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Bolivia - Bolivian Highlands Destination Guide

Uyuni Salt Flats:

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The Salar de Uyuni is comprised of the world’s largest salt flat and covers an area of 10 582km².  The Salar was formed when several ancient lakes were transformed due to changing weather conditions and is said to be over 10 meters thick in the center. It is situated in the southwest of Bolivia near the crest of the Andes and is located in the Potosi and Oruro departments.

The salt crust serves as a source of salt and covers a pond of brine which is unusually rich in lithium. What makes the area particularly enjoyable for visitors is the ability to witness the several species of pink flamingoes which use the area as a breeding ground and can be viewed from several fluorescent-colored lakes that surround the area.

During your tour you can also visit the cactus island, located in the middle of the salt flats where giant cacti (some over 5m high) grow and the shy ….. can be seen. A tour in Bolivia is not complete unless one has visited the hallucinatory salt flats and taken some of the best scenery shots of your trip.

Sucre:

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Sucre is located in the south central part of Bolivia and is the country’s constitutional capital. It’s favorably located at an altitude of 2750m and as a result, the city’s weather is warm and comfortable year-round.

The city is organized around a grid which reflects its Andalusian heritage that impacted on the city’s architecture, including its houses, convents and many churches. Interestingly, Sucre is the still the seat of the Roman Catholic Church in Bolivia, as well as having one of the world’s oldest universities: Universidad Mayor Real and Pontifica de San Francisco Xavier de Chuquisaca.

Each year Sucre attracts countless tourists thanks to its well preserved buildings from the 18th and 19th century. It is also perfectly located at the bottom of both hills Churuquella and Sika Sika and is a gateway to many small villages which surround the area. The most popular of these is the quaint village of Tarabuco which holds the popular “Pujllay” festival each year in March.

The area has a relaxed atmosphere and offers tourists a great look at historic buildings and celebrated theatre, as well as an opportunity to experience indigenous culture and prehistoric sites. The city was also named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991.

Potosi:


Potosi is claimed to be the highest city in the world and sits at an altitude of 3,967m above sea level. The city is located at the base of the Cerro de Potosi – a mountain of silver ore which made Potosi the richest province in the Spanish empire and has produced over 60 000 tons of silver.

In 1987, Potosi was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and as one wanders around its narrow streets, the colonial mansions and numerous churches speak of a bygone area where the streets were quite literally lined with silver and Potosi was the center of the South American empire. When visiting Potosi, a tour to the cooperative mines is a must.

The methods of extraction have hardly changed since the colonial era and most miners die of silicosis by the age of forty. The tours begin with a visit to the miner’s market where you can buy coca leaves, cigarettes and snacks for the miners before making your way to the Cerro de Potosi. Walk, crawl and climb through the mines and share your gifts with the miners as they swap stories about life in the mines.

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Interestingly, while miners are strictly catholic in their day-to-day lives, down in the mines they worship what is called “El Tio” (The Devil) as they say that God may rule above ground but it is El Tio who rules down below. There is even a chamber at the entrance of the mines where a statue of El Tio stands watch and miners make their daily offerings to for protection.