Far West • California & Nevada road trip [USA] 1/3 ENG

FR | ENG

Beginning of our beautiful road trip adventure in the USA... Which will make us cross California, a small part of Nevada, Utah & finish in beauty under a burning heat in Arizona... But to be honest, we organized this trip because I wanted a "simpler" trip compared to our last adventures in Mongolia, but we were afraid to be disappointed... first of all because we had already seen all these landscapes in magazines or in movies, the crowd of tourists, the American mentality & of course the food... but this trip was way beyond our desires and our expectations... in 1 word : GREAT !

→ DAYS 1 to 3 • San Francisco

Our road trip in the west starts with 3 days in San Francisco... No need to tell you that this city deserves to be visited at least a few days before hitting the road and driving down all those miles... We suggest you to discover it with our "to-do" list & in pictures...

• Union Square... Arrived in the evening, it is the first district that we discover & it is here that our Hotel Zepplin... The district, very central with all the conveniences, is practical but it is not by far the most charming district... There are the big chain stores, a lot of restaurants & hotels and also a lot of beggars... Honestly, there are plenty of other more attractive neighborhoods to stay in on a future visit. However, our hotel was very original & design, although the room was really tiny, and the breakfast delicious. On the other hand, in this area... the famous Cable Cars are omnipresent, not to be missed under any circumstances: the Cable Car hub at Powell Station.

• Cable Cars & son museum... This is the only thing Tracy remembers about her first trip to SF when she was 5 years old with her parents... Mythical is the word! 30 years later... As soon as you get on it, the feeling of being a kid on a merry-go-round is back... and on top of that you discover SF quietly... we love it! There are three different lines, a trip will cost you 7 $, it's not cheap, so to take advantage of the trip here are some advices: try to get on at the end of a line to cover a maximum of the trip and to have the best seats... but there are sometimes many many many people... so you have 2 options: come very early in the morning or later in the evening (with the evening lights it's very nice, sun setting through the streets and the lights of the city start to light up) or get on the way if there is still room even standing, the price will be the same but no line...

  In the Union Square area, don't miss the turntable at Powell Street: the drivers, always by 2, jump off the Cable Car to make it turn on a wooden platform in order to make it go back the other way. These small urban trains will have no more secrets for you & especially it allows to admire the cables which pull the 3 different lines... In fact everything starts from here... Impressive & deafening!

• Alamo Square & Hayes Valley... efinitely this neighborhood is our favorite... all these Victorian houses and all the other picturesque houses in this area made us want to settle down... In addition the district of Hayes is filled with small cafés too "chou"... the small more was to ride in electric scooter Lime... with 2 on the same one, it was sport but so ludic... we still do not return from having traversed the streets of SF like that... (almost dangerous)...

• Limebike... one word GENIUS... a concept that is also coming to Switzerland ... Lime is a network of bicycles (nothing very innovative so far) and electric scooters for rent... The mega plus of this concept is that these scooters can be found anywhere in the street... To start : you just have to download the application on your smartphone, introduce your credit card, have a 3G network or wifi (there is a free wifi in SF but not always available) and your smartphone battery well filled... That's all... Then you just have to find a scooter in the street thanks to the map in the application that geolocates the available and charged scooters... Once in front of your future scooter scan the QR code and off you go... (⚠️ don't move a scooter without delocking it with your smartphone... because it will start screaming and threaten to call the police... experience made 😝 because I was looking to get closer to a wifi network)... once you arrived at your destination, you delock and leave your scooter almost anywhere according to your common sense... to be tested absolutely!

• Chinatown... Honestly parr our way, there is nothing to see... it is by far not the most impressive Chinatown that we have seen... there are only small stores without soul and without consistency, only bad gadgets... After Bangkok it is difficult to compete.

• North Beach… The Italian district... This district can be spotted by the green-white-red flag paintings on all the signposts in the streets... we had dinner at Acquolina, chatting in Italian with the waiters, in French and in German with our Swiss-German tablemates... a very nice moment... take the time to stroll in this district at the end of the day to drink the Italian aperitivo... "un Spritz per favore!"

• Fisherman's Wharf... The star of this district which is indeed a line of piers filled with restaurants, souvenir stores & museums, is Pier 39 or rather The Pier 39... where sea lions have taken up residence... they are there next to the passers-by basking in the sun or doing a pseudo fight show... I found it hypnotizing... the other particularity of the district not to be missed a little further on Taylor street & if you are a fan of crab and seafood, go to the Fisherman's Wharf Carb Stands... beware however of the seagulls always ready to steal your meal directly from your hands!

