been to. Every picture I took was indeed postcard worthy!

Lastly, I would like to give a shout out to my driver and tour guide over here, as I am in awe of their ability to navigate through difficult terrains with no GPS or maps. Just pure memory, from piling these routes numerous times!