Bolivia - Sep '23

In Feb ’22, I did my first driving expedition in Lake Baikal, Siberia and was a bit sceptical after having done many photography and trekking trips. But that experience is still fresh in my memory ( My blog - https://www.gopsview.com/post/lake-baikal-frozen-lake-expedition) and this trip was totally different from the regular photography and trekking trips. It was a mix of driving on a different terrain, photography, bit of hiking, getting to see new places and that too remote, variety of cuisine and so on. And so, after the Lake Baikal trip I decided to do at least one such trip every year.

When Nomadic Road announced their trip to Bolivia, I decided to take the plunge again.

The trip started from Santa Cruz which is Bolivia's commercial center and capital city. Though there were quite a few options to fly into Santa Cruz, I decided to fly Ethiopian Airlines, Mumbai – Addis Ababa – Buenos Aires – Santa Cruz, with an overnight stay in Buenos Aires. It was a comfortable flight and no doubt a good airline as well.

Santa Cruz is the gateway to the expedition across Bolivia. My port of entry was Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz has a small-town feeling with colonial buildings and relaxed tropical atmosphere. The city oozes modernity yet clings stubbornly to tradition.

Tour Date                            : 14th Sep ‘23 to 25th Sep ‘23

Company                             : Nomadic Road led by Venky

Our Expedition ....

15/9/23 :

This was the start of the expedition. The vehicles were delivered and inspected the previous day and were all set to go. We were given Nissan Patrol with manual transmission !!. We headed south-west towards Amboró National park, situated at the elbow of the Andes. Noted for its rugged and varied topography, Amboró National Park lies within three distinct ecosystems: the foothills of the Andes, the northern Chaco and the Amazon Basin. Nowhere else in the world do three such diverse environments coincide. This is a place where the majesty of the Andes meets the biodiversity of the Amazon.

Our stay was absolutely amazing,  in a valley surrounded by rocky titans, tropical rainforest and crystalline rivers at Refugio Los Volcanes, which is the perfect oasis of tranquility to connect with nature. It was a perfect day to unwind and relax in green pastures. Our stay was at Refugio Los Volcanes hotel.

16/9/23:

After a sumptuous breakfast, we headed out of the national park driving east, through tropical forest, orchards and small settlements towards a lush village called Samaipata, part of the Old Trade Route, that was once the most important road between Sucre (the old capital of Bolivia), Santa Cruz and the Amazon jungle. The road forces itself through a narrow valley and steadily gains altitude. 

This province is located on the undulating lowlands of the Andes. Interestingly due to the weather conditions,  Samaipata proves to be a good place for Viti viniculture and for its special Java variety of coffee beans.

From here, we headed south, along the Ruta del Che (Che Trail) through a rugged journey that was spectacular. From the rolling green hills and fields, we started seeing more arid topography with the altitude rising steadily. We headed towards La Higuera, a town so small, where Che Guevara’s dream of leading a continent-wide revolution ended in defeat and death. We spent a night in this town in a not so contemporary, not so lavish, but a simple accommodation. It was a wonderful experience to walk around the town. We also had the opportunity to see the place where Che Guevara was finally shot. The dinner served that day was outstanding. Our stay was at La Casa del Telegrafista Hotel and an Eco Lodge

17/9/23:

The day started with a drive through some fabulous dirt roads that very few must have ever seen. We continued to drive with a stunning climb through some scintillating and winding paved roads that led us to the town of Sucre – a world heritage site and the former Bolivian capital. Sucre sits in a valley surrounded by low mountains at an acceptable 2,800 metres (9,186 feet) and enjoys a much milder and more comfortable climate. Sucre has many cultural attractions like the Cathedral, the second oldest university in South America and the highly authentic Tarabuco Market, which make it a delightful town to visit. Our stay was at Su Merced hotel.

18/9/23:

After few hours of driving through mountains, scenic and winding roads and  through the highlands of Bolivia, we reached one of the highest cities in the world, Potosi located at an altitude of 4090 meters. Potosi was one of the biggest and richest cities in the world, after Paris and New York. This status came from the silver mine “Cerro Rico” (Rich Mountain), next to the city. The Spanish conquistadores used many slaves to extract the silver from this mountain and transport it to Spain. 

