R
South America



Lying at an elevation of 4000 meters and covering 10% of the country, the Bolivian Altiplano is the highest plateau in the world. It's a stark wilderness flanked by the Andes and abundant with volcanoes, geysers and hot springs. 40,000 years ago much of the Altiplano was covered in an inland sea now known as Lago Ballivián, until geological faults and evaporation caused the water level to drop dramatically. Lakes Titicaca (the world's highest navigable lake) and Poopo, a saline lake, are its only surviving remnants, along with the 12,000 square kilometer Salar de Uyuni, an immense plain of salt. In the middle of this vast world of salt, in stark contrast to its surroundings, lies a desert island laden with cacti. The Bolivian Altiplano is truly one of South America's most beautiful and alluring tourist attractions, but getting there is a whole different story.



By far the easiest way to cross the Altiplano is to take one of the many famed three-day jeep tours starting from San Pedro de Atacama in Chile and ending at Uyuni in Bolivia.

Chile is a fascinating country running 4270 kilometers up the western edge of the continent but only 180 kilometers at its maximum width. This long, narrow country, packed with diversity, stretches all the way from the frozen sub-Antarctic climate in the southern regions of Patagonia, through a more moderate climate in the central regions where lakes and volcanoes dominate the landscape, to its far north and the forbidding land of the Atacama Desert, the driest place in the world.




The Atacama Desert isn't simply the flat, barren world of sand you may imagine it to be. Due to the Antarctic current sweeping cold water up the coastline, much of the region is abundant with marine life, including penguins and seals. As you head northwards the land rises as you climb slowly into the Andes. San Pedro de Atacama is located in the northeast of Chile, just 120 kilometers from Calama. As you drive in you are welcomed with the magnificent site of a row of snow-capped volcanoes lining the horizon and reaching altitudes higher than 5000 meters. This range forms a natural border between Chile and Bolivia. Melting snow from the Bolivian winter helps to irrigate the region and thus formed this desert oasis allowing lush vegetation to grow despite an annual rainfall of just 35mm a year.



The town of San Pedro is a wonderful little place with a small population of around 2500. It's well worth spending a few days here before leaving on the tour. In fact you may have to, as the tours are very popular and it may take a few days before you can get on one. But don't let this put you off, there is enough in and around this town to keep you busy for a week, not to mention spending time getting know the friendly locals.

Just to the south lies the 3000 square kilometer salt flat of Salar de Atacama. Fifteen kilometers to the west lies the magnificent Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon). This stark, haunting landscape, reportedly so named because of its similarity to the surface of the moon. Whether or not this is true, there is no doubting the awesome beauty of this rugged, undulating landscape. Salt deposits cover the surface, which from a distance almost looks like a thin coating of snow. The tour is designed to end with you climbing a massive sand dune and watching as the setting sun casts long shadows, and the soft, warm light turns the rocky, sandy peaks and valleys into sumptuous orange and red colors. Suddenly you feel more like you could be on the planet Mars, rather than the Moon.


There are many tour companies offering the three-day trip across the Altiplano to Uyuni. In fact, if you are coming from Bolivia you can do it in reverse order. One of the biggest companies is Colque Tours. Colque has a reputation for being the best and the most reliable. Crossing the Altiplano is a precarious business and also very hard on the vehicle. Many of these vehicles breakdown, and getting stranded in this barren wilderness is not a pleasant thought. But the upside is that there are hundreds of tours all following the same route, so you are unlikely to be stranded for long.

All tours are unbelievably cheap, and you are best advised to book this in either San Pedro or Uyuni rather than through an agency at home; unless of course you would prefer to pay the extra to be sure of a place, especially if your trip is short. The tours last three days and two nights and all food is included. You just need to bring your own water, and I advise you to bring plenty of it.



The day begins early as you head east in a minibus towards the towering row of volcanoes shimmering as the morning sun rises over them. You will cross the Chilean border then head slowly uphill for several miles from an altitude of 2440 meters to 4400 meters before coming to the border crossing into Bolivia. This country, made famous by the exploits of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, has suffered a bad reputation over the years due to its constant drug wars and political unrest. Despite this, Bolivia is far from being the dangerous place you might imagine. The Bolivian people are very friendly and welcoming to visitors.



At the border crossing officialdom resides in a small hut sitting amid a treeless terrain where strong winds howl relentlessly across the open plateau. Two customs officials, barely discernable underneath several hundred layers of clothing, will greet you and check your passports. The next stop will be at Laguna Blanca where you will have breakfast and acclimatize to the higher altitude. Tea made from coca leaves is believed to be an effective cure for altitude sickness, and there will be plenty of this tea available.

Here you will get your first taste of what is to come. There are not enough words in the English dictionary to describe the awesome beauty of what will lay before your very eyes. Laguna Blanca stretches out before you in the soft morning light, as still as a painting and backed by the magnificent Volcano Licancabur perfectly reflected in the mirror of its waters. Standing at 5920 meters this magnificent mountain is simply breathtaking. The summit crater is about 400 meters wide and contains one of the world's highest lakes, which is frozen over most of the year. It's possible to hike this active volcano if you have the time. The climb takes about 12 hours, so you won't be able to hike it while on the tour.


