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South American Explorers |
Written by:
John Kaufman
888 Waller St.
San Francisco CA 94117
Dates: - October 1996
email: - jk@jk.com
Comments: - My adventure made the front page of the main La Paz newspaper. Attempted to drive jeep (solo) from Uyuni across the Salar de Uyuni and then to the Salar de Coipasa. These are huge salt flats that are not firm in all areas (and thus not drivable). Salar de Uyuni has some tire tracks which can be followed, but DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CROSS THE COIPASA. Objective of trip was to check out beauty of the flats (they are indeed something else), but whilst crossing the Coipasa I got bogged down in a soft spot on the flat. No chance of extricating the jeep. Forty km from "shore." Had to hike out with no food/water, to a town called Tres Cruces, leaving car & most possessions behind. Eventually made it back to La Paz, but not w/o considerable difficulty. Car rental company was fetched to retrieve the car using heavy equipment, assaulted me for attempting the Coipasa, then charged me US$1700 to retrieve it. If you tour the Salar de Uyuni, check out the Salt Hotel (see any travel "agent" in Uyuni. Strap extra petrol tanks to the side of your car/4WD, and check it out. Hotel Avenida in Uyuni decent.
Rating: - 10
Weather: - Sunny/Cool days, warm nights
Terrain: - Harsh. If traveling by car, be prepared for several "detours" around road construction sites if arriving from Potosi. Some of these detours can be 30 km in length, which translates to 3 hours -- this gives you an idea of the road conditions. See below for more specific details of terrain.
Hotel: - Tons of places to stay in Cochabamba, Sucre and Potosi. Check the SAH.
Route: - La Paz to Uyuni, in the SW portion of Bolivia, in the altiplano at 4,000m. Rented a 4WD from IMBEX car rental in La Paz for a week. Cost approx. US$250. Be careful if using this company. They make you complete a form telling them where you're going. If you stray from the course, as I did, and have a problem, which I did, they will nail you with extra charges. See below. Travel time La Paz - Cochamamba approx. 6 hours using the back roads, 4 on "normal roads," not all of which are paved. In fact, some are potholed beyond belief. Cochabamba-Sucre same. When arriving at the gates of Sucre, stop at the petrol station and ask directions for the city center, where most inns are located. Otherwise, the layout of the city streets is twisted and you're sure to get lost without frequent querying. Potosi-Uyuni road under construction in some parts. Detour 30 km on extremely poor road, no petrol, so be sure to fill-up before heading on detour. Passed many broken-down cars along the way (big rocks puncture oil and transmission pans. Overheating also a problem. You'll be their only form of assistance since they must otherwise hike several km in mountainous terrain to get help -- even when they reach their destination help won't be available (they'll later find). Don't take the detour unless you're in a decent car/truck.
Essentials: - See above
Interests: - Checking out local culture, Driving, Touring, Trekking
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South American Explorers |