Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Southern Altiplano Highlights
Gorge your senses on the almost extraterrestrial landscapes of the Los Lípez
(
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)
region in the country's far southwest
Explore Parque Nacional Sajama (
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) with its towering snow-
topped volcano, Bolivia's loftiest peak
Strap on some sunglasses and wonder at the salty expanse of the Salar de
Uyuni (
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)
Marvel at the stunning costumes of Oruro's boisterous Carnaval (
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here
)
Whistle the theme from your favorite Western as you guide your horse up
the narrow gullies around Tupiza (
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)
Travel in nomad style on a do-it-yourself adventure around Lago Poopó (
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)
near Salar de Uyuni
Sample llama jerky and learn about llama-herding traditions from Aymará
pastoralists in Curahuara de Carangas (
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)
Cross the border to the Chilean desert oasis of San Pedro de Atacama (
History
The prehistoric lakes Minchín and Tauca once covered most of this highland plateau.
They evaporated around 10,000 years ago, leaving behind a parched landscape of brackish
puddles and salt deserts. Pre-Columbian civilizations didn't leave much of a mark on the
region; some time in the mid-15th century an Inca ruler sent his son Tupac-Yupanqui
southward to conquer all the lands he encountered. Tupac-Yupanqui and his gang marched
on across the wastelands to the northern bank of Chile's Río Maule, where a fierce band
of Araucanian people inspired them to stake out the southern boundary of the Inca empire
and turn back toward Cuzco.
These days, outside the major towns and cities, most people cluster around mining
camps. During the late 1980s a mining crisis devastated the industry, sending miners flee-
ing to lower elevations. But with commodity prices up and the world's largest stash of
lithium just waiting to be extracted, mining is back and, with it, controversy. In fact, much
of Bolivia's social conflict now centers around contamination from mines, and the nation-
