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17 Day itinerary in Bolivia, South America

Wines and Colours of Bolivia

When we talk about wine, you don’t necessarily think about Bolivia where altitude dominates! Let yourself be surprised to discover the diversity of all the high-altitude wines in Tarija and Santa Cruz with the incredible story of Francisco and Humberto. You will also be charmed by the two colonial c... Read More

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Alice

By Alice

Overview

Physical Difficulty

Average
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Recommended Age

Everyone

Operated in

English

GUIDANCE

Tour Guide

starting point

Santa Cruz de la Sierra

trip type

Private

trip attributes

Rural home stays

Kayak & Canoe

Rafting

Snorkeling/Diving

Indigenous culture

Hiking

Skiing/Snowboarding

Meet local people

Visit markets

Cycling

Nature & Wildlife

Explorer Trips

Culture & Heritage

Start

Night

End

Highlights

1

Trek the valleys of the city of Tarija and observe the majestic condors

2

Admire Laguna Colorada´s intense red-brick color

3

Visit the island of Incahuasi, of volcanic origin and covered with stromatolites and cacti

4

Learn some secrets of the Bolivian cuisine and share a typical

Itinerary

High-End Accommodation expand_more

Day 1

place Santa Cruz- Amboro Park

Your guide and a private driver will pick you up at the airport and take you to your hotel. Departure from the hotel at 08:30 with your private vehicle to reach the refuge of volcanoes. From there we are going for a walk (3-4h) on the trails around the refuge, we discover the refreshing natural baths formed by the falls of Elvira Cove. Night at the refuge.

Meals: Dinner

Accommodation:

  • High-End Accommodation: Refugio Los Volcanes
Day 2

place Amboro Park- Samaipata

After breakfast, we head to the mine hill in 4x4 for 20km off-track. This is an area of Amboro Park that makes the transition between the Amazon and the Andean Cordillera, at an altitude of 2 000 meters above sea level. We are going for a walk for about two hours and dive into the giant fern forest. Some measure up to 15 meters high. They are estimated to be several thousand years old, as they grow only a few centimeters per year. We will enjoy an amazing view. The trail is only accessible in the dry season. Cold lunch included. Dinner free.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation:

  • High-End Accommodation: El Pueblito Hotel Boutique
Day 3

place Samaipata- Santa Cruz

At 9 o'clock we leave to discover the wine estate Uvairenda of Francisco and Humberto, friends passionate about wine and their region. Maria Eldy, the oenologist of the estate, will immerse us in the history and experience of this cruceño terroir. After a complete visit of the vines, we will be able to taste a whole of grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Tannat, etc. Lunch near the estate. Early morning departure from Samaipata to Santa Cruz airport.

Meals: Lunch

Accommodation:

  • High-End Accommodation: Casa Patio Hotel Boutique
Day 4

place Santa Cruz- Tarija Flight

Your guide and a private driver will pick you up at your hotel and take you to the airport. Domestic flight Santa Cruz - Tarija. A private driver will pick you up at the airport and take you to your hotel. Vincent Belgium origin and English speaking guide will pick you up at your hotel at 2.30 pm. Afternoon discovery will allow you to have a first impression of the region of Tarija, known for its condors and specificities of wine. You will spend a convivial evening with Vincent and his wife Julia, a warm couple who will make you discover their farmhouse where you will spend the night.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5

place Tarija

The next day, you will go trekking in the neighboring valleys of the city of Tarija. About 9 hours in the mountains will allow you to discover the wonderful landscapes of the region but also to observe the majestic condors. After dinner, you will return to Tarija The trek is part of a solidarity tourism approach; Vincent works in close collaboration with the inhabitants of the village of Rosillas.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

