Road Less Travelled Blog » South America

Potosi, Bolivia: Roof of the world in the Americas

Nick Healy — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:45:00 +0000

GUEST ARTICLE: Windswept blood-red plains of volcanic rock, ash and acidic lakes that support no life – sounds more like an alien landscape than the middle of a continent home to the Amazon basin but this is southern Bolivia. I don’t know how this place missed out on everyday discussion about Top Ten Places to See Before You’re Too Old, but it should be up there!

A four-day off-road tour is the best way to catch a glimpse of this expansive landscape that until recently was never inhabited by people. I’ll let the photos do most of the talking.

Getting There and Booking

Our adventure through the Potosi region began with 6 hour train ride from the Bolivian/Argentine border town of Villazon.

There are half a dozen places you can book a tour in Tupiza, every one of which will have walls covered with positive reviews from happy customers. In most cases, almost everyone we spoke with during our time in Bolivia were happy with their tours through Potosi but it pays to check Tripadvisor.com for any warnings on operators to avoid.

Be sure to be clear that you don’t want your driver to drink during the journey – believe it or not, we were told many times by locals and travellers that drinking and driving in Bolivia is not illegal and quite common.

We booked a four-day 4×4 drive and set off not really knowing what to expect from a region you don’t really hear much about. As we climbed very basic roads lined with huge caverns, cliffs and the occasional group of llamas, the sense of true wilderness and isolation grew.

It eventually hits you when you cross hundreds of kilometers from dawn ‘til dusk and the only sign of human habitation is the occasional hamlet style accommodation sitting amongst the dusty wilderness.

Once on the road – or loose tracks that act more as a guide for drivers – you’re taken to higher altitudes by the hour. At the same time, the landscape becomes recognisably starker, you spot less settlements in the distance, and the air become thinner and a lot colder.

The first night is spent resting up in a very basic mud-brick hamlet home to a couple of families. The second night is much the same and neither have hot water. Electricity is only on for a couple of hours each night so be prepared for basic accommodation, freezing nights and no shower for three days – unless you can stand the freezing water at dawn or dusk.

Altitude & Your Body

A true sense of wilderness is definitely amplified by the dizzying effects of the altitude – at times reaching 5,000 metres (16400 feet) above sea level. In the face of popular belief, chewing the (legal in Bolivia) coca leaf narcotic only offers a faint temporary relief from altitude sickness and you’d be advised to be well stocked with pain killers if you’re prone to headaches at heights.

I personally didn’t experience many headaches but did feel a shortness of breath that does tend to inhibit your energy levels at times. As result of the altitude you won’t see many travellers walking or hiking in the distance, most settle for a short stroll from the Toyota Landcruiser at each regular stop throughout the day.

Start from Tupiza

Whether you’re heading south to Potosi from La Paz or north from the border of Argentina (like we did), I highly recommend starting the journey from Tupiza. Starting from the south allows the journey to gradually build from grassy highland plains, through red deserts and volcanoes to an climatic end at the Salar de Uyuni and its world famous salt hotels.

Made entirely of solid salt bricks, the salt hotels are surprisingly warm and comfortable compared the mud-brick accommodation that houses tourists over the rest of the tour.

The Salar de Uyuni is the world’s largest salt lake. At 10,582 square kilometers (4,086 sq mi) it stretches to the horizon and is dotted with dozens of islands that rise out of the white like huge single rocks. We make a stop at one of these islands, Incahuasi, after a magnificent sunrise over the Salar which visitors can climb for a phenomenal view.

This rocky outcrop lying on a totally flat salt plane supports 1,000 year-old cacti, a few strands of grass and a single ostrich – we weren’t told how it got there but it was friendly enough. Incahuasi island is the last staging point before you’re taken far out onto the white expanse of the Salar for photos and lunch. After a day on the Salar, you are dropped at Salar township.

Costs

To book a 4×4 Toyota Landcruiser over the four day journey, expect to pay a total of $AUD803.00 / $USD720.00. If this sounds steep, the operators are well practised at pairing groups with each other.

We were paired with a lovely French couple with whom we shared the experience and paid $200.00/$USD180 per person. This includes everything you need for the tour around Potosi including accommodation, cooked meals and a tour guide/driver.

