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The Salar de Uyuni and the Cordillera De Chichas – South West Bolivia

By: skinnywench Posted in: Bolivia, Destination, South America
Mountains in South West Bolivia

If ever there was a place where one could imagine being on a different planet, it has to be the in the surreal high altitude landscapes of Southwest Bolivia and the spectacular blinding white salt flats of Uyuni.

Mud bubbling geysers, volcanoes (active and extinct) towering over vegetation, bereft desert puffing smoke signals out into the ether, multi-coloured half exploded craters, and stunning bright red, yellow, and green chemical laden lakes, so toxic that the only wild life able to roam freely on them are the flamingos are just some of the sights to be seen in this remote area of Bolivia.

As far as destinations go, Bolivia has to be one of my best experiences whilst travelling around South America.

We arrived in Uyuni from Potasi after a long bus haul and, once settled in, immediately started polling other backpackers about their tourist operator preferences. Three hours later, having found a room, taken a turn around the small town, checked out companies, eaten in the small mall of restaurants, and listened to fellow traveler stories, we booked a 3 day tour for the next day.   The journey covers the Salar de Uyuni , Laguna Colarada, Sol de Mana geyser basin, Termas de Polques, Laguna Verde, and the dramatic Volcan Licancabur.

This is not a trip for the faint-hearted or picky eater. The round trip is long and extremely bumpy, nights are freezing and the days are hot, accommodation is shared, the bedding dubious and the showers ice-cold. So go prepared, take food and drink supplies, warm bedding and clothing, tissue wipes, hand sanitizer, toilet paper and plenty of batteries for the camera …… and book a room for when you get back because boy are you going to need a shower! But the inconvenience of all these things palls into insignificance when sitting under the cold silent star laden sky at night with a bottle of wine and newly made friends, being steamed cleaned by the geysers at dawn as the sun rises, or having lunch by multi-coloured lakes dotted with hundreds of pink bobbed flamingos.

This is a bucket list destination that you don’t want to miss.

 Featured Writer – Sue Llewellyn

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Comments

  1. Victor says:
    March 9, 2012 at 7:55 pm

    Like another planet, for sure!

    Reply
    • sue llewellyn says:
      March 10, 2012 at 7:18 pm

      Like going to the moon but not having to pay a fortune to do so 🙂

      Reply
  2. sue llewellyn says:
    March 9, 2012 at 7:58 pm

    Thank you Mike, Lucky you I would love to revisit the salt plains when the water is on the ground as it makes for a reflective surface that is supposed to produce stunning photographs.

    Reply
  3. ivan says:
    March 10, 2012 at 1:26 am

    Wow! Amazing scenery and awesome shots!

    Reply
    • sue llewellyn says:
      March 10, 2012 at 7:19 pm

      Cheers Ivan

      Reply
  4. The World Is My Cuttlefish says:
    March 9, 2012 at 11:02 pm

    An extraordinary landscape. The second picture epitomises the word ‘surreal’.

    Reply
  5. Steve Watkins says:
    March 10, 2012 at 1:29 am

    Spectacular: looking forward to some travels in S. America this summer myself. Great stuff.

    Reply
    • sue llewellyn says:
      March 10, 2012 at 7:19 pm

      Have a wonderful trip Steve.

      Reply
  6. gregoryno6 says:
    March 10, 2012 at 2:53 am

    Hello,
    This is a place I will probably never visit, except in my imagination. But your pictures have given me plenty to work with. Crossing the red lake in the second pic, paddling a small boat… suddenly something large and scaly and very hungry breaks the surface…

    Reply
    • sue llewellyn says:
      March 10, 2012 at 7:18 pm

      Sounds like a best seller to me – all that hostile landscape to set a story in 🙂

      Reply
  7. Fatima Saysell says:
    March 10, 2012 at 4:16 am

    Stunning photography. So easy to forget how lucky we are living on this planet. I am always in awe at its beauty.