  • High-End Accommodation: Hostal Carmen
Day 6

place Tarija

The bulk of Bolivian wine production is located in the Tarija department, located in the south of the country, at an altitude between 1700 and 3000 meters. This wine, among the highest in the world, can count on a rich aroma due to intense exposure to ultraviolet rays. This characteristic has also given its identity to Bolivian wine. Most of the vineyards are in the valleys of Santa Ana, Concepción and Los Cintis, where the prestigious Aranjuez, Campos de Solana and Concepción are located. These valleys also produce a very sweet wine called Oporto. At 9:00 we leave our hotel and we head to the surroundings of Tarija. We visit wineries and family wineries where the best wines of Bolivia such as Singani are produced. Tasting of hams and cheeses. Return to Tarija at the end of the day.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

  • High-End Accommodation: Hostal Carmen
Day 7

place Tarija- Tupiza

We are heading towards Tupiza. 4 hours in private transport with the possibility of stopping to take pictures or take breaks. A picnic is planned along the way.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation:

  • High-End Accommodation: Hotel Mitru
Day 8

place Tupiza- Uyuni

Departure towards the Poronga (12 km). After a short walk, we head to the north and the Quebrada Seca, which emerge incredible multi-colored rock formations of unusual shapes like Duende Canyon. We visit the Puerta del Diablo then to the Valle de Los Machos, ending with the Canyon del Inca. Back to Tupiza. Transport 4WD Tupiza - Uyuni.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

  • High-End Accommodation: Hotel Jardines de Uyuni
Day 9

place Uyuni- Villamar

Departure from the hotel at 09:30 in a private 4x4 for a visit of the train cemetery on the outskirts of the city. We then head south. On the way, visit of several villages, including the urbanization model of Culpina K. Lunch break in San Cristobal where we can, if it is open, visit the rich colonial church. Then crossing of Rio Grande, vicuña area and ñandus (cousins of the ostrich) and arrived in Villamar in the afternoon.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

  • High-End Accommodation: Jardines del Mallku
Day 10

place Villamar- Siloli Desert

Driving south to the Laguna Colorada. The intense red-brick color of this lagoon is due to the light-sensitive phytoplancton present in its water. We will keep heading south for an excursion to the Sol de Mañana Geysers (el. 4850 m.a.s.l.) a volcanic crater from which sulfuric fumes and heavy water escape. We will then stop for breakfast in Polques before getting around the Laguna Salada and crossing the Dali Desert (which indeed looks like one of his paintings). We will reach the Lagunas Blanca and Verde, at the base of the volcanoes Juriques and Licancabur (el. 5960 m.a.s.l.) at the end of the afternoon and see the curious phenomenon of the wind rising and changing the color of the Laguna Verde into a spectacular emerald color. Return to the Laguna Colorada at the end of the afternoon.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

  • High-End Accommodation: Tayka El Desierto
Day 11

place Siloli Desert- San Pedro de Quemez

We head north along the Chilean border on the scenic “ Route of the Jewels” that owes its name to all the Lagunas along its way: Lagunas Honda, Ch’arkota, Hedionda, Cañapa, a sanctuary to 3 varieties of flamingoes. We stop at the mirador of volcano Ollague. This volcano is still active and shelters one of the world’s highest open-pit copper mines. The track then descends from 4200 to 3600 meters of altitude. We cross the small Salar de Chiguana located at the foot of volcano Tomasamil (el. 5900 m.a.s.l.), before reaching San Pedro de Quemez at the end of the day.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

  • High-End Accommodation: Hotel Tayka de Piedra
Day 12

place San Pedro de Quemez- Colchani

A 2-hour trip from San Pedro will take us to the Salar de Uyuni (el. 3650 m.a.s.l.). The atmosphere is special: the horizon seems to not have any limits and the feeling overwhelming. We head north to the island of Incahuasi. This island of volcanic origin is covered with stromatolites (fossilized bacteria representing the first traces of life on earth) and giant cacti. On the way, we visit the “Cave of the Galaxy” and its stalactites resembling lace. In the afternoon we head east towards Colchani. On the way, we visit the Salt Hotels (Closed since November 2001) and the salt exploitation. Lunch box. Dinner at the hotel. Finally, to end our lovely day, we enjoy a unique moment: we admire the sunset on the Salar while enjoying a Bolivian wine of your choice that you have selected with your travel designer.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

