Riding through Volcanoes and deserts of Bolivia

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May 31: We leave from Lima at 7:30 with a bus tour of Peru, with destination La Paz (30 soles per person). After passing the border to Bolivia Yumguyo we reach Copacabana around 12h30 (local time, 1 h more than in Peru). A Copacabana have time to eat before going on the bus Bolivia. From Copacabana the road climbs up the mountains with great panoramic views of the lake Titicaca and the Cordillera Real. One returns to Lake Ferry and again in the direction of La Paz where we will arrive at 17 o'clock. El Alto at an altitude of 4000 meters, La Paz appears to us in the valley below with its 3600 meters high. The bus stops in central La Paz on the side of his vaunted Hotel Rosario. Despite the Internet we were informed that the hotel was fully tested in the same request and with luck we can still find 2 rooms available. It was worth it! Hotel Rosario is really friendly and relatively inexpensive (45 USD per room including breakfast), with free Internet access, a restaurant and an excellent breakfast buffet rich and varied. Also profit from the last lights of the day to organize the trip to Uyuni, and then buy tickets for the bus to Oruro and the train from Oruro to Uyuni. ~ Still time to take the craft area in the narrow streets around the Hotel Rosario and then dinner at the hotel. A fillet knife accompanied by an excellent Cabernet Bolivia, produced in the southern region near the border of Argentina.

June 1: The bus leaves at 10 from Oruro to inland terminal in La Paz, Oruro we come to around 13. There is still time for lunch at the restaurant Nayama (about 300 meters from the railway station in Oruro), before taking the mythical Expreso del Sur, the train that will take us to Uyuni. At 15.30 the train leaves on time, as all public transport taken so far. The first hour of travel is very spectacular, the train runs literally on the waters of Lake Oruro, including flamingos and numerous waterfowl. The landscape leaves us in suspense until the last light of day with a spectacular sunset. Uyuni to reach at 22.20, the cold begins to bite, we're already some degrees below zero! Kutimuy are staying at the Hotel, managed by Colque Tour, which reveals basic and no hot water.

June 2: organize 3-day tour in wages and in the lagoons with the agency Colque Tour, which provides us with a driver and a Land Cruiser. After buying the essentials for the next three days to the 11 we go in Salar, first stop the saltworks Colchani from which we extract more salt consumed in Bolivia and the second stop at the Hotel de Sal. Pointing to the Isla Pescado do the landscape becomes overwhelming. We are in the brightest region in the world with its white expanse of salt of 12000 sq. km and the sharp sunlight of 4000 meters. Each year with the rains that carry the minerals in the lake from the surrounding mountains are forming new crust of salt about 3 or 4 cm. In some places the salt accumulated over five feet. Isle of Pescado consume our first picnic, before heading to the small nature reserve, a forest of century-old cacti that stand in the enormous expanse of salt. Then continue in the expanse of salt to reach the small village where we spend the night Chuvica Colque nell'Hostal the Tour, which is much better hotel in Uyuni. No hot shower tonight!
June 3: starting at 8.00 am, we leave the Salar and we delve into mountain landscapes and unbelievable southern Bolivia, the temperature remains far below freezing. We climb the valleys and volcanoes, we reach the 4600 meters before reaching the first series of lagoons (Hemp Hedionda and Colorado). Along the path close encounters with vicunas, flamingos and foxes. Cross the desert Siloli in a lunar landscape before arriving at the famous tree of stone. A series of rocks eroded by the wind which took forms very curious. At night we stay in a shelter very near the camp Ende kiss lagoon Colorado. Soon as the sun goes down and the temperature drops at night we get about 20 negative. The sleeping bag duvet is extremely good!

June 4: The alarm clock at 5:30 and leaves at 6 even in total darkness, the temperature is extremely low, in just over 30 minutes to reach 5200 meters high geysers of Sol de la Mañana, which in contact with the temperatures low in the morning wrap the entire area of a sulphurous steam. The geysers are a series of bubbling cauldrons in which a hot mud that give off fumes of sulfur, an extremely dangerous because the pots they communicate with underground passages and vaults surface often succumb. So be careful about where you put your feet. The rising of the sun in this hellish landscape is a show exceptional and light indescribable. We continue towards the hot springs at an altitude of 5000 meters. The pools of warm water seem surreal especially when you look at the ice all around. We continue in an atmosphere of light and extraordinary landscapes until we reach the foot of the Laguna Verde volcano Licancabur that marks the border with Chile from here who goes to S. Pedro de Atacama in Chile, changing vehicle. Retracing our steps to get to Laguna Colorada again, that there now appears with a pinkish water. Exceptional. Then began the descent towards Vila Tues edopo a brief stop for lunch continue to Uyuni.
The driver of Colque Tour leaves us at the terminal of the Todo Turismo organizing overnight travel to return to La Paz. It starts at 20.00, the bus is brand new and impeccable service, dinner and snacks included. The first 6 hours of track are extremely severe, the bus again seems extremely out of place. Once you reach the asphalt continues with more tranquility and reach La Paz at 6 am. Staff relies bus passengers to taxi drivers "official" and once again reach the Hotel Rosario.
June 5: We grant you a day in La Paz, a bit of shopping. Bolivia is much cheaper than the Peru! Really want to make a descent bike on the road to death. A descent in a little more than 40 km along a vertical drop of 3,500 meters to reach Coroico. But it will be for next time.

Wednesday June 6: Return to Peru via Desaguadero, departure from La Paz to Puno at 8:00 am and finish at 13.00. Hotel Posada Don Giorgio. Packed to the "Casona" with its collection of flat irons and coal all'Hosteria dinner (not bad) both located on the Avenida Lima, the pedestrian island of Puno.