South America in 125 – When you’re in the desert … of Bolivian salt –

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When you’re in the desert … of Bolivian salt

South America in 125 - When you're in the desert ... of Bolivian salt -

After wishing a happy birthday on video to their loved ones (!), PE and Beru arrived in Bolivia in the mythical Salar d’Uyuni, the Tenere blanc, the largest salt desert in the world, 11,500 km2 of purity … 16th episode: white as salt !

We swallow our last meters in Peruvian land with a certain excitement a few steps from Bolivia, but also with a certain nostalgia for Peru, a country that we appreciated by its colorful markets, its mountainous and green settings, its superb sites. , the kindness of the people … A country to know !

¡Bienvenidos in Bolivia! First stop at Copacabana (well and truly in Bolivia), resort by the lake where the magnificent sunset leaves us dreaming…

The next day, direction the capital! First corrupt "police" control where they try to extract a few Bolivianos from us. But PE, very firmly, gives them an international law and the policeman leaves again annoyed in his hut … Then, amusing passage of the Strait of Tiquina in an old worn wooden ferry barely floating. To say that he carries buses packed…

The road to La Paz is magnificent, skirting the snow-capped Cordillera Real with more than 100 peaks at 5000 m, a feast for the eyes! Our motorcycles graze in turn, the cruising speed is not very fast, which leaves us all the more time to admire these vertiginous peaks.

The traffic is denser, the traffic lights are pointing their noses, the buses are piling up on the edge of the road, the priorities are from another world, the pollution stings the eyes … We have arrived in La Paz! Typical South American city, except that you add the altitude criterion: we are at 4000 m, surrounded by snow-capped mountains. The location of the city is truly amazing! As and when the pleasure of driving evaporates: we are stuck in each street, the traffic is exasperating … In short, we relax as we can with our horns !

The next day, we stroll through the city which is in fact a gigantic outdoor market where you can find anything and everything, especially anything. Crossroads of travelers like Ushuaia (read), we are a little disappointed by the city itself: except for two or three monuments and squares, it hardly has any charm..

As a lover of challenges, PE finds its happiness around the capital: Huayna Potosi, an ascent to 6,088 m that can be done in two days, reaches out to him a few kilometers away! Magic moment, technical (cornice) and very trying … (video to follow!)

Not being fond of the urban high dose, we trace our route south with as objective (and not the least!): The mythical Salar d’Uyuni: the "Tenere blanc", the largest desert in salt to the world, visible from the moon! 11,500 km2 of purity … The superlatives are innumerable, it is a legendary stage for backpackers, as can be the Maracaña for footballers…

The failure at the beginning of April, with the mechanical galley in the South Lipez (read), had cooled us on the great spaces of the South Bolivian with our small vulnerable 125…

But with our 18,000 km on the clock, we were itching and we would have been frustrated in a tourist pick-up! So we have to go through it ourselves, the only risk being to get lost !

We take as much information as possible from locals and backpackers on the orientation to take because we do not have a GPS and compasses are not found, but also on the good plans of camps because the nights are very cool, it seems. . We leave the asphalt to reach the Salar. The track makes us all happy, we’ve been teasing the asphalt for a while !

Along the way, coincidence: we meet again a couple of French cyclists from Clermont, already met in San Juan (Argentina), who simply tells us to take benchmarks of mountains on the horizon. Heard! The surroundings of the Salar are superb, mixtures of white and steppes.

Before entering, a pit stop is required in the local village to have two beers with our last Bolivianos (there are very few distributors in Bolivia in small towns), just to drink in the desert !

It is accessed by a small path, then direct, the white desert is revealed before our eyes and it’s incredible! The speed of our bikes increases significantly, we take aim at an island and we trace like madmen…

The feeling is indescribable, there is no road, nothing, only salt! We have fun driving with our eyes closed, a unique feeling, we zigzag anywhere like children … The icy wind at sunset whips our cheeks, we don’t care, we are in seventh salt !

We arrive on the island without any problem! Tent up, small fire as a bonus, we share our impressions and we fall asleep dreamy…

The next day, direction Isla Incahuasi, in the middle of the desert, with its giant cacti and its unique setting. Photo session, cake break and off we go for 90 km of memorable driving…

We never tire ! On the last kilometers, we are already nostalgic for this white terrain but also proud of having managed to do it without a hitch! It will have been one of the best motorcycle moments in six months !

Refueling in Uyuni, then direction Potosi, ancient Bolivian treasure and economic lung, with its silver mines. This baroque town, at an altitude of 4,070 m, is our last Andean stopover before heading back down to the valley.

Saturday morning, dressed as minors and helmets on your head, we walk through the galleries crouching, lying down, in search of money. We meet the miners with their deplorable situation, their poverty wages and their life expectancy of 48 years, a sort of local Germinal…

See you next week in the valley with Sucre, a South American gem on paper, then the descent to the Paraguayan plains … With a review of our Tucano Urbano equipment !

PE and Beru

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