Uyuni Photos


2012-05-13
The Bolivian altiplano is a high altitude plateau and is known for its lagoons, flamingos, geysers, and salt flats. We did a three day 4x4 tour from Chile into Bolivia through the altiplano. San Pedro is at 2400m and we topped out at 5000m, which caused several of us to get headaches and one poor woman was even throwing up.

The various lagoons each had their own distinct color due to various minerals were present in that area. The most spectacular was Laguna Colorada, a rusty red to blue depending on the angle to the sun and the depth of the water, and was filled with flamingos. Between the water, the mountains, the birds, and the grass, it was a nearly unmatched color palette.

The Bolivian salt flats are the largest in the world and while standing on them, they certainly felt endless. I was surprised how hard the surface was. It felt like concrete. After walking on my own, a long way from everyone else, the silence and isolation were profound. There was no wildlife to make noise and no leaves for the breeze to rustle. That experience was one of the highlights of South America for me thus far.