From Tunupa to Colchane (Connecting off the map)

This off the map connects the Salar de Uyuni with chiles national parks on a direct way. It makes only sense if you cycle over the salt lake and want to visit the Parques Nacionales de Isluga, Las Vicuñas, Salar the Surire, Lauca. All shops on this way are limited in supplies. Carry food from Uyuni. From the Isla Incahuasi to Colchani you need 4 – 6 days.

Roadbook

Km

Hm

Locality

Description

O

Isla Incahuasi

From Isla Incahuasi pile the Vulcan of Tunupa (in the north) a little to the left (saddle) to reach the village of Tanua.

42

Tanua

Just on the entrance of the population to the right, there’s a hostel. Two little shops by the “plaza”, water. Bike cleaning in the river. From Tanua the road goes up a little bit and reaches a cross point after 5 km. The track to the right brings you after 27 km up and down to Salinas de Garcia Mendoza

74

Salinas de Garcia Mendoza

hostel, several shops, water. Pass through the village (over the plaza) to the hospital. Here begins the better “ruta Intersalar 1 (RI1)” to Luca. First you climb for 4.6 km up to a pass (4047 m). After 2.8 km nice downhill you pass the turnoff to “Rancho Alcaya” (mummy caves). Here and after 1.7 km take the left branch. A good elevated road brings you in a wide loop over a plane after 25 km from the last crosspoint to the small village of Lauca.

108

Luca

No hostel, but ask the people for Daniel and Lydia. Maybe this friendly couple give you a simply bed or a place to pick up your tent. There’s also a school, water. If the salar’s shore is dry try as ever is possible to cycle there and avoid the sand road. By wed conditions follow this way description. There are a lot of road splittings, we cycled this way: 1.7 km from Luca turn left + 1.6 km right + 2.8 km left + 4.4 km right to the Salar’s shore. For 4.5 km on the shore, easy cycling, then again sand. After 9.1 km more is the village of Tauca (about 20 km after Luca) to the left by the mountain “Santiago”.

128

Tauca

Only water. Back to the Salar’s shore and after 3 km is a waypoint from the Ruta Intersalar (RI1). The Salar is dry? You are lucky and can start over the salt surface in direction of Coipasa. Normally the Salar de Coipasa is water covered and you have to continue on the road around the Salar. Turn left to pick up the sand road again. About 15 km from Tauca you reach the village Tres Cruces (by the three hills).

146

Tres Cruces

Tres Cruces has a little shop (second house to the left from the church, no bread) and a school, water. From Tres Cruces the road gets better because it is used by a bus. Leave in direction of Hizo, after 1 km turn right! Follow the Salar’s shore. 18.6 km after Tres Cruzes (the road turned away from the Salar to the left) is an important roadsplitting. To the left it goes to Llica, so you have to take the right branch here! 3.5 km further after a curve the road heads again in direction of the Salar. Hizo is situatet at NNW behind a hill and the road goes straight on in this direction. 10.7 km after the roadsplitting you drive around the rock nose and you see Hizo. 1.7 km more to the buildings.

181

Hizo

Water, school. From here follow every time the “mainroad” 14.2 km to La Quequa

195

La Quequa

Water, school.

210

Campamento

About 2 km from La Quequa right (not the way to the mountains), after 7 km from the village some houses, than up to a little saddle and down to the Salar. Follow the tracks on the shore near the water, pass between an island and the mainland and you reach a campamento 15 km after la Quequa near of the border to Chile (look out for the bolivian flag). Here you can camp (water).

250

Pisiga / Colchani

After crossing the border (no customs) you drive over chilean territory on the Salar’s shore. 2 km from the border passing a minefield and after another 9 km the road turns left. A few meters more from the crosspoint take the right branch. The track heads left around a long island and then you can see Pisiga far away (WNW). From here a lot of tracks start over the muddy plain of the Salar (be careful if it rains!). We took the rightmost one. Passing to rivers it brings you to the other side of the Salar and back to bolivian territory 10 km after the island. You hit the sandy way coming from Coipasa. Cycle to Pisiga (Bolivar), and further to Colchane.