• Lombard Street… A street of eight hairpins & full of charm on the slopes of one of the many hills of SF was built to allow the inhabitants to climb the 27% difference in altitude... Only big problem: the horde of tourists who take selfies or drive down the street as if it was a merry-go-round... We pity the inhabitants... But the view of this small street from far or near is still worth the detour.

• Golden Gate Bridge... the STAR of San Francisco! The bridge whose name comes from the gold rush in the Sierra Nevada, was inaugurated in 1937, is 2.6 km long and overhangs the bay by 67 m, it contains 1 million tons of steel and 129'000km of cables... 25 painters work all year long to renovate it... The purpose of the paint is indeed to protect the steel from rust facilitated by the salt contained in the air & the color is called international orange (Pantone 180)... So much for the official info! You can cross the bridge on foot, by bike or by car... (beware of the toll if you enter SF)... but for me the walk towards Crissy Field with a view on the bridge is more fun than the crossing itself. To get to the Golden Gate Bridge from downtown, take the 28 bus, it's the closest to the bridge, then if you're lucky, try to find an electric scooter and you're free!

• Apple Park... Marc being literally a big FAN of Apple... we couldn't avoid making a small detour to Cupertino, to go to the visitor center of Apple Park and be as close as possible to the Apple world: virtual visit, apple store, café, panoramic terrace.

In 3 days there are obviously many things and places that we did not have time to see... here is our little list for a next visit...

• The climb of the Coit Tower early in the morning to avoid the queue and to enjoy a great view of all SF

• A guided night visit to Alcatraz to feel the chills again

• A walk to the Marine Headlands to see the Golden Gate Bridge & San Francisco from the other side of the bay, it is said to be the most beautiful view in SF

• The Catsro, SF's gay district

  Here is an overview of this magnificent city, the most European of the USA... now let's hit the road to the west...

→ DAY 4 • Groveland

[ 198 miles • 4h00 via Cupertino ]

Groveland, a small village with a typical American Wild West look... Arrived at the end of the day with the last rays of sun on Main Street & after a short walk in the little town... We chose the Iron Door Saloon to soak up a little more of the local atmosphere... The saloon is the oldest in California, has original steel doors to protect the inhabitants from a possible fire and the ceiling is covered with banknotes stuck in projectiles mode... We feel good there and the meat is delicious... this road trip in the west starts very well... We stayed just next door in the very very charming Groveland Hotel... a lovely surprise!

This small village is ideally located on the west side of Yosemite Park. Our basic itinerary would have led us to discover Yosemite on day 5 & cross the Sierra Nevada via the Tioga Pass (3031m). Unfortunately, the pass was still closed when we passed through (it opened the following weekend... lack of boll)... we had to, with a lot of regret, bypass Yosemite and take the Sonora Pass... to reach Lee Vining! You will find all the access information below.

You will find practical information about access & roads on the website of National Parc Service.

Iron Door Saloon
18761 Main St
Groveland
CA 95321

Groveland Hotel
18767 Main St
Groveland
CA 95321

→ DAY 5 • Lee Vining

[ 215 miles • 4h30 via Sonora pass ]

Even if we had to change our itinerary because of the winter closure of the Tioga pass... the Sonora pass was a very nice mountain road to pass the Sierre Nevada... With beautiful granite landscapes.

Arrived on the other side of the Sierre Nevada, we made a small detour by Bodie State Historic Park... a mining town frozen in the time of the gold rush... we are in the GOLDEN GATE STATE!!!

We decided to sleep in Lee Vining to enjoy the sunrise on the Mono Lake... so, to spend a nice evening in this very small village without much soul, go to Epic Café where the welcome with a strong accent ("soup or salad" or "super salad"... ???), the garden and the dishes are at the top...

Hôtel Lake View Lodge
51285 Highway 395
Lee Vining
CA 93541

Epic Café
349 Lee Vining Avenue
Lee Vining
CA 93541

The Mono lake is a salt lake with a salt content 2,5 times higher than the oceans... The particularity of this lake are the numerous limestone formations which rise above the level of the lake...They are called tuff towers... Go early in the morning and to the south of the lake to see the most beautiful landscapes and walk through all these tufs :)

On the way to Death Valley... a short stop at the Hot Creek geological site: hot springs, fumaroles and turquoise waters. We also wanted to discover the Devils Postpile National Monument, 60 m high basalt columns, but they were still closed for the winter when we visited at the end of May.

