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So we have finished our luxurious stage of our South American journey (Chile and Argentina) and now are heading into Bolivia. The plan - a three day trip across the volcanic landscape and largest salt flat in the world in South West Bolivia. After leaving the paved road behind in Chile we drove in 4 X 4 jeeps up to 4600 m to the Bolivian immigration control. After a dubious breakfast of bread, cheese and jam we continued with Juan our driver a couple from Belgium, a girl from Switzerland and another from Canada.

Plains of Salt, Mountains of Silver and Meals of Bacteria

James and Anne Walkington
2006-08-08 16:59:49

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So we have finished our luxurious stage of our South American journey (Chile and Argentina) and now are heading into Bolivia. The plan - a three day trip across the volcanic landscape and largest salt flat in the world in South West Bolivia. After leaving the paved road behind in Chile we drove in 4 X 4 jeeps up to 4600 m to the Bolivian immigration control. After a dubious breakfast of bread, cheese and jam we continued with Juan our driver a couple from Belgium, a girl from Switzerland and another from Canada.

Within 20 mins we had reached Laguna Blanca the white lake. In summer there would normally be flamingos here but in the middle of winter the lake was covered in a thick sheet of ice. On further towards Laguna Verde (the green lake) we got fantastic panoramic views of the lakes and volcanoes in this area. After more rapid altitude gain we arrived at 5000m to one of the most active thermal reserves in South America. Huge craters of bubbling mud and venting steam were cautiously walked around breathlessly (a massive height gain in 3 hours from 2500m left you breathless).

Anne wanted to go swimming in a thermal pool which we just happened to be passing at the time - James once again was sensible enough to realise that at 4800m it was going to be cold when you got out. She persisted and went swimming in a very nice location. She claims that it was not cold when getting out.

A short 30 min drive brought us to the hotel which we were staying in for the night and also where we were having lunch. Not bad food considering the location! The hotel was little more than a mud hut. No running water, very little in the way of insulation and shockingly bad mattresses. At 4600m it was going to get very cold in the night.

However whilst the sun still shone we wandered over to the Red Lake where we saw our first flamingos. Actually we saw hundreds of the things, along with llamas and some birds which looked like black headed gulls. ...