    Reply
    • sue llewellyn says:
      March 10, 2012 at 7:20 pm

      Well said Fatima

      Reply
  8. Kat says:
    March 10, 2012 at 6:16 am

    Your photos are beautiful and your description paints a picture so clear that I want to pack my bag and head out.

    Reply
    • sue llewellyn says:
      March 10, 2012 at 7:20 pm

      My job is done 🙂

      Reply
  9. T. V. Antony Raj says:
    March 10, 2012 at 8:08 am

    Not a tree in sight. Definitely this stupendous place can’t be on Earth.

    Reply
    • sue llewellyn says:
      March 10, 2012 at 7:21 pm

      Amazing how barren can be so awe inspiring

      Reply
  10. Tracy says:
    March 10, 2012 at 9:38 am

    I have to add this to my ever growing list of must see places. Amazing pictures!

    Reply
  11. sue llewellyn says:
    March 10, 2012 at 12:32 pm

    Thank you for all your comments 🙂

    Reply
  12. Ruth says:
    March 11, 2012 at 9:33 pm

    Stunning photos 🙂

    Reply
    • sue llewellyn says:
      March 18, 2012 at 10:29 pm

      Thanks Ruth 🙂

      Reply
  13. Jessica says:
    March 12, 2012 at 6:12 am

    Oh wow, who knew that the world was actually this beautiful. I want to go to there.

    Reply
  14. Giulia Billi says:
    March 12, 2012 at 9:56 am

    In my year in Lat America I did not make it to Bolivia. I had my eyes set in exactly the places you visited, not just Uyuni, and now I see why I should have gone there!

    Reply
    • sue llewellyn says:
      March 18, 2012 at 10:30 pm

      There is still time!

      Reply
  15. Mikie says:
    March 12, 2012 at 10:16 am

    we did not make it to the salt flats of Bolivia, but did see Salinas Grandes in Salta Province, South America (2nd largest after Bolivia). It is hard to describe the utter, stark beauty, but your photos do a great job!! Good work.

    Aloha, Mikie

    Reply
  16. Peter Reason says:
    March 12, 2012 at 12:54 pm

    What amazing photos.
    And what an awesome planet we live on!
    Thanks for posting.

    Reply
    • sue llewellyn says:
      March 18, 2012 at 10:28 pm

      Thank you Peter

      Reply
    • sue llewellyn says:
      March 18, 2012 at 10:29 pm

      Thanks Mikie

      Reply
  17. sue llewellyn says:
    May 16, 2012 at 12:52 am

    I actually can’t remember – sorri.

    Reply
    • Erin says:
      May 16, 2012 at 2:20 am

      No worries, the pics are beautiful. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
  18. Simon says:
    July 10, 2012 at 9:19 am

    Nice…that looks like a landscape photographers wet dream.

    Reply
  19. Chris Gray says:
    July 23, 2012 at 4:14 am

    Have you seen the Daxia landforms in China? Worth a peek … http://pinterest.com/pin/66850375689502568/

    Reply
  20. Shane says:
    August 13, 2012 at 8:09 am

    Salar de Uyuni is a wonderful place. Try to go during the rainy season. It’s amazing.

    Reply
    • Robyn says:
      February 23, 2013 at 5:51 pm

      Shane – Thanks for your comment – this is late, but I’ve heard the roads can be dangerous during the rainy season – but you think it’s ok? What was it like on your trip?

      Reply
  21. Robyn says:
    February 23, 2013 at 5:47 pm

    This is the best – most honest (?) – description I’ve heard yet. I didn’t know it could be so uncomfortable, although I heard the roads are rough. I’m in Bolivia now and unfortunately, won’t have time for the tour. It looks amazing and your pictures are wonderful! Best I’ve seen yet. There’s been a lot of rain lately – do you think that would impede a trip or make the roads more dangerous? Thanks again for a great description.

    Reply
  22. Christopher Roberts says:
    March 29, 2013 at 8:30 am

    Your photos are amazing. I’m backpacking around South America in the summer and this has high priority on my list of things to do 🙂

    Reply

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