From San Pedro follow the paved road to Paso Jama. At km43 (4650m) turn left (sign) to the border at Potazuelo Cajon [GPS011]. Better turn left a little bit higher then the sign, you can then cycle downhill on the dirt road. After 5km there is the Migracion [GPS012]. Another 5km (always slightly downhill) brings you to the house of the park administration [GPS013]. Here you have to pay the park fee (30B). Some km further, there is a Campamento at the Laguna Blanca [GPS014]. Here you can get a bed for the night, water and little shops sell basic food.
Now you can either go left or right arround the Laguna Blanca. The left branch is a little bumpy but you can see the beautiful Laguna Verde, that you would miss otherwise. Pass between the two Lagunas (little stream to cross) GPS015]. A few km further you will join the road, that went arround the right side of Laguna Blanca [GPS016]. There are also hot springs here. After some km along the valley, the road turns right and climbs a little pass at 4700 [GPS017]. Now downhill to Laguna Chalviri. On the right side the 'Piedras de Dalí' appear in some distance. Then you reach Laguna Chalviri. Some km further arround a corner, there are the hot springs [GPS018]. Take a bath, even if the water is not very deep.
Now the road climbs for 20km from 4400 - 4950m [GPS019]; road quite ok. The Sol de Mañana ('Geysirfield') lies about 1km off the road to the left. Shortly after the highest point, there are 2 turn off to mines [GPS020]; always go right (although the road to the left is better). The road stays for awhile at this altitude, until you can see from above Laguna Colorado. Good downhill to the southern end of the Laguna. Here there are signs [GPS021]. Left branch to the Campamento is 16km, but very bad washboard. At the Campamento [GPS022] you can get a bed for the night, water ans small shops sell basic food.
From the Laguna Colorado the road climbs for 20km to the Piedra del Arbol [GPS023]. Especially the second 5km can hardly be cycled at all: loose, deep sand. From the Piedra another 20km up and down acvross the desert. The road is often sandy and you have to push the bike. 10km after the Piedra there is a sign pointing to the left 'Al Silala Bolivia' [GPS024] don't follow it, but go straight ahead. A little pass [GPS025], then slightly downhill until you reach a big sign 'Bienvenidos' (beeing seen coming the othjer way) [GPS026]. Now the road turns right and climbs a little pass at 4700m [GPS027]. Slow, long descentto the first Laguna [GPS028]. Just arround the corner to the right, there is Laguna Honda (Sign), then Laguna Chiar Kkota, then Laguna Hedionda [GPS029].
Just after the Laguna Hedionda you could go right (sign) over a pass to the Campamento Corina (water). From here it is 60km to Alota.
Cycling north from Laguna Hedionda you soon get to the last Laguna: Cañapa. Now the road gets worse again. 18km after Hedionda you reach a little pass [GPS030]. The road gets very rocky now. Down and again up a little pass. From here, you can for the first time see, smoking volcano Ollagüe. The road now follows a solidified lava stream until you reach 45km after Hedionda the beginning of the downhill [GPS031]. 25km further down and across the plain, you reach Chiguana, the first settlement [GPS032] (only military post).
|
My cycle tours