→ DAYS 6 & 7 • Death Valley

[ 228 miles • 4h00 via  Hway 395, 136 & 190  ]

Here are the great desert landscapes... the valley of death... arriving from Lee Vining, after the fork in the Hway 136, the landscape starts to change drastically to leave place to the desert and a burning heat! Moreover the road goes up and down... The car sometimes shows some signs of weakness...

Little advice: don't forget to take a lot of water! 

Our Hotel, Furnace Creek Resort, is located in the very center of Death Valley with all the "attractions" only a few miles away. Small plus of this hotel with a colonial style, the swimming pool... welcome in the middle of the day when the temperatures are not bearable otherwise. Indeed, to make the most of your stay in Death Valley, you should plan to get up early to enjoy the magnificent morni

• Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes... A nice walk through the dunes... (yes, Tracy has a fascination for the dunes... that's how Marc was convinced to come and get hot!) to be done preferably in the morning to avoid the heat that rises very quickly!

• Artist's Palette... Here we feel like at the Color Run... Colorful spots on the ground and on the sides of the mountain... Green, purple, pink & turquoise... It's crazy what nature can offer us as a show! To get there, make a 15km loop from Badwater road... Ideally to do at the end of the day to have the sun rays on all these colors!

• Badwater Road... Hway 178 to go to have access to different viewpoints, it's a very beautiful road & even more when the storm threatens...

• Badwater... The lowest point of the USA at -84m below sea level... here it can be very very hot, a real furnace... The salt marsh is not as beautiful as in Uyuni in Bolivia, but the landscape is still worth the trip... It is best to do it at the end of the day (but be careful with the heat) to have a better exposure to the sun... because we were there in the morning and the basin was still in the shade.

• Zabriskie Point... A magnificent point of view to be done at sunrise to see the formations light up one after the other...

→ DAY 8 • Springdale via Las Vegas

[ 118 miles • 2h10 Las Vegas + 163 miles • 2h45 Springdale  ]

Direction Zion national park... but on the way, we couldn't miss Las Vegas... Honestly we were not excited to spend time in Las Vegas in the middle of our road trip in the nature... But the extravagance of the place was in fact fascinating... Not to be missed: the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign, the Bellagio hotel, the Paris Las Vegas & of course playing at the casino... After this day, we would have liked to add a night in Las Vegas to discover it in light ... At the Bellagio of... Next time!

See the continuation of our roadtrip in Utah

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Full of precious informations

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→ Discover the rest of our adventures in the USA in our articles below

USA • Utha & Navarjo Lands

Continuation of our adventures in the west of the USA with the discovery of Utah & the Navajo country... A region full of beautiful national parks.... Honestly we could spend months and months there..

USA • Arizona

Continuation and end of our western adventures in the magnificent state of Arizona... pffffff it's been hot...

Far West • Utah & Navajo Lands road trip [USA] 2/3 ENG

FR | ENG

Continuation of our adventures in the west of the USA with the discovery of Utah & the Navajo country... A region full of beautiful national parks.... Honestly we could spend months and months there..

→ DAY 8 • Springdale via Las Vegas

[ 118 miles • 2h10 Las Vegas - 163 miles • 2h45 Springdale  ]

Springdale gives off an atmosphere that we liked right away... We arrived at the gates of Zion National Park... Yes, there are lots of hotels, restaurants and tourists everywhere but the atmosphere is nice, relaxed & sporty... We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express... Nothing exceptional, but all the buildings of the small town seem to respect a certain height & color and blend completely in the red ochre canyon of Zion... For dinner, I recommend you to go to Bit & Spur, a saloon with a Mexican-inspired cuisine and a nice terrace in the back with a view on the canyon cliffs...

Before talking about the national park, let's talk about prices... If you are going to visit 3 or more national parks (be careful, the "Stats Park" are not included), you have to get at the entrance of the first park you visit  "The Beautiful Pass" for a value of $80 valid for one year & transferable to 2 people... it's ideal & really profitable!

