Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
her salty tears over her breast milk, and creating this vast area of sadness and beauty that
is now the
salar
.
CLIMBING VOLCANOES
There are plenty of opportunities for getting out of the 4WD and doing something active throughout the Southw-
est Circuit. One of the most popular activities is volcano climbing, with guides easily available in the region's set-
tlements. The challenging aspect of most of the climbs is the altitude rather than technical difficulty. Taking a
guide is a good idea and contributes something to the local communities, which are so often bypassed by the
Uyuni-based tours.
The most frequently climbed is the
Volcán Licancabur
(5960m); it takes about eight hours to climb to the
summit, and two to get down. Several Uyuni and Tupiza agencies are happy to include a guided climb of the vol-
cano in a Southwest Circuit route, adding an extra day to the trip. You can normally find a guide somewhere
around Laguna Verde - they tend to charge about B$300 for an ascent of the mountain, which has a beautiful la-
goon at the top. The climb can be done comfortably (if you handle the altitude) in one day. As the volcano is sac-
red to the locals, the guides usually perform a ritual for Pachamama, asking the earth goddess her permission to
climb.
Nevado Candelaria
(5995m), southwest of the Salar de Coipasa, is also an exhilarating climb. The active
Vol-
cán Ollagüe
(5865m) on the Chilean border southwest of San Pedro de Quemez is another interesting option,
with spectacular views - you can get pretty close to the summit with a jeep and then hike the remaining 400m to
the top. Another volcano to climb is the hulking
Tunupa
(5400m), which you can approach from two sides - the
village of Coquesa (10 hours there and back, including a visit to the caves with pre-Incan mummies) or the village
of Jirira (four hours there and back).
It's also possible to climb
Uturuncu
(6020m), which is an active volcano; jeeps can drive up to just 1km below
the summit and you can hike to the top - an easy way to say you've climbed a 6000m-high volcano!
COQUESA
On custom tours, you can stop at the village of Coquesa, taking time to explore the several
ruined ancient villages
and
burial grounds
nearby. Ceramic, gold and copper artifacts
and articles of clothing have been discovered at some of the sites, indicating the presence
of an advanced but little-known culture. Unfortunately, the sites' remoteness has left them
vulnerable to amateur treasure hunters who have plundered several items of archaeologic-
al value. Ask at the hotel for keys to the
Museo Coquesa
(admission per 4WD B$20)
,
which has a collection of ceramics and mummies. You can also arrange a nighttime visit
to the nearby
observatory
, to really appreciate the starry skies.
The
Maya Hostal de Sal
(r per person B$35)
in Coquesa is run by a local Aymará fam-
ily. The beds are built on salt blocks, the doors and windows of cactus wood, and the din-
