Most Inspirational Moment
There were many unforgettable events & places - parades, marching bands & street dancing in Sucre, fantastic pre Incan archaeological ruins, impressive Baroque cathedrals & churches, spectacular scenery, places with beautiful jacoranda trees in purple bloom, women in colourful costumes, especially in La Paz, numerous rocks that were a geologists paradise, Lake Titicaca & a trip on a reed boat’ but our three day adventure by jeep, to Iyuni and the salt flats stood out. We saw desert scenery, ’ bubbling mud pools, experienced hot springs and visited the vast salt flats, as well as staying in the splendid Salt Hotel, it was a pity we were only there for one night.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Marco, our group leader was very experienced. He was extremely caring & solicitous & made sure everyone was ok. Several people had tummy upsets & Marco produced medicine where necessary. He was very knowledgeable with an excellent command of English.He was also ably assisted by Linda from the office in La Paz, who was also friendly & very caring, checking every detail. She too spoke excellent English. Our third guide, Ericka was monitoring the trip as it was only the second recent trip.by Exodus. In several places we had local guides’ who were also very knowledgeable & spoke good English. I especially enjoyed Leroy on our trip to Iyuni who giggled at every opportunity & was instrumental in fishing out large quantities of salt crystals from below the salt crust. Also George we had at the end in Lake Titicaca & LaPaz. He too had excellent English & explained everything with enthusiasm. He was very dedicated to his job, & took us and a fellow traveller, to our hotels in La Paz on the last night’ while the rest of the group flew to Santa Cruz for their flight home. They all were superlative.
Advice for Potential Travellers
There is a considerable amount of walking’ so make sure you have walking boots with a good grip. The was especially important on Isla Del Sol in Lake Titicaca. Walking poles there were also advantageous. We took a travelling kettle, tea & coffee with us. Important if you like early morning teà though milk was not usually available. Don’t pack too many clothes, Like others we took too much.. Strong insect repellent is a must in some places., with sunscreen/ sunblock especially in the Salt Flats with UV sunglasses. Hand gel was also useful on many occasions, though Marco had a supply, as well as toilet paper in toilets where we stopped by the roadside. Don’t forget a light towel if you want to go for a dip in the hot pools.
We bought puffa jackets with hoods before we left & these were excellent. They are light, warm, wind proof & waterproof/ showerproof, with the added benefits of scrunching up small. I would recommend packing them into a small plastic bag. A good camera is another must as there is so much to photograph., Jeans were useful when it got cold, thought the bedsocks recommended by Exodus we’re not necessary. I managed with a pair of walking boots and a pair of trainers, though I would have liked a pair of light shoes , especially for the evenings. I also had a pair of slipper socks which were handy for bedrooms. Leave room in your suitcase for souvenirs as there many lovely things on sale very cheaply. The Witches Market in La Paz was a good place to shop.
Suggestions
If you are reasonably fit & don’t mind a bit of walking, go for this trip. It is no way relaxing as each day was packed full of adventures. Some days were very long with early starts. Many in our group said they would have liked more time in various places, especially the Salt Flats, but then it would have been more expensive & extended the trip. Personally I would have liked another night on Isla Del Sol as it looked a very interesting place. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip. It is one to be remembered & offers has something for everone as well as giving us an insight to a fascinating country & culture.