From here you will be divided into small groups and board your jeep for the rest of the journey across this barren wilderness, first stopping at Laguna Verde for yet another stunning view of Licancabur across the glowing emerald lake; its color being due to a high content of copper minerals.



On this first day you will climb over the highest pass of the trip: 5200 meters. The landscape is a veritable myriad of subtle colors almost looking as though it has been airbrushed. Despite appearing to be a barren wilderness, the Altiplano actually is home to a prolific wealth of wildlife. Most often seen is the pink flamingo that you won't fail to miss on the lakes. If you are lucky, you may get the privilege of seeing a herd of Vicuñas, cousins to the llama, sweeping across the plains. The land is alive with geothermal activity, and one of the tour stops is at the thermal springs of Las Termas de Chalviri, where you can strip to your swimsuits and bathe in the hot waters. The next stop is at the Sol de Manaña, a valley of steaming geysers and bubbling cauldrons of mud and sculpture. The day will end at a small settlement next to Laguna Colorada, where an iridescent red lake (due to its red algae content) provides a lovely backdrop with llamas grazing upon its shore and the distant cone of a volcano perfectly outlined against the sky.



The next day will be just as inspiring as the previous. First stop is at Arbol de Piedra, an interesting stone monolith that has been carved into the shape of a tree by the weather. The dirt road will lead on past Laguna Cañapa and across a clay pan where the sky looks as though it is melting into the distant horizon. The Bolivian army has several checkpoints along this region, and every now and then scruffy teenage soldiers trying not to trip over the hems of their camouflage trousers will check your passport. Due to a lack of recruits, the army allows boys as young as fourteen to join, but doesn;t seem to provide them with trousers that fit.



The second night is spent in the small village of San Juan, beside the Salar de Uyuni. The next morning the jeep heads out onto the blinding white surface of the salar, where the sky really does melt into the horizon. This immense plain of salt is one of the Bolivia's greatest natural wonders. The surface is comprised of a thick layer of pure crystallized salt. In the winter heavy rainfall floods the area and turns it into a lake. But in the dry season (March to December), when the tours will run, the water level drops and vehicles can drive across. With an area larger than many small European countries, the Salar de Uyuni is truly wondrous and incredibly spectacular. Good sunglasses are needed here as the blinding white surface reflecting the deep blue sky, searing sun and fluffy clouds on the horizon could burn the retinas off the hardiest of travelers.

After a long drive, the blinding white surface is broken by the unusual sight of a small desert island, Isla de Pescadores. This lonely island appears on the horizon almost like a mirage. Its brown surface is covered with towering cacti and is actually a welcome respite from the world of white. As well as a couple of llamas, the island is also home to much birdlife. It's hard to imagine how such a place could exist here, but the truth is that these little islands are actually the remains of ancient volcanoes that sank when the region was submerged during the Quaternary Period. Depending on what time you arrive, the views from the top of the island across the salar as the sun dips low on the horizon are unrivalled anywhere in South America. The brown soil of the island casts a long purple shadow across the patterns in the salt.

 There are advantages to having a jeep that breaks down a lot. The delay could mean that you are still on the salar at sunset, and this is something that only the privileged get to view. The entire salar is bathed in a deep red glow and almost looks like it is on fire.

The edge of the salar spells the end of the trip, as you are quickly whisked into the town of Uyuni. However, now you have entered Bolivia and a whole world of adventure awaits you in this gorgeous country whose population comprises of 50% pure indigenous Indians. Crossing the Altiplano was just the beginning.


Explora Atacama:



Editor's Notes:
Accommodations in San Pedro vary from modest to the elegant Hotel de Larache operated by Explora Lodges. This establishment offers 50 luxury rooms each with Jacuzzi and sitting area and private access onto one of three patios. Each room features luxurious linens, custom-designed furnishings and spectacular views.

Explora Atacama offers various four- and eight-night programs with full board and include a choice of adventures classified according to duration and difficulty, but requiring no special training or experience (except for those optional ones that require climbing). Travel is by bike, on foot, in a van or on horseback.

For the North American traveler with limited time, there is scheduled commercial air access to Calama Airport near San Pedro de Atacama from Los Angeles, Houston, San Francisco and Philadelphia.


Read more about Ian's adventure through South America in his book, To the End of the World and Back (A South American Adventure)

http://www.ian-middleton.co.uk/travelwriting/endofworld.html

About the writer:

Ian Middleton is a freelance travel writer and photographer from the UK. He is the author of three travel narrative books and one travel guide to ancient Ireland, Mysterious World: Ireland. For more information visit his websites:

http://www.ian-middleton.co.uk

http://www.ianmiddletonphotography.co.uk


PHOTO CREDITS: Ian Middleton; Photos of Explora Lodge courtesy of Explora Atacama


© 2007 ROMAR TRAVEL GUIDES