BOLIVIA: UYUNI SALT FLATS, SILOLI DESERT, GEYSERS, AND HOT SPRINGS

July 9, 2025
Basic Hostal
San Juan, Bolivia

The Main Square in Uyuni

We left the hotel in Uyuni at 9:30 to walk to the main square, but mainly to visit a grocery store to buy snacks for the next few days. I bought a bar of chocolate, some almonds, and some cookies. Then we returned to the hotel where we loaded into three Toyota Landcruisers and headed out of Uyuni towards the salt flats.

Church Built By Indigenous Miners in Uyuni

Metal Sculpture at the 
Train Cemetery

Our first stop was the train cemetery. In the late 19th century, the United States financed Chile’s invasion of Bolivia to gain access to nitrate deposits for fertilizer. They invaded during carnaval when everyone in Bolivia was inebriated. Though the war, dubbed the War of the Pacific, dragged on for five years, Bolivia and Peru, who shared an alliance, ultimately lost and Bolivia ceded 400 kilometers of coastline to Chile, ending up landlocked. Bolivia’s wealth lies in natural resources. They needed to ship their silver and tin to markets in Europe and North America. A British firm built a steam railway from Bolivia across Chile to the Pacific. Bolivia was allowed to ship their products across Chile tax free.

The Train Cemetery Swarmed with Tourists

Graffiti at the Train Cemetery

This worked for decades but, in 1952, the Nationalist Party came to power and the railways were nationalized in the 1960s. The old steam trains were abandoned and left to rot outside of Oyuni. Modern diesel locomotives replaced the old steam trains. Today, two or three trains a week make the trip across Chile to the Pacific.

The cemetery was swarming with tourists, which made it difficult to photograph the abandoned trains. There was some nice graffiti and artists had constructed some interesting metal sculptures. Oyuni, originally a mining town, was reinventing itself as the gateway to the salt flats.

Salt Grinder in Colchani

Tables & Chairs Made of Salt Blocks

A few minutes’ drive brought us to Colchani, a village on the edge of the salt flats where we stopped to eat lunch and learn how the salt was extracted. Salt was harvested by gouging crystals out, piling them in pyramids to dry, grinding it until the crystals were fine enough to sprinkle, treating it with iodine to revome the lithium that contaminated it, and then packaging it. While Bolivia has the largest deposits of salt in the world, they do not export it because the quality is not good.

Wall Made of Salt Blocks

The other method of harvesting salt involved cutting it into blocks used to build furniture and buildings. We ate lunch at salt tables in a building built of salt blocks.

After lunch, we drove across the salt flats to the Hotel de Sal where the monument to the Dakar Rally was located. The Dakar Rally passed through the Uyuni salt flats in 2016 and 2017 before relocating to Saudi Arabia. We took some photos and then headed out onto the salt flats in search of an isolated spot to take photographs. This was tough to find because there were tourists everywhere. The salt flats were deceptive and allowed us to take some shots with interesting perspective. Our guide, Daniel, shot a great time-lapse video of our group.

International Flags at the Dakar Monument

The Dakar Monument

Daniel Shooting a Video

It Was Great Fun Playing with Perspective

Cecilia, Sylvan, and I Pose for Janine

Trichocereus Pasacana

Isla Incahuasi

We continued across the salt flats to the Isla Incahuasi, a volcanic outcropping in the middle of the salt flats. The island surprised us by being covered with cactus that they called cardón, although it looked more like saguaro. In actuality, it is neither, but is related to both. The Latin name is Trichocereus Pasacana.  We climbed to the top of the island and took lots of pictures.

Me in the Salt Flats

We left the island about 17:00 to seek a spot still covered with water from which to observe the sunset. We found a spot where the water was less than an inch deep, but still deep enough to reflect the scenery. It was very cold, but we stayed until the sun set and then made a beeline for dry land. At first, the water got deeper and the drivers hurried to each a visible road before the daylight failed.

Finally, we passed between two rock cairns and onto a very low levee that was mostly dry. We followed that off the salt flats and then continued another 30 miles of corduroy road to San Juan where we stopped at a very basic hostal. By this time, it was -5 degrees Celsius. I scored a private room, but the room didn’t have enough warm blankets. I had rented a sleeping bag but, instead of the -5 degree rated bag I had had on the Quarry trail, I got only a thin fleece bag. I went to bed after dinner to write wearing all my clothes.

Our Vehicles in the Salt Flats

Full Moon Over the Salt Flats

Sun and Moon Reflected in the Salt Flats

July 12, 2025
Hotel Samay Wasi
Uyuni, Bolvia

The Railway to Chile

It was very cold when we got up in the morning. We ate breakfast provided by the outfitter supplying our drivers and loaded back into our vehicles. We drove across the Chiguana salt flat, stopping to visit the train tracks running from Bolivia to the Pacific.  While the Uyuni salt flat covers 10,000 square kilometers, the Chiguana salt flat covers only 415 square kilometers. The salt is mixed with different minerals, giving it a brownish color. It lies at an altitude of 12,000’ and is surrounded by volcanoes. Outside of the cities that give some perspective, Bolivia seems incredibly vast and empty.

Volcan Ollagüe Was Steaming

Our first stop was at a viewpoint where we could see the Ollagüe volcano steaming in the distance. Ollagüe is the only semi-active volcano in Bolivia. The lookout point featured interesting rock formations and some rocks completely covered in what looked like moss, but turned out to be tiny succulents.

