301218: Geysers and hot springs in Sajama
We had intended to spend a couple of nights in the Sajama National Park during this holiday but planning to get there was quite difficult and we simply didn't get it organised before we left.
Volcan Sajama is Bolivia's highest peak and sits at the heart of the National Park. The park was the first of its kind in Bolivia, created specifically to protect vicunas - one of the four camelids found here.
Compared to the immense Chilean National Parks, it is relatively small covering 1,002 km2 (in contrast with the Peak District National Park which is 1,437 km2). The main town of Sajama has about 80 resdents and the whole park sustains about 300 families, mainly Aymaran llama farmers. (The Peak District population is around 38,000.)
On the border of the National Park are the twin volcanoes of Parinacota and Pomerape - technically in Chile. We saw they briefly when the clouds lifted in 2008 and they are quite magnificent.
Here's a link to that day's blog:
http://joannieandkevin.blogspot.com/2008/01/wednesday-2nd-january-it-rained-quite.html
A previous attempt to visit them in 2016 was thwarted when our hired motorhome decided it didn't want to do altitude.
So we finally found a company that would run us up to the park for the day. It turns out virtually all the local tour operators close for the Christmas and New Year period. According to discussion groups on the internet, this is because driving in Bolivia during the festive season is dangerous because of the number of drunk drivers on the road.
This was confirmed by our contact at America tours. They too were closed for the Christmas period but agreed to arrange a one-day tour for us but said that 30th would be best as there would not be drunk drivers on the road!! So at 6.30 am Adolpho picked us up and headed out of town, once again climbing up to El Alto where the streets were noticeably quieter. We met with Teresa from the tour company and paid her cash for the tour and she carefully told Adolpho what we wanted to see: Chulpas, vicunas, geysers, thermal baths, and three volcanoes, plus buy some textiles.
As we finally left the outskirts of El Alto, Adopho stopped to buy food and we saw a pig troughing out of a tyre.
On the way we passed several chulpas or Inca funerary towers as well as a gorge.
There's not much in the way of public transport to the park but it does say in the guidebooks that you can arrange to hire vehicles from the park entrance. However there was no one on duty so if we had managed to hitch there, we would have been stuck. The town of Sajama is about 10 kilometres beyond the entrance and consists of a few basic hostels and a traditional church with bell tower which Kevin climbed.
The scenery in the park is much the same as the Chilean Altiplano - an eco-system called Bodefal. There were llamas who had been recently shorn for their wool grazing nearby.
Adolpho first took us out to the geyser field. It was a narrow and bumpy road. Whilst these geysers might not be as spectacular as those we have seen elsewhere, we had the unique pleasure of being the only people there. Adolpho had got three eggs from the village and put them in a boiling water hole.
We then proceeded to explore the geothermal field and all its hissing, steaming, bubbling pools. The stream running through the shallow valley was also warm.
Then, as if by magic, in the middle of the geysers, a herd of delicate vicunas appeared.
They were grazing quietly, unperturbed by our presence so we had a chance to see them up close.
Then, a big double decker coach appeared over the hill. How it managed on the narrow, bumpy road we do not know. The vicunas cleared off.
Adolpho retrieved the eggs from the water and they were perfectly cooked.
The next stop was the thermal baths. We passed more grazing llamas. We saw a family walking to the termas and picked them up - a couple from Equador, currently studying in Bolivia with their son.
The springs are located under Volcan Sajama. We were hopeful that the clouds might clear so we could see its summit.
The termas cost 30 Bolivianos each and you even got a clean, white towel. The place was just draw-droppingly beautiful and the reason why we come back here. There is something about sitting in a volcanically heated pool, surrounded by stunning scenery and the occasional llama which is very special.
We both could have stayed all day but we were aware it was a long journey back. We thanked the woman who ran the pool and she agreed to let us take her photo.
Then the skies opened and the clouds moved in and it rained with such a ferocity that we couldn't have walked back to the jeep without being drenched through. All the handful of guests were invited into the comedor or dining room to shelter.
Sajama disappeared in low cloud and we knew we were not going to see Parinacota or Pomerape in this thunderous weather.
After nearly an hour's wait the skies abated somewhat and we headed back to our jeep with the family from Equador. The journey to Sajama town was eventful as rivers which had been mere trickles on the way there were now full and we had to ford them.
We dropped off our passengers at the town, bought yet more souvenirs and carefully splashed our way out of the National Park and onto paved roads. By the time we got home it was dark and it is noticeable that not all Bolivian drivers (cars, taxis and buses) use their headlights.
What a wonderful day, despite Parinacota once again evading us!!
Footnote: Though it was very,very overcast and we did not stay in the pool long, it was noticeable that we both caught the sun whilst bathing. Luckily, on this occasion, we did not burn.
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