Recommendations

We were thoroughly happy with our tour operator, Grano de Oro. If you’re there, drop by to see if they have openings. If they do, go with them!
Bolivia is a developing country. Be patient when things don’t happen as you’d expect it to in your own country.
Accommodation is very basic and freezing at night.
Bring lots of layers and your own sleeping bag liner – you can rent a sleeping bag for a little extra cost if you are not traveling with one.
Bring hand steriliser and wet wipes – there are no showers for days.
Bring sunblock, hat, scarf and gloves. You’ll need to cover up due to the extremes in temperatures and lashings from the sun and dust.
Bring a first-aid kit with all you need in case of food poisoning. We were fine but as you’re days from any doctor, it pays to be prepared.
Bring plenty of Bolivianos and US dollars before leaving arriving in Tupiza. There are no cash machines there!

Mining on the Salar

Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni contains the world’s largest deposits of lithium. There has been passionate political debates and controversy in Bolivia and South America as to if (and how) it should be mined.

On the one hand, the lithium could potentially pump billions into the struggling Bolivian economy, while on the other, many locals saw it as threat to their rapidly growing tourism trade and the environment. The Salar is also considered sacred by locals. Australia’s ABC TV Channel recently ran a segment on the debate around lithium mining on the Salar.

Political Unrest

While we were leaving Potosi to bus back to La Paz, our convoy had to leave the main road on a detour which took a couple hours. The reason for this was there were worker strikes in some of the mining towns. Since then, there have been reports of further protests, some of them violent.

While tourists and travellers are generally left alone in these cases, there were reports of a recent group that had to stay on in Uyuni to wait for the protests to calm. At no time did we feel under any threat while we were travelling in Bolivia.

This travel diary has been written by my friend Nick Healy. Nick works in the field of online and digital public relations for Technology companies, but lives to explore and photograph places less travelled around the world by planes, buses and even ocean going yachts.

If you’ve travelled somewhere off the beaten track, can write well and have good quality photos I encourage you to contact me and I’ll consider publishing your travel diary here including generous attribution and links back to your website as thanks for your contribution

Argentina Patagonia Wilderness: Alpine Mountains, Valleys, Frozen Tundra Plateaus

Nick Healy — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 06:49:09 +0000

GUEST ARTICLE: Argentine Patagonia, the southern corner of South America, offers travellers a full spectrum of wilderness experiences. From alpine mountain peaks and valleys, to frozen desert-like tundra plateaus that span for hundreds of miles, this region makes for hiking, road trip and photographic heaven.

Patagonia has always been a frontier land of Argentina, never experiencing huge influxes of European settlement due to its harsh climate and wild landscape – it’s always attracted explorers and adventure seekers.

Many areas still maintain an element of remoteness and isolation while some parts have become busy tourist centres for Argentine and international travellers to plan their Patagonian experience from.

Bariloche and El Bolson

Bariloche sits on the eastern side of the southern Andes in Argentine Patagonia near the border with Chile. Home to around 100,000 people, it’s a historic tourist town and one of the largest in the region. People from Buenos Aires and beyond come to enjoy the alpine air, lakes, skiing and laid back life away from the cities.

In warmer months it’s a great place to take in crystal clear blue lakes and fresh mountain air while in the winter months it’s one of Argentina’s main ski resorts and home to some of the best snow on the continent apparently. We spent about a week here toward the end of the warmer months and I say ‘warmer’ because it’s anything but summery at around 5 degrees at night and 10-15 degrees during the day.

Bariloche overlooks the massive Lake Nahuel Huapi – a long slim glacial lake that reaches a depth of 438 metres (1,437 feet) in parts. Architecturally, Bariloche resembles a European alpine town – not what most travellers would expect from the southern reaches of the new world.

It was first settled by German, Austrian and Slovene immigrants in the mid-1800s and much of its original architecture still stands in the town centre. The main street is also dotted with dozens European style chocolate and confectionery shops – a great place to be around at Easter.

By any standards Bariloche is beautiful but it is a major tourist centre and for those who want a quieter vibe, a trip to a surrounding town or village is the way to go.

A short, 2 hour bus-ride away is the former hippie town of El Bolson, a tiny holiday village sitting on Lago Puelo – a crystal clear glacial fjord-like lake with deep blue and green tones.

