Bolivia: Exploring the South Lipez by Self-Drive (page 20 of 21)

Hi Carmen,

I’d gotten used to the Bolivian series—sniff, already over.

A huge thanks for this beautiful travel journal and those amazing photos 😎

I almost feel like going back 😉

Otherwise, since you mentioned canceled or not canceled flights, there’s also the issue of airlines that might go bankrupt, like South African Airways. We had several flights booked with them (a credit for the canceled April flights and the August flights not yet canceled), and now it’s a total loss 🏴‍☠️.

Hi Carmen. I also want to thank you for this story and all these beautiful photos. Thanks as well for all the valuable information that helped me prepare for my trip. I’ll most likely have to postpone until 2021 given the current international situation. The silver lining is having more time to fine-tune everything. Best regards, Bernard.

I won’t be original: thanks Carmen for all these beautiful photos 🙂.

Thanks for your message 🙂.

I’ve dreamed a lot about it... even if, honestly, I don’t think I’ll ever take such a trip . This whole region (southern Bolivia, northern Chile, and NOA) really looks amazing. Muriel

If you’re nervous about driving on the South Lipez tracks, maybe an organized trip with a private driver would work for you. If it’s the cold you’re worried about, I can reassure you—with the right gear, there’s no problem.

Hi Carmen,

I totally agree with you, but we can’t ignore the fact that it can get cold, that it’s a rustic trip... and that the food aspect takes a back seat 😉

If you're scared of driving on the South Lipez tracks, maybe an organized trip with a private driver would suit you. If it's the fear of the cold, I can reassure you—with the right gear, there’s no problem.

It’s a bit of both... I hate the cold 🏴‍☠️! So I’m leaning more toward a short first experience in the Argentine puna (with a driver) + exploring the Salta region on my own + Iguazu Falls, which have been a dream for a long time... and maybe that’ll give me the urge to return to the Andean highlands 😇. Muriel

Hi Bernard,

I also want to thank you for this story and all these beautiful photos. Thanks as well for all the valuable information that helped me prepare for my trip. I’ll most likely have to postpone until 2021 given the current international situation.

Thanks for following along. You never know—maybe it’ll be possible for you to go in November. Though I have my doubts too.

The upside is having more time to polish everything.

Definitely.😎

Carmen

and that the gastronomic aspect is relegated to the back burner 😉

I didn’t know Muriel was such a foodie.

I’m leaning more toward a first short experience in the Argentine puna (with a driver) + exploring the Salta region on my own + Iguazu Falls, which have been a dream for a long time... and maybe that’ll make me want to go back to the high Andean plateaus 😇.

Iguazu Falls have been calling my name for ages. After Niagara and Victoria Falls, it’d be the logical next step.😉

Hi Jean-François,

I’d gotten used to the Bolivian series, sniff—already over.

Yep, everything comes to an end...😉 I wasn’t even that quick with my posts.

Since you’re talking about canceled flights or not, there’s also the issue of airlines that might go bankrupt, like South African Airways for example. We had several flights booked with them (a credit for the canceled April flights and the August flights not yet canceled), and now it’s a total loss 🏴‍☠️.

True, in case of bankruptcy, it’s a total loss.🏴‍☠️ South African Airways has been in bad shape for years, and the government doesn’t seem willing to help this time. With the current situation, many airlines will struggle to survive. Lufthansa, Swiss, Iberia, etc., are in the same boat. But I guess some countries will do everything to keep their airline from going under. We’ll see...

Here’s an interesting link about South African Airways, if you’re curious: https://www.fin24.com/Companies/Industrial/liquidating-saa-not-as-simple-as-it-sounds-20200416

Have you already gotten a cancellation for Madagascar?

Carmen

Amazing travel journal and gorgeous photos that just make me want to go back to this region on a self-drive trip. The tour operator version already enchanted me 5 years ago, but self-driving clearly takes it to another level. Anyway, thanks for these little moments of escape during this lockdown! Can’t wait for the next adventure.

Thanks for your message. I can only encourage you to travel to South Lipez by self-drive. But you should still have some experience with rough roads if you want to go off the tour operator circuit.

No, for now Madagascar isn’t canceled—no news from the agency.

The snag is that we were going with South African Airways

Amazing travel journal and stunning photos that just make me want to go back to this region in a self-drive. The tour operator version already enchanted me 5 years ago, but self-driving clearly takes it to another level. Anyway, thanks for these little moments of escape during this lockdown! Can’t wait for the next adventure.

Thanks for your message. I can only encourage you to travel to the South Lipez in a self-drive. But you should still have some experience with dirt roads if you want to go off the tour operator circuit.

