From the remote high plateau of the Altiplano to the incredibly barren Pacific Coast: this tour caters to lovers of wild open space, big skies and to people appreciative of the sensation of absolute immensity given by the Desert.
The tour begins by a trek on Lake Titicaca to acclimate as well as to enjoy this area rich in colors and legends. We then head west towards, Sajama National Park in Bolivia and the great National Parks of Northern Chile (Lauca, Vicuñas, Surire, Volcano Isluga). We reach the Pacific Ocean by crossing the Atacama Desert, surely the most arid place on earth.
We visit the charming village of San Pedro de Atacama before returning to Bolivia and entering at the heart of the fabulous area of Lipez. From lagunas to volcanoes, our journey takes us all the way to the Salar de Uyuni. The feeling is absolutely unique, its white color so perfect that the horizon and all landmarks disappear … Highlight of the trip; the ascent of volcano Tunupa allowing us to contemplate this magical scenery from the Crater’s Mirador.
As we return to La Paz, we visit Potosi a city loaded with history and registered as a Word Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Great adventure!

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

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

Departure from the hotel at 9 a.m. in a private vehicle. We traverse the Altiplano until we reach the entrance of Sajama National Park (about 4h) via the small village of Curahuara de Carangas with its colonial church richly decorated (the frescoes are perfectly preserved). On the way, we stop by chullpas (Carangas sepultures) empty today after their systematic pillaging.
We enter the park by a dirt road that takes us to the village of Tomarapi. The fauna is abundant and varied: alpacas, vicuñas and ñandus (the cousin of the ostrich) if we are lucky.
Cold lunch. All included. Night at Tomarapi’s new “Albergue” (comfort of a 2-star hotel).

We leave the Albergue of Tomarapi to follow the base of volcano Sajama towards the North. Around noon, we reach Laguna Huaña Khota where flamingoes mix with the local ducks and wild geese.
An other two-hour walk takes us to the Hot Springs, at the base of the volcano, for a relaxing bath.
Cold lunch. All included. Lodging at Doña Teodora’s near the Hot Springs (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. We then clear the Chilean-Bolivian border.
We skirt Lake Chungara, dominated by volcano Parinacota.
This day is dedicated to the exploration of Lauca National Park (Chile) by car as well as on foot. Magical lunar landscapes populated by a particular and abundant fauna: viscachas, vicuñas, ibises, ducks and wild geese.
Cold lunch. All included. Lodging with host in the village of Parinacota (basic comfort).

Heading south, we pass by Volcano Guallatiri (still active) before arriving to the Salar de Surire (2h30), which owes its name to the presence of ñandus in this region (suri in Aymara). We can spot three varieties of flamingoes as well as numerous lamas, alpacas and vicuñas. We take a lunch break near some Hot Springs. Later on, we take a narrow path that heads south, through lands populated by the lamas of the Isluga Park. We traverse the colonial villages of Enquelga (el. 3850 m.a.s.l.) and Isluga (el. 3980 m.a.s.l.). We arrive in Colchane by the end of the afternoon (2 to 3 hours from Surire).
Cold lunch. All included. Lodging with local host (basic comfort).

Departure at 8 a.m. The road follows the foothills of the Andes in the direction of the Pacific Ocean to meet the Pan-American Highway connecting Alaska with Tierra del Fuego.
Visit of Humberstone, former saltpeter factory, now, a ghost town and the famous geoglyph known as the “giant of Atacama”, before arriving on the Pacific Ocean Coast at the end of the afternoon.
Lunch on the road (included). Dinner open. Hotel ***.