El Bolson is sandwiched between high peaks seltered by mountains ridges in a small valley. Because of this, it enjoys a warm micro-climate that is 2-3 degrees higher than anywhere else in the area. El Bolson is a great place to buy locally made arts, crafts and artisan food – from beaded necklaces and carved benches to homemade jams and organic beer, it’s all there.

Boat rides and walks in the mountains are also easily accessible. The restaurants are also great for hearty stews, steaks and fresh trout sourced from the surrounding mountains.

Accommodation in Bariloche and El Bolson is fairly easy to organise but as they are popular getaways during Argentinean holidays so it pays research into hotel and hostel availability in advance. Most places in Argentina are listed on hostelworld.com and tripadvisor.com so choosing a safe and reliable place to stay is generally not very hard.

El Calafate and El Chalten

El Calafate sits across dry, dusty and exposed plains that reach to deep icy lakes lakes fed by huge ice sheets. It is further south than Bariloche and far colder. The town has a real frontier-land feel which is backed up by cold polar winds that blow the dusty ground into your face as they swirl through the surrounding mountain ranges.

Perito Moreno National Park lies a short 1.5 hour bus ride to the west of El Calafate. Most tourists are recommended to take a sunrise bus to make the most of the day as you can spend hours walking the viewing platforms around the 30 metre tall, 5km wide Perito Moreno glacier. You also get to see some of the sun’s first rays hit the mountains ridges, ice sheets and tussock grasses as you meander your way to the park.

There are a range of ways to see Perito Moreno from its very modern tourist office. You can take a boat tour across the lake to the glacier’s edge, a trek across its surface or stroll one of the maany extensive walkways that wrap around its widest part.

Every 15 minutes or so a thunderous sound will crack open the valley as ice chunks the size of fridges and cars break away from Perito Moreno – it’s literally crumbling before your eyes. While many tourists sit watching for chance to snap a photo of ice crashing in to the lake below, capturing it at the right time can be a real challenge.

Keen photographers are recommended to pick one specific area of the glacier to watch for falling ice rather than running somewhere when the crackling sound of the ice breaking hits the valley. Once the sound of breaking ice is heard, it’s too late and all you’ll only see the final splash if you’re not standing in front of it.

The mountains around Perito Moreno are constantly circled by massive condors – a large member of the vulture family that is native to South America. These huge birds catch the updrafts of wind from the mountains across Patagonia and appear rather menacing as they float past tourists on the look out for carcasses.

Pumas are not so common here but I was told they can sometimes be spotted in the distance. Hunted to near extinction over the last 100 years, Pumas are highly cautious of humans and only occasionally seen in the distance from the main roads. Some locals we spoke to mentioned they do expect more Puma sightings in the coming years with better conservation laws.

Four hours north of El Calafate lies El Chalten, a tiny village on the border with Chile and home to some of the best mountain hikes in the South America. A day trip from El Chalten is great way to appreciate the dramatic rock-faced peaks that loom over the valley. If you can spend more time there, I would recommend you do so. After visiting for just one day, and looking back now, I would have given El Chalten a few days (at least).

Keen hikers who visit El Chalten are indulged by a range tracks that feed into the mountain ranges, all tailored to varying skill and fitness levels. Perhaps one of the the most iconic of the peaks in the area is Mount Fitz Roy, a three spire peak that stabs the sky over El Chalten. Fitz Roy marks the Argentine border with Chile and stands at over 3,375 m (11,073 ft) tall. The best look-out for Fitz Roy is a 2 hour walk from El Chalten village and great for a quick snapshot of what the area has to offer.

Tips for travel in Argentine Patagonia

Argentine Patagonia is not cheap, but can be affordable if you do your research, plan and book ahead.

Be prepared for the elements. The climate can be bone-chillingly cold and the sun very harsh so bring thermals and sun block!

Be prepared for a lack in the range of fresh food. Many areas in Patagonia rely on fruit and vegetables transported from Buenos Aires so they may not always have your favourite and you may have to settle for the canned equivalent.