February 2006

Km	Hm	Locality	Description
O		Isla Incahuasi	From Isla Incahuasi pile the Vulcan of Tunupa (in the north) a little to the left (saddle) to reach the village of Tanua.
42		Tanua	Just on the entrance of the population to the right, there’s a hostel. Two little shops by the “plaza”, water. Bike cleaning in the river. From Tanua the road goes up a little bit and reaches a cross point after 5 km. The track to the right brings you after 27 km up and down to Salinas de Garcia Mendoza
74		Salinas de Garcia Mendoza	hostel, several shops, water. Pass through the village (over the plaza) to the hospital. Here begins the better “ruta Intersalar 1 (RI1)” to Luca. First you climb for 4.6 km up to a pass (4047 m). After 2.8 km nice downhill you pass the turnoff to “Rancho Alcaya” (mummy caves). Here and after 1.7 km take the left branch. A good elevated road brings you in a wide loop over a plane after 25 km from the last crosspoint to the small village of Lauca.
108		Luca	No hostel, but ask the people for Daniel and Lydia. Maybe this friendly couple give you a simply bed or a place to pick up your tent. There’s also a school, water. If the salar’s shore is dry try as ever is possible to cycle there and avoid the sand road. By wed conditions follow this way description. There are a lot of road splittings, we cycled this way: 1.7 km from Luca turn left + 1.6 km right + 2.8 km left + 4.4 km right to the Salar’s shore. For 4.5 km on the shore, easy cycling, then again sand. After 9.1 km more is the village of Tauca (about 20 km after Luca) to the left by the mountain “Santiago”.
128		Tauca	Only water. Back to the Salar’s shore and after 3 km is a waypoint from the Ruta Intersalar (RI1). The Salar is dry? You are lucky and can start over the salt surface in direction of Coipasa. Normally the Salar de Coipasa is water covered and you have to continue on the road around the Salar. Turn left to pick up the sand road again. About 15 km from Tauca you reach the village Tres Cruces (by the three hills).
146		Tres Cruces	Tres Cruces has a little shop (second house to the left from the church, no bread) and a school, water. From Tres Cruces the road gets better because it is used by a bus. Leave in direction of Hizo, after 1 km turn right! Follow the Salar’s shore. 18.6 km after Tres Cruzes (the road turned away from the Salar to the left) is an important roadsplitting. To the left it goes to Llica, so you have to take the right branch here! 3.5 km further after a curve the road heads again in direction of the Salar. Hizo is situatet at NNW behind a hill and the road goes straight on in this direction. 10.7 km after the roadsplitting you drive around the rock nose and you see Hizo. 1.7 km more to the buildings.
181		Hizo	Water, school. From here follow every time the “mainroad” 14.2 km to La Quequa
195		La Quequa	Water, school.
210		Campamento	About 2 km from La Quequa right (not the way to the mountains), after 7 km from the village some houses, than up to a little saddle and down to the Salar. Follow the tracks on the shore near the water, pass between an island and the mainland and you reach a campamento 15 km after la Quequa near of the border to Chile (look out for the bolivian flag). Here you can camp (water).
250		Pisiga / Colchani	After crossing the border (no customs) you drive over chilean territory on the Salar’s shore. 2 km from the border passing a minefield and after another 9 km the road turns left. A few meters more from the crosspoint take the right branch. The track heads left around a long island and then you can see Pisiga far away (WNW). From here a lot of tracks start over the muddy plain of the Salar (be careful if it rains!). We took the rightmost one. Passing to rivers it brings you to the other side of the Salar and back to bolivian territory 10 km after the island. You hit the sandy way coming from Coipasa. Cycle to Pisiga (Bolivar), and further to Colchane.