During this very extensive journey you will be able to appreciate the diversity and the wealth of Bolivia, of its people and its history as well as its magnificent natural landscapes.
The circuit begins in the warm valleys of the “Oriente”, lands of the Chiquito Indians, with the exploration of the Jesuit Missions. We then visit Sucre, with its pleasant climate, a gem of colonial architecture. The population here is mostly Quechua as a result of historical influences.
We then climb the slopes of the Cordillera to discover Potosi, city rich in history and registered as a World Heritage City by UNESCO. Then direction Uyuni, entry way to the Lipez deserts, with their fabulous multicolored lagunas, and to the world’s largest salt flat, the Salar de Tunupa (also called Salar de Uyuni).
We then discover La Paz, a city unique and colorful, and mystical Lake Titicaca and its legends. As on the harsh Altiplano, the population here is Aymara.
Our itinerary finishes up with an escapade to the incredible tropical region of the Yungas, where the Andes dramatically drop into the Amazon Basin. Bolivia is without a doubt the gem of South America!

Airport pick up (flight ? at ?) and transfer to the Hotel.
We meet in the Hotel at 2 p.m. for the tour of Santa Cruz: Plaza of 24 de Septiembre, cathedral, Casa de la Cultura and museum of contemporary art, zoological park. Lunch and dinner open. Hotel ***.

Departure from the hotel, in our private vehicle at 8:30 a.m. for San Javier, first stop of our trip (3 hours on a paved road). First Jesuit Mission, founded in 1691, it also hosted the first music school, as well as a workshop dedicated to the fabrication of violins, harps, harpsichord…
After lunch, we get back on the road and head towards the village of Concepción, 70km to the East (1h30).
On the way, we stop at the “Piedras de Paquió”, geological formations or balanced rocks
End of the day open.
Lunch and dinner included. Hotel **.

In the morning, visit of the church and the Mission’s museum, located in the house in which was born General Hugo Banzer (dictator then President of Bolivia in the 70th and the 90th). Lunch in Concepción. Then return to San Javier and to Santa Cruz at the end of the afternoon.
Lunch included. Dinner open. Hotel ***.

Private transfer from the hotel to the airport 2 hours before take off. Flight Santa Cruz – Sucre (time depending on the days of travel). Pick up at the airport and transfer to the hotel. End of day open.
Lunch and dinner open. Hotel ***.

Departure at 7:30 a.m. in our private 4WD for the village of Chaquatila and its charming chapel with its Virgin of the same name. A beautiful 8-kilometer walk takes us to the site of Incamachay where we find some anthropomorphic and geomorphic cave paintings etched with different combinations of red and white and estimated to be 2500 years old! We return to Chaquatila for lunch.
We meet our vehicle to go visit the multicolored Maragua crater, made by a meteor (1-hour trip). A short walk (40 minutes) takes us to the most beautiful site of the region for dinosaur imprints. Return to Sucre at the end of the day.
Cold lunch (included). Dinner open. Hotel ***.

We meet in the hotel hall at 9 a.m. for a guided visit of the colonial city registered as a World Heritage city by UNESCO. Amongst others: ethnographic textile museum (ASUR), Casa de la Libertad (closed on Sunday afternoons and Mondays), Recoleta convent, cathedral and San Felipe Nery monastery…
Departure from the hotel at 4 p.m. with our private vehicle. We cross the peculiar Río Pilcomayo Bridge (further south, this river separates Argentina and Paraguay). We then leave the Chuquisaca Valleys for the high plateau of Potosí (el. 4100 m.a.s.l.) where we arrive at the end of the day (3-hour; paved road).
Lunch 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 at 10 a.m. by local bus (option 4WD). We cross the Frailes Mountain range to reach the town of Uyuni (6 hours of dirt track). End of afternoon and evening open.
Lunch and dinner open (bar-restaurant La Loco recommended). Hotel ***.

4WD expedition from Uyuni to Uyuni
9:30 a.m. departure to visit the train cemetery on the outskirt of town. We then head south. On the way, we visit numerous villages, including the modern urbanization of Culpina K. Lunch break in San Cristobal where we can visit the beautiful colonial church if it is open. We then traverse Rio Grande, area hosting a lot of vicuñas and ñandus (of the ostrich family) and arrive in Villamar at the end of the day.
Cold lunch. All included. Lodging with local host in Villamar (basic comfort).

We head south for Laguna Colorada. . This laguna owes its intense red-brick color to the presence in its water of millions of shellfish Artemia, well-studied by scientists for their incredible adaptability in saline areas. We keep heading south for an excursion to the Sol de Mañana Geysers (el. 4850 m.a.s.l.) a volcanic crater from which escapes sulfuric fumes and heavy water. We then stop for breakfast in Polques before skirting Laguna Salada and crossing the Dali Desert (named after the scenery reminiscent of one of his paintings). We reach the lagunas Blanca and Verde, at the foot of volcanoes Juriques and Licancabur (el. 5960 m.a.s.l.) at the end of the afternoon. Curious phenomenon: when the wind picks up, the waters of Laguna Verde change to a spectacular emerald color.
Return to Laguna Colorada at the end of the afternoon.
Cold lunch. All included. Night in shelter (basic comfort).

