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<\/figure>\n\nOn the crater rim<\/h2>\n\n
We step out to have a look around. The crater itself is massive. Its scale catches us off guard, even though the map had hinted at something unusual. The rim rises gently above the surrounding plain, forming a broad circle. Walking the whole perimeter would likely be a full-day hike.<\/p>\n\n
What\u2019s striking is how undramatic the surrounding landscape looks. No obvious lava flows, no classic volcanic cones nearby. Hoyada Ulo simply sits in the middle of the plain, like something that doesn\u2019t quite belong here.<\/p>\n\n
The crater floor is essentially a little salt flat. The terrain is level; the margins carry a hint of vegetation, but the center is capped with a thin crust of salt. To grasp the crater\u2019s full size you need a bird\u2019s\u2011eye view, so Bra\u0148o and I send up our drones and shoot from every possible\u2014and impossible\u2014angle.<\/p>\n\n
To make sure Ibo enjoys the stop too, we take a short walk to the unfinished building. There are rough paths laid out; the terrain is easy but dusty, which Ibo immediately puts to use with a good roll. This time we don\u2019t even mind.<\/p>\n\n
The viewpoint above the crater<\/h2>\n\n
From the path we spot a track on the opposite slope leading from the parking area to a viewpoint a few meters higher. Bra\u0148o and I agree to drive up; Iva, unconvinced, opts to walk with Ibo. We split for a moment, heading for the same spot.<\/p>\n
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<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nThe drive up is more demanding\u2014steeper and washed out in places. There are deep ruts, and wheel placement really matters. We\u2019re on top in a few minutes, and Iva reaches us a little later.<\/p>\n\n
The viewpoint offers a different take on the crater. We\u2019re surprised to find a few stone benches and a table. From up here, there\u2019s more to it than we expected.<\/p>\n\n
When we feel we\u2019ve taken it in, we all pile back into the truck and head for the parking area. We also give Iva a little demo of what the vehicle can do here: low range engaged, first gear, easing down the broken track. She\u2019s a bit spooked at times, but eventually she sees the truck can handle it.<\/p>\n\n
Shall we go to the bottom?<\/h2>\n\n
The moment we roll back into the parking area, Bra\u0148o comes up with a brilliant idea: ‘Let\u2019s go down to the crater floor!’ Silence. I\u2019m of two minds. There are plenty of other places around here worth a look, but getting down there might be a good experience too. It\u2019s obvious the detour would make him happy, so we climb in again and I start along the track that drops toward the floor. We\u2019d seen it from the drone, and it\u2019s marked on the map.<\/p>\n\n
I also realize we\u2019re breaking a rule I learned skiing steep terrain: never go down what you haven\u2019t first gone up.<\/p>\n\n
My worries materialize fast. After the first bend the track turns into a tank proving ground\u2014huge boulders, deep ruts, abrupt ledges. Going down, the truck just about copes, but how are we going to claw our way back up?<\/p>\n\n
After roughly 100 meters I stop and ask Bra\u0148o to scout the route on foot. A few minutes later he\u2019s back with bad news: it gets worse with every meter. He agrees the smartest move is to turn around and retreat.<\/p>\n\n
Except our Hilux isn\u2019t a VW Polo. On a steep, narrow, chewed\u2011up track there\u2019s no way to turn a long rig. That leaves one option only\u2014to reverse the entire gnarly section.<\/p>\n\n That proves almost impossible. From the cab my view backward is limited; leaning out the window I can only see the truck\u2019s left side. I\u2019m reversing without a clear sense of what I\u2019m backing into. Stress spikes for all of us, which Ibo immediately senses and joins the action\u2014as if he knows something important is going on. And he\u2019s right.<\/p>\n\n If we can\u2019t get the truck back up, then what? There\u2019s no one around; the nearest town, Llica, is tens of kilometers away. Walking all that with a dog is unthinkable. Starlink gives us a sliver of comfort\u2014we at least have a way to call for help. The question is from where and how fast it would arrive. We don\u2019t want to find out. We have to get the truck back to the parking area at all costs.<\/p>\n\n We solve it as a team: Iva and Bra\u0148o stand outside the truck and guide me through the open front windows. I blend their directions with what I can see, half hanging out of the cab. Step by step\u2014literally rock by rock\u2014we inch our way back. It takes forever, but in the end it works.<\/p>\n\n The euphoria we feel as we finally nose back into the parking area is huge. A small bout of curiosity could easily have turned into a big problem. This time we had luck\u2014and solid teamwork\u2014on our side.<\/p>\n\n Hoyada Ulo surprised us with its scale and with how out of place it feels in the middle of a flat plain. It also reminded us that in Bolivia you shouldn\u2019t rely only on a map or drone footage.<\/p>\n\n The takeaway from the ill\u2011fated descent attempt is simple: going down is always easier than coming back up. And if you haven\u2019t first tackled a section in the opposite direction, you\u2019re probably risking more than you realize.<\/p>\n\n The crater floor remained untouched this time\u2014and maybe that\u2019s for the best. Not every place needs to be conquered at all costs. Sometimes it\u2019s enough to know where to draw the line, and to turn back in time. If you end up here and feel tempted to visit the bottom, do it on foot.<\/p>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.ibo.guide\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_5268-1024x473.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\nFinal thoughts<\/h2>\n\n
Facts about Hoyada Ulo<\/h2>\n\n
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