If you have time and are travelling on a budget, look in to a suite class seat on an Argentine tour bus. You will save a lot more and see some of the most remote parts of the country along the way. See Overland Transport Argentina: Buses Better Than Flying

Hostel World and Trip Advisor are great for research on accommodation. Like anywhere, there are some place that should be avoided as well as real gems that can make your stay amazing.

The only issue commonly encountered by visitors to El Calafate are stray dogs. While most will have homes, there are dozens of dogs roaming the streets in packs and can snap at the odd tourist. At one point I had two dogs nipping at my feet on the way back from the supermarket.

I found the price of accommodation increased the further south you go but at around $AUD11.00 / $USD9.00 per night for bed in a shared room, it’s not exactly an arm and a leg when compared to Europe or Australia

This travel diary has been written by my friend Nick Healy. Nick works in the field of online and digital public relations for Technology companies, but lives to explore and photograph places less travelled around the world by planes, buses and even ocean going yachts.

If you’ve travelled somewhere off the beaten track, can write well and have good quality photos I encourage you to contact me and I’ll consider publishing your travel diary here including generous attribution and links back to your website as thanks for your contribution

Overland Transport Argentina: Buses Better Than Flying

Nick Healy — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:14:04 +0000

GUEST ARTICLE: Buses in Argentina. The sound of this (to most gringos) conjures up third-hand stories of tourists being sandwiched between farm animals, experiencing long delays, or being robbed in the middle of the night. However in our experience, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

El Chalten Valley photo credit: Nick Healy

In fact, after spending three months on trains, planes and automobiles throughout South America, travelling by bus in Argentina was one of the most comfortable ways to get around. Most towns, wherever you are in Argentina, will have a centrally located bus station.

Flights within South America are a plain rip-off when compared to what you get anywhere else in the world. The airlines (Aero-Sur, Lan Chile, Aerolineas Argentinas and other small carriers) can charge an arm and a leg for a one-way flights within the continent.

After experiencing average value for money on very early morning flights and hearing about long delays at airports from just about everyone I met along the way, a first or second class trip on an Argentiean tour bus was rather luxurious.

Argentinean tour buses aren’t your average domestic transporters, they’re double-decker monsters with seats that, in some cases, can be flattened out to almost 180 degrees for easy sleep.

Basic food and wine is served throughout the journey and there’s always an on-board toilet so there’s no need to get out when at dodgy-looking stations in the middle of nowhere. While there have been stories of bus robberies in South America, these are very rare in Argentina.

Road to El Calafate, Patagonia, Argentina. photo credit: Nick Healy

Here is a breakdown of bus ticket prices quoted and purchased during our time in Argentina (2010). All prices are per person.

Northern Argentina: Buenos Aires to Salta

Bus: Approximately 16 hours complete road time in first class with one night accommodation in Cordoba included in this price. $AUD110.00 / $USD102.00

Flight: One-way direct, economy $AUD261.00 / $USD220.00

Southern Argentina: Buenos Aires to Bariloche

Bus: 19 hours complete road time direct $AUD 65.00 $USD55.00

Flight: One-way direct, economy $AUD258.00 / $USD218.00

Quick tips for busing around Argentina

One risk worth mentioning is that you must be aware of your bags at the central bus station, Retiro, in Buenos Aires. It is close to a rough part of town. While I didn’t experience any trouble there, travellers do need to wary of pick-pocketing.

Always tip your baggage handlers one peso (20 cents AUD). It’s a common thing in Argentina polite and ensures your bags get to their destination.

Seats that flatten to 180 degrees are in Suite buses. It’s about 20% cheaper for seats that tilt by around 45 degrees.

This travel diary has been written by my friend Nick Healy. Nick works in the field of online and digital public relations for Technology companies, but lives to explore and photograph places less travelled around the world by planes, buses and even ocean going yachts.

If you’ve travelled somewhere off the beaten track, can write well and have good quality photos I encourage you to contact me and I’ll consider publishing your travel diary here including generous attribution and links back to your website as thanks for your contribution

Lima, Peru – Gateway to Machu Picchu Cuzco and mysterious Nazca Lines

Rob Gower — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 10:50:58 +0000

GUEST ARTICLE: This was our first trip to Peru and before arriving we didn’t get too many rave reviews about Lima, in fact we heard it was somewhat dangerous being such a poor country. However Lima was much better than expected & has a lot to offer travelers willing to go off the beaten track

Lima is situated on the western coast of Peru and I think it is mainly used as a hub to the bigger tourist attractions like Machu Picchu, Cuzco and the mysterious Nazca Lines. Our flight from Buenos Aires to Lima took about 5 hours and before we knew it we were once again flying over the Andes and a vast desert.

