2013. március 18., hétfő

On the road: La Paz to Arica, Chile

Leaving La Paz at dawn in order to get to Arica at the end of the day, driving through amazing scenery and checking out the local wildlife. What a brilliant day!


It was 4 degrees in the morning in La Paz, so it was rather uncomfortable to know the fact that there was no heating on South American buses. In Arica, 30 degrees was waiting for us. Couldn't wait!


One of the Bolivian chullpas (burial towers) near the road. Let's see what's inside..


 Yepp..


Our guide, Gabor, seeing a lama the first time. So excited!


Sajama volcano, the highest peak in Bolivia (6542m). It's close to the border and we were getting closer and closer


The deserted service stations and the landscape reminded me Arizona and Route 66. Only the clothing of truck drivers and their wives looked a bit different..


Warning: lamas!!


Oh, here we go.. 


Twin volcanoes mark the border of Bolivia and Chile: Pomerape (6282m) and Parinacota (6348m)


The Bolivian - Chilean bolder looked a bit chaotic.


As Bolivia has no exit to the ocean and Arica is the closest free port, tons of trucks queue up at the border trying to get to Chile and back. 


Crossing the border we got to the beautiful Chungará Lake with a surface elevation of 4517m, the home of many species of birds including flamingos.





Is this a rabbit or a squirrel? Vizcacha they call it.   


A kind of rodent, with the tail of a rat 



Wild vicuñas



 Hot wheels



The end of the journey, the city of Arica. 


3 megjegyzés:

  1. Amazing pictures!!! Thanks guys! Was the truck driver naked btw? :)

    VálaszTörlés
  2. All truck drivers are naked here, haven't we metioned it yet?

    VálaszTörlés