Condé Nast TravelerOct 13, 2026
Getting Lost in Bolivia's Wine Lands, Storied Mines, and Haunting Salt Flats
On a captivating journey for mind and soul, one writer loses himself in the landscape.
12 things in this story
- San PedroRestaurantFounded in the 16th century, one of the region's oldest vineyards.
- San Francisco de la HorcaPlaceWinery with oak barrels and huge earthen pots.
- Elsewhere
- Salar de UyuniSightUyuni, BoliviaBolivia's most famous salt flat, at more than 4,000 square miles.
- Cerro RicoSightPotosi, BoliviaPyramid-shaped mountain, world's most profitable source of silver.
- Casa Nacional de la MonedaMuseumPotosi, BoliviaColossal national mint with smelting rooms.
- Tierra RojaPlaceVilla Abecia, BoliviaEstate created by Cristian Villamor, planted with Cabernet.
- El TíoSightPotosi, BoliviaDemonic figure, considered the Lord of the Mountain.
- JiriraHotelUyuni, BoliviaUpscale lodge created by high-end Chilean tour operator Explora.
- Hotel Museo CayaraHotelPotosi, BoliviaOne of the oldest Spanish houses in South America, built in 1557.
- Explora Jirira LodgeHotelUyuni, BoliviaPrefabricated modular structures on stilts, designed by Max Núñez.
- K'ajchi IslandSightUyuni, BoliviaSmall volcano that erupted from the seabed, slopes teeming with butterflies.
- Tunupa volcanoSightUyuni, BoliviaHalf-collapsed cone, a riot of mineral color.