Bolivia’s extreme geography of deserts, mountains, canyons, and jungle hide untold mysteries waiting to be uncovered. In the most isolated country in the Americas, we’ll visit the delightful colonial city of Sucre, enjoy family hospitality at an old hacienda, and visit the homes of the some of the finest Andean weavers. Next, it’s off to the historic mining town of Potosi and then a trip through twisting canyons to the largest salt desert in the world. Discover the stunning contrasts of Bolivia and meet the warm people of this uncharted Andean nation.
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Arrive to La Paz where we meet you and transfer you to your hotel. Enjoy your first day free to explore the city on your own. You can also arrange for a guided day tour today!
A short flight brings us to the colonial city of Sucre. At 9200 feet above sea level, Sucre enjoys the perfect Spring climate year round. Today is yours to explore its colorful market and visit several colonial buildings, museums, and churches while wandering the narrow streets of this pleasant town. For dinosaur buffs, you can take a half-day trip out of town to see 60 million year old tyrannosaurus rex tracks.
Sunday is market day in the village of Tarabuco, where farmers and weavers from the countryside join together in a festive atmosphere to trade foodstuffs, fine weavings, and exchange gossip with far away friends and relatives. After trying your wits with the local vendors, you’re off to Hacienda Candelaria. Although well into her golden years, Dona Aby still runs this working hacienda, overseeing the planting and harvesting of corn, potatoes, and chili peppers each year. Her daughter Elizabeth shows you some old fashioned hospitality during your stay.
This morning you'll awake to help bake the breakfast bread in a traditional adobe oven. Then it’s off to the village of La Candelaria where the women are famous for their fine weavings, and you will visit the textile museum. Growing up near the village, Elizabeth is a local expert on these tapestries and good friends with the Quechua speaking artisans. You’ll visit several homes to talk with weavers before heading back to Tarabuco for lunch. You return to Sucre in the afternoon.
At over 13,000 feet above sea level, Potosi is the highest city of it's size in the world. After the discovery of silver in Cerro Rico (Rich Hill), Potosi grew into the largest and most opulent city in the Americas. The city's rich colonial architecture and tragic history as a colonial mining town has earned recognition from UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Your time here is free to explore the cobblestone streets and possibly visit the working mines of Cerro Rico. With no mechanization in the mines, a visit into the maze of tunnels is sure to leave a lasting impression.
Today it’s off in four wheel drive trucks to the Salt Desert of Uyuni. From Potosi we travel through tortured canyons and past adobe villages where time seems to stand still. We cross a pass of over 15,500 feet before arriving to our rustic accommodations in the town of Uyuni. The next morning we start our adventure by visiting the train cemetery. Later we’ll learn about the production of salt bricks in the village of Colchani, and watch graceful flamingos wading through briny water. We’ll also see a historic hotel actually built of salt, and visit Isla de Pescadores, a bizarre island surrounded by salt and studded with 20 foot tall cactus. On our last day we climb Volcano Tunupa for a spectacular view of this great expanse of salt. Those feeling strong enough might make it to the crater’s edge at 16,500 feet. After lunch, it’s back across the salt flat to the town of Uyuni where you’ll have time for a shower and a pleasant meal before boarding the night train to Oruro. Continue your trip from Oruro to La Paz by comfortable bus.
We roll into La Paz in time to watch the sun rise over the snow capped peaks of the Cordillera Real. The day is yours to explore the markets or take an optional tour of the Tiahuanaco ruins or the Valley of the Moon. Tonight's dinner is on us where we'll get a chance to talk about our adventures and say farewell to our wonderful hosts!
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This Add-on is available only for our travelers extending or customizing their itinerary.
Initial deposit is $400, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 70 days (10 weeks) prior to departure by bank transfer, check or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and maximum of $20,000 charge
The trip might have been the absolute best of our lifetime (thus far). We particularly want to commend our guide Peter in the Guilin area-he was so incredibly attentive, energetic, enthusiastic-and absolutely dedicated to ensuring that our meals were 100% vegetarian.
Jack Charney
TrustScore 4.8 | 174 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 174 reviews on
1 day ago
The trip was not only memorable for the amount of animals we saw but also for the people and accommodations at the two camps where we stayed. Our first guide, BK, was a wealth of information about the animals, landscape and down to the plants and what they were used for. Everyday out was a learning experience with him. All the people at the camps were gracious and the food was excellent.
Our second camp in the Okavanga was just as good as the first as far as the staff, accommodations, food and animals. After our experience at the first camp we amazed that the high quality remained the same. Our guide, G, made sure we were able to enjoy every experience including a rush through the bush to witness a cheetah and an ensuing hunt that he heard over his radio.
In both camps there were enough guides out that if they saw something the other guides were informed which helped in seeing as much as possible. It was also nice that the concessions were large enough that we did not have vehicles following each other throughout the day.
Normally there is always something in a trip of this length that we think could be improved upon but this is the rare case where we cannot think of anything. From the time we left the States to when we returned it was one of the most hassle free vacations we took.
Perhaps emphasizing the use of the laundry facilities at the camps would be useful because of the luggage restrictions would be the only thing I can think of as an improvement to future clients.
Kenneth Dropek
2 days ago
Mary was so pleasant and professional. She made sure all of our questions were answered.