Zion National Park... Honestly a nice surprise... It is really a park which is often put aside in the "tours" which propose the agencies in Switzerland or on the catalogs of trips... We do not understand, because it is magnificent .... our bus driver... Because yes in the park it is forbidden to take its car (and so much better, otherwise that would be infernal), told us that Zion had passed to the 3rd rank of the most visited national parks in the USA! It's understandable, considering the number of hikes - walks - activities you can find in the park.

So you'll understand... to get the most out of it, you have to get up early to avoid the crowd, be the first at the bus stop and avoid the wait, be alone on the different hikes and especially to be able to do several in one day if your time is limited... Unfortunately like us!

 We did 3 hikes in one day:

• Emerald pool Trail followed directly by the Kayenta Trail... An easy hike that brings us to the 3 waterfalls: Lower, Middle & Upper Emerald Pool, and makes us discover a thick and climbing vegetation... and that's exactly what we really liked in Zion... These red cliffs and this vegetation which seems to want to cover it by climbing on it. The Kayenta Trail allows to follow the Virgin River in height and to admire views on the whole canyon. (bus stop n°5 pick up at n°6)

• The Narrows... A walk... Followed by a walk at the bottom of the canyon... after about 20 minutes of walking... the path gives way to the river, let's go for the adventure... but to be able to do it, you have to rent waterproof shoes at the entrance of the park allowing you to walk in the rather cold water of the Virgin River... (last bus stop n° 9)

• Angels Landing... Unfortunately we did not have the time to do this walk which is said to be magnificent because it allows to reach a promontory with a view over the whole canyon... The walk is quite difficult and lasts about 4 hours for 8.6km with more than 400m of difference in height (those who suffer from vertigo should not do it)... Next time I hope so!

As mentioned in our 1st article "Far West - california & the nevada road trip", in addition to adding a night in Las Vegas we would have very willingly added a night in Zion... And probably removed a night in Bryce (see next step) in order to be able to do the Angels Landing walk... because according to us, a big half-day would be enough in Bryce to discover the amphitheater properly, while in Zion the possibilities seem endless...

After a late picnic in Springdale... Departure to discover one of the most beautiful roads of our trip the Mount Carmel Road... A scenic road paved in red-ochre to match the cliffs of Zion National Park. This road from Springdale to Bryce winds its way through the canyon and offers some amazing views. Just after the one-way tunnel (direction Bryce), stop on the right at the small parking lot, to make a last walk: the Canyon Overlook Trail... do you think the view is worth it?

It is really late when we leave Zion with a point of regret... But the adventure continues direction Bryce...

→ DAYS 9 & 10 • Bryce Canyon

[ 82 miles • 1h45  ]

Our day yesterday made us knocked out... This time we didn't get up at dawn, because the weather was overcast and we were very tired... After a mediocre breakfast at the Best Western of Bryce Village (atmosphere much less nice than Springdale... more reason to make 2 nights in Springdale and 1 night in Bryce), departure to discover this amphitheater.

Then even if we are not there at the sunrise, we begin by the Sunrise point... Whouaaaa... The first sight on the amphitheater and its multitudes of Hoodoos is impressive... Moreover the cold of duck is also impressive... For me it will be a down jacket, mini gloves and ear muffs... Yes yes, it's curling! The coolest thing with this super changeable weather sun - rain - cloud - sun - cloud - rain... At each passage of clouds, the sun re-illuminates the amphitheater or only a part of it... so we wait for this show with impatience to discover the magnificent colors.

We decide then to leave to the assault of hoodoos and to go down in the heart of the amphitheater by the Queen's Garden Trail followed by the Navajo Loop Trail in order to join the Sunset point... the descent is easy and pleasant, we observe every hoodoos, we wait for the clearings... a real spectacle... the ascent was however a little bit more strong... with its way in laces... but magnificent nevertheless!

In one full day, it is possible to see all the other viewpoints: Inspiration point & Bryce Point... we wouldn't know which one is the most beautiful... each time the view is breathtaking!

If we had to stay again in Bryce, we would choose without hesitation The Lodge At Bryce Canyon, located in the national park a few meters from the amphitheater & surrounded by vegetation. If the budget doesn't allow it... at least go to their restaurant for a mountain atmosphere followed by a little walk along the amphitheater... We were lucky enough to take the walk accompanied by a herd of bambis... They were really not afraid of us... it was magic!

