Bolivia - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 191

La Vicuña C Sucre. Set over a few small rooms, this cute,
breakfast-only place run by Swedish expat Barbro has
an intimate, domestic feel, with a pretty woven wicker
lampshade hanging over each table. The food is simple,
cheap and good, with prices from B$9 for scrambled eggs
and toast. Mon-Sat 6-11am.

perfectly flat white expanse of the Salar,
with the unbroken chains of snowcapped
mountains lining the far horizon, the
terrain is so harsh and inhospitable it's
like being on another planet.

RESERVA DE FAUNA ANDINA
EDUARDO AVAROA
The southwesternmost corner of Bolivia
is covered by the Reserva de Fauna
Andina Eduardo Avaroa , a 7147-square-
kilometre wildlife reserve, ranging
between 4000m and 6000m in altitude
and encompassing some of the most
startling scenery in Bolivia. Like the Salar
de Uyuni, the desolate landscapes of this
remote region possess an otherworldly
beauty, with glacial salt lakes whose icy
waters are stained bright red or emerald
green, snowcapped volcanic peaks,
high-altitude deserts and a wide range of
rare Andean wildlife including the world's
largest population of the James flamingo ,
the elusive Andean fox and herds of
graceful vicuñas . There is an entrance fee
(B$150) into the reserve, which is not
usually included in the tour price and

2

SALAR DE UYUNI
One of Bolivia's most extraordinary
attractions, the Salar de Uyuni , covering
some 9000 square kilometres of the
Altiplano west of Uyuni, is by far the
largest salt lake in the world. The Salar is
not a lake in any conventional sense of
the word - though below the surface it is
largely saturated by water, its uppermost
layer consists of a thick, hard crust of salt,
easily capable of supporting the weight of
a car. Tours will take you to the striking
cactus-covered Isla del Pescado (also
known as Inca Huasi), where a series of
paths leads you on a short walk with
breathtaking vistas of the vast Salar.
The surface is mostly covered by water
between December and April, but even
then it's rarely more than a metre deep,
and usually much less. Driving across the

VISITING THE SALAR AND THE RESERVE
Pretty much the only way to visit the Salar de Uyuni and Reserva De Fauna Andina
Eduardo Avaroa is on an organized tour, which can be easily arranged from Uyuni. The
standard three-day tour price is usually B$800-1000 including food, accommodation,
transport and a Spanish-speaking guide. You'll pay more if booking in La Paz, and often
significantly more for an English-speaking guide. An additional B$30 is payable for the visit to
Fish Island (Inca Huasi) and B$150 for entering the reserve. The tour is by 4WD around a
circuit comprising the Salar de Uyuni and Lagunas Colorada and Verde in the reserve;
four-day and longer trips are also available. Note that wind-chill temperatures can drop to
anything from -25°C to -40°C. You should bring sunblock and sunglasses to counter the
possibility of snow blindness, as well as a good sleeping bag, a torch and plenty of warm
clothing (your agency should be able to rent you a sleeping bag).
Issues such as late departures, inadequate accommodation and vehicle breakdowns are
problems that may occur no matter which agency you choose, but it's definitely worth paying
a little more to ensure good safety conditions. The cheaper agencies tend to have older cars,
bad food and unfriendly, occasionally drunk drivers. The best method of choosing an agency is
to talk to travellers just returned from a tour. If they loved a particular guide, you should ask for
that individual when you book. Also request a written contract detailing exactly what you are
paying for.

Ferroviaria and Av Potosí T 72403896, W redplanet
expedition.com.
Ruta Verde Santa Cruz T 03 3396470, W rutaverde
bolivia.com.

TOUR OPERATORS
Cordillera Traveller Tours Av Ferroviaria T 02
6933304, W cordilleratraveller.com.
Red Planet Expedition C Sucre between Av