I’ll be honest: I never would have guessed Bolivia had this much to offer.

Border Crossing, Bolivia-Style.

My adventure kicked off in San Pedro de Atacama, a quaint town in the north of Chile and the starting point for many a Uyuni trip. I did something wonderfully dramatic: I walked across the border into Bolivia. On the other side, our guide Pedro was waiting with his Toyota Land Cruiser, along with three fellow travellers on my tour

Lunch in a Hot Spring in the Middle of Nowhere

After a couple of hours of driving, we stopped for lunch at some hot springs. Picture it: salt plains, mountains in every direction, and you, bubbling away in warm water in the middle of the desert. No Power, No Problem. Back on the road, we hopped between sights and monuments before reaching our home for the night: a B&B with no power and hot water for one hour a day.

Our next stop was a deserted railway station, and “deserted” didn’t last long. That night we stayed in a hotel built from salt.When the alarm goes off at 3am, you’d better have a good reason. Ours: a spot on the salt flats covered by a layer of water, which turns the landscape into a giant mirror. As the sun rose, the sky and the earth became one, and the reflections were unreal.Breakfast at a Cactus Farm, Instant Coffee Included

Later, we stopped for the forced-perspective photos. With no landmarks to judge distance, the salt flats play tricks on your eyes, and with a few props and some clever positioning, the results look brilliant.

Wait, Can I Drive?

Then Pedro asked the question every traveller dreams of: “Does anyone want to drive?” I took him up on it thinking, who is going to believe me that I drove a 4×4 across the desert? That afternoon we rolled into Uyuni, the starting point for many tours. The tour finished around 4pm, which left time for dinner in Uyuni before an overnight bus to La Paz, Bolivia’s capital.

La Paz: The City That Beat My Expectations

I arrived in La Paz and joined a free walking tour. It started outside San Pedro Prison, which is unlike any prison you’ve heard of. It’s also a hub for drug distribution, and as we stood learning its history, we watched a person drop an object while a passer-by scooped it up. What was it? La Paz sits in a canyon and its main form of public transport is the cable car.

Don’t miss Mercado de las Brujas, the Witches’ Market, which is packed with crafts and curiosities. Another must-do from La Paz is Death Road, once known as the world’s deadliest road, until a safer two-lane highway opened in 2009. Yes, you are one mistake away from a fall to severe injury or worse. After surviving the 64km ride, a beer was in order on the side of the road.

Final Thoughts

Bolivia completely exceeded my expectations. If this isn’t on your travel list yet, it should be. Next stop for me: Peru. Written by Jason Duncan.

Ready to experience Bolivia for yourself? Get in touch with The Departure Lounge Travel & Cruise and we’ll design a South American adventure just for you.