→ Days 11 & 12 • Moab

[ 265 miles • 5h00 via Hway 12 & 24  ]

It's a long stage, because we decided to drive on Highway 12, which makes the road a bit longer... But we were not disappointed... this road of Utah winds through so many different landscapes... Canyons, ridges, petrified dunes... so if your western tour takes you from Bryce to Moab or vice versa... Without any hesitation, take this route via Escalante, Boulder, Torrey & Capitol Reef National (Highway 24). We unfortunately did not visit the latter because it was raining (the only drops of the whole trip) but just crossing it via Hwy 24...It was very beautiful!

Arrived at the end of the day in Moab...The temperature has clearly risen since our departure from Bryce... Here we are in the desert and that feels! We discover finally our "glamping" with our tent all equipped...Under Canvas : a "luxury" camping with all the conveniences but which pays attention to its impact on nature and its water consumption... I find the charm of the safari tents of our road trip in Namibia in the middle of the USA... I love it! (only drawback of this camp, the proximity of the 191 road... according to the wind we hear it too much, really a pity)... Under Canvas has other camps in Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Zion... Without any doubt, we would stay there during a future road trip in the USA!

After a very cold night... Our day starts at dawn, because we only have one whole day in Moab... & honestly it's NOT enough, because there is so much to do and see here!

But to start us off right, this morning we planned a helicopter flight (early birthday present for Marc)...  A way to have a nice first view of this landscape. So we met at 6:30 am at the Canyonlands airport for a flight with Pinnacle Helicopters... Ben, our pilot, installs us in his R44 (Marc is in the paradise...) and it is left for a flight of 45 minutes with a sun which starts to illuminate all the landscape: Dead Horse Point, the Colorado river, Potash Ponds & Island in Sky of the Canyon Lands National Park... In short we take a lot of eyes & we are happy to have got up at dawn... We let you discover the landscapes without adding other comments!

This flight gave us even more desire to discover all these parks and these breathtaking landscapes... So we went first to the Dead Horse Point State Park be careful, here the "Beautiful Pass" does not work)... But you absolutely have to go there to see the view of the river below that we just flew over... Colorado Gooseneck & the Potash Ponds!

Our journey continues towards Canyonlands National Park... This park is composed of 3 parts : Island in The Sky, The Neddles & The Maze... we explored the Island in The Sky, until the Grand View Overlook... Small picnic with an impressive view... We feel really tiny in front of this immensity... Can you find me on the picture 😅?

The heat becoming overwhelming... we decide to make a small nap in our glamping before taking again the road at the end of the afternoon to finally discover the Arches National Park... But even at 5 pm, the heat remains hardly bearable... We decide to make first a small walk towards Landscape Arch, then on the road of the return a stop at Skyline Arch... impressive and magnificent with this luminosity of the end of day. But considering the temperatures, we shall not make the walk towards Delicate Arch... we shall see it from far from Upper Delicate Arch Viewpoint... It is a pity, we are a little disappointed, but we do not take the risk! We finish our day by a photo session... It is really what we love in our trips, "to waste time" to make photos, to wait for the good light, to scrutinize the hidden animal or to wait simply that the other tourists leave to take advantage of the site only for us... So we went to the Window Section where we found many arches not far from each other: Double Arch, North & South Arches...

This marathon day, we can say it, will have been so rich... I keep a magnificent memory of it and I can only advise to plan 2 to 3 days more in Moab in order to be able to take advantage of all these parks and all the proposed activities (4x4, rafting, mountain bike,...).

→ DAYS 13 & 14 • Monument Valley [navajo lands]

[ 146 miles • 2h30 ]

After a good night under tent in our pretty glamping in Moab... we left for a day road trip... 2 options are offered to us before taking the direction of Monument Valley: to return to Arches National Park and to make the walk towards Delicate Arch that we had not had courage to make the evening before because of the heat or to go to try to see Potash Ponds more closely... we choose the 2nd option a little more out of the beaten tracks... thus on the road on Potash Road n°279...

During all the 1st part, we go along the Colorado river of a brown-green color, then we arrive at the factory...  In fact it is a mine of KCl... The water of the ponds is artificially tinted in blue to accelerate the evaporation and thus the formation of crystals of KCl. Unfortunately, there is no possibility of making a visit of the site, it is a pity... We decide then to continue the road which becomes more and more sportive... (if you don't have a 4x4 don't drive!!!) to finally arrive at the edge of ponds...

