Country: Bolivia
Area: Salar de Uyuni – Southwest Bolivia
Hotel: Complejo Turistico “Luna Salada”
Bolivia is a country not many people add to their list of destinations which, following my current experience, is a great travesty. Especially if you are the adventurous type. I was fortunate to experience this unbelievable area of the world as part of a tour group arranged by the Dakar Rally organizers.
The introduction was an unbelievable flight in a 40-seater charter plane landing at a Military base at Uyuni. We were greeted by a full welcoming party of military police, dog handlers sniffing out luggage, and a Swat team. This is definitely one of the most interesting and daunting welcomes of all of my travels. We flew from Iquiqi in Chile, and the pilot took us low over the Andes Mountains, which was an incredulous sight.
We were there in the second week of January and although it was mid-summer, the early morning temperatures reached lows of 2 °C. Although it is situated between the Equator and Tropic of Capricorn, the altitude of 3,800m is what makes it cold, coupled with the mountains in the background reaching heights of 5,800m.
It was a dazzling sight when, early one morning, convoys of cars and thousands of spectators made their way to the start of a stage of the races. The spectators unpacked camping stools, gas cookers, blankets, and even pets from their vehicles. Some even set up shop selling “vetkoek”. Their hats and poncho’s brightly coloured and looked warm enough to ward off the cold.
In a move that showed intense national pride, President Evo Morales declared that day a holiday. He arrived, with neither a blue light brigade nor a legion of bodyguards, early in the morning and was honoured with the starters flag and started the race.
The salt pan on which the race was held is nothing short of breathtaking. The expanse alone, 10,850 square kilometers, is staggering and gives an eerie feeling, but the beauty of this white mass with the snow-capped Andes in the background makes a spectacular picture. After the rain we experienced one night, the salt pan took on a radiant appearance, reflecting our vehicles as well as the majestic mountains. With or without rain, the salt pan is a most spectacular scene to experience, a flat area with no end in sight.
One section of the race is called the Marathon stage, meaning that for two days the cars and motorcyclists had no technical assistance. This is tough enough on the cars, but the motorcyclists had to bivouac at the military barracks overnight. They had ridden over the wet salt pan and the riders were literally frozen. Fortunately, they could enjoy a hot shower and best of all they were issued with warm poncho’s and head gear with compliments of the President.
Another wonder we experienced was checking into the Luna Salada Hotel, constructed from salt blocks. This is truly a sight to behold. Fire places in the reception area and the side lounges made it so cozy and homely. The passage floors made from coarse salt but thankfully the bedroom floors were tiled. The porters who assisted us with our luggage were a godsend. Trying to pull luggage with a twelve kilogram camera bag, up three levels, along coarse salt corridors is not easy and can leave you breathless.
The locals are permitted to grow coca plants. They chew the leaves and then spit it out. This is a stimulant and overcomes altitude sickness. The cocaleros are the coca leaf growers and President Evo Morales was the leader of the cocalero movement that voted him into power.
Southwestern part of Bolivia was a great experience, but I would still like to visit Lake Titicaca one day.
