San Pedro and the Bolivian salt lakes

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Two buses, a taxi, a border crossing and 28 hours after leaving Arequipa we arrived in San Pedro de Atacama in Chile. This is an oasis town in the ´perfect´desert (there are weather stations here that have never recorded rain).

We met some friends (Sam and Wendy) here and had a great few days relaxing with them before doing what San Pedro is really about - going on trips; there was an afternoon one to the Valley of the Moon and then a 4 day trip into Bolivia. This was basic, uncomfortable and (as is becoming a pattern) the tour agency promised us things that they could not deliver but despite all this is was an amazing trip with some of the most beautiful and stark views we have ever seen - as we drove through the national park on the first two days scenery remoniscent of the opening sequences in Star Wars would suddenly give way to fantastically coloured lakes (many with flamingos), geysers or live volcanoes (all at 4-5,000m above sea level). Then after a night in a salt hotel we were up early to see the sunrise over the world´s biggest salt lake (12,000 square km) and spent the day in this extraordinary landscape. The photos should tell the story better than any words.

Next we head for Chile´s coast (there is a lot of it) where we will take the brave step of hiring a car and competing with South American drivers for a bit of road space....

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Photos

The Red Lagoon
probably the most amazing place on our trip...

Sunrise on the salt lake...
... produced some long shadows

Clare running down a sand dune
in the valley of death by the valley of the moon