After a lunch break in the small town of Moab and put back of my road emotions... yes, the road until the ponds is really bumpy especially the last part... Direction Monument Valley! The road is quite long and monotonous, we cross almost deserted cities... So to motivate ourselves, we put on the music in our Dodge which is a little bit soft, we must say! On the way we see the Mexican Hat, a rock in the shape of sombrero, then we make a stop at the Forest Gump Point... but the sun being in front of us and not yet low enough, we decide to come back the morning of our departure to benefit from the light in our back illuminating the whole road.

We arrive in the late afternoon in the country of the Navarjos, located in Utah & mainly in Arizona but be careful, here we keep the time of Utah! Honestly, we were a little bit apprehensive, because we had planned 2 nights and I had had some negative feedbacks... "too many tourists", "it's only 3 blocks of rocks", "we're bored"... anyway for us, it was a wonderful stage...

it is true that as soon as we arrived... we see the big building of the View Hotel et son parking, and there we tear up a little... but good, we park the car to go to the reception and there directly under our eyes we discover the 3 hills... we understand better the site of the hotel and of course its name... no other word than "magnificent" with this light of end of day!

To avoid being in a concrete block, I had reserved the cabin belonging to the hotel... at the time of the reservation, I was a little skeptical, but what a joy to discover these fully equipped cabins, away from the main building and parking... But with the same view !

For our 2 mornings spent in Monument Valley... we woke up at dawn to find the good spot... but not need to go very far, we take possession of a big rock, not far from our cabin and very close to the beginning of the Valley Loop Drive...  We spent hours there to take photos, to contemplate the spectacle & to make stagings of cowboy... it was great, we were alone with 2 or 3 other photographers... No noise just us and the nature... (except during the 2nd morning... an invasion of Japanese at 6 am which lasted hardly 3 minutes... that surprised us & also made us laugh!)

After a breakfast... Let's go for the Valley Loop Drive... (Be careful, you must have a 4x4 or at least an elevated car... If you don't have one, you'll have to sign up for a tour organized and directed by the Navajos on board their big open jeeps... But be careful, you will swallow a lot of dust).

We are in full western... the track is nevertheless rather well maintained, we take our time to make all the loop and to benefit from every point of view... The main attraction is the John Ford's Point, favorite place of the director of the same name. At this place you can wait patiently that the Navajo takes his horse and puts himself in pose on the promontory... and with some $ you will be able to go up yourself on the horse... hihhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaa!!!

In the afternoon we wanted to go for a horseback ride to immortalize even more the feeling of being a real cowboy in the Wild West... But unfortunately the wind came up and an impressive sandstorm formed, forcing us to take refuge in our pretty cabin...

Before our departure for Arizona... We returned in the beginning of morning to the Forest Gump Point, in 13 miles of Monument Valley on the hway 163 in direction of Bluff... Where Forest decided to stop running... The view is beautiful with this straight road and the buttes in the background... But BEWARE of the cars passing at full speed threatening the tourists who put themselves in the middle of the road to have the best shot... 

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USA • California & Nevada

Beginning of our beautiful road trip adventure in the USA... Which will make us cross California, a small part of Nevada, Utah & finish in beauty under a burning heat in Arizona... But to be honest, we organized this trip because I wanted a "simpler" trip compared to our last adventures in Mongolia, but we were afraid to be disappointed... first of all because we had already seen all these landscapes in magazines or in movies, the crowd of tourists, the American mentality & of course the food... but this trip was way beyond our desires and our expectations... in 1 word : GREAT !

USA • Arizona

Continuation and end of our western adventures in the magnificent state of Arizona... pffffff it's been hot...

Norte Grande • Sometimes alone in the world [Chile] ENG

FR | ENG

Here we go for a roadtrip in the north of Chile, from Arica to San Pedro de Atacama through desert & lonely landscapes...

For this Chilean part of our trip of October 2015, We wish to propose you a photo novel which, according to us, speaks more than any well or badly written story... So take your mouse or thumb (if you are on your smartphone or tablet) & scroll to discover all these arid, lonely & beautiful landscapes...

