South America Travel Guide

http://peru-tour-packages.com/peru-travel-information/dont-just-pass-through-lima/

Steve, our General Manager, is a Colombia fan as most of us in the office are and he recently returned from the coffee capital and has written this blog entry to whet your appetite:

Having previously visited the Caribbean coast including Santa Marta, Tayrona National Park and Cartagena as well as the southern cities of Cali and Popayan I originally planned to spend much of my time in the central coffee regions or ‘Zona Cafetera’. Colombia however, is experiencing its worst wet season in 30 years which lead me to change my plans. I therefore spent my time in the capital Bogota, the colonial gem of Villa De Leiva, the modern second city of Medellin and Cartagena.

Beautiful Beaches along the Caribbean Coast

Whilst my trip was somewhat marred by the terrible wet season the country is currently experiencing, please spare a though to those who lives are dramatically affected. Colombia’s wet season usually peaks in October and then wanes in November and December. This year however the rains have persisted and may be set to continue until March, at least in part due to 2011 being a ‘La Niña’ year, the meteorological phenonemon that follows ‘El Niño’. The current government say that the rains have been their biggest problem in their 16 months in power with severe flooding, landslides and the collapse of roads including major highways. Around 140 people have been killed so far with over a million people affected.

Steve didn´t make it but the Coffee Zone is really interesting!

My flight from Lima, Peru was into the capital Bogota set at 2,650m above sea level in the central mountains. Here I visited the colonial center and the famous Gold Museum which was free of charge as it was Sunday. I also took the cable car up Monserrate hill overlooking the city although with the unfortunate weather there was very little to see! On Sundays some of the main streets in the city center are closed off and there are many street entertainers and stalls set out, providing a nice atmosphere to stroll about in.

From Bogota I traveled by road north to the colonial town and national monument of Villa De Leiva which dates back to 1572. This small town has not been modernised and retains cobbled streets and traditional colonial buildings with tiled roofs around what is one the largest squares in Latin America. Apart from the town itself the area is known for dinosaur fossils which can be viewed. I also visited a small palaeontological museum where I received an excellent and very enthusiastic tour.

Whilst the journey by road between Bogota and Villa De Leiva is very beautiful, the rain and fog meant that the scenery was largely obscured. Minor landslides also delayed the journey. This journey and reports in the newspapers lead me to buy some flights, which are very good value within Colombia, to facilitate getting round the country to avoid further long journeys in poor weather and the possibility of delays and detours on the roads.

Therefore after returning to Bogota I flew to the second city of Medellin set at 1,500m above sea level. This friendly modern city has an excellent metro system which is largely above ground and makes visiting the city’s museums, parks and other sites very easy indeed. A highlight for me here was visiting the modern art museum which features a large number of works by the famous Medellin artist Botero. In addition to the many pieces displayed in the museum the Parque Berrio outside also features a large number of his chubby or voluminous sculptures.

Cartagena by night - very romantic!

From Medellin I flew on to Cartagena on the coast, a place I had visited before but well worth another stay. This historic city founded in 1533 is one of the most vibrant and interesting in Latin America with a beautifully restored colonial center surrounded by large defensive walls and forts overlooking the Caribbean sea. In addition to the historic center, the areas of La Manga, Getsemani and the port are all worth a visit as well the option of boat trips out to the beautiful Islas Rosario nearby.

The recent marketing campaign by the national tourist board states “The only danger is wanting to stay” which I think is very apt if a little cheesy! Give Colombia a try, you wont regret it.

To be honest you could say it is both! Uyuni is a town on the Bolivian Altiplano that many dislike. It is however the start point for one of the most spectacular tours you will ever do, the 4 day circuit of the Salar de Uyuni.

The town itself has only one thing going for it as far as many are concerned, the train graveyard. Jo, one of our travel consultants quite likes the place and has written the piece below explaining a bit more about the area. However ugly or inhospitable the town of Uyuni might seem the treasures that start just a short distance away make up for it in spades.

Founded in 1890 as a trading post, the town of Uyuni has a population of approximately 21,400. Today Uyuni exists primarily for tourists who are visiting the world’s largest salt flats – the Salar de Uyuni. Each year Uyuni receives approximately 60,000 visitors from around the world to visit this amazing natural wonder.

The Train Graveyard in Uyuni

The Salar de Uyuni is comprised of the world’s largest salt flat and covers an area of 10,582km².  The Salar, which sits at 3,650 meters, was formed when several ancient lakes were transformed due to changing weather conditions and is said to be over 10 meters thick in the center. It is situated in the southwest of Bolivia near the crest of the Andes and is located in the Potosi and Oruro departments.

The Salar de Uyuni is roughly 25 times the size of Bonneville Salt Flats in the United States and is estimated to contain 10 billion tons of salt of which less than 25.000 tons is extracted annually.

Bolivian Salt Flats - Uyuni

The salt crust serves as a source of salt and covers a pond of brine which is unusually rich in lithium. Bolivia is home to about half of the world’s lithium reserves. Most of those are located beneath the Salar de Uyuni. Demand for lithium, used in battery powered cars and portable electronics, is expected to increase drastically over the next decades.

A tour of the salt flats can be done as a one day tour of just the salt flats and the “fish island” shown in the photo above or over several days including other areas with amazing scenery.  Tours are undertaken in four wheel drive vehicles and accommodation is simple or very simple!

During your tour you are likely to visit the train cemetery, which contains old rusting trains which were mostly used by mining companies. In the 1940s, the mining industry collapsed, partly due to mineral depletion. Many trains were abandoned thereby producing the train cemetery.

Other highlights include a visit the cactus island, located in the middle of the salt flats where giant cacti (some over 5m high) grow, a brief tour the local salt refineries, a stop at the now defunct original salt hotel and for longer trips stops at Thunupa Volcano and sites such as Laguna Colarada which is a major flamingo nesting site.

Whatever you do, make Uyuni a must see on your visit to Bolivia for the quirky town and the spectacular salt flats, a once in a life time experience. Bring a very warm jacket and plenty of sun block!

ps. (By Gary) Just to illustrate the point that the place is a true experience on my last trip there a few years back I managed to set light to the vehicle tire while driving (banned from the wheel after that) as the friction of the salt and intense heat got too much, it was minus 28 degrees Celsius one night and all the local llamas froze to death and we had to light a fire under the car engine to thaw it out! Combine that with sitting in natural hot springs in the middle of nowhere on the salt flats with views of the volcanoes and you start to get the picture.