We visited the Valle de la Luna, or Valley of the Moon, situated 15 km from the city of San Pedro de Atacama. This area earned its name due to its bizarre landscapes that closely resemble the surface of the Moon. Over thousands of years, water and wind have sculpted the stones and sand, while the salty lakes have imparted a white hue to the terrain, creating this unique landscape.
The following day started early. By 8 AM, we were already on the road toward the Bolivian border. Once again, we faced mountains and a dirt road at elevations ranging from 4,200 to 4,850 meters. Along the way, we traveled through salty deserts, salt flats with flamingos, and vast herds of guanacos, llamas, and vicuñas roaming freely on expansive plains. Surrounding us were many majestic volcanoes, one of which has been continuously smoking for years. In one of the national parks, Valley de las Rocas, we admired the unusual stone sculptures. Just before sunset, we visited another attraction: the Train Cemetery in Uyuni. We covered 439 km that day.
On the next day, we ventured into the world’s largest salt flat, Salar de Uyuni. This massive salt flat is a dried-up salt lake on the southern Altiplano desert plain, at an altitude of about 3,650 meters above sea level. We traveled about 100 km across the salt flat, walked on the salt, took photos, and headed to its edge to walk in the water a bit. After leaving the salt flat, we moved toward the city of La Paz, once again through mountains and volcanoes. Along the way, we saw huge quinoa fields and even passed a meteorite crater. We covered 622 km that day.
The following day started early. By 8 AM, we were already on the road toward the Bolivian border. Once again, we faced mountains and a dirt road at elevations ranging from 4,200 to 4,850 meters. Along the way, we traveled through salty deserts, salt flats with flamingos, and vast herds of guanacos, llamas, and vicuñas roaming freely on expansive plains. Surrounding us were many majestic volcanoes, one of which has been continuously smoking for years. In one of the national parks, Valley de las Rocas, we admired the unusual stone sculptures. Just before sunset, we visited another attraction: the Train Cemetery in Uyuni. We covered 439 km that day.
On the next day, we ventured into the world’s largest salt flat, Salar de Uyuni. This massive salt flat is a dried-up salt lake on the southern Altiplano desert plain, at an altitude of about 3,650 meters above sea level. We traveled about 100 km across the salt flat, walked on the salt, took photos, and headed to its edge to walk in the water a bit. After leaving the salt flat, we moved toward the city of La Paz, once again through mountains and volcanoes. Along the way, we saw huge quinoa fields and even passed a meteorite crater. We covered 622 km that day.
