biketocamp

Hey all,

Wanted to get some insight from you all for a trip I have in the works. I plan to fly from JFK to La Paz Bolivia to ride the Salt Flats. Since I don't have much time for an extended two weeks, this will be a 1-week trip. To my understanding, the salt flats have 2 routes to ride. One that can be done in a day and the other about two days or so. All I wanted to do was ride this location and camp overnight to shoot some photos. After I complete my bike trip we'll be hanging out in the city there until we leave. If anyone can shed some light on the Salt Flats, time to go (which I heard was August High Season) and the average cost for Bolivia in terms of dining and housing afterward. All help will be greatly appreciated.

mev

A search of the site crazyguyonabike.com will bring you multiple accounts of others cycling the salt flats.

A few quick items to take into account for your planning:
- The elevation of the salt flats are ~12,000 ft and La Paz is just slightly higher. Everyone adjusts to elevation differently - but may be useful to include some time to adjust to altitude.
- Night temperatures can reach minus 10C to minus 15C (5F to 14F), along with some wind. It warms rapidly during the day and cools rapidly when the sun goes down. Not extreme, but do need to bring appropriate gear for cold camping.
- Bolivia requires visas for U.S. citizens. If this applies to you, look online for what is involved.

I cycled through Bolivia this past July/August. I cycled along the salt flats and took a guided (jeep) tour onto the flats on a rest day in Uyuni. It was an interesting place to visit and overall I enjoyed my travels. I was adjusted to altitude (previously reaching a high point of 14,800ft cycling in Peru). August is winter and good time to visit since much less precipitation than summer.

My least expensive lodging was 20 Bs ($3) but you will pay considerably more since to fit all this into just one week + have time left to adjust to altitude and spend time in La Paz afterwards, you'll likely need to take a bus and spend more of your time in Ororu, Uyuni and La Paz. Online sites like expedia or booking.com will give a rough idea of prices in these locations. You can find less expensive than that, but also a bit tougher at high season. It is ~350 miles one way from La Paz to Uyuni and slightly more going via the salt flats.

Abu Mahendra

Listen to mev. Altitude and hypothermia are not to be under-estimated.

djb

arent you the dude whose friend lost his sleeping bag when it "rolled over a cliff" when setting up the tent, and then you guys lit some of your equipment on fire by accident with your camping stove?

don't know if I've mixed folks up, but that's what I remember.

biketocamp

Yeah that was us. That was when we were bikepacking Colombia last year.

djb

well buenos suertes with the Bolivia thing if it happens.

indyfabz

Isn't this the OP's third thread on this topic in the last 6 months?