This, off-the-beaten-path, expedition, takes us from the discovery of the immense and desolate Altiplano to the luxuriant slopes of the Yungas
After a short acclimatization trek on Lake Titicaca, a place laden with history and myth, we head south to visit Potosí, a city with incomparable colonial history and registered as a World Heritage city by UNESCO, before visiting Tupiza.
Time seems to have stopped. We pass by the most beautiful scenery of the Andes: volcanoes, multicolored lagunas, the Salar of Uyuni… The wild fauna abounds: vicuñas, viscachas and ñandus accompany us from Tupiza’s canyons all the way to Sajama National Park, by way of the Desert of Lipez and the Salar de Coipasa.
More to the East, we arrive in the Yungas an intermediary region where the Cordillera drops into the Amazon Basin. We enter denser tropical vegetation, contrasting with the harsh climate of the high plateau.
On the road!

Pick up at the airport (flight number and arrival time to be confirmed) and transfer to hotel.
At 2 p.m. we meet at the reception of the hotel for a guided tour of La Paz, city located at almost 4000 m.a.s.l.: Sagárnaga street and its local handicraft market (one of the most famous of South America), the witches’ street, San Pedro's food market, the historical center and the colonial neighborhood.
Lunch and dinner open. Hotel ***.

Departure from the hotel at 8:30 a.m. in our private vehicle, to discover the most spectacular viewpoint over the city, unbelievably located in the “pit” of the Choqueyapu river canyon, with the Royal Mountain Range “Giants” as the background: Huayna Potosi, Mururata and Illimani.
This tour, particularly designed for photo lovers, first takes us to the K´Illi K´Illi Mirador and to the Laykakota Park, on the Northwestern side of the city. Afterwards, we cross the Americas Bridge to go to the “Plaza de España” Mirador, in the colonial neighborhood of Sopocachi. From there, an abrupt descent leads us to the “South Zone”, passing through Llojeta and the “Garden Cemetery”, and finally to the Valley of the Moon, a place where we will be able to walk between psychedelic looking sandstone formations.
Return downtown in the afternoon.
Lunch and dinner open. Hotel ***.

Departure from the hotel at 7:30 a.m. with a private 4WD. We skirt Lake Titicaca and the Cordillera Real before descending towards Copacabana (around 3h30). From there a motorboat takes us to the Northern extremity of the Isla del Sol (island of the Sun), a 3-hour trip..
From the ruins, we start the trek following the crest of the island until we reach the village of Yumani in the South (a 3 to 4-hour hike).
Cold lunch. All included. Night at Maria and Ismaël’s house (Basic comfort).
Note: During the following 2 days a boat will be at our disposal to transport the group as well as the backpacks during the walks.

In the morning we descend the 500 steps to the pier of the Fuente del Inca (Fountain of the Inca), where our boat awaits us to take us to the peninsula of Yampupata (20 minutes). Trek along the peninsula to the Virgin of Lourdes, by way of the remote village of Zampaya (about 4 to 5h). We then get back on our boat for the return journey to Copacabana and then to La Paz with a private vehicle (3h30).
Cold lunch (included). Dinner open. Hotel  ***.

Hiking time: 4h; Elevation gain: +100m / -200m

4WD expedition from La Paz to Paz – Off beaten path.
7:30 a.m. Departure from the hotel in a private vehicle for a North to South crossing of the Altiplano. After lunch in the village of Challapata, we head for Potosi. Afternoon arrival in the colonial city registered by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site (9-hour trip).
Lunch included and dinner open. Hotel **.

We dedicate this day to the discovery of Potosi, nominated as a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
At 9 a.m., we meet in the hotel lobby to visit the mines of Cerro Rico where we can meet miners in their environment. In the afternoon, we visit the Casa de la Moneda (closed Sunday afternoons and Mondays), where the Spanish minted the coins for the crown until the 19th century
Lunch and dinner open. Hotel **..

Departure from hotel at 9 a.m. in our private 4WD. We cross the Chichas region known for its local fermented corn beer of the same name. Then, we skirt the Frailes Mountain range before arriving in the pleasant town of Tupiza. Red rocks and cactuses alternate with lush valleys and prolific orchards (about 6 hours).
Lunch on the road (included). Dinner open. Hotel **.

Mountain bike: 30K (18 of which downhill) / Horseback ride 6K
At 9 a.m., we take our mountain bikes to the South through a green valley to the site of El Angosto and to the Mirador of Entre Ríos (12K / flats). Down bellow, the San Juan del Oro and Tupiza Rivers meet, both very colorful but with different tints. Then, sitting in our 4WD, we visit Quebrada Seca with its sharp mountains, red and covered with cactuses, representative of the area. On the way, we stop at the Canyon Duende, before arriving in Toroyoj (2K in a car) where we will taste the famous Tamales (culinary specialty made out of corn).
In the afternoon we meet our horses at the entrance of the canyon of Palmira. Our trip takes us to the Puerta del Diablo, to the Canyon of the Inca and to the “Valle de los Machos” These strange multi-colored geological formations resembling phallic symbols leave no doubt as far as the origin of their name!
We return to Tupiza on horseback. We get back in our 4WD and head for the Quebrada of Palala and then for El Sillar, at an altitude of 3750 meters. After enjoying the view, we drop 800 m to Tupiza… on our mountain bikes, of course!
Lunch included. Dinner open. Hotel **

We literally climb to the Altiplano and enter areas mostly unknown to tourism. In this wild and deserted country, live condors and ostriches that have escaped the more traveled areas of the South of Lipez. We drive through the village of San Vicente, where Butch Cassidy and Billy the Kid ended their legendary epic then through San Pablo de Lipez, before arriving at the end of the day in San Antonio.
Cold lunch. All included. Lodging with local host (basic comfort).