Yeah, I can imagine! Since our South Lipez trip in 2015, we’ve added a tour of the Carretera Austral (the long bimodal dirt road in southern Chile) and especially 3 weeks of self-driving in Botswana and Namibia to our list. It doesn’t make us experts by any means, but we’re leveling up as best we can ;-)! I’m still impressed by all your nights in the car. Comfort isn’t a big issue for me, but never sleeping flat sounds tough!! Well done!

Hi Camille,

I’m still impressed by all your nights in the car. Comfort isn’t a big issue for me, but never sleeping flat sounds tough!! Well done !

We spent 4 out of 18 nights in the car. That’s not much.😉

Plus, we could recline the seat back all the way to the rear bench. By putting a bag or something under our feet, we slept almost flat.

Carmen

Hi there,

Here’s the link to our travel journal from our last trip. https://voyageforum.com/discussion/suisse-pays-lacs-montagnes-16-28-mai-2020-d10301489/

For once, you won’t find desert landscapes—just lots of greenery. 😛

Carmen

Hey Guillaume,

Just one day I don’t check my "travel journals" notifications to look for your journal, and boom—I miss it. I haven’t read anything yet, but I can already see I’m the last one to hop on 😕 or almost... Now I’m kicking myself... 😏

No, but... 😏 I can’t believe I missed this!

Hi Carmen

The road between Potosi and Uyuni is very mountainous but really beautiful. We climb a pass and arrive on a vast plateau where many llamas are quietly grazing. The landscapes are stunning—we’re loving it.

I’ll definitely note that the road between Potosi and Uyuni is worth the trip.

Day 2 Sucre (La Selenita)

Day 3 Sucre (La Selenita)

Day 4 Colchani (Hotel de Sal Luna Salada)

Day 5 Jirira (Auberge Doña Lupe)

Day 6 On the Salar (in the car)

Day 7 A few kilometers from Estancia Catal (in the car)

Day 8 Laguna Hedionda (Hôtel Los Flamencos)

Day 9 Laguna Colorada (Hostel by the Lagoon)

Day 10 In the middle of nowhere, on the route between Laguna Verde – Mina Horsu – Quetena Chico (in the car)

Day 11 Quetena Chico (Lamphaya Lodge Andino)

Day 12 Quetena Chico (Lamphaya Lodge Andino)

Day 13 Guadalupe (Guest room at Celia’s)

Day 14 Along the Rio Grande (in the car)

Day 15 Tupiza (Hôtel Mitru)

Day 16 Tupiza (Hôtel Mitru)

Day 17 Sucre (La Selenita)

Day 18 Sucre (La Selenita)

Day 19 Santa Cruz (Hôtel Sun)

You still did 17 days on the road, with 4 days in Sucre, and I also note that La Selenita is a great hotel.

On maps.me, the site is called « Rocks ». We arrive just before nightfall—it’s perfect.

I love this oasis in the middle of the desert too. And the rocks are impressively massive.

Hi Marie-Do, 🙂

Hope you and your husband are doing well.

I completely forgot to reply to you.

I’ll keep in mind that the road between Potosi and Uyuni is really worth it.

We actually drove it before the South Lipez, so before seeing those amazing landscapes. But you’re right, the scenery between Potosi and Uyuni is pretty—definitely much nicer than between Tupiza and Potosi. Plus, we were there at sunset, and the rocks were beautifully colored.

You still spent 17 days on the road, with 4 days in Sucre, and I also noted that the Hotel La Selenita is great.

When you love it, you don’t count the days.😛 No regrets about the 13 days in the South Lipez—we could’ve easily stayed two or three more. For example, to climb a third volcano or on the route between Guadalupe and Rio Seco. That area is absolutely worth it!

La Selenita is up on a hill, so it’s quiet. Just keep in mind you’ll have to walk a bit to get to the center. It’s not far, but good to know. What we loved most was staying in a little cottage, so no neighbors "walking over your head" or making noise next door.😉 The welcome was super friendly—we couldn’t have asked for better. The room is simple but clean, and there’s hot water. Though, I think there’s no heating.

I also really love that oasis in the middle of the desert. And the rocks are impressively huge.

There are two spots marked with "rocks"—hope we’re talking about the same one.😉

Hugs, Carmen

If you're interested in Peru, check it out here: https://voyageforum.com/v.f?post=11461000;live=1;#11461000

Hi Carmen,

Before heading off to share your Peruvian adventures, I took the chance to dive back into this travel journal as it resurfaced from the depths of VF... Yes, yes, those 397 posts from the forum's golden age when you could display 500 photos!

And I realized that back then, I left like a thief without thanking you for this amazing travel journal (though we did have a good laugh about it, by the way). So, because I’m an old biker at heart, thank you for your feedback on this magical country that I still haven’t returned to 😠.

Now I can go enjoy your Peruvian update.

Thanks Bruno for your message. 🙂