65: time to hit the road

Did a 3-day tour of the Uyuni Salt Flats and Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve, with guide Marcelo, driver Oscar and fellow travelers Akimi from Japan & James & Olivia from London. Many hours in a Toyota 4x4.

Day 1 - Started at the Train Cemetary just outside Uyuni. Tracks were built by brits in the 1880’s & replaced by amerixans in the 1920’s. In the ‘50s they stopped being used and were left to rust:

Next, the salt flats:

Spent the night in a ‘salt hotel’ made entirely of salt. It was dark, there weee stars:

Day 2 - Southwest in the 4x4 past quinoi fields (major export) toward Volcan Ollagüe:

Next stop: stinky lagoon:

Through some pretty wild terrain:

…to Tree Stone:

On into Eduardo Abaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve, and the Red Lagoon. It’s red from the algae growing at the bottom being stirred up by constant wind:

Stayed at a primitive outpost, electricity and hot water between 7 & 10 PM only. No pics.

Day 3 - Up & out @ 6:30AM to be at Sol de Mañana, geysers at 4800 meters (15,700 feet) for sunrise:

Past the Dalí Desert:

To Termas de Polques for a dip and beeakfast:

Now we have the 8-hour trek back to Uyuni, through Villamar Mallcu, where we stopped for lunch:

And a few more bitchin’ rock formations: