We booked a four day overland trip starting in Tupiza and ending at the Uyuni Salt Flats. Before the trip began, we spent two nights in Tupiza in a hostal. BTW, a hostal is nicer than a hostel but nowhere near as nice as a hotel. There was no heating in our rooms but giant bedding that made you feel like you were sleeping inside a teddy bear.
We only had one day there so we spent our time going on an awesome horseride and exploring the small town.
The next morning, we woke up early and watched the tour company load all of the supplies onto the jeep, including fuel, oxygen, water, sleeping bags, food and our backpacks. From about ten minutes outside Tupiza, we didn’t see another proper road for four days.
We spent four days traveling on piles of rocks, icy rivers, strands of dirt or narrow mountain trails with cliffhangers which I thought might end our life. I am very grateful for our kind driver Raul who got us everywhere safely.
We also had a cook, Marco, who travelled along with us and fed us every day. I hadn’t realized how much work Marco did until I learned he got up at 4 a.m. every day to prepare lunch and breakfast. He was very quiet but really nice.
First of all the good bits. We saw absolutely amazing sights including geysers, incredible rock formations, an Incan ghost town, flamingos, llamas, vicunas (like a small deer), foxes and chinchillas. We got to sit in a hot spring with vicunas running around in the background. We also passed through many villages where people don’t have electricity and kids have to walk two hours to school which made us feel really grateful for everything we have.
Now for the bad bits. First, let’s start with the worst: the “basic” accommodation. Before the trip I was told basic accommodation was sharing a bathroom and probably not the nicest of rooms. In my mind, I expected to be sleeping on a pile of rats. When we got to the accommodation on the first night at least there were no rats. The rats had probably died from the cold at nighttime.
There was a common room where we ate dinner and played cards. There was also the tiniest fireplace you have ever seen in your life. We had learned earlier in the day that no trees grew at that altitude (around 14,000 feet) so the only thing to burn was dried moss. A nice older man threw a few tiny moss bits into the fireplace which did absolutely nothing to warm things up.
After dinner we all huddled into the very small and smelly shared bathroom and got ready for bed. We slept on single beds in a freezing room under about six or seven blankets and a sleeping bag. Between the weight of the blankets (it felt like a dead person was lying on top of us) and the altitude, we struggled to breathe. It wasn’t the best night’s sleep.
The second night’s basic accommodation at least had a small heater but there was also graffiti on the walls. The bathroom didn’t even have soap (thankfully my mom had packed some.)
By the last night we were dreading what the accommodation would be like. It was on the edge of the salt flats and was made entirely out of salt blocks. But luckily we were able to upgrade for $20 and we got two rooms, both with private bathrooms!! Unfortunately we had to get up at 4:45 a.m. the next day to see the sunrise on the salt flat – William was very grumpy but it was worth it.
The other bad bits were the altitude (at one point 16,000 feet), having no internet, and the very long days of driving.
We spent the last day on the Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt flat in the world. It was magnificent. It looks just like ice but instead it was salt. The perspective on the salt flat is very crazy so we got some awesome photos and some videos, thanks to Raul and Marco.
I am happy we did this trip but I never want to do it again.
Next stop: Oruro, a mining town, then Copacabana and Isla del Sol on Lake Titicaca.
Tween Travels 
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