San Pedro de Atacama to Uyuni 29 to 30 March (days 1 and 2 of 3)

San Pedro to Uyuni 29 March to 30 March - first two of three days 

Wednesday 29 March  Picked up from our hostel at 7.15 am in a mini bus and drive in a convoy for about an hour on the Ruta 27 east then turning north on a small road to Chile / Bolivia border. 

Climbing all the time and start to see what looks like frost on the ground….  it is frost. When we disembark near the Chile/ Bolivia border, at 4488 metres above sea level, it is literally freezing and really hard to breathe.  Clouds are moving past and the dew forming on backpacks is freezing.  

Quickly through Chile customs (we're leaving, so they aren't that interested) and then to the Bolivia post which again we go through quite quickly.  Then we're herded into a shed for breakfast - hot drinks, bread, biscuits, avocado.  Very good but at altitude I'm not that hungry.  When I ask about where the bano (loo) is am directed 'outside' so decide to hang on.   

The Toyota Landcruiser 4x4s that will be our transport for the next three days arrive - about 16 of them in all.  We are allocated our driver, Edgar, who speaks only Spanish, and put together with three Dutch people in their 20s, who speak perfect English..

We pay 150 Bolivianos each (about £17) to access the 'Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve'.   Our luggage is loaded onto the roof rack of the 4 X 4  and we set off, in a cloud so there's no real view.  Gradually the clouds lift and we start to see snow capped mountains and volcanoes.

Today is lake focussed ('rocks' on day two and the salt lake (salar) on day three).  The landscapes are just amazing, even if breathing was a bit tricky sometimes.   John has brought coca leaves and has a wodge of them on his cheek like a hamster - hopefully they will ward off altitude sickness. (It seems to [JC])

The first lake is the Laguna Blana (White Lake) so called (and coloured) as it has a high concentration of minerals in its waters, mainly borax, so not a good idea to go for a dip!

Then it's the Laguna Verde (Green Lake full of arsenic this time!) after which we drive through a barren desert.

The next stop is at the Termas (hot springs) de Polques where a number of people change into their bathers and go for a soak.  John and I walk up a short slope to Hostal Loma Tara where we're due to have lunch - takes forever and a lot of heavy breathing.  At 4400 metres altitude that's not a surprise.

Then to Sol de Manana, at 4,850 metres altitude, a sulphurous area of  boiling mud lakes, and steam rising from the geothermal area.  Not a fence or warning sign in sight.  Apparently they don't lose a lot of people.

Our final visit of the day is the Laguna Colorada which is a red colour due to the algae that grow there. Three types of flamingo call the area home, far more numerous than at the other lakes.  Go for a slow walk and enjoy the views.

Daniel, Jip, Michiel, Lyndon & John 

Bit of a drive, still off road, and we finally reach Mallku Villamar where we're spending the night in a hotel. We have a ' matrimonial ' room with an ensuite with the most terrifying looking electric shower.  Lots of tiles and hard surfaces everywhere - the manager? owner? Raoul is very hospitable and we have a cup of tea to warm and wake us up a bit. Then dinner - soup, spaghetti with vegetable sauce and pudding for our table.  We've had a long day driving on unsealed roads and it's not long before everyone's in bed.

Info centre in Villamar 

Thursday 30 March. Not a warm night. John goes to have a shower and leaves it running for me.  I get up to find half an inch of water on much of the bedroom floor as water has splashed out of the shower and run out of the bathroom ….  after my shower I  go and ask Raoul for a mop which he provides, and then leaves us to the mopping!

On the road after breakfast and travel to a series of rocky sites, including the 'World Cup', the Camel, the 'Mysterio' lake and the Anaconda river canyon (so called because of its winding shape, not because of any snake life).    

World cup 

Camel

Anaconda River canyon 

See llamas, sheep, chinchilla like viscacha, birds, and fields of quinoa which grows well with almost no water.  Have lunch seated at a table and sheltered under a tarp, all set up by the drivers.

The sights are lovely but the rocks get a bit repetitive and we're happy to get to a small town where we can stop for a rest.  There's beer, WiFi and a bano….. plus someone to dance with!

Reach Hotel de Sal at Colcha K just before dark;  it's made out of salt blocks with carved salt decorations on the wall.  

There's one bottle of Bolivian wine on the dining table and we buy a second to share with Jip, Michiel and Daan our fellow travellers.  

A dampener on the evening when Edgar the driver pops up to tell us that we're leaving at 4.30 am tomorrow in order to see the sunrise at the Salar 😲.

Good shower and sleep well, with the caveat that John misplaces his wedding ring and despite a thorough search of the room it doesn't reappear 😟

Follow us on our trip ‘South America’ at https://www.polarsteps.com/JohnandLyndonClarkson/6862812-south-america?s=40eb01d7-4a47-420d-a0d9-e7265f456571