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Bolivia high-altitude aventures, the Oriente and historical cities – Detailed itinerary

DAY 1 – SANTA CRUZ

Arrive in La Paz at any time, hotel check-in and free time to look around. We will have a group welcome meeting to review the trip’s itinerary and provide last-minute details and updates.

DAY 2 – SANTA CRUZ, SAMAIPATA

Visit Santa Cruz in the morning: downtown with its cathedral, coffee shops and cultural events, a street market and then the trendiest and most contemporary part of the liveliest and thriving city of Bolivia, the capital of the Oriente (Bolivia’ eastern region).

In the afternoon, head south for an approximately 2 ½ drive that will bring you from the plains of Santa Cruz to the 1,600 mt high town of Samaipata. We will drive along the ancient route to Cochabamba and will be able to see valleys covered in a lush tropical forest and colorful rock formations bordering the Amborò National Park.

DAY 3 – SAMAIPATA, SANTA CRUZ

Visit Samaipata’s colonial downtown and market and then the Samaipata Fort which displays what is considered the largest sculpted rock in the world. Back to Santa Cruz later in the afternoon.

DAY 4 – SUCRE

Hop on a morning flight to Sucre, the constitutional capital of Bolivia, and transfer to our downtown hotel. After settling down and lunch, enjoy a city tour of the colonial old town (a UNESCO world heritage) which will include the historical colonial downtown with its main monuments, such as the San Felipe Neri church (with a nice scenic walk on the rooftop) and the Casa de la Libertad (where the first act of independence of Bolivia was signed).Then the city market and a walk up to the Recoleta square, from where we can view the whole city and its surrounding. The rest of the afternoon – if any spare time is left – is free for you to roam this beautiful city. If we don’t make it in time to see everything, we will have some time to catch up the following day.

DAY 5 – SUCRE, POTOSÍ

Morning free to continue visiting the attractions of Sucre old town. At noon, we will transfer to Cal Orck’o to view one of the largest and most interesting collections of fossilized dinosaurs’ footprints in the world. The mid-day guided tour has ideal sunlight conditions and allows us to walk close to the footprints.

Break for lunch and time for a last-minute stroll downtown before heading on our private bus to Potosí, where we arrive mid-to-late afternoon after a three-hour trip through a beautiful scenic route.

DAY 6 – POTOSÍ, UYUNI

We will spend a busy morning with a slow-paced city tour of Potosí (at 4,000 mt high, no one really wants to run here). Potosí, the “imperial city” is a UNESCO world heritage and intriguing place where an important part of world history was made. We will walk around the historical downtown and its numerous grand churches and palaces, visit the national mint (Casa de la Moneda) that hosts the machinery used to make silver coins, and Santa Teresa monastery. We will also have scenic views of the incredible Cerro Rico and be able to take a glimpse of the chaotic growth of present-day Potosi, and the sharp contrast between past splendor and current reality. In the afternoon, transfer by private bus to Uyuni, the gateway to the immense Uyuni Salt Lake (“Salar de Uyuni”), again on a scenic route filled with geological formations painted in different colors.

DAY 7 – SALAR DE UYUNI

This is it. Today, we start a three-day immersion in a high-altitude, rugged adventure through some of the most spectacular natural wonders of the planet. No exaggerating… we really are about to visit incredible places! The first day is devoted to the Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt lake in the world and a Unesco World Heritage. We will drive into this white, immense, empty space where the horizon, the sense of distance and proportions get confused. Even our cameras seem unable to sort out what is close and what is far. We will visit the Incahuasi island, in fact a rock formation that seems to emerge from the whiteness like an island. During the day, we will also stop at the salt crossway, the abandoned salt hotel and a ghostly train cemetery.

DAY 8 – AVAROA NATURAL RESERVE, LAGUNA COLORADA, DESERT ROCK FORMATIONS

The second day of the high-altitude adventure gives us another sequel of natural wonders.W e enter the Eduardo Avaroa Reserve (REA) and we border the Ollague volcano, travel through lava formations and the Siloli Desert. We see large flocks of pink flamingoes feeding in mirror-like lagoons and we visit the Laguna Colorada (Red Lagoon) with its incredible colors.

DAY 9 – LAGUNA VERDE, GEYSERS,

Another full day of unique natural sights. We drive to Sol de Manana volcanic fields where we can almost touch active geysers, followed by hot thermal springs. In we visit the Dali Desert, another area packed with spectacular rock formations and finally the Laguna Verde (Green Lagoon). After a long day and countless photo opportunities, we drive back to Uyuni.

DAY 10 – UYUNI, LA PAZ

We fly from Uyuni to La Paz, and we still have time for a guided city tour. After three days spent above 4,000 meters, we are well acclimatized to high altitudes and it will not be a problem to wander through the historical downtown to see Plaza Murillo, the San Francisco cathedral and the witches’ market. We will also enjoy great views travelling in La Paz’ famous cable cars system.

DAY 11 – LAKE TITICACA

The last day of our itinerary is again packed with spectacular natural views. We leave La Paz to Lake Titicaca, the cradle of pre-Incan Andean civilizations and the highest navigable lake in the world. We visit San Pedro de Tiquina, on the east side of the lake, and the local totora (lake reeds) craftmanship workshops on the lake shores. We enjoy views of the Tiquina strait and the snow-capped Cordillera Real. And with all these images in our memory (and cameras), we head back to La Paz.

DAY 12 – LA PAZ

Depart at any time.