CHILE – BOLIVIA
Atacama Desert – Salar de Uyuni – Titicaca Lake
Day 1 SANTIAGO DE CHILE
After arriving in historic Santiago, Chile, you’ll enjoy comfortable transportation to your hotel. There, you can settle in before exploring the city. We’ll venture to the Plaza de Armas, a famous square nestled in the heart of Santiago. From there, we’ll explore the historic Cathedral, the Post Office building, and beautiful La Moneda Palace. Afterward, we’ll venture to the Paris-London district and visit the San Francisco church. At the end of the night, you’ll take the cable car to the top of the 850m San Cristobal hill for breathtaking views of the city and the Andes before heading back to your hotel.
★★★★ DOUBLE TREE BY HILTON
Day 2 SANTIAGO – CALAMA - SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA – VALLE DE LA LUNA
On day two, we’ll depart from the airport and fly to the mining city of Calama. You’ll enjoy gorgeous views of the Salar de Atacama and the Andes mountain range on your way to San Pedro de Atacama, where you’ll see incredible salt flats and geysers. After a short rest at the hotel, we’ll travel to the Valle de La Luna, or “Moon Valley,” for a spectacular nighttime view of this otherworldly landscape.
★★★★ CUMBRES SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA
Day 3 ATACAMA DESERT
Day three is your chance to get up close and personal with the Atacama Desert. Enjoy a picnic breakfast and delectable coca leaf tea while you watch the flamingos at Laguna Chaxa. Afterwards, we’ll explore the town of Socaire and take in the famous Piedras Rojas before reaching Laguna Miscanti y Meñiques. There, at 4200m above sea level, you’ll munch on a picnic lunch before embarking on our return journey.
★★★★ CUMBRES SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA
Picnic Lunch
Day 4 EL TATIO GEISER – STAR GAZING
Rise and shine for an early morning expedition to El Tatio Geyser. Located 4320m above sea level, this is the third largest geyser field in the entire world. The low early morning temperatures will give you a chance to see steam coming from the geysers, a truly unforgettable phenomenon. As you take in the views, you’ll enjoy a pleasant breakfast. Then, we’ll head to the geothermal field where you can dip your toes in a thermal bath. Afterwards, the journey continues through the Putana area, where you’ll see the region’s fauna. The day ends in the village of Machuca, located at 400m above sea level.
After your whirlwind morning of travel, you’ll have some leisure time at the hotel. Then, once you’re rested, you can join us for an evening stargazing tour. There’s nothing quite like taking in the Atacama Desert at night. You’ll enjoy infinite sky, a warm fire, and an up-close view of the stars and moon through a modern telescope.
★★★★ CUMBRES SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA
Picnic Breakfast
Day 5 BOLIVIA – LAGUNA COLORADA - VILLAMAR
Get ready for another early morning as you venture to the Chilean-Bolivian border. We depart at 6:00AM for Hito Cajon, located at 4604m above sea level. Once we reach the border, you’ll board a 4X4WD off-road vehicle and embark on a trek toward Laguna Blanca and Verde, located near the Licancabur Volcano. You’ll get to experience Laguna Colorada, which is home to more than 30,000 flamingoes across 3 species. Once you’ve taken in these majestic birds, we'll journey to the Salvador Dali Desert, where you can take a dip in the natural thermal water swimming pools and view the geysers of Sol de Sol de Mañana, all while surrounded by Andean flora and fauna. Be on the lookout for vicuñas, ostriches, foxes, llamas, and more. We’ll end this exciting day in the small but charming village of Villamar.
MALKU CUEVA
HALF BOARD
Day 6 BOLIVIA – SALAR DE UYUNII – TRAIN CEMENTERY
On day six, we’ll leave early in the morning for our fun-filled trip to Colchani, a small artisanal town where the locals produce salt from the Uyuni salt flats.
We’ll journey down a road with small lanes created by wind erosion and pass through the villages of Culpina K and the silver mine of San Cristobal. Then, we’ll stop at the cemetery of old trains, a vast and intriguing resting place for locomotives throughout the decades. From there, we’ll continue toward Uyuni, where you’ll stay in an incredible hotel made of salt for two relaxing evenings.
★★★★ CRISTAL SEMANA
HALF BOARD
Day 7 BOLIVIA – SALAR DE UYUNI – INCA HUASI
On this day, you get to enter the incredible Uyuni salt flats, which have more than 12,000 km2 of pure salt. Aptly called the “Eyes of the Salt,” these are outlets for the subterranean rivers flowing under the Uyuni Salt Flat. These waters are considered medicinal and even magical by the locals.
Afterwards, we’ll make our way to Incahuasi Island, a unique oasis that boasts giant cacti up to 10 meters high. After enjoying your lunch and the views, we’ll travel north to the majestic Tunupa Volcano and see the pre-Columbian “mummies” of Coquesa, We’ll pause for some photo ops— our guides are great photographers— and watch the gorgeous sunset as we head back to Uyuni.
★★★★ CRISTAL SEMANA
HALF BOARD
Day 8 UYUNI – LA PAZ – TITICACA LAKE
On day seven, you’ll take a morning flight to La Paz, the capital of Bolivia. Together, we’ll travel toward the famous Titicaca Lake and parallel to the Andes Royal Range. After taking in the scenery on your journey, we’ll stop at Copacabana, a pleasant town in the shades of the lake. We’ll visit Copacabana’s church and the famous “Virgen Morena.” We’ll then board a boat and cross the lake to the Island of the Sun until we reach Huacani. There, we’ll have an Aptapi, a typical Highlands lunch, before getting back on the boat to travel to the ruins of the Pilko Kaina Inca Temple. The day ends with a hike to La Estancia for one last (and fabulous) view of Lake Titicaca.
ECO LODGE LA ESTANCIA
HALF BOARD
Day 9 MOON ISLAND – COPACABANA – LA PAZ
You saw the sun set. Now, it’s time to see the sun rise! We’ll hike down through Yumani, visit the Inca Stairs, and see the Water of the Eternal Youth. Then, we’ll take a trip to the Island of the Moon and view the Inca ruins of the Iñak Uyu Temple. Afterwards, we’ll reach Copacabana and travel back to La Paz before enjoying some downtime.
★★★★★ RITZ APART HOTEL
LUNCH
Day 10 LA PAZ – AIRPORT TRANSFER
On our last day together, we’ll visit La Paz, a dazzling city located in a valley at the foothills of the Andes range. You’ll tour the Gold, Murillo, and Costumbrista museums, as well as “Mirador de Killi Killi,” which offers a magnificent view over La Paz. You can shop for local agricultural products at the street markets and explore the wonders of the Witch Market, where the locals buy supplies for ritual ceremonies and offerings. Or, if you prefer more views of La Paz, you can take a cable car before heading to the Valley of the Moon. There, you’ll view a clay mountain that has been shaped by erosion before heading to the airport to say your good-byes.
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Are you ready for the adventure of a lifetime? If so, you’re ready to travel to Chile and Bolivia with South Adventure. To learn more or book your trip, contact us today. We can’t wait to travel with you!