Our driver took us to the safer and more westernized area called Miraflores. The first thing we noticed was the multitudes of people and old cars accompanied with an ever present thick pollution in the air. The diversity between suburbs varied from small run down graffiti riddled cement boxes to blocks of beautifully built modern condos lining the Peruvian coast.

Even though our hotel was located in the safe district we had armed guards in front of our hotel, actually there were armed police with dogs everywhere! We found it to be somewhat unnerving but safe?

Our hotel was situated right next to the Inca Markets, a major shopping area for all of the beautiful local artwork. Fine knits specializing in Alpaca and the most favoured soft baby Alpaca were abundant, along with multitudes of silver artwork.

The streets were teaming with people and it took some attention when crossing the road. Some of the main vehicles on the road were these old buses packed to the brim with locals, each of them had their own little man yelling out its particular destination. For about $1 Sole or .50 AUD you could hitch a ride if you could squeeze in

Our first sightsee was a walk toward the beach to a massive outdoor mall called Larco Mar located high atop the cliffs lining the ocean. We had some great eats at one of the cafe’s there, I would highly recommend their sirloin steak and sautéed mushroom sandwich – delish

They love their gourmet sandwiches there and do them all very well! The prices in Lima were also very reasonable and if you were smart you didn’t get caught up in the obvious tourist traps. Fortunately we always got our money’s worth and never had one rip-off

From Larco Mar we caught a double decker sightseeing bus for about $25 AUD. Perched at the top in the open air for a 3 hour tour (goodbye lungs) gave us a real feel of Lima but we had to watch our heads as they have some low hanging wires in some areas, can you imagine getting clotheslined at 50km/hr!?

The bus took us into downtown Lima, the poverty was rife and the air even dirtier, but amongst all of the chaos were some really beautiful landmarks. One very impressive square called Main Square had native Peruvian dancers in full garb and we even got a chance to see the changing of the guard at the government palace.

It was our last excursion though that topped everything we’d seen so far. It was the San Francisco Convent and Catacombs. The inside was incredible with some of the most elaborate woodwork we’ve ever seen. As we descended underground to the maze of Catacombs the air became very stale and musty, we soon discovered the reason for this.

There were piles of human bones everywhere! Categorized it seemed according to certain body parts. These bones were that of the monks and locals and there were thousands of them. It really was an incredible sight and one we will never forget.

We enjoyed ourselves immensely in Lima and we can’t wait to go back to go explore Machu Picchu and the other big attractions of Peru. Despite all of the hearsay about Lima our trip was completely safe and the Peruvians made us feel welcome. Obviously there are bad areas to avoid but that’s why you have common sense kids, use it!

Viva Peru!

This travel diary has been written by Rob Gower, a traveller who works part-time for a Sydney minibus hire company and enjoys travelling along roads less travelled!

If you’ve travelled somewhere off the beaten track, can write well and have good quality photos I encourage you to contact me and I’ll consider publishing your travel diary here including generous attribution and links back to your website as thanks for your contribution

Enjoying Great Food in Crowded Metropolis of Buenos Aires, Argentina

Rob Gower — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 03:40:11 +0000

GUEST ARTICLE: I wouldn’t call Buenos Aires one of the most beautiful cities we’ve ever been to, but it was definitely one of the most interesting.

We were there for 5 days and barely touched it. What we did see was pretty impressive and the local food is delicious and certainly worth trying. The roughly 13 million people (minus us tourists) that live in the greater metropolitan area area of Buenos Aires was unbelievable – we’ve never seen so many people.

What a city, it’s massive! We arrived at around 7pm on a Friday night and had the chance to experience the rush hour traffic, something I would highly recommend you avoid.

Fortunately our taxi driver thought he was Mario Andretti and quickly weaved his way through a maze of streets until about an hour and a half later we finally arrived at our hotel in the district of Palermo.

