The Uyuni Salt Flats and South Bolivia

So it was time for our travelling couple to go separate ways for a while.
I wanted to go see the mythical Uyuni Salt flats and the south of Bolivia that Geo had already experienced these regions a couple of years ago. So after an heart-rending farewell in the La Paz bus station I jumped in a night bus toward Uyuni.

I arrived in the early, very early morning in Uyuni. Hopefully as it wasn't the high season I didn't had to face too many agencies trying to sell me tours. I went straight to the market (the only place with decent prices in this tourist park) and enjoyed a nice coffee and cheese sandwich waiting for the agency I had booked my tour with to open.

At around 11 a.m. I jumped in the car that has been my ride for te next three days with the 6 other people part of the trip: two youngs Australian guys, a Bolivian family and the chaufeur.
We got going and headed to our first stop, the train cemetery featuring old British trains that were used to transport the mineral from the Andes towards the Chilean harbour of Antofagasta.

Our driver told us "10 minutes you can go down and take pictures". It was fun to see everybody taking the same silly pictures on the old machines. At the same time, it was for me quite a weird experience as it was my first organised tour of the trip. Being there, part of mass tourism made me feel a bit uncomfortable, but well, it is almost the only option to visit the salar on a budget if you are not ready to go by yourself cycling for a week into the desert.
A thing to know is that all the travel agencies propose exactly the same tour. So while you are on your own driving through the desert most of the day, you meet with the others agencies at all the "photo spots". I was sometimes thinking to myself, this place is sooo big couldn't they go to different places, but Bolivian tourism isn't usually very inventive.
Anyway, after this first stop we were on our way to the salar.

We visited the cactus islands on the middle of the salt flats.

And then went to take the usual salt flats pictures with optical illusions. On this occasion I got my glider out for a bit of fun and a few pics.

Riding godzilla

Before ending the day at our hostel we had a short visit to some caves on one of the "salar islands". It was very impressive as all the formations inside are actually petrified corals, showing the ancient nature of the salar: an ocean.

Thumbs

Then we finally got to our hostal. A cool building made of salt and cactus. It was very quiet as we were the only tourists in this place.A good night listening to the howling wind outside.

The salt hotel from outside

Inside the hotel

On the second day we departed early to go a bit further south, outside of the salar. This day has been long with a lot of driving, but also amazing landscapes. Firstly we saw the volcanic formations creating a lunar landscape.

Then the active volcanoes.

And finally a succession of amazing lagunas filled with flamingos on a volcanic background. Amazing!

The team

We passed by the famous "arbol de piedra". A rock formation created by wind erosion.

 Before carrying on on the road to the last and most beautiful of the laguna: "La laguna colorada"

On the road again

Laguna Colorada

This night we slept in a very basic accomodation in dorms. But the night was fun, we had a bit of wine and good discussions.
The next day we were on the road at 5 a.m. to go see the geysers. The morning drive was quite fun, looking a bit like a  race through the desert as all the cars from all agencies were speeding to get first at the spot.

After we drove to the Dali valley (said to have inspired Dali in his paintings) and the last lagunas of the trip.

Laguna Verde

At this point we were really close to Chile (San Pedro de Atacama) and a transfer was possible. I wish I had done that as it would have added a good reason to do this trip: use the tour as a transportation mean and pass to Chile.

Then we had a great bath in some thermal springs. Luckily our driver managed to time it right and we got the baths to ourselves!

Bath with a view!

There was more or less the end of the trip, keeping apart the last long drive back to Uyuni. This place is definitely very special, but I would say that the experience can be a bit spoiled by the mass tourism feel.

On the way back we stopped at a crazy place full of volcanic blocks, a rock climber dream!

Last meal

Bonus Pic: