Two Backpackers

Photo of the Day: Religious Cross Atop Isla del Sol

| by Jason on September 7th, 2010 | 4 Comments » | Photo of the Day

Situated on the Bolivian side of the lake with regular boat links to the Bolivian town of Copacabana, Isla del Sol (“Island of the sun”) is one of the lake’s largest islands.  Geographically, the terrain is harsh; it is a rocky, hilly island.  There are no motor vehicles or paved roads on the island.  The main economic activity of the approximately 800 families on the island is farming, with fishing and tourism augmenting the subsistence economy.  There are over 180 ruins on the island. Most of these date to the Inca period circa the 15th century AD. – Wikipedia

We walked across the island in 3 hours capturing some of the most beautiful ocean island views we have ever seen.  We went off trail and climbed to the top of nearby hill to get a close up glimpse of this religious cross.

A Religious Cross Rests High on Isla del Sol in Lake Titicaca

Photo of the Day: A Train Cemetery in Bolivia

| by Jason on August 25th, 2010 | No Comments » | Photo of the Day

One of the major tourist attractions of the area is an antique train cemetery. It is located 3 km outside Uyuni and is connected to it by the old train tracks. The town served in the past as a distribution hub for the trains carrying minerals on their way to the Pacific Ocean ports. The train lines were built by British engineers who arrived near the end of the 19th century and formed a sizable community in Uyuni. The engineers were invited by British-sponsored Antofagasta and Bolivia Railway Companies, which is now Ferrocarril de Antofagasta a Bolivia. The rail construction started in 1888 and ended in 1892. It was encouraged by the then Bolivian President Aniceto Arce, who believed Bolivia would flourish with a good transport system, but it was also constantly sabotaged by the local Aymara indigenous Indians who saw it as an intrusion into their lives. The trains were mostly used by the mining companies. In the 1940s, the mining industry collapsed, partly due to the mineral depletion. Many trains were abandoned thereby producing the train cemetery. – Wikipedia

F´d Up Economics of Tourism in Uyuni Bolivia

El Cementerio de Trenes en Bolivia

Photo of the Day: Isla Del Sol, Lake Titicaca

| by Jason on August 21st, 2010 | 1 Comment » | Photo of the Day

Isla del Sol (Island of the Sun) is an island in the southern part of Lake Titicaca.  It is part of the modern Plurinational State of Bolivia.  Geographically, the terrain is harsh; it is a rocky, hilly island.  There are no motor vehicles or paved roads on the island.  The main economic activity of the approximately 800 families on the island is farming, with fishing and tourism augmenting the subsistence economy.  Of the several villages, Yumani and Cha’llapampa are the largest.  There are over 80 ruins on the island. – Wikipedia

Isla del Sol on Lake Titicaca

Photo of the Day: Sunrise Over Salt Flats in Bolivia

| by Jason on August 13th, 2010 | 3 Comments » | Photo of the Day

During our Tupiza to Uyuni Bolivia Salt Flats 4-day tour we witnessed incredible and varying scenery, such as this sunrise over the salt flats early the last morning. The white ground creates a very unique glow which is hard to experience elsewhere. If the clouds are clear enough, it may be the best sunrise you will ever experience.

Sun Rising At Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia

Photo of the Day: Mountains And Plains in Bolivia

| by Jason on August 12th, 2010 | 1 Comment » | Photo of the Day

During our Tupiza to Uyuni Bolivia Salt Flats 4-day tour we witnessed incredible and varying scenery, such as this snow capped mountain in the background.  From the Toyota Land Cruiser window we saw desert, volcanic rock, glowing lakes, volcanoes and of course, the Uyuni Salt Flats.  The canyon below the mountains in the plains is a river gorge that was entirely dry.  During the rains it must flood incredibly in order to have created such a crack in the ground.

Mountains and Plains During Bolivia's Tupiza to Uyuni Tour

Photo of the Day: Maragua Crater Near Sucre Bolivia

| by Aracely on August 6th, 2010 | No Comments » | Photo of the Day

The naturally formed crater of Maragua was created by the landscape rising, versus the more common volcano craters. A small village rests peacefully in the crater, where school children congregate from all the surrounding tribes. The site was part of a 3-day trek out of Sucre, Bolivia with Condortrekkers.

Maragua Crater Near Sucre Bolivia

Photo of the Day: Best View For Bathing In Hot Springs

| by Jason on August 4th, 2010 | No Comments » | Photo of the Day

This is the greatest scenery you could ever imagine while bathing in natural springs. The hot springs are located in the Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve of Bolivia, which is included in the 4 day Uyuni Salt Flats Tour. We stopped to enjoy lunch just inside the park’s entrance where the springs empty into a large lake. Once you were in the pool, you didn’t want to get out, because the weather was freezing!

Most Incredible View From Hot Springs