We head west towards the South of Lipez. Visit of the ancient village of San Antonio del Nuevo Mundo. According to the legend, the village was suddenly abandoned because of a massive and unexplained invasion of viscachas (rodent typical of this area). We pass by the strange geological formation of “Torreón”, then a pass at 4500 m.a.s.l., before descending towards Laguna Morejón. We change direction to visit Laguna Celeste. Then we get back on the road and head for the village of Quetena.
Cold lunch. All included. Night in shelter (basic comfort).

Departure in the morning towards the village of Quetena Grande. We then cross entirely the reserve of Eduardo Avaroa, passing by Laguna Salada and the Salar de Challviri. Before noon, we reach Laguna Verde and Laguna Blanca, at the foot of volcano Licancabur (el. 5960 m.a.s.l.). Lunch near the Hot Springs.
After lunch we head North, driving through the Dali desert (named for its landscapes reminiscent of one of his paintings) and by Sol de Mañana Geysers, a volcanic crater from which escape sulphuric fumes and heavy water. In the afternoon, we arrive at Laguna Colorada, sanctuary to 3 varieties of flamingoes.
Cold lunch. All included. Night in a shelter (basic comfort).

We drive in the direction of the North through the magnificent landscapes of the Siloli desert before reaching the “Jewels Route”: lagunas Ramaditas, Honda, Ch’arkota, Hedionda and Cañapa, sanctuaries to 3 different types of flamingoes. We pass at the foot of two important volcanoes: Tomasamil (el. 5900 m.a.s.l.) and Ollagüe (still active), on the Chilean border. Later on, we cross the Chiguana Salar before arriving in the village of San Juan at the end of the day.
Cold lunch. All included. Lodging with local host (basic comfort).

A 2-hour trip from San Juan will take us to the Salar de Uyuni (el. 3650 m.a.s.l.), the largest salt desert in the world. The atmosphere is special: the horizon seems to not have any limits and the immensity is overwhelming. We head north to the Island of Incahuasi. This Island is of volcanic origin and covered with stromatolites (fossilized bacteria representing the first traces of life on earth) and giant cactuses
In the afternoon we cross the Salar to reach its Northern extremity, at the foot of volcano Tunupa. We stop in Coquesa, a small village on the shores of the salar, known for its Chipaya mummies, before arriving at Jirira.
Cold lunch. All included. Night at Doña Lupe and Don Carlos in the Aymara village of Jirira (basic comfort).

In the morning we drive to the Salar of Coipasa. We find ourselves in the heart of the wild and arid altiplano, surrounded by volcanoes that punctuate the nearby Chilean border …
We spend the night in Pisiga, small border village with Chile.
Cold lunch. All included. Lodging with local host (basic comfort).

We cross the Urus country on sandy and treacherous dirt roads. Before crossing Río Lauca, appear the most beautiful polychromatic chullpas of Bolivia (the chullpas were the ancient tombs of Aymara lords; pre-Inca times). We reach Sajama National Park in the afternoon after a 5 to 6-hour journey.
Cold lunch. All included. Night at Isabel and Marcel’s (basic comfort).

In the morning, we head to the geysers in our 4WD. This particularly active area offers a unique display of bubbling baths spread over hundreds of square meters. We can try cooking eggs in their slightly sulfuric water
From there, we walk to the natural hot springs for a relaxing bath at the foot of volcano Sajama, revered by the local population (about a 2-hour walk).
In the afternoon we keep on walking to Laguna Huaña Khota, where pink flamingoes sometimes come to mix with the ducks and wild geese. Before taking our 4WD again and reaching the village of Tomarapi and its very typical Andean church.
Cold lunch. All included. Night in the new shelter «Albergue» of Tomarapi (comfort of a 2-star hotel).

In the morning, we get back on the dirt road and head to the abandoned village of Oxany. There are only two inhabitants left in this village, prosperous before the construction of the new asphalted road to Chile turned it into a ghost town. Option to do a short hike in the rocky chaos, before returning to the international road.
We head back to La Paz. On the way, we stop in the village of Curahuara de Carangas, well known for its well-adorned colonial church (perfectly preserved frescoes). Further on, we discover the chullpas (Carangas sepultures), empty today after their systematic pillaging.
Cold lunch (included). Dinner open. Hotel  ***.

In the morning, 4WD expedition followed by a hike to the Vagante River at the bottom of the Coroico Valley: lush vegetation, waterfalls and icy torrents.
Later on, we continue with our 4WD and cross the Yungas, from north to south, on very steep mountain slopes. Successions of short ascents and descents through a route little known of tourism. Coca terraces, coffee plantations and orchards line our journey to the village of Puente Villa. Our hotel is located a little ways from the village, in a tropical garden in the middle of the forest.
Afternoon open, Options to swim in the river or in the swimming pool or to take a walk by the river.
Cold lunch. All included. *** / Swimming pool.

After breakfast and a last glass of lemon or papaya juice, we get back in the 4WD and follow, upriver, the Unduavi River, in the most beautiful valley of the region. Suddenly, on a promontory dominating the river and hidden behind ferns, we glimpse the silhouette of a “Medieval” castle. Probably the strangest building in Bolivia, it was erected by Paraguayan prisoners during the Chaco conflict (1932), in order to satisfy the whim of the Bolivian president. Lunch at the castle. We recommend taking a short walk to the beautiful river down below.
After leaving behind the waterfall of «Bridal Veil», named like this because of the mist its water generates, the valley becomes narrower and we begin our long ascent towards the Cordillera. At this point, we trade our sandals and bathing suit for warmer cloths!
Lunch on the road (included). Dinner open. Hotel ***.

Pick up at our hotel in a private vehicle, 3 hours prior to flight departure time, for transfer to airport / international flight number and time to be confirmed.