17 Day itinerary in Bolivia, South America
Discover an unforgettable adventure from La Paz to Santiago, exploring the heart of South America with unparalleled experiences. Traverse Bolivia, Peru, and Chile, diving into the vibrant cultures of each destination. This travel pass immerses you in unique activities like gazing at the Uyuni Salt F... Read More
By Bamba Travel Inc
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Drive through the Bolivian Altiplano’s moon-like deserts
See abstract natural formations, salt caves and the Licancabur Volcano
Fully experience Santiago's vivid personality by bike
Drive through the Bolivian Altiplano’s moon-like deserts
See abstract natural formations, salt caves and the Licancabur Volcano
Fully experience Santiago's vivid personality by bike
Accommodation Categories
Day 1: La Paz, Bolivia
La Paz Local Explorer
Departure Time: 14:00
Duration: 3 hrs
One of the best ways to see this offbeat and colorful city is in the sky! This adventure will show you the real La Paz exploring the amazing cable cars, the fascinating cemetery, local shamans and the pulsating city of El Alto with an amazing guide. This is one of the most stunning city tours in the world! Not only do you get to take in the magnificent views of La Paz and the surrounding mountains, but you also explore some of the most off the beaten path spots in the city! Take local transport up to the cemetery where we explore the open air street art museum and learn about the fascinating culture and traditions that can only be found here, then up to El Alto in the world’s most scenic form of transport, the teleferico (cable car). In El Alto we visit a local shaman and have the opportunity to get our fortunes read before exploring the city further and then taking 2 more telefericos back to the city center. Get a chance to see the real La Paz!
Day 2: La Paz, Bolivia
La Paz to Sucre
Type: Bus (Overnight)
Time: 19:00, 19:30, 20:00
Duration: 12 Hours
Transfer from La Paz to Sucre
Please make your own way to the bus station to catch your bus to Sucre.
Day 3: Sucre, Bolivia
Sucre Cooking Class & Cocktail Making with a Local
Departure Time: 11:00, 17:00
Duration: 3 hrs
Bolivia is fast becoming a gastronomic hot-spot with its abundance of local Bolivian dishes and their distinct flavours which sets it apart from the rest of the world. In this interactive half day cookery class, our local chef will teach you the art of preparing a delicious 3-course meal and a Bolivian hot sauce whilst learning about local ingredients and traditional cooking methods such as the Batan. Shake up your very own cocktail using Bolivian spirits and seasonal fruits as demonstrated by the chef. Under 18s and non-drinkers make a mocktail. Finish off the experience by dining together in the company of the chef and receive a recipe of the main dish to recreate it for friends and family! We are passionate about the Bolivian food scene and want to share our passion for Bolivian food with like-minded travellers.
Sample Menu:
NOTE: With prior notice we can adapt certain recipes to accommodate dietary requirements including vegetarian and vegan. Example main dishes include Picante de Pollo, Cazuela de Maní, Papas Rellenas or Mondongo Chuquisaqueño.
Meals: Lunch
Day 4: Potosi, Bolivia
Sucre to Potosi
Type: Bus
Time: 06:00, 07:00, 08:30, 10:30, 12:30, 13:00, 14:00, 16:00, 17:00, 19:00
Duration: 3 Hours
Transfer from Sucre to Potosi
Please make your own way to the bus station to catch your bus to Potosi.
Day 5: Potosi, Bolivia
Free Day
Enjoy a free day to experience on your own
Day 6: Uyuni, Bolivia
Potosi to Uyuni
Type: Bus
Time: 12:30, 19:00, 21:00
Duration: 4 Hours
Transfer from Potosi to Uyuni
Please make your own way to the bus station to catch your bus to Uyuni.
