 Town of Uyuni
This town holds the rests of the most important
railway machinery dating back to 1890, as can be
appreciated in the local repair shops known as
“The Train Cemetery”. 22 Km away from this town
there is Pulacayo, which was a very important
producer of silver by the end of the 19th
Century. Pulacayo is the seat where the
worldwide known “Thesis of Pulacayo” was
proclaimed, which recognized the rights of the
worker class in Bolivia. It is also possible to
see the first train that run in Bolivia and
other trains that were robbed by famous American
villains such as Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid.
 Colchani
The town of
Colchani stands on the shore of the Great Salt
Deposit, 22 Km north of the city of Uyuni. Also
known as “Puerto Seco”, it serves as main access
to the intense salt extraction rudimentary
activity observed in this area. The railway
network that crosses the town from north to
south had great influence on the economy of the
region because of the large amounts of salt that
were transported on the freight cars to the
urban centers. The visitor will be able to
appreciate the rural houses made of adobe walls
and salt blocks and roofed with wild grass or
ichu. These materials contribute to maintain a
warm temperature indoors and help to bear the
low temperatures that prevail throughout the
year.
The presence of
wild grass or ichu in the region makes this a
good pastureland for llamas, vicuñas and other
mammals.
 Uyuni Salt
Deposit
This salt
deposit is made up of a very pure, 6 m deep,
saliferous stratum that was the result of the
disapperance of a sea, which occurred 13.000
years ago, that covered the entire Bolivian
Altiplano up to the Titikaka lake.
It goes from
north to south, in the southwest region of the
national territory, between parallels 20º and
21º south latitude and 68º west longitude. It
comprises a reserve of 9 million tons of lithium
and other evaporative minerals.
Multiple “eyes”
may be found in the Salt Deposit, created by the
salty waters of what used to be the Tauca lake.
They have a diameter of 10 to 15 cm and a depth
of up to 120 meters, and the biggest ones may be
3x2 meters.
This amazing
ecosystem shelters an interesting regional fauna
such as Soca Cornuda and the extraordinary James
flamingo, which coexists with the Andean and
Chilean flamingo species. The Eduardo Avaroa
Andean Fauna National Reserve is the best place
for these species to built their nests. This is
also the habitat of the “Suri”, an endangered
species, and other mammals such as vicuñas,
llamas, and Andean cats and foxes.
The flora is
characterized by the strong presence of
grammineae (wild grass or ichu), and tholares
and keñuas can be found in humid areas.
 Driving through
this salt lake is an extraordinary experience,
especially in wintertime, when the deep blue of
the sky contrasts with the brilliant white of
the salty crust. When it is cloudy, the
“white-out” effect occurs, and the horizon fades
out until disappearing, being almost impossible
to distinguish between land and sky.
Polyhedral
shapes formed by the eolian force of the wind
are found amidst this spectacular landscape.
Visitors are marvelled with these strong
contrasts right in front of their eyes, like a
masterpiece combining the shiny white of the
desert, the deep blue of the sky, the wild
brownish shades of the surrounding mountains and
the islandsscattered throughout this scenery.
Isla Pescado
The Cujiri
Island, better known as Isla Pescado (Fish
Island) is located 74 Km from Colchani, in the
very center of the salt deposit. It has an
extension of 100 hectares and reveals a colorful
landscape.
The surface of
granite and organic land allowed a giant species
of cactus, approximately 6 meters high, to
develop an interesting ecosystem.
The island also
exhibits some geological formations that are of
great attraction for scientific research.
A cave located
on the top allows to see different geological
layers of the soil; besides, this is one of the
best places to take pictures of the island and
of the salt deposit.
Some parts of
the island exhibit white and pink colored layers
which make it more attractive; the cave located
near the top of the island allows to see the
different geological layers of the soil, and
this is one of the best places to take pictures
of the island and of the salt deposit.
Incahuasi
Island
Known as Isla
Pescadores (Fishermen Island), this island
encloses a cactus forest (quirucolumbar, pillaya,
piscallu, thulo, huajraguaya, añaguaya, etc.).
The island is formed on the rests of a volcano,
composed of petrified limestone along 1943 m and
an altitude of 102 m above the surface of the
salt deposit. 7 Tiwanakota-type archaeological
sites, 2 Inca ruins, 30 caverns and 12 natural
tunnels are found in this island. Alfredo Lázaro
(living in the community of Llica) protects the
island since 1987, and keeps record of 4030
adult cactuses, 5000 cactus units under
development and 16 burnt or dried cactuses. The
island is a nest for birds, viscachas, baker
birds (Furnarius rufus), etc.
This is an
excellent setting to take pictures and gaze at
the landscape of the Uyuni Salt Deposit.
“Eduardo Avaroa”
Andean Fauna National Reserve (REA)
The “Eduardo
Avaroa” Andean Fauna National Reserve is located
south of the Uyuni Salt Deposit. It encloses
extraordinary lagoons, a huge diversity of flora
and geysers and geothermal wells of amazing
shapes covering an area of 7.147 Km.
The REA was
created in 1973, and it covers an area of
714.745 has. (7.147 km2.). It is located at the
South end of the Department of Potosí, in the
Province of Sud Lípez, Municipality of San Pablo
de Lípez. The area is bounded by the Republic of
Argentina to the south and by the Republic of
Chile to the west. The weather is very cold and
dry, with annual rainfall less than 100 mm. The
altitude ranges between 4.200 and 6.000 meters
above sea level. The Reserve Eduardo Avaroa
(REA) covers the physiographic region of the
Western or Volcanic Cordillera, characterized by
broad plateaus and volcanic cones.
It shelters 102
species of flora, and approximately 200 species
of upper plants have been recorded. Ecologically,
it is characterized by broad icy deserts and
semidesert highland prairies. It encloses salty
lagoons of glacial origin, sedge swamps (bofedales)
and peat bogs. 96 species of fauna have been
recorded, the most outstanding species being the
vicuña (Vicugna vicugna), Andean cat or
titi (Felis jacobita), suri (Pterocnemia
pennata), soca (Fulica cornuta),
chocka (Fulica gigantea) and three
flamingo species (Phoenicoparrus andinus,
Phoenicoparrus jamesi and Phoenicopterus
chilensis) that built their nests in
enormous colonies. Likewise, there are some
species of small birds such as Upucerthia
validirostris, Phegornis mitchelli and other
migratory species that come from the Northern
hemisphere.
|
Laguna
Colorada (Red Lagoon)
Sol
de Mañana (Morning Sun)
Some
of the activities that
can be carried out are
trekking, adventure
tourism and ecotourism.
Visits should preferably
be made during June,
July and August, when
the land is dry and
early ascents can be
made departing from the
forest ranger lodgings.
