BOLIVIA, ITS CULTURE AND ITS NATURE

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  La Paz

  Upon your arrival in La Paz, you will be welcomed at the airport and transferred to your hotel. At 14:00 in the morning, we will pick you up at your hotel to start the tour. We will begin with a visit to the "Witches' Street," where you can observe elements of Andean rituals offered to Pachamama as well as many handicrafts. Next, we will go to see the façade of the San Francisco church and visit the central square (Plaza Murillo), where the Government Palace and the Cathedral are located, before visiting a museum on Jaén Street. We will continue our tour to a viewpoint, from where we will have a magnificent view of the city of La Paz. Finally, after having explored a large part of the city and the southern area, we will arrive at the "Valley of the Moon," a natural formation resulting from erosion that has consumed the upper part of a mountain, due to its clay and non-rocky composition. Over the centuries, rain and wind have created this true work of art, similar to a desert of stalagmites, where you can also find different kinds of cacti. Return to the hotel.

• day 2

  LA PAZ - RURRENABAQUE - MADIDI NATIONAL PARK

  In the morning, transfer to the airport for the flight to Rurrenabaque. Flight La Paz-Rurrenabaque (not included). Upon your arrival in Rurrenabaque, transfer on foot to our office where our guide will give you an introduction to the Madidi experience, describing the activities we will carry out during our days of adventure. We will then go directly to the village port and board a motorized canoe to travel along the Beni and Tuichi rivers, enjoying the scenery for 3 hours. In the afternoon, different paths are available for hiking, learning about the use of plants for medicine, construction, and crafts.

• day 3

  Madidi National Park

  We start the morning with a canoe trip to meet macaws, an endemic species of the region that prepares its nests in the cliffs of the Tuichi River, and to observe their beautiful colors. Next, we will build a rustic boat made from logs for a two-hour navigation to the lodge. In the afternoon, we will have time for a recreational activity, such as making handicrafts or fishing.

• day 4

  MADIDI – RURRENABAQUE - LA PAZ

  That morning, we will begin the search for the anaconda (sicuri), the largest and heaviest snake in the world. We will travel by canoe until we reach a lagoon where it is usually found. We will try to take photos. Return to Rurrenabaque and transfer to the airport. Flight Rurrenabaque – La Paz (not included). Upon your arrival in La Paz, private transport to your hotel.

• day 5

  LA PAZ - UYUNI – UYUNI SALT FLATS

  In the morning, transfer to the airport for the flight to Uyuni. Flight La Paz-Uyuni (not included). Upon your arrival in Uyuni, you will be met at the airport to receive the first instructions for the trip. You will have free time to walk around and have breakfast at your own expense. The tour starts around 11:00 am from our office. First, we will visit the Cementerio de Trenes (the train cemetery) and the village of Colchani, places that will enlighten us about Uyuni's mining past and artisanal present. Afterwards, we will enter the marvelous Salar de Uyuni and arrive at the Salt Hotel, the first of its kind, which now operates as a museum. On our way, we will have the pleasure of admiring a spectacle of optical illusions that are accentuated during the rainy season (between December and March), as well as the "Ojos de Agua" (Eyes of Water), small salt eruptions that will help us understand the formation process of this infinite sea of salt. Around midday, we will arrive at Incahuasi Island, in the center of the salar, where we can observe cacti, marine rock fossils, local wildlife, and spectacular views of the salar from the top of the island. We will then continue to our lodge for the night.

• day 6

  ALTO ANDES LAGOONS – COLORED LAGOON

  We will head towards the volcanic region of the Lipez. There, we will see the Ollagüe volcano from a distance. We will continue with a visit to the Eduardo Avaroa Reserve. Along the way, we will be able to observe the Hedionda, Cañapa, and Honda lagoons, with a variety of local birdlife. Next, we will enter the "Siloli Desert" with some stops to take photos of this impressive desert. There, we will see the famous rock formation called the "Stone Tree". We will enter the Eduardo Abaroa Andean Fauna Reserve and arrive at the Colored Lagoon, from where we will be able to observe the three types of flamingos that exist in this region. We will spend the night in the local community.

• day 7

  COLORED LAGOON – GREEN LAGOON – UYUNI – POTOSI

  Out since early this morning to observe the geysers of the "Morning Sun", the fumaroles and the craters with volcanic lava. Then, we will enjoy a bath in thermal waters, no matter the cold. We will leave while enjoying the landscape to arrive almost at the border of Chile. On the way, we will have a panoramic view of the "Dali Desert" with rocks that resemble the work of the great surrealist painter, in addition to visiting the Green Lagoon at the foot of the Licancabur volcano. From the Green Lagoon, we will return to Uyuni. In the afternoon, we will walk in the great "Valley of Rocks", with remains of volcanic rocks that vary between 8 and 15 meters in height. To finish, we will visit the village of San Cristobal, a village that was moved to its current location to allow the construction of the largest mine in Bolivia. Arrival in Uyuni around 18:00 and you will be taken to the Uyuni bus stop, where you will take a regular bus to Potosi. The trip lasts about 4 hours (without a guide). Upon arrival, transport to the hotel.

