Journey with Christina

Jon and I had agreed that we wanted to spend about 3 months in South America. As we had hit our three-month mark we were not able to spend much time in Bolivia. We did however, know that the Salar de Uyuni, covering 9,000 square kilometers was a must do. It is really not a lake although under the upper layer of thick crusted salt there is water. The top layer so thick that cars are able to drive on it.

We had originally wanted to pre-book so that when we arrive in Uyuni at 6:30 am on our overnight bus from La Paz we would have someone there waiting for us. In the end we decided to try our luck with arriving with no reservation and we were really glad we did. As we stepped of the bus there was several tour operators all eagerly trying to get us to chose them. We picked Expeditiones Lipez randomly because he said he had a warm office we could wait in as the tours all started at 10:30. We ended up getting the three-day tour for $120 each and to think we almost paid $185 each by pre-booking.

We hopped into our 20-year old land cruiser with our 4 other French tour companions and our 70-year old driver who spoke not a lick of English and headed out to the salt flats.

Our transportation for 7 people for the next 3 days with our driver on top securing our luggage, notice the license plate.

Driving across the completely flat white of the salt flats with the chain of unbroken snowcapped mountains far off in the horizon is an experience like being on another planet. The vastness is insane and all sense of perspective is lost. Jon and I tried our hand with taking photos and somewhat succeeded.

Salt as far as the eye can see.

Our Crazy Salt Flat Pictures.

After a long day we finally arrived at our first night accommodations which was a hotel on the other side of the salt flats completely made of salt. Even the tables and chairs where we ate at were made of salt slabs! We had a fabulous dinner made by the ladies of the house and shared a bottle of Bolivian wine with our French companions. After dinner I met 5 wonderful American women who let me join in on their pedestal dancing party. Believe it or not it was the first time I have danced since I left.

The outside of our salt hotel, Jon in our salt room, our salt table and chairs, and dance party. You can’t see the ground but it is completely covered in salt.

The second day we headed out of the salt flat and into the Siloli where we saw amazing rock formations, volcanos, and Lagoons with hundreds of flamingos. A highlight was getting up close to some bubbling geysers. The day ended with a dip in the most gorgeous hot spring as the sun set and the sky exploded with stars. Most tour groups do the hot springs in the morning of the third day and from the hordes of people the next morning I was so glad I was not one of them. We basically had the springs to ourselves.

Lagoons with flamingos, famous rock tree, bubbling geysers and Jon in the middle of the geyser steam.

Jon enjoying the hot spring and our hotel near the hot spring on the second night.

The finally morning we said farewell to our driver as he dropped us off at the middle-of-nowhere border to Chile.