On October 99, I got into this 4x4 tour around the border between Chile and Bolivia, in the Uyuny and San Pedro de Atacama area. When we pass in front of the Licancabur, I was amazed by the beauty of the area. The peak is located near two lakes, the “Laguna Verde” which has the particularity that it is blue in the morning and green after 10am. Apparently the wind that start blowing at 10am, mixes some chemicals in the water and makes the color of the lake change. Climbing this peak is a bit of a pain. While there is a trail, it goes up some scree terrain that requires the usage of the hands most of the times. Going down it is fast, however. There is a set of ruins almost at the bottom, from the incas, I believe. Also in the way there is a cross to a guy called Ferdinand, a mountaineer that steeped on a land mine. Bolivia and Chile had had some border disputes recently. At 5900m I got a bit dizzy and gave up the climb. It was my first altitude peak and I didn’t recognize that feeling. Now I know that everything was ok, it was not altitude sickness and I should have continued. Maybe I’ll return to that magical site soon.