• day 8

  POTOSI – SUCRE, except Sunday and Monday.

  In the morning, we will start our tour by walking through the city of Potosi. We will visit the Casa de la Moneda (mint house) as well as the facades of the most important churches in the city. We will walk through the colonial streets until we reach the "10 de Noviembre" square, where the cathedral is located. We will then return to the hotel. In the afternoon, we will first visit the monument dedicated to the miners and we will have the opportunity to meet the women working in the Palliris mine. Then, visit to a cooperative mine, where you will meet the miners at work and have the opportunity to learn about their traditions. At the end of the tour, our transport will take you to the Potosi bus station, where we will take a regular bus to Sucre. The journey takes about 3 hours (without a guide). Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel.

• day 9

  SUCRE - LA PAZ, except Sunday and Monday

  In the morning, visit of the beautiful city of Sucre: the "Casa de la Libertad" (House of Liberty), the viewpoint and the Recoleta square, as well as the ASUR Textile Museum. Discovery of the facades of the churches of San Lazaro and Santo Domingo, as well as the San Felipe de Nery convent. Then, return to the hotel. In the afternoon, transfer to the airport for the flight to La Paz. Flight Sucre-La Paz (not included). Upon your arrival in La Paz, private transport to your hotel.

• day 10

  COROICO

  Departure from the hotel at 07:00 in a private car to a terrestrial paradise, the Yungas, which are located between the Andes and the Amazonian tropical zone. We will head towards the Royal Cordillera. It is at the Cumbre (4750 m alt.) that our wild descent begins. From turn to turn, the landscapes become greener, the air more humid, the wind warmer, more than 3500 meters of elevation difference down to Coroico (1525 m alt.). After 3 hours, we arrive in Coroico, the capital of the North Yungas region. It is characterized by high humidity and an impressive subtropical flora. Visit of the city of Coroico and a coffee plantation to learn a bit about its planting, harvesting, and drying. We will discover the particularities of this coffee. Return to La Paz, we will arrive there at 16:00.

• day 11

  LA PAZ – COPACABANA – ISLAND OF THE SUN – COPACABANA – LA PAZ

  We will leave at 7:30 am from your hotel and begin our tour towards the vast Altiplano. After two hours of travel, we will arrive at the narrowest part of Lake Titicaca: the Strait of Tiquina. We will cross it on a rudimentary local ferry with local inhabitants. Before arriving at our destination, we will be able to observe the minor lake (Huiñai Marca) and the major lake (Chucuito). We will arrive in Copacabana around 11:30 am and we will go by boat on Lake Titicaca to visit the "Island of the Sun" and its Inca ruins of the "Palace of Pilcocaina," an ancient palace that was built exclusively for the Inca. Next, we will visit Yumani, where you can see the "Fountain of the Three Waters" and the "Inca Staircase." You will have free time to take photos of the impressive Andes mountain range as a backdrop to the beautiful landscape. Afterwards, we will return to Copacabana to get to know the village better, a mix of Andean and Christian religious culture. Our activity will be the visit to the sanctuary of the Virgin, patroness of Bolivia, and we will pass by places where you can see Bolivian handicrafts. Return to La Paz at 9:00 pm.

• day 12

  La Paz

  At 09:00, we will pick you up at your hotel to start the tour. We will take you to the most commercial and popular street market in the city, "Rodriguez Market". There, we will be able to explore this food market and also learn more about local products and gastronomy. First, we will take the highest urban cable car in the world to enjoy La Paz from a different perspective. We will arrive in El Alto, the youngest city in Bolivia. We will stroll through its streets, where you can find truly unique buildings belonging to the Andean architectural trend called "Cohetillo Architecture". We will return to La Paz by cable car, enjoying the landscape of the Andes mountains, then transfer to your hotel. During the tour, we will be able to taste a local product to better discover Andean gastronomy. Free afternoon. Around 19:30, we will pick you up at your hotel to take you to the Peña Folklorica. You will enjoy a show of Bolivian folk music and dance, a show full of colors, joy, and a contagious rhythm.

• day 13

  La Paz

  At the appropriate time, transfer to the airport to take the flight home.