Landlocked Bolivia is special for its sweeping landscapes and its omnipresent Indigenous culture. On this amazing journey, visit awe-inspiring natural wonders, including legendary Lake Titicaca and the magnificent Uyuni Salt Flats, with dazzling white plains of salt and spouting geysers. Complementary to this natural beauty are the vibrant cities of Sucre, Potosi, and La Paz. The grand finale of this incredible journey includes a tour of the world's driest desert, San Pedro de Atacama in Chile, famous for its lunar-like valleys, endless horizons, and world-class star gazing.
Three moments you’ll never forget
Discover ancient Incan ruins and enjoy amazing views of Lake Titicaca from Isla del Sol
Spend a unique evening stargazing in the Atacama, known as one of the finest places on the planet to enjoy the starry sky
Contemplate the otherworldly landscapes of the Uyuni Salt Flats and spend the night at Luna Salada, a hotel fashioned almost entirely of salt
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Day 1
La Paz, Bolivia
Arrive in La Paz and transfer to the Casa Grande Hotel for overnight.
Day 2
La Paz
Enjoy a leisurely morning to adapt to the altitude. After lunch, embark on a tour of this incredible city, including its fascinating market. Later, check out the views of Valley of the Moon before ending the tour with a scenic ride on the Teleférico cable car.
Day 3
La Paz / Copacabana / Lake Titicaca
After breakfast, depart overland for Copacabana, a lovely town set on the shores of Lake Titicaca. Board our hydrofoil cruise to Sun Island to visit ruins before taking a gentle hike along the local trails for splendid views. Check in to the Ecolodge La Estancia for dinner and overnight.
Day 4
Lake Titicaca / Copacabana / La Paz
Take a hike to visit the Inca Stairs and sip from the sacred fountain, believed to grant eternal youth. Board a hydrofoil to the Island of the Moon and the Inca ruins of the Inak Uyu Temple. Return to Copacabana and proceed overland to La Paz and the Casa Grande Hotel.
Day 5
La Paz / Sucre
After breakfast, fly to Sucre, Bolivia's charming capital. Our afternoon tour includes an overview of colonial architecture and a visit to the ASUR Museum of Indigenous Art. Later, check in to the Parador Santa Maria la Real, a beautifully resorted 18th-century home, for dinner and overnight.
Day 6
Sucre / Potolo / Sucre
Take a hike along an ancient Inca trail, enjoying lovely mountain scenery along the way. Drop by the small town of Chaunaca for a picnic lunch. Continue to Potolo, home to the Quechua-speaking Jalq’a community, where we learn about their traditional weaving techniques.
Day 7
Sucre / Potosí
After an early breakfast, depart overland along amazing ridges and valleys to Potosí. Tour the Cerro Rico silver mine and learn about the living and working conditions of the Bolivian miners. Then visit the Casa de la Moneda (Royal Mint) before checking in to the Hacienda de Cayara for the night.
Day 8
Potosí / Uyuni Salt Flats
This morning, take a drive through stunning mountains, observing colorful rock formations and desert wildlife. Make stops at traditional villages and the Pulacayo tin mine. Arrive in Colchani, adjacent to the famous Uyuni Salt Flats and check in to Hotel de Sal Luna, an amazing hotel built entirely of salt.
Day 9
Uyuni Salt Flats
Set out on a 4x4 for a full day excursion to discover the Uyuni Salt Flats. Visit Incahuasi Island to oberve its strange, stranded colony of viscacha (relatives of chinchillas). Learn about the 3,000-year-old mummies; see salt processing; and watch for bubbling springs, called Ojos de Agua.
Day 10
Uyuni / Villamar
Visit San Cristobal church, some historic villages, and the Stone Valley to view a group of famous rock formations caused by wind erosion. Continue to Catal and Vinto Lagoons. In Villamar, view the cave paintings and ruins near Tomas Lakjas. Then check in to Mallku Cueva for dinner and overnight.
Day 11
Villamar / San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
Explore the milky Laguna Blanca, blood-red Laguna Colorada and the green Laguna Verde – all in a region home to thousands of breeding flamingos. At Sol de Mañana Geysers, watch lava boil at the bottom of craters. Then cross the border into Chile and check into the Desertica Hotel.
Day 12
San Pedro de Atacama
Today, visit the traditional village of Toconao before exploring the Miccanti and Miniques lagoons.This evening, check out the Atacama Telescope to observe the night sky from a place nearly free of light pollution.
Day 13
San Pedro de Atacama
Depart early this morning to visit one of the world's most incredible geothermal fields at Geysers El Tatio – home to thermal pools and colorful rock formations. Continue to the stark lunar landscape of Moon Valley before returning to the hotel for a festive farewell dinner.
Day 14
Calama / Homeward
Explore the charming town of San Pedro de Atacama. After lunch, depart Calama on your independent homeward flight.
Departure
The trip starts in La Paz, Bolivia and ends in Calama, Chile
“Bolivia, coupled with Chile’s Atacama Desert, is the perfect travel destination; a seamless blend of culture, wildlife, history, geology, and stunning landscapes.”
— Rich Pagen
“I first traveled to Lake Titicaca and the Atacama Desert with two colleagues in 1986 following in the footsteps of American geographer Isaiah Bowman, Director of the American Geographical Society who wrote Desert Trails in South America published in 1924. We were awe-struck by the driest and oldest continuously-arid region on earth, estimated to be at least three million years old. In contrast is the highest navigable lake in the world — a conflict of dry and wet punctuated with brilliant starlight nights. We were not disappointed. Since then, I have been drawn back to this region several times and look forward to our next trip in 2023 to this amazing corner of our planet.”
— Ralph Eshelman
Parador Santa Maria la Real
Sucre, Bolivia
The colonial past, history and art in the Parador Santa Maria la Real make it a singular hotel that awakens your senses. It is situated in a stately 18th century mansion which was rescued and redone completely conserving all the architectural details. The hotel is Ideally located in the center of town offering amazing access to the constitutional capital of Bolivia.
Hotel de Sal Luna Salada
Uyuni, Bolivia
Hotel de Sal Luna Salada is built almost entirely from salt blocks and offers rooms with views of the Uyuni Salt Mine. Locals have been building houses made from bricks of salt as building materials are hard to come by in this remote area. The walls and chimney flutes are made from white salt, the floor is made from rock salt, and even your bed headboard is made from salt. The hotel offers spectacular views over the vast white salt pans that the sunset paints in blood red and sparkling yellows.
Hotel Desértica
San Pedro de AtacamA, Chile
Desértica was built on an old Atacama orchard, surrounded by pepper, chañar and carob trees. With only 12 rooms, this boutique hotel was designed to offer you a variety of spaces to connect with the unique local surroundings and community. Their unique circular rooms, inspired by pre-Hispanic Atacameño buildings, are decorated to provide you comfort and warmth. Also in the common spaces they use noble materials that blend with local colors and textures. Enjoy the open lounge, take a dip into the swimming pool or enjoy one of the quite places prepared for to relax in various places around the property.
More Detail
PRICING
Per Person: $9,990
For a single room, add: $1,990
Group Size
16 travelers
What’s Included
13 nights accommodation plus meals
All excursions, transportation, and local guides
Park fees and taxes
Gratuities
Internal airfare from La Paz to Sucre
Arrival and departure transfers
Ready to Go?
Inquire about future departures for this expedition.