After the cool temperatures of the Altiplano, we are now subjected to an arid and tropical climate (warning: Because of a current coming up from Antarctica, the water here is not hot). We take “route 1”, parallel to the Pan-Americana, following the shores. We stop at Pinta Lobos rocky promontory, where hundred of sea lions sunbathe. We can also observe thousands of birds: cormorants, pelicans, fous de Bassan and depending on the season, penguins!
We take our lunch in Tocopilla, ancient port of saltpeter exportation converted today into a fishing port. We then head for Calama, town owing its prosperity to the proximity of the copper mine of Chuquicamata known as the biggest open pit copper mine in the world. We follow on until we arrive at the oasis of San Pedro.
Lunch on the road (included). Dinner open. Hotel **.

Day dedicate to the discovery of the Salar de Atacama and of its surroundings. Pueblo Toconao, Jerez Valley, Laguna Chaxa, Laguna Miscanti, Laguna Miñiques and their respective volcanoes.
Return to San Pedro at the end of the day.
Cold lunch (included). Dinner open. Hotel **.

Departure At 4 a.m. towards the Tatio where we admire the geysers roaring in the cold air of the Altiplano. The valley looks like a giant pot. Water spurts here and there. This geological curiosity mixed a ground still frozen to clear water springs at more than 70°C. (2h30-trip). Option to bathe in one of the cooler hot spring. Return before noon to San Pedro by the Valley de Machuca. At 4:30PM, our vehicle takes us to the Cordillera de Sal and the Valley of the Moon, where we walk though imposing scenery made of dunes and sculpted Sandstone Mountains. We admire the sunset (superb colors over the contorted landscape) before returning to San Pedro, cool oasis in the middle of the scorching Atacama Desert.
Lunch and dinner open. Hotel **.
OPTION: At nightfall, we depart with an astronomer for the observatory of San Pedro, for a “discovery of austral skies”. After 2 hours of observation with the naked eye and with a telescope, we return to the village, where we complete the explanations around a hot drink.
Note: excursion open to other participants (15 persons maximum)
- OPTION AUSTRAL SKY: $ 25 US / person.

A steep ascent to the Altiplano takes us to the border post of Hito Cajón, entry point into the region of Lipez. We reach Laguna Verde, at the foot of volcano Licancabur (el. 5960 m.a.s.l.), before noon to witness its possible color change
Then we cross the Dali Desert (named after the scenery reminiscent of one of his paintings) before skirting Laguna Salada.
Finally we arrive at the Sol de Mañana geysers (el. 4850 m.a.s.l.) a volcanic crater from which escape sulphuric fumes and heavy water, before reaching, at the end of the day, Laguna Colorada.
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.). On the way, we stop at “Devil’s Cave” and on the Island of Incahuasi, in the heart of the Salar (the Island is of volcanic origin and covered with stromatolites and giant cactuses)
We then cross the Salar until we reach its Northern extremity, at the foot of volcano Tunupa.
Cold lunch. All included. Night at Doña Lupe and Don Carlos in the Aymara village of Jirira (basic comfort).

With guide – No technical difficulty – Good physical condition required
Early departure for the ascent of the volcano that dominates the whole of the Salar (our 4WD drops us off at the end of the dirt road above the village). In about 4 hours, we reach the viewpoint (el. 4700 m.a.s.l.) that offers an exceptional panorama. The summit (el. 5400 m.a.s.l.) can’t be attempted because of the potential danger due to the necessity of climbing over some cliffs. Return to Jirira in the afternoon.
Cold lunch. All included. Night at Doña Lupe and Don Carlos’ (basic comfort).
Ascent time: 7 h; Elevation gain: +850m/-850m

In the morning, we cross the salar in the directing of Uyuni. On the way we visit the Salt Hotels (closed since November 2001) and the salt mine of Colchani.
Cold lunch. Dinner open (bar-restaurant La Loco recommended). Hotel ***.

8:30 a.m. departure from the Hotel for Potosí (5 to 6 hours of dirt road). We cross the Cordillera Frailes before reaching the imperial town in the afternoon. End of day open (visit of the Santa Teresa convent recommended).
Lunch included. 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 **.

Long return trip across the Altiplano to La Paz, via the city of Oruro (8/9 hours). Evening open.
Lunch and 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.