Day 7: Uyuni, Bolivia
Uyuni Salt Flats & Desert Adventure 3D/2N (Uyuni to Atacama)
Uyuni - Colchani - Incahuasi Island - Pia Pia Island - Candelaria (L/D)
Your tour will begin at 10:30 am, at the meeting point. The first stop will be Uyuni's 'train graveyard', to see the first locomotives in Bolivia. You’ll then visit the small settlement of Colchani (salt miners’ workshops next to the salt flats). Here, you’ll see handicrafts made of salt, and textile art made of llama and alpaca fiber. The tour will continue onto the Great Salt Flats of Uyuni, which are at an altitude of 3650m. Take photos as you cruise along the vast white expanse of salt, see Los Ojos de Agua Salada (‘saltwater eyes’) and then visit a hotel made completely of salt! This amazing place currently serves as a museum.
Following this jam-packed morning, after lunch, you’ll carry on to “Isla Incahuasi” (Fish Island), where you will have time to take a hike to the top of the island to see giant cacti, and rock formations made of petrified coral. Make sure you and your group pose for some fun perspective- and proportion-distorted photos, taken against the backdrop of the striking white surface of the salt flats.
Then, we’ll head to Pia Pia island, to see the beautiful sunset over the salt flats. Finish off at the village of Candelaria, and enjoy the unique experience of spending the night in a hotel made almost entirely of salt.
Accommodation: Salt hostel "La Escondida" in VILLA CANDELARIA - double rooms. The rainy season (from January to April): Hotel in Culpina or other location (No access to the Salt Hostel during these months). If you want a private room for the 2 nights you have to pay an extra cost of 45 USD per person or 60 USD for a single room, and it's subject to availability, we recommend you to pre-order.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation:
Day 8: Uyuni, Bolivia
Uyuni Salt Flats & Desert Adventure 3D/2N (Uyuni to Atacama)
Chiguana Desert - Lagoons - Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve - Red Lagoon Sol de Mañana Geyser (B/L/D)
Start the morning off at 7:00 am with breakfast, before going to visit the Chiguana Desert, located on the south side of the Uyuni salt flats. It is surrounded by volcanoes, such as the Ollague Volcano (5840m), one that is still active, and that can be seen from the lookout.
Next, we’ll continue along a rocky road - Pasito Tuntun - to the beautiful Andean lagoons, inhabited by 3 species of Andean flamingos. Marvel at three lagoons on the way: ‘Cañapa’ where you’ll spot the first pink flamingos, ‘Hedionda’ where lunch will be served, and ‘Chiarcota’ where you’ll see a wider variety of birds and altiplanic fauna.
We’ll then enter the Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve, and visit the Desert of Siloli, at 4550m (the highest and driest desert in the world). Make sure you take a photo next to the 'Rock tree', a lava rock formation. Before arriving to your final destination of the day, we will stop at the viewpoint by the Red Lagoon, where you can spot more pink flamingos in their natural habitat, and admire this intense, red-colored lake. Stay the night at a shared family lodging, "HAYLLAJARA".
Accommodation: "HUAYLLAJARA" basic lodge (dorm of 6 beds shared bathroom. If you want a private room for the 2 nights you have to pay an extra cost of 45 USD per person or 60 USD for a single room, and it's subject to availability, we recommend you to pre-order). There is no electricity (only for 3 hours, 18:00 hrs to 21:00 hrs)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation:
Day 9: Atacama, Chile
Uyuni Salt Flats & Desert Adventure 3D/2N (Uyuni to Atacama)
Dali Desert - Green Lagoon – Uyuni(B/L)
Have an early breakfast at 5am (depend on the season) and start your tour day with a visit to Sol de Mañana Geyser, at 5,000m. You’ll walk alongside fumaroles, and steaming craters filled with boiling pots of mud at 150-200 Cº. Continue to the open air hot springs, and take a bath in 35ºC water.
The first place to visit is the Dali Desert, where Salvador Dali found inspiration for his work from the scattered boulders in the middle of the desert. You’ll then see the Green Lagoon - toxic copper water at the foot of the big Licancabur volcano, which sits at 6000m, a few kilometers from the Bolivia-Chile border.
Finally, you’ll head back to Uyuni, passing beautiful scenery along the way, and eating a picnic lunch next to the roadside. You’ll go by the Valley of the Rocks, the Alota settlement, and the San Cristobal Village.
