Bolivia Explorer

Welcome to Santa Cruz! Upon arrival at Santa Cruz Viru Viru International Airport, you will be met for your transfer to your hotel. This afternoon, enjoy the highlights of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, a city with geographical, historical, and cultural features that distinguish it from the Andean region of the country. On your tour you will be introduced to the main monuments of the city followed by a visit to a museum in the historic center, the La Recoba and Artecampo craft shops, and the Plaza 24 de Septiembre, home of the breath-taking 400-year-old Cathedral of San Lorenzo with its imposing façade and stunning interior. Overnight in Santa Cruz.Note: Museums in Santa Cruz are closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

Today, transfer to the airport for your flight to Sucre. The capital of Bolivia, Sucre, is a charming colonial city located at 9219 feet above sea level, at the head of a valley at the foot of the Real Mountain range. Enjoy a city tour with highlights that include Casa de la Libertad, where the Act of Independence of Bolivia was signed in 1825, Bolivar Park, La Recoleta Church and Museum, and the Museum of Indigenous Textiles ASUR. Overnight in Sucre. (B)Note: Museums in Sucre are closed in the afternoons on Saturdays and Sundays; they are also closed on Mondays and holidays.

Today is at your leisure to explore Sucre. You may choose to visit Hacienda Candelaria or Tarabuco market (Sundays only). Overnight in Sucre. (B)

Early this morning, you will be driven approximately three hours into the highlands to Potosi, a famous colonial mining city located at 13,419 feet above sea level. Visiting Potosí is like taking a journey back in time with its traditional colonial streets and not-to-be-missed artisan market. Highlights of your tour include the famous Mint House, San Francisco Church, San Lorenzo Church with its façade that has one of the greatest examples of stone carvings of the baroque-mestizo style. Overnight in Potosi. (B)Note: Museums in Potosi are closed in the afternoons on Saturdays and Sundays; they are also closed on Mondays and holidays.

Today, you will be driven three to four hours passing through great branches of the Andes range En route to Uyuni, a former train maintenance center and now the gateway for tourism to the nearby Uyuni Salt Flats. During your journey, enjoy the showcase of colors in the hills around the villages of Chaquilla and Tika Tika caused by erosion plus you will also pass by the famous Pulacayo Mine. Overnight in Uyuni. (B,D)

Today you will visit the Great Salt Flats. En route, you will visit the train cemetery where you will find the remains of 19th and 20th century steam locomotives, Colchani to observe the methods of salt extraction, Incahuasi Island (also known as Fish Island) an oasis populated by giant cacti up to 33 feet tall, and Pucara de Ayque. Overnight in Colchani or Uyuni. (B,L,D)Note: During the rainy season (November to April) the salt flats are flooded and access to Incahuasi and Pucara de Ayque might be difficult or impossible; in these cases, your itinerary will be modified accordingly.

Today, you will be transferred to Uyuni’s Airport for your flight to La Paz. Upon arrival, you will commence your trip north through the highlands, then along Lake Titicaca parallel to the Andes Royal Range crossing at Tiquina Strait, and ending in Copacabana, a small pleasant lakeside town. While in Copacabana visit the local church with its famous Virgen Morena. Following your visit, you will cross the lake by boat to Huacani on Sun Island to have an Aptapi, a typical highlands lunch. From there, continue by boat to the Inca ruins of Pilkokaina and walk to Ecolodge La Estancia where you will be treated to a panoramic view of Lake Titicaca. Overnight on Sun Island. (B,L,D)Note: Boats on Lake Titicaca will be shared with other guests on the same itinerary. The 1.7-mile walk to reach the lodge is a smooth one with an elevation gain of 525 feet and requires approximately one hour and 30 minutes to complete.

Today, you will travel by boat back to Copacabana. En route, you will visit the great Inca ruins of Chincana and also Moon Island to visit the Inak Uyu ruins. Upon arrival in Copacabana, you will travel three hours 30 minutes along the same route back to La Paz, elected as one of the New 7 Wonders Cities, it is located at 11,893 feet above sea level. Before arriving at your hotel, experience a shared cable car ride (Teleferico) from El Alto to La Paz from which you will experience beautiful views of La Paz. (B,L)Note: Boats on Lake Titicaca will be shared with other guests on the same itinerary. In cases where it is not possible to visit La Chincana, your itinerary will be modified accordingly.

Today, your discovery of La Paz begins with its colorful street markets rich in handicrafts, weavings, and witchcraft items. Followed by its colonial section with San Francisco Church, the Gold Museum, Murillo Square, the viewpoint of Mirador de Killi Killi, and the outdoor replica of Tiwanaku Temple. From there, descend to the more modern, southern part of La Paz where you will visit the Valley of the Moon, where a clay mountain has been impressively shaped by erosion. (B,L)Note: Museums in La Paz are closed in the afternoons on Saturdays and Sundays; they are also closed on Mondays and holidays.

After breakfast, you will check out of your hotel and meet your private driver for your transfer to the La Paz Manuel Marquez de Leon International Airport where you will check-in for your onward flight. (B)