3 days in the Sud Lipez desert (Bolivia)

I usually write my articles “while the iron is hot.” In this case, I’m writing it three months late. Since I didn’t note down the name of each stop and my memory is far less reliable than Anh’s, this article won’t be very precise. Sorry 😀

While we’re in Uyuni, I finally decide to book a 3-day/2-night tour to discover Sud Lipez. I hesitated a bit because Anh, due to her sensitivity to altitude, doesn’t want to do this tour. So I leave her in Uyuni for 3 days.

There’s no shortage of tour agencies in Uyuni; they all offer the same tours at a similar price. We chose one with good reviews on Google (Anh spotted their car and said the tourists inside looked particularly happy) and booked the day before for the next day. Only a tour with a Spanish-speaking guide is available. That suits me—it’s cheaper, and my basic understanding of Spanish should be enough.

The 3-day 2-night tour costs 900 Bs, plus 200 Bs extra for the two private rooms I’ll have (instead of dorm beds). Payment is in cash; otherwise, there’s a 5% surcharge for card payments. I’m told to bring some cash to pay for the restrooms.

Day 1

We’re told to meet at the agency at 9 am.

I meet my travel companions. I thought I’d be with a group of Spanish speakers, but I end up with a German, a Spaniard, two Dutch women, and a Chinese woman. All solo travelers! Everyone speaks English, except our guide and the Chinese tourist 😀

I learn we need to bring water for the 3-day trip. Drinks are included with meals, but not outside of them. And we won’t have a chance to buy any along the way. I quickly buy two extra 2-liter bottles. Six liters in total, plus what we get with meals, should be enough.

First stop: the train cemetery. It’s very impressive the first time, but I visited it once 7 years ago, a second time two days ago when we did our one-day desert tour, and so a third time today. It’s still fun to watch the hundreds of tourists all excited about this discovery.

Next, we head to the small village of Colchani where I also went two days ago. Although Colchani is described as a “picturesque” village, I find it’s mainly a tourist stop with souvenir shops and a small museum showing how salt is harvested. This is where we have our first meal in a building made entirely of salt!

We then venture into the salt desert. First, over a very dry section, then into a flooded area. Even though it’s also the third time I’ve been there, it’s impossible to get tired of it. It’s magnificent, the most beautiful place I know on Earth!

We’ll spend hours taking all kinds of photos and videos playing with perspectives. The sunset gives us wonderful color contrasts; it’s amazing! Bring something to cover up, because it gets very cold quickly. Since it rained a lot in the last 48 hours, we have even more water than 2 days ago, but it’s still less impressive than what we saw 7 years ago.

We arrive at our hotel in San Juan. I hadn’t quite understood if we were sleeping in a salt hotel, and what a nice surprise—we are! The hotel is rather rustic, but it’s very pretty. The tour includes shared dorm rooms, but I paid extra for a private room. So I have a private room with toilet and bathroom. And I even get a somewhat warm shower, which is great for getting rid of the salt accumulated during the day. This is the height of luxury!

Day 2

This second day is particularly interesting thanks to the variety of landscapes we’ll cover: desert areas, lagoons, llamas, and flamingos by the hundreds.

We have lunch near a lagoon, in the middle of the desert, in the middle of nowhere. That doesn’t stop there from being a Wi-Fi hotspot. I didn’t test it, but it seems you need to put coins in to activate the electricity and connect. Incredible 😀

At the end of the day, while heading to the hotel, the Spanish tourist asks the guide for the name of our hotel and looks it up on his phone—I don’t really know why. Then a few moments later, the car stops and drops off our Spanish friend. Instinctively, I ask him if he’s finishing the trip on foot and if I can join him. Two minutes later, we’re alone and the car is far away. That’s when I find out we’re 7 kilometers away ahaha. It was a bit tough due to the altitude and headwind, but I don’t regret it; it spices up the adventure!

We sleep in a refuge in Huayllajara. Again, it’s quite rustic, with 6-bed dormitories and electricity that cuts off at 10 pm. Except for me! Who again gets a private room with a boiling hot shower and unlimited electricity (I think, I was already asleep by 10 pm ^^).

Day 3

We get up very early (5 am!). The Spanish tourist has the bright idea to go out before breakfast to admire the stars. It’s really worth it because it’s increasingly rare to have no light pollution; it’s magnificent. I enjoy it for a few minutes before quickly going back in—it’s freezing!

We’re a bit late due to a mechanical issue with the car.

We head to Sol de Mañana to watch the sunrise and the geyser activity (with the rotten egg smell that comes with it). We’re at an altitude of 5,000 meters.

We then bathe in naturally hot thermal baths at 35°C. It’s restorative because waking up was tough and it’s particularly cold! We enjoy a beautiful view of the lagoon with llamas crossing. Magnificent!

It’s time to part ways with part of the group; indeed, it’s possible to be dropped off at the Chilean border to then head to San Pedro de Atacama, which is just nearby.

I hesitate a bit, because it’s a very interesting area, but I remember that Anh is waiting for me in Uyuni.

Another little setback due to a flat tire. The spare wheel is worn down to the cord, a sign that this must happen regularly.