A photo journey | A beautiful adventure from the Atacama to the Salt Flats

San Pedro is a picturesque playground on the edge of the Atacama; everything and everywhere makes you feel like you are on another planet. We watched the sun go down over Valley de Luna, as it gradually turns red, you truly start to believe you may have floated over mars. A photo journey | 4 x 4 adventure travel from Atacama to Salt Flats

Step one is always to make friends with people you can set off on this epic adventure with. Step two is to pack the 4 x 4 and head to the board

Awesome Friends, check, 4 x 4 well packed, check.

On your first day you pass through some crazy beautiful geo-tastics phenomenon.  The first stop is super smelly due to all the sulphur, but they epic-ness of the geysers make up for it!

Next, it is time to slip into a bikini and woolly hat!

Loving my beautiful Rockettes in the hot springs in the middle of nooooooo-where! Hats I hear you ask? Due to the altitude it is obscenely cold outside the water, so it feels like the cosiest option!

The lakes were surreal throughout the journey and my favourite by far was the red lake, I’ve never seen anywhere like! I may have taken a few too many photos of these lakes!

They are red due to the algae that lives in them and many of the lakes are a feeding ground to the gorgeous pink flamingos

As night fall came, we braved the freezing cold for some worthwhile star gazing with a friend who has been teaching us even more about night photography.

A photo journey | 4 x 4 adventure travel from Atacama to Salt Flats

On the second day you stop to see some insane examples of wind erosion.  Due to the sand whipping around the bottom so much, it wears away much quicker, making for a super cool tree-like rock.

You pass through a tiny quirky mud brick town where most the locals paint their doors and frames beautiful bright colours.

You always have to be on the look out for lamas and alpacas on the road, NO points for hitting them! They’re too cute and cuddly.

The Salt Hotel is literally made out of salt!

The walls, the floor, the tables and chairs, everything is made out of salt, except the pillows thankfully…

 A photo journey | 4 x 4 adventure travel from Atacama to Salt Flats

AND THEN … AND THEN …THE GRAND FINALE

You set your alarm for an obscene hour and catch as many Z’s as possible before getting up to see the sun rise over the Salt Flats of Bolivia.

It is always good to start with a bit of Yoga….you can’t quite tell, but monkey is stretching too

Then Spend time with friends.

Later in the day you head to cactus island, where you can try to blend in with the locals…

The end of the line is the old train grave yard; eerie, quirky and curious to climb and explore.

And then you are well and truly into Bolivia and ready for the net part of your journey…

A photo journey | 4 x 4 adventure travel from Atacama to Salt Flats