You know it’s funny how drastic the change in scenery was, first we were driving through the most decrepit shanty town district that was crowded with derelict buildings and bars on every window. Then a few blocks over there were lines of beautiful condos and lush parks with sprawling green grass areas with flowerbeds all around.

We later discovered this juxtaposition was quite commonplace throughout Buenos Aires and most poor countries we have visited.

The Argentineans are a very proud people especially when it comes to their steaks. Which by the way I have to say are pretty close to the best that we’ve ever had.

If you’re looking for a great steak at a good price check out their local “Parrilla’s.” It’s a local eatery and from the outside looks very deceiving to what it actually has to offer – delicious. We had two fillet mignons, chorizo sausage, mash and wine for about $25AUD, you can’t argue with that.

The subway system is pretty old but it does the trick and it is super cheap, about 40cents per ride but it too is something to avoid during rush hour unless you feel like being a steaming sardine, yes it’s that packed and there’s no air conditioning.

I can’t even imagine what it’s like in the summer, yikes! Thankfully the cabs are also super cheap and can be found pretty much on every corner.

Our first sightseeing destination was the famous La Recoleta Cemetery where Eva Peron is buried (‘Don’t cry for me Argentina’ for those of you who don’t know who she is).

Before we entered the cemetery I noticed quite a few raggedy cats hanging about and once we made it inside we noticed heaps more. We saw about a dozen mangy looking street cats that have made the cemetery their home within the multitudes of the most beautiful sculptures and vaults we’ve ever seen.

We found out that within each of the massive family vaults there is usually an altar or dedication of some sort to the deceased and then stairs that lead to an underground area that can hold up to 40 family members – wow.

Another really cool district we went to is called San Telmo, the most ancient neighbourhood in the city. There is a massive pedestrian only street strictly dedicated to some pretty unique buskers, tango musicians and tonnes of shops and markets.

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If you’re into antiques this is your place, I’ve never seen so many of those shops in one area. Unfortunately we never saw anything that took our fancy except this really cool mug made out of a cow’s hoof, now who wouldn’t want one of those. Merry Christmas Mom! Haha!

Also a great place to find empanadas the size of your head and yes steak, steak and more steak! This massive cobblestone street goes on for kilometres and eventually leads you to the downtown district.

The two pedestrian only streets were so packed that if you lost your place in what I call the cow cue, you had to step off to the side to time yourself back in. I don’t know how long these streets went on for but they had to have been at least a few kilometres each, yes girls – shopping, shopping and more shopping.

Next stop … Lima, Peru.

Hasta luego amigos!

This travel diary has been written by Rob Gower, a traveller who works part-time for a Sydney minibus hire company and enjoys travelling along roads less travelled!

If you’ve travelled somewhere off the beaten track, can write well and have good quality photos I encourage you to contact me and I’ll consider publishing your travel diary here including generous attribution and links back to your website as thanks for your contribution

San Pedro De Atacama (Chile) – Like Nowhere Else on Earth

Rob Gower — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 22:19:16 +0000

GUEST ARTICLE: The flight from Santiago, Chile up to Calama only took two hours. From above you could see the drastic change in the terrain and soon the most arid desert in the world was below us. Stepping out onto the scorching black tarmac, our eyes burned not only from the brilliant sun but from the extremely dry air. After picking up our rental we drove about an hour southwest to our next destination – San Pedro de Atacama.

The smooth rolling hills and numerous volcanoes lined the long empty highway, and as the sun started to set the scenery became even more breathtakingly beautiful in colour and shadows. We soon found ourselves driving through an incredible sight called “Valle de la Luna or Moon Valley” .This place has rightfully earned its name; it literally makes you feel like you’re on the moon.

As we wound down through the valley we saw the little oasis town of San Pedro de Atacama. The town has kept its Spanish colonial influence and is literally made out of clay and stone, with numerous little dirt roads winding their way throughout. Every place looks pretty much the same, so you can imagine it was a treat trying to find our hotel – Casa de Don Tomas in the dark.

After using some dodgy Spanish for directions we came upon our humble abode and settled in for what I call the longest night ever! I have to say that was one of the most uncomfortable nights I’ve had, not because of the room (that was great) but because of the air being so dry. I swear I must have drunk about 2 litres of water during the night; I have never experienced thirst like that! Thankfully we soon acclimatised ourselves and were pretty much back to normal in a few days.