  • High-End Accommodation: Hotel Palacio de Sal
Day 13

place Colchani- Potosi- Sucre

We will leave Colchani in a private car at 8:30 am and cross the Cordillera de los Frailes to go to Potosí (el. 3900 m.a.s.l.). The so-called “Imperial City” had a time of international glory in the 16th and 17th centuries when it sheltered the world’s largest silver mine. Nowadays the Cerro Rico (“Rich Hill”) is still exploited. On the way, we will stop in Pulacayo, a village that sheltered the second-largest silver mine in South America in the 17th and 18th centuries. It is now almost a ghost town but the museum relates its glorious past. We will arrive in Potosí after 3 to 4 hours on the road (205 km). We will leave Potosí in a private car to reach the nice small colonial city of Sucre (el. 2810 m.a.s.l.) at the end of the afternoon. We will leave behind the Altiplano and descend to the Chuquisaca Valley. Here we will cross the Pilcomayo River on the Sucre Bridge; an interesting structure that looks like a medieval construction, even if built in the 19th century. We will arrive in Sucre after around 3 hours on the road (160 km). We go to Christophe, French installed in Sucre for a few years to take a local aperitif. Christophe develops his own liqueurs based on local fruits. You will have a great time!

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

  • High-End Accommodation: Mi Pueblo Samary
Day 14

place Sucre

Departure at 09:00 in a private vehicle for the village of Candelaria (2h30 drive), in the country "Tarabuco", ethnic reputed for its fabrics. This charming village retains all its authenticity (most of the inhabitants only speak Quechua). In the morning, participation in the artisanal production of Chicha, famous Andean drink made with corn and fruit. Its fermentation can last from a few days to two months. The shisha can then be very sweet (little alcohol) or very strong. Traditional lunch, based on the products grown in the region, shared with the inhabitants of the community. In the afternoon, visit the small museum with a weaver, who will also open the doors of his workshop. We will be able to make a walk in the surroundings before returning quietly on Sucre.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

  • High-End Accommodation: Mi Pueblo Samary
Day 15

place Sucre Market

Our guide will pick us up at 9:00 am at the hotel lobby to walk to the central market. We will discover new products, greet our "caseras" (the vendors) in the very warm and colorful atmosphere of one of the most beautiful market of Bolivia. We then head to La Guarida, a magical place in the heart of Sucre, to meet our host to learn some secrets of the Bolivian cuisine and share a typical meal.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Accommodation:

  • High-End Accommodation: Mi Pueblo Samary
Day 16

place Sucre- Santa Cruz

We dedicate our afternoon to the beautiful “white city” of Sucre. Listed as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO, the constitutional capital of Bolivia is famous for its flair of quietness, its beautiful colonial architecture, and its numerous churches. Our guide will pick us up at 02:00 pm at the hotel lobby to show us the most famous buildings and museums of the city. We will start with the Convento de la Recoleta, the monastery of the Franciscan order build in 1601. We will then learn more about the culture of the region and the country in the Museum of Indigenous Art (ASUR) and end the day visiting the Monastery of San Felipe Nery and enjoying a beautiful view over the city from its terrace. A private driver will take you to the airport. Domestic flight Sucre - Santa Cruz. Your guide and a private driver will pick you up at the airport and take you to your hotel.

Guide: Included for the day

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation:

  • High-End Accommodation: Casa Patio Hotel Boutique
Day 17

place Santa Cruz

Your guide and a private driver will pick you up at your hotel and take you to the airport to whatever may be your next destination.

Guide: Included for the day

What’s Included

Accommodation expand_less

  • Refugio Los Volcanes
  • El Pueblito Hotel Boutique
  • Casa Patio Hotel Boutique
  • Hostal Carmen
  • Hotel Mitru
  • Hotel Jardines de Uyuni
  • Jardines del Mallku
  • Tayka El Desierto
  • Hotel Tayka de Piedra
  • Hotel Palacio de Sal
  • Mi Pueblo Samary

Meals expand_less