Succulent Detail

Succulent Covered Rock

Rock Formation at the Ollagüe Viewpoint

July 12, 2025
Hostal Cerro Rico
Pototsí, Bolivia

Laguna Cañapa

Next, we went to the Cañapa Lagoon to look at flamingos. I had always thought of flamingos as tropical birds, so it was strange to see them at this freezing, high altitude lake. The Bolivian or Andean flamingo has a black tail. The Chilean flamingo has a white tail and the James Flamingo, a mix of the two, has a grey tail. Baby flamingos are born grey, gradually turn white, and then develop their characteristic pink coloration as they feed on brine shrimp. Some of the older ones had feathers that were nearly red. We were all fascinated by them and couldn’t stop taking pictures.

Flamingos at Laguna Cañapa

Flamingo at Laguna Cañapa

We continued on to the Hedionda (Stinky) Lagoon, so named because of its sulfur content. It really didn’t smell bad. We ate lunch there and gawked at more flamingos and the rock cairns piled there. On our way from the Hedionda to the Honda Lagoon, we saw a coyote who appeared to be begging for food. The Honda Lagoon was higher and colder and we didn’t see flamingos there.

Coyote

Hedionda Lagoon

Flamingos at Hedionda Lagoon

The Honda Lagoon

Human Flamingos at Honda Lagoon

Struggling Over the Pass

From the Honda Lagoon, we struggled up over a rocky pass and then down to the Arbol de Piedra, a rock formation that looked like a tree. There were other interesting rock formations there, as well, and quite a bit of snow, but the restrooms were closed. By this point, we were very high in the Siloli desert and it was quite cold. We reached the Laguna Colorado (Red Lagoon) late in the day. The lagoon gets its name from the minerals and algae in the water that make it appear red from certain angles.  We had hoped to linger there for coffee, but the coffee house was closed. We took a few pictures and then skedaddled. The elevation at Laguna Colorada was 13,903’.

Arbol de Piedra

Laguna Colorada

It was a long drive across the desert to our next hostal and darkness fell quickly. We were amazed that our drivers could even find the way in the dark and the snow. It got colder and colder. At one point that night, the temperature dipped to -20° C or -4° F. The hostel wasn’t heated, but it was warmer than the last one, although the power was turned off at 21:00. There wasn’t a wood stove because there was nothing to burn. I shared a room with Cecilia and Pam and I think having three of us in the room helped to keep it warm, also.

Our Room at the Hostal

The next morning, we had to get up at 4:00 because breakfast was served at 4:30 and we aimed to leave by 5:00. The power still wasn’t turned on in the bathroom, so we made our ablutions by headlamp. Breakfast was cold pancakes and weak tea, which did little to warm us. It was still pitch black outside. We piled into the Landcruisers and drove off into the dark. Once again, I have no idea how our drivers saw where they were going as we headed up the pass.

Steaming Fumeroles in the Dark

We heard the geyser at 15,925’ before we saw it. It was still pitch dark when we arrived there about 6:30. The first geyser was under a lot of pressure and spewed water and steam in a constant stream. A few minutes later, we stopped at Sol de Mañana where several fumeroles were steaming. In the dark, the scene revealed in the headlights of the trucks was rather hellish. It was also fiendishly cold. As interesting as it was, we didn’t linger.

Laguna Verde

We dropped down, reaching Polques Hot Springs at daybreak, where we could see the hot springs steaming in the cool morning air. We did not stop but hurried on to Laguna Verde, where we managed to arrive before any of the other tourists. Laguna Verde was frozen. At 14,137’, it was still pretty high. There was a lot of snow and the scenery was breathtaking, but the lagoon is too toxic with minerals to support wildlife. Laguna Verde sits at the corner of Bolivia that intersects Chile and Argentina. We could see the immigration buildings across the lagoon. As we were leaving Laguna Verde, we saw a long line of Landcruisers heading towards the lake. We forgave Daniel for the early start because we had been able to enjoy the lake in solitude.

Chile and Argentina Across the Lake

The other advantage of being ahead of the crowd was that we got to enjoy the Polques Hot Springs mostly by ourselves. It was a bit chilly changing into swimming suits, but at least the sun was out by the time we returned. The water was a heavenly temperature and we got to spend nearly an hour soaking in the shallow pool with a soft gravel bottom. Hot water flowed in from the mountain above and exited from the far side of the pool. The water was very clean and hardly smelled of sulfur at all. Drying off with my miniature travel towel and figuring out what to do with my wet swimsuit was a challenge, but I wrapped the suit in the towel and rolled them both in my raincoat which sufficed to keep the rest of my pack dry until we got back to Uyuni.

Polques Hot Springs

After the hot springs, we embarked on the long drive back to Uyuni. The going was slow, at first. After a couple of hours, we stopped at the village of Villamar to eat lunch. The first comedor we visited was closed. The drivers had to scramble to find us another one. There was a stream that ran through the village and lots of llamas were grazing and wandering around the town. There had even been one in the courtyard of the first comedor we visited.

Llamas Grazing

We continued on after lunch. The roads improved and we were able to go faster. We stopped for ice cream at the company town of the San Cristobal mine. Unlike Uyuni, which had grown up without much infrastructure or planning, San Cristobal was very organized. All the houses were finished and painted and the roads were paved. Everyone who lived there was employed by the mine in some capacity, so the town was reasonably affluent.

The Return Drive to Uyuni

After San Cristobal, we made good time to Uyuni. Some of the road was even paved. The road deteriorated around Uyuni, but we finally dragged into the hotel about 17:00. I got a chance to write for a short while and then we headed back to Tika for another nice dinner. I had shredded dried, salted llama, which was served with a boiled potato and a boiled egg. It was delicious. We were all tired from the early start and gladly went home to bed.