We’ll get back to Uyuni by 6:30 pm. For those that wish to finish at San Pedro de Atacama in Chile instead of coming back to Uyuni: Guides will assist with your border crossing at 10:30 am, and you should arrive in San Pedro at 12:00 pm on the third day of the tour. The drop off is at San Pedro de Atacama’s main square.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 10: Atacama, Chile
Free Day
Enjoy a free day to experience on your own
Day 11: San Pedro de Atacama, Chile
Moon Valley Day Tour
Departure Time: 15:00
Duration: 4 hrs
Embark on your tour with a hotel pickup in San Pedro de Atacama. Begin by exploring the intriguing Amphitheater, a natural rock formation that seems to be intricately sculpted by nature. Marvel at its beauty and experience the unique acoustics of this remarkable place.
Continue your journey by uncovering the mysteries of the Tres Marías, three rock formations steeped in legends. Our knowledgeable guide will share the captivating stories surrounding these intriguing rocks.
Next, visit the Viewpoint and be mesmerized by a surreal panoramic vista of the Valley of the Moon. Take in the vastness and splendor of this distinctive landscape from this vantage point.
The highlight of the tour awaits: the sunset! Prepare to witness one of the world's most stunning sunsets as the sun descends behind the majestic Salt Mountain Range. The sky will be painted in warm hues, creating an unforgettable visual spectacle.
Note: Transfers only apply to certain hotels in the area. Please let us know in advance, so we can arrange everything accordingly.
Guide: Included for the day
Day 12: Calama, Chile
San Pedro de Atacama to Calama
Type: Bus
Time: Depending on a day
Duration: 1.5 Hours
Transfer from San Pedro de Atacama to Calama
Please make your own way to the bus station to catch your bus to Calama.
Day 13: Calama, Chile
Calama to La Serena
Type: Bus (Overnight)
Time: 07:00, 07:20, 08:15, 09:30, 15:00, 19:30, 21:45, 22:00
Duration: 15.5 Hours
Transfer from Calama to La Serena
Please make your own way to the bus station to catch your bus to La Serena.
Day 14: Valparaiso, Chile
La Serena to Valparaiso
Type: Bus
Time: 02:30, 23:45
Duration: 7 Hours
Transfer from La Serena to Valparaiso
Please make your own way to the bus station to catch your bus to Valparaiso.
Day 15: Valparaiso, Chile
Valparaiso Beer Trekking Experience
Departure Time: May vary depending on the season in which it is booked and will be confirmed at the time of booking.
Duration: 4 hrs
For this exciting tour, we will arrive to Quilpué's downtown, and we will prepare our beer gears in order to get lost into the woods. The 1st beer tasting will happen once we arrive to one of Quilpue's strangest landmarks. We will be walking higher and deeply into the woods of Fundo el Carmen, passing by the facilities of the Zoo. Time for the 2nd beer! Our final tasting will be up high on the hill with an amazing view of the city and the countryside! Keep in mind that Quilpué is also known as ''La Ciudad del sol''. We will be coming back to the train station in Quilpué's downtown after 3 hours approximately.
Meals: Snacks
Day 16: Santiago, Chile
Valparaiso to Santiago
Type: Bus
Time: Every 30 min from 06:00 to 21:00
Duration: 2 Hours
Transfer from Valparaiso to Santiago
Please make your own way to the bus station to catch your bus to Santiago.
Day 17: Santiago, Chile
Santiago Bike City Experience
Departure Time: 14:00
Duration: 3 hrs
Pedal through the neighborhoods and popular markets in the Chilean capital with this fun Santiago Bicycle Tour and experience the city in a new way during your vacation. Bike tours in Santiago are very popular since the city is located in a flat valley with a lovely Mediterranean climate with low rainfall, making it great for a cycle. The first stop on this bicycle tour is La Chimba, a popular area known for its parties and bustle. The cycle tour continues in the Patronato neighborhood, a fairly traditional Chilean community where many people from around the world live today: Arabs, Indians, Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese, Korean, Peruvian and others. There are plenty of clothing shops, restaurants and more in this neighborhood. Next, cycle to La Vega Central market where you can taste some typical fruits and vegetables. Finally, visit Plaza de Armas, the heart of historic Santiago.
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