The next morning we did a walkabout throughout the town, what a cool little place! The dirt streets are narrow and lined with small boutique shops, restaurants, tour organizers and tonnes of hostals (hostels). The town has a really cosy feeling, the people are all very nice and of course the food didn’t disappoint.

We were really fortunate to also be there for the anniversary of the region, so we were able to see Chileans in their beautifully bright coloured traditional garb, fantastic! In the afternoon we hopped in our car and headed for a more intimate tour of the Valle de la Luna. It was all dirt road but thankfully for us and our poor little car, easily accessible.

The Valle de la Luna was formed about 22 million years ago and with years of wind and atmospheric conditions it has been transformed into an incredible myriad of shapes. Although incredibly beautiful it is also the most inhospitable corner on earth.

From San Pedro there are 4 roads, each heading out in different directions and to some pretty incredible sights. One day we ventured down another dirt road for about 30kms to check out some natural thermal pools we had heard about (Termas de Puritama).

We parked our car and started down a very steep and narrow road into a massive canyon. At first glance it’s hard to believe there could possibly be a group of thermals down there but we were soon proved wrong.

After handing over $5000 pesos each to our nice Chilean caretaker, we meandered down a little red wooden walkway in search of our first pool. With the sun at about three quarters down the lighting to this place was magic and so were the clear blue green pools. They were as natural as you can get with slippery fluorescent green moss rocks, gravel bottoms and little waterfalls surrounded by typical Chilean foliage.

The temperature was perfect in each one but let me tell ya, getting out was not treat, it was freezing!! When the sun starts to go so does all of that scorching heat and you soon start to really respect the drastic temperatures in the desert.

The next day we headed south to check out some lagoons. After about 60kms we came upon our first lagoon – Laguna Chaxa (Part of Salar de Atacama). This was another exquisite sight, amongst a massive salt crust were shallow lagoons harbouring hundreds of Chilean and Andean Flamingos, what a sight!!

Our next stop which was about another 50 kms south east was the Lagunas Miscanti y Meniques. Two of the most magnificently coloured lagoons situated 4000m above sea level nestled in the Andean Mountains.

The lagoons get their intense blue colour and stark white banks from the Volcano Meniques eruption 1 million years ago causing the stagnation of the water. The stark contrast of the lagoons, yellow rolling hills and the Andes is something I will never forget. To top it off we had a kodak moment when a herd of wild Alpacas started grazing in front of one of the lagoons – talk about a magic moment!

Today we did a last looksee and drove west toward A Paso Jama Argentina. After about 40kms we started feeling really woozy and breathless, we hadn’t realized we just did a gradual climb to about 5,000m above sea level – uggg. There is no way I would make it as a mountain climber! Besides having a touch of altitude sickness, yes you guessed it, it was totally worth it.

We saw a few more beautiful salt lakes with the odd flamingo and lots of wild Alpacas, Llamas, Vicuna (similar to Llamas) and one giant flightless bird called a Puna Rhea – excellent!

Oh and some other bird that nearly took my head off….I was peacefully taking some nice photos of some grazing Alpacas when all of a sudden I heard a loud screech and thrum of wings! What was my lesson learned you ask?

Well, for starters obviously watch out for nests, never wear thongs on gravel and never try running at an altitude of 5000m!! By the time I made it back to the safety of our car I had rocks the size of marbles stuck in my thongs and I felt like I had the wind knocked out of me!! Damn you bird!

Okay, so there’s the mega scoop on one of the coolest places we’ve been to so far. Judging from this whole trip in Chile so far, you really can’t go wrong here. For now I’ll let the pictures tell the rest, I hope you like them as much as I loved taking them (besides the bird incident). Next stop Buenos Aires, Argentina!!

Adios Amigos

This travel diary has been written by Rob Gower, a traveller who works part-time for a Sydney minibus hire company and enjoys travelling along roads less travelled!

If you’ve travelled somewhere off the beaten track, can write well and have good quality photos I encourage you to contact me and I’ll consider publishing your travel diary here including generous attribution and links back to your website as thanks for your contribution