→ Arica & Putre

Route Chile 11 de Arica à Putre

Putre (3500m) 

Parque National Lauca • Parinacota volcan, Lago Chunara (4500m)

Norte Grande • Suriplaza

Reserva National Las Vicunas & Salar Surire (4250m)

Route du Salar Surire à Codpa

Vallée fertile de Codpa - Guanacagua (2000m)

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→ Inquique

Ville fantôme Humberstone

Salara Huasco (3700m)

Oasis de Pica

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→ Calama

Chuquicamata

The largest open pit copper mine in the world
(size of the mine: 8km2 & 1250m deep, size of a truck tire: 3m high)

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→ San Pedro de Atacama

San Pedro de Atacama

Geysers d'El Tatio

Valle de la Luna

Salar de Capur

Lagunas Miniques & Miscanti

 • deserts, volcanoes, salars & lagoons, 4 words to describe the Chilean Norte Grande region • 

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2 favorites accommodations in this Chilean journey

Terrace Lodge
Circunvalacion 25
Putre (Arica) Chile

One of the lodgings that we especially appreciated in the region of Putre. We recommend it especially for the welcome of Falvio & Patricia. 2 Italian polyglots "lost" in the Norte Grande of Chile, but who know their region like the back of their hand... Their advice was very, very precious to us... a big thank you to them both!

Hôtel Terrantai 
Calle Tocopilla 411
San Pedro de Atacama (Chile)

Hotel Terrantai this hotel is a cosy and charming accommodation, welcome after all those dusty roads, but still curiously quiet considering its location in the heart of the lively little town.

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PRACTICAL INFORMATIONS

• always bring enough gasoline (bring gas cans depending on your itinerary, but be careful with the vapor pressure in the cans when you go up in altitude)

• always bring enough water, it can be cold but also very hot

• always inform someone of your itinerary

• beware of altitude sickness

• in San Pedro de Atacama, if you don't have your rental car anymore (as we did when we came back from Bolivia), avoid taking part in the organized excursions, except maybe the Geysers of El Tatio since you have to leave very early in the morning and drive at night on a non-lit track. We regretted a lot our organized excursions, because there were too many people and no freedom. A Europcar rental agency has "recently" opened in San Pedro, so for our last day, we decided to rent a car to find our freedom..

Detailed itinerary
Arica (1 night) • Putre (3 nights) • Codpa (1 night) • Inquique (2 nights) • Calama (1 night) •
Circuit in the south of Bolivia • San Pedro de Atacama (4 nights)

Los Lipez & Salar Uyuni • To be seen once in a lifetime [Bolivia] ENG

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Itinerary by jeep to discover the southern part of Bolivia: region of high wild plains, volcanic peaks, lagoons of all colors & THE biggest salar...

This trip dates back to October 2015 (long before this blog) but while browsing through our photos recently, we felt like sharing this beautiful corner of the planet with you. At first, we don't know why but South America was not a destination of choice in the bucket list, until one of Tracy's colleagues (SM... who I hope will recognize herself) showed me a picture of the Los Lipes area taken with her "old" smartphone... it's good, Tracy had found our next destination!

For this article, we prefer to make you a photo novel, rather than blabbering about our journey... so let yourself be carried by scrolling the screen... (but if you have any questions about the itinerary, don't hesitate to contact us).

Laguna Blanca

Laguna verde & Volcan Licancabur

Dali Desert

Laguna Colorada 

Even if the weather was a little bit capricious, the Laguna Colorada was no less impressive with its red color and its countless pink flamingos.

Sol de Manana

Colchani

Isla Incahuasi

Voir en taille réelle

Salar d'Uyuni

Voir en taille réelle

Voir en taille réelle

Voir en taille réelle

Voir en taille réelle

Voir en taille réelle

Voir en taille réelle

Voir en taille réelle

The photo session on the Salar with our guide, Abel, which we strongly recommend, was memorable... we really had a good laugh during the whole road trip... Thanks Abel!

Valle de las Rocas

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Our 2 hotels of charm... very nice favorites in the middle of nowhere, but beware of altitude sickness... digestion was difficult in the Siloli desert.

Hotel Luna Salada
Edge to the Salt Lake
Uyuni, Bolivia

Hotel Tayka del Desierto
Désert de Siloli
Bolivia

 • Did the pictures convince you to go to the south of Bolivia? • 

Detailed itinerary
Chile : Arica • Putre  • Codpa  • Inquique  • Calama • San Pedro de Atacama
Bolovia : Désert de Siloli (1 night) • Uyuni (2 nights) 
Chile : San Pedro de Atacama