Today is the last full day on the road in Bolivia through the salt lakes with Luisa and Simon, and we are getting close to the Chilean border. There are many lagoons on the way to the Hotel del Desierto (it is literally the ONLY building in Ojo de Perdiz), and there are many flamingos on each lagoon, as well as some approachable vicunas. There are some spectacular volcanoes along the way, as well as a lot more traffic heading to or from Chile. Bolivia is home to the elusive James’s flamingos, Andean flamingos, and Chilean flamingos. The James’s flamingo is smaller than the Andean and Chilean, and the Andean flamingo is the only one with yellow legs.
The highlight is the Stone Tree, or the Árbol de Piedra. Much photographed, it is a stone formation created by wind-borne sand eroding the rock. The thin stone trunk of the ‘tree’ will ultimately cause the tree to topple over. This part of Bolivia is stunning – the combination of altitude and absence of air pollution provides the clearest blue skies imaginable. There is one more day in Bolivia (tomorrow), before crossing the border into Chile to reach San Pedro de Atacama.
