Roadtrip Peru, Bolivia & Chili - Part 5
Villa Julaca, Canon de la Anaconda, Valle de Rocas, Laguna Negra and more - Wednesday 13-09-2023
Up at 4.45am and after breakfast go to enjoy a beautiful sunrise. After the beautiful sunrise, we drive to the town of Villa Julaca for a coffee stop and then drive down all kinds of special places.
Respectively Laguna Toruncha, Villa San Agustin, Villa Alota, Canon de la Anaconda, Valle de Rocas, Laguna Negra or Lago Misterlosa, Laguna Vinto, Cuidad de Pietra, Camello de Pietra, La Copa del Mundo, Laguna Camina (Borat extraction), National Park - Reserva National de Fauna Andina Eduardo, Laguna Colorada.
Villa Julaca
In the middle of nowhere like so many other towns and small cities in Bolivia stands Julaca, a town of only 66 inhabitants in the altiplano. It is located at 3,665 meters above sea level and its average temperature is 6.6ºC. It does not rain much either: 78.7 l/m2 each year.
The houses are made of adobe bricks and – as in the rest of the country.
Julaca is crossed by a railroad track in which the sleepers that have been patiently hidden by the sand of the altiplano desert are barely distinguishable. A freight train still runs along them, linking the route between Rio
Grande and Chiguana.
The Altiplano is an area of inland drainage lying in the central Andes, occupying parts of northern Chile, western Bolivia, southern Peru and northwest Argentina. Its height averages about 3,750 meters
Canon de Anaconda
The Anaconda Canyon is located in Potosi, Bolivia. The Anaconda Cliff is an impressive site and offers a panoramic view of the Anaconda Valley.
Valle de Rocas
The Valley of Rocks in Bolivia is a truly enigmatic and unearthly landscape. With enormous rock formations.
The Valley of Rocks lies within the Eduardo Avaroa National Andean Wildlife Reserve, nearby the salt flats of Uyuni. It is a valley of approximately 16 km in length
The rocks in this valley are unusual and captivating, shaped by volcanic activity and centuries of wind erosion. Some of these formations resemble natural or even man-made objects. For example:
Stone Tree: A rock that resembles a tree, hence its name.
World Cup: A formation that resembles the World Cup trophy.
The Camel: A rock that resembles a camel.
From the top of these bright red and bright orange rocks, you can get amazing panoramic views of the Siloli Desert. It is a truly unique and surreal landscape and very photogenic.
Front porch Laguna Negra
Laguna Negra, also known as Laguna Turquiri, is a captivating place in Bolivia. Located in the Southwest Circuit of Bolivia. The route to Laguna Negra is a succession of marvels, each more impressive than the last. The lagoon itself is just one of the many wonders you’ll encounter. Picture plants that resemble rocks and actual rocks that appear like sculptures, all surrounding an odd lake.
Yaretas: What looks like moss covering rocks is actually a dense bush called yaretas. These high-altitude plants can live up to 3,000 years if left undisturbed. Unfortunately, they are sometimes collected for use as firewood fuel.
Laguna Negra
After an entrance with unusual scenery, vegetation, black earth, pools and grazing llamas, we arrive at Laguna Negra. A dark little lake enclosed by rocks. We stand high and have great views. A mountain Vischacha comes scurrying forward and takes the trouble to pose for us so that we can take some nice pictures.
Ciudad de Piedra
Ciudad de Piedra or The City of Stone or ITAS is a geological area of Bolivia with an area of about 2,000 km², located in the Pacajes province of the department of La Paz, at an altitude of 4,100 m and about 20 km from the border with Chile.
It is a labyrinth in which, if you do not know it, you can easily get lost; stories are even told of loss, of electrical storms attracted by the mineralogical composition of the natural city, in short... The truth is, if you manage to get out, you will never forget it.
Laguna Capina
Laguna Capina is a 23.8 km 2 salt lake in the southwestern corner of Bolivia, near the border with Chile. The lake is 7.4 km long and 5.6 km wide and is located in the Bolivian department of Potosí, approximately 400 km south of the capital Sucre.
Boron mining
Boron and borates mining in Bolivia is an interesting topic!
There are a total of 1,408 mining records in Bolivia, with most highlighting mining opportunities and activity in the regions of Oruro and Potosi. These areas have a rich history of mining.
Boron Mineral Resources: Currently, production in Bolivia is based on boron mineral resources found in several Salar deposits in the south and at the northern edge of Salar de Uyuni. These deposits contain reserves of boron mineral estimated at 15 million metric tons (15Mt)
Specific Mine: One notable mine in Bolivia is the Laguna Capina Sur Boron-Borates Mine, located in the Potosi region. It operates primarily through surface workings and covers an area of 100 hectares (247.11 acres).
Mining plays a significant role in Bolivia’s economy, and the extraction of boron and borates contributes to various industrial applications.
Reserva Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa
The Reserva Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa is located in Sur Lípez province, in the far southwest of Bolivia. The reserve covers an area of 714,745 hectares and includes the Laguna Colorada National Game Reserve. It is a protected area, and it is mainly to protect birds that inhabit the various lagoons in the reserve. Special natural phenomena are erupting volcanoes, hot springs, geysers, lakes and three endemic species of flamengo’s. The national park is established in 1973 and is named after Eduardo Avaroa (1838-1879), a 19th-century Bolivian war hero.
Laguna Colorada
Laguna Colorada, also known as the "Red Lagoon", is a shallow salt lake in the southwestern Bolivian Altiplano, located within the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve and close to the border with Chile. This area is a breathtaking, otherworldly landscape. As we travel along the dusty trails of the Siloli Desert and the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve, you feel small because of the immense size of this place. It is a vast, high-altitude desert plain with smoking volcanoes, Dali-like rock formations, boiling mud and swirling snow, with the majestic Andes always present. Located at an altitude of over 4,000 metres above sea level, this extraordinary lake is known for its striking colour.
The Laguna Colorada is a natural wonder not to be missed. This blood-red lake is filled with hundreds of pink flamingos. The lake covers an area of 6,000 hectares but is less than a metre deep. According to folklore, the water is actually the blood of the gods, although scientists believe the colour comes from algae and rich minerals in the water.
There are so many flamingos because these graceful birds are attracted to the lake's abundant plankton. Three of the world's six flamingo species are found here: the Chilean, Andean and the rare James' flamingo. The latter species was once considered extinct, but a small population was rediscovered in 1956. Remarkably, flamingos are naturally white; their feathers are coloured pink by red algae. It is a beautiful sight to see a group of flamingos take off, with their majestic wings and thin legs.
We drove about 300 km all day, all off-road and we ended the day at hotel Waila llala. We are now at an altitude of 4360 metres and it is -15 degrees. It is a very basic hotel. Fortunately, there is a small stove simmering in a large area, kind of hall. We enjoy a soup and a plate of spaghetti Bolognese and then quickly crawl into bed. By the way, how cool!!! After an refreshing shower 🤪🤪.