After a brief stop for lunch, we continued our journey further. Slowly the landscape and colours of the mountains started changing which was so beautiful. We crossed a  few more high-altitude passes before we reached the town of Uyuni a town which is located few clicks east of the salt flats. The night stay was at Tayka Del Desierto Hotel, a rustic hotel but with Andean decor and some modern touches.

19/9/23:

Today  we headed south towards the high mountain deserts of Siloli located within the Eduardo Avaroa reserve, that straddles the northern corners of Chile and Argentina. It’s said to be the place where Earth meets the sky. Most of the desert lies at an altitude of about 4500 meters above sea level. Located in the Andes, the desert is covered with volcanoes on ridges and has many types of isolated rocks. The climb was simply terrible, with a notorious lack of oxygen and high degree of steepness. The road within the desert was sandy and gravel and followed a series of rocks produced of strong winds that presents the region.

Our stay was at Tayka del Desierto Hotel, one of the most remote hotels in existence and one of the highest hotels in the world at roughly 4300 m altitude. There is literally nothing anywhere within many miles of this place and it’s the only settlement in the Siloli Desert. This was a simple hotel but one where we got to enjoy one of the most epic landscapes in South America. 

20/9/23:

Today we explored some other interesting areas within the National Park Eduardo Avaroa. We had the opportunity to experience some epic and beautiful landscape filled with lakes, salt pans, volcanoes, and thermal springs. Along the way we visited the emerald, green Laguna Verde, a lagoon with an almost phosphorescent green colour, due to its toxic and chemical composition, that makes it devoid of life. Post this our visit was to the famous Laguna Colorado with its red waters and flocks of flamingos. The lake has a deep orange– red hue from red algae and other microorganisms that thrive in the water. Surrounding the lake are large white deposits of borax, rolling grasslands, and purple mountains. 

After an interesting visit to Laguna Colorado, we  headed north towards San Pedro De Quemes, located on the southern end of the Salar de Uyuni, surrounded by a landscape of majestic mountains and the remote and expansive desert. This place is famous for  quinoa farming. Our stay was at Los Flamencos Eco Lodge.

21/9/23:

This was the day we were waiting for, the most historic drive across Salar De Uyuni. Salar De Uyuni is about 10,000 KMS in area and at an elevation of 3,656 m. Start Wars, The last Jedi (2017) and a few other movies were shot here. We drove North from San Pedro De Quemes toward Puerto Chuvica, which is the entrance to the salt flat. The world's largest single salt flat is technically not a road and hence driving here was mind-blowing. One will find it very difficult to distinguish the terrain between salt and fresh snow, unless probably tasted !! The endless white desert is now home to some of the most unique and breath-taking scenery on earth. Finding the words to accurately describe Salar de Uyuni is no easy task. It’s a truly unique and awe-inspiring part of the world and one has to see and experience it to be believed.

Driving on the salt flat ..

After some lifetime driving experience on the world’s largest salt flat, we headed to Tahua, which is located on the northwest bank of the Salar, and at the foot of the majestic Thunupa volcano. We stayed in Hotel Tayka de Sal (Spanish for Salt Hotel), as its name suggests, it is almost entirely made of pure salt from the Uyuni Salt Flats. Due to its strategic location the view from the hotel was absolutely mind boggling. 

22/9/23:

Unfortunately we had to bid adieu to the world’s largest single salt flat and continued our drive northwest towards the second largest salt flat (but lesser known) in Bolivia– Salar de Coipasa. 

We drove across Coipasa Salt Flat and entered the wild altiplano, in the middle of an arid landscape, surrounded by volcanoes near the Chilean border and then on some treacherous dirt roads. Our stay was at Sajama Hostel

23/9/23:

Today was the final day of our epic motoring journey, taking us to the final destination,  La Paz (3640 m), the highest capital in the world.

Note : Day wise itinerary details - Courtesy Nomadic Road

Driving Stats :

Our driving terrain ......

A glimpse of the landscape encountered ...

Being a vegetarian and off dairy products, food was never an issue for me. I had the opportunity to taste some of the best quinoa dishes and salads. One must not forget to try the Bolivian spicy sauces (Warning – Be extremely cautious !!) And of course Bolivian wine, coffee and chocolate cannot be missed.

The ever enterprising group :

Finally a summary of the entire trip captured by the Nomadic Photography Crew ....

Click here to view the Album --> https://bolivia-sep-23.gopsview.com/