Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE TAYKA PROJECT
The community-run sustainable-tourism Tayka project ( 02 6932987 or 7202 0069,
taykahoteles.com
)
has four excellent hotels in stunningly remote locations. All have solar-
power, hot water and good restaurants, and staff can organize transport and activities.
Hotel de Piedra.
The “Rock Hotel” islocated at the southern edge ofthe Salar,170kmnorth-
east of the Chilean city of Calama and close to some fascinating rock formations and ancient
remains. Although it has been designed t
o look like
a pre-Columbian village, the atmospheric
lodge has modern standards of comfort.
Bs665 ($95)
Hotel de Sal.
Near the village of Tahua, 110km west of Uyuni, Hotel de Sal sits in the foot-
hills of the Thunupa volcano. Constructed predominantly of s
alt, the hot
el has comfortable
rooms with wooden floors, private baths and colourful throws.
Bs665 ($95)
Hotel de los Volcanes.
The newest Tayka hotel, 230km from Uyuni and 130km from Tupiza,
close to the Chilean border, looks out at the dramatic Uturunco v
olcano. The
terracotta-col-
oured lodge has homely rooms with wooden fixtures and fittings.
Bs770 ($110)
Hotel del Desierto.
A 1hr 30min-drive from Laguna Colarada and 220km from Uyuni this
beautiful stone-walled lodge is surrounde
d by specta
cular otherworldly terrain - at times it
feels as if you are on the surface of Mars.
Bs770 ($110)
Tupiza
Some 200km southeast of Uyuni, the isolated town of
TUPIZA
nestles in a narrow, fertile
valley that cuts through the harsh desert landscape of the Cordillera de Chichas. Sheltered
from the bitter winds of the Altiplano by steep jagged mountains, the town enjoys a compar-
atively warm climate, while its friendly and laidback inhabitants help make it a popular stop
for travellers passing through southern Bolivia. The real attraction, though, is the
dramatic
desert scenery
that surrounds Tupiza, a landscape of red, eroded rock formations, cactus-
strewn mountains and deep canyons that is ideal for hiking, mountain biking, horseriding or
just touring in a jeep - all of which are easy to arrange in town.
Tupiza was founded in 1535 by the conquistador
Diego de Almagro
. For most of its history
the town's economy has been dominated by mining operations in the surrounding mountains.
In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries it was the base of Carlos Aramayo, one of
Bolivia's biggest mining barons, and the mine payrolls were rich enough to attract the atten-
tions of
Butch Cassidy
and the
Sundance Kid
, who are believed to have died some 100km
to the northwest. Today, the mineral deposits are largely exhausted, and Tupiza's economy
depends more on its role as a
market centre
for the agricultural communities of the sur-
rounding region and, increasingly, on tourism.
