Day 1 – We are here in Putre a small mountain village 3530 metres above sea level it was originally a16th century Spanish settlement which controlled the surrounding native population. We set off early with a spring in our step enjoying the local scenery as we went. Our destination was a six kilometres walk away to some local caves to see the ancient cave paintings. As we walked it was amazing to see how the indigenous Aymara people manage to cultivate such an unyielding landscape using stone faced terraces and successfully grow crops of corn and alfalfa, the alfalfa to feed their mixed livestock of sheep, alpaca and llamas. This area although not as dry as the rest of the province has long dry spells with areas lacking water supplies. The solution to help farming and cultivation is to create water channels built into the mountainside with the direction of the water controlled via small gates very similar to our canal waterways but on a much smaller scale. These water channels were obviously of great importance to the Aymara in keeping their crops healthy.
We were about four kilometres into the walk when I noticed a rock fall along the track we would be taking and that the track had really narrowed down as it wound its way along the mountainside. Well being a bit squeamish about heights decided that we had come as far as I was prepared to go so about turn pronto and head back but not before we had rested next to the trickling stream that ran through the valley bottom and observed some of the bird life. The trek back was arduous as the high altitude started to take its toll, so after many rest stops we finally dragged ourselves back and collapsed on the bed.
Day 2 – Today is our first trip which started really early at 7.30 am breakfast was on the way. We headed out on the Bolivian highway into the mountains passing mainly heavy Bolivian lorries heading to and from Arica which for Bolivia is the nearest access to the sea. Our guide who was full of bonhomie throughout the day introduced us to coca which looks not to dissimilar to dried bay leaf, you chew it to give you energy then spit it out the taste is not to bad but the bits that continue to lie in between the teeth are off putting. Our destination was Salar de Surire 113 sq km of salt flat famous for its flamingoes of which there are three species the Andean and Chilean flamingo and the rare James flamingo. We drove up through the mountains onto the altiplano passing some stunning scenery on the way. Also spotting herds of Vicuña which are related to the alpaca and llama and are a protected species, local people who are licenced are able to temporarily catch them and shear them for their wool though they can only do this every three years. We also spotted viscacha that look like rabbits with long curly tails and the lesser Rhea an Ostrich like flightless bird.
Our guide had forecast that due to the cloud cover that morning it was likely to be raining on our return. True to his word we had rain, thunder and lightning with displays of sheet and forked lightning striking the ground. A dramatic end to the day!
Day – 3 For today’s trip our host at Terrace Lodge Flávio was our guide taking us to lago Chungara one of the worlds highest lakes overlooked by the dormant volcano Volcan Parinacota. He introduced us to his friend “Chukka” a blue eyed alpaca who came when called affording us all a good photo shot.
We then carried onto the lake doing a short circular walk which took us past a viscacha colony and along the lake which hosted blue billed ducks, giant coots and more flamingoes. we left the lake heading to a tiny ancient Aymaran village which is now home to only two families whose children along with 4 other children living in nearby hamlets attend the village school. The teacher drives in for the week returning home at weekends! The little church has some 17th century frescoes which are a mixture of religious and historical imagery. There is also a story attached to a table in the church that one night it walked through the town and stopped outside a mans house and the next day that man died so they tied it down in the church.
Flavio was a great guide very knowledgeable about the local area sharing information and generously pointing out things of interest along the way stopping to enable us to photograph scenery, pointing out colonies of the Andean flicker a member of the woodpecker family that because of the absence of trees lives in holes that they make in the sandstone cliffs. Telling us about the local fauna llarita explaining how it grows and it’s medicinal properties. This plant grows 1cm per year and can be 4000 years old.
Apologies for the late update but since leaving Putre we have not had internet access and have been experiencing trouble trying to publish photos. We are now in the Elqui valley so have some catching up to do re our experience of St Pedro de Atacama, catch you later.
Truman travels 