We head north through the magnificent landscapes of the Siloli desert and its famous “Arbol de Piedra” (Stone Tree) where we may be able to spot some viscachas. We then skirt the Chilean border following the “Route of the Jewels”: lagoons Ramaditas, Honda, Ch’arkota, Hedionda and Cañapa, a sanctuary to 3 different types of flamingoes. We stop at the viewpoint of volcano Ollague.  This active volcano hosts the world’s highest sulfur mine.
The track then drops from around 4200 meters above sea level to 3600. We cross the small Salar de Chiguana at the foot of volcano Tomasamil (el. 5900 m.a.s.l.) before arriving in the village of San Juan where are located the spectacular mummies of the “Lipez Lords” (1200 B.C.).
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.). We stop on the touristy Island of Incahuasi, in the heart of the Salar (the Island is of volcanic origin and covered with stromatolites and with giant cactuses)
We then cross the Salar all the way to its Eastern extremity. On the way we visit the Salt Hotels (Closed since November 2001) and the salt exploitation of Colchani. Arrival in Uyuni at the end of the day.
- Monday and Thursdays, departure of the train Wara-Wara for Oruro at 1:45 a.m. (Tuesdays or Fridays morning). Arrival in Oruro the next morning at 9:10 a.m., then bus to La Paz (4-hour trip. You need to buy the bus ticket yourself and do the transfer train / bus in Oruro. No one will be waiting for you at the bus station in La Paz).
- Wednesday and Saturday, departure of the train Expreso del Sur for Oruro at midnight. Arrival in Oruro the next morning at 7 a.m., then bus to La Paz (4-hour trip. You need to buy the bus ticket yourself and do the transfer train / bus in Oruro. No one will be waiting for you at the bus station in La Paz).
- Sundays, departure of the night bus at 9 p.m. This comfortable bus is direct to La Paz. Arrival in La Paz towards 7 a.m. Pick up and transfer to the Hotel.
- Tuesdays and Fridays, departure of the bus for Oruro at 8 p.m. Arrival in Oruro at 4 a.m. Immediate bus change. Departure at 4:30 a.m. Arrival in La Paz at about 8 a.m. (the ticket Uyuni-La Paz will be given to you in Uyuni. No one will be waiting for you at the bus station in La Paz).
Cold lunch (included). Dinner Cold lunch (included). Dinner open (restaurant La Loco recommended). Hotel ** available before departure.

We pursue our travels on a paved road from where, if we are lucky, we may spot some dirt devils, as we exit Oruro. Arrival in La Paz before noon. Rest of the day open.
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 Jach´a Apacheta Mirador, on the edge of the precipice of the city of El Alto. Then we go 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 limestone formations.
In the afternoon our vehicle brings us back to the City Center and drops us off in the heart of the colorful and animated Andean market of La Paz. Return to the hotel on foot, accompanied by our guide.
Lunch and dinner open. Hotel ***.

Departure from the hotel at 9 a.m. in a private vehicle towards the Obejuyo pass and the canyon de las Ánimas. We get an amazing view of Illimani, symbol of La Paz and one of the giants of the Cordillera Real.
We then enter the canyon de Palca, with its interesting rock formations carved by erosion.
Return to La Paz in the afternoon, by way of the village of Ventilla. This paved scenic road offers beautiful view of the Cordillera.
Cold lunch (included). Dinner open. Hotel ***.

Departure from the hotel at 8 a.m. in our private vehicle for the archaeological site of Tiwanaku (1h30). Guided tour of the pre-Colombian vestiges counting amongst the most important of the continent. Then we follow Lake Titicaca and the Cordillera Real to Copacabana. Visit of the most interesting sites in town: Horca del Inca, cathedral…
We climb up the hill of the Way of the Cross to watch the sunset over the lake (bring a headlamp for the descent).
Lunch and dinner open. Hotel ** / lake views.

In the morning, a motorboat takes us to the Northern side of the Isla del Sol (Island of the Sun), at the Inca site of Chincana. We begin the trek that follows the crests and takes us to the south side of the Island and to the village of Yumani (3 to 4-hour walk).
Cold lunch. All included. Lodging at María and Ismael’s house (basic comfort).
Note: During the 2 following 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

Departure at 8:30 a.m. from our hotel in a private 4WD, direction la Cordillera Real. After passing the Cumbre a pass at 4750 m of altitude, the Andes, literally seem to drop below our feet. A few hundred kilometers lower as the crow flies, we are the Amazonian basin! Welcome to this incredible intermediate region called the Yungas, named after an ancient pre-Incan tribe that used to live on its steep slopes.
As we drive down the windy road, the scenery is more and more lush, the air more humid, the wind warmer... more than 3500 meters of elevation loss to reach Yolosa (el. 1100 m.a.s.l.) in just a few hours!
A steep 7-kilometer uphill (650 m of elevation gain) ends this day in the village of Coroico, the “pearl of the Yungas”.

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.