Ollague – Estacion Avaroa – San Juan – Julaca – Rio Grande – via railway and Vinto – Uyuni
The most direct route from Ollague to Uyuni, following the railway line rather than the road from Rio Grande to Uyuni. This part is excellent fun, cycling on motorbike tracks without a jeep or train in sight. There is virtually no climbing to do on the whole route and as there are some villages on the way it is not necessary to carry a large amount of supplies.
Total dist. | Stage dist. | Description |
0km | Ollague (3,710m). Village with 6 guesthouses (many of which are occupied full time by miners), 2 free internet places and a couple of shops. | |
5km | Old paving on the Chilean side, then ripio to Estacion Avaroa. | |
5km | Estacion Avaroa. Immigration, water, but no other facilities. Leave on the smaller road heading north of east, not on the main road which heads south of east and goes via Villa Alota to Uyuni. | |
29km | Once you reach the Salar de Chiguana the surface becomes hard, flat and fast. | |
34km | Chiguana (GPS01). Small military post. Water but no food. | |
37km | Good surface to San Juan. | |
71km | San Juan (GPS02). Large village with a number of hospedajes and shops. Leave San Juan on the main road heading northeast. | |
11km | Surface has some washboard. | |
82km | Junction. Go straight for Julaca, (signpost says L (north) for Colcha K). | |
14km | Good road on salar to Julaca. | |
96km | Julaca (GPS03). Once big railway village, but now mostly abandoned. Possible to find water. | |
33km | Road ok. | |
129km | Rio Grande (GPS04). Large village with plenty of shops, and accommodation. From Rio Grande there are a number of options. We chose the most direct way to Uyuni along the railway lines at the north end of town. The main road goes southeast and loops to Uyuni. | |
14 km | Sticking to the motorbike tracks next to (on the south side initially) of the railway line cycle on a good hard surface to reach the bridge. | |
143km | Bridge over Rio Grande (GPS05). Sleepers are awkwardly spaced so it takes a few minutes to cross – make sure there is no train coming before you start! | |
18km | Continue along railway line. | |
161km | Junction (GPS06) where motorbike track/small car track meets main road into Vinto. | |
2km | Head to Vinto. | |
163km | Vinto (GPS07). Small village, but we managed to find basic accommodation in a room on the plaza – ask around. The toilet is anywhere in the outskirts of town. Water, but no shop. | |
32km | Continue following railway tracks (on jeep tracks now to the north of the line) to Uyuni. Just before reaching the outskirts of Uyuni you come to the train cemetery. | |
195km | Uyuni (3,650m). Tourist town with all facilities, including ATM. |
Details | |
Time taken – 2 ½ days and amount climbed – 550m | 4 hours: Ollague to San Juan (tailwind). 6 hours: San Juan to Vinto (tailwind). 3 hours: Vinto to Uyuni (headwind). |
Traffic | Some vehicles from Ollague to Rio Grande. Nothing from Rio Grande to Vinto. A few vehicles from Vinto to Uyuni. |
When we cycled | Mid July 2010. |
Difficulty | 2 |
How much we had to push on this route | Only crossing the railway bridge. |
GPS Point | Description | Lat/Long/Altitude |
GPS01 | Chiguana | 21.0590 S, 67.9695 W. |
GPS02 | San Juan | 20.9000 S, 67.7670 W, 3,700m. |
GPS03 | Julaca | 20.9128 S, 67.5675 W |
GPS04 | Rio Grande | 20.8228 S, 67.2975 W |
GPS05 | Bridge | 20.7686 S, 67.1765 W |
GPS06 | Junction | 20.6914 S, 67.0381 W |
GPS07 | Vinto | 20,6819 S, 67.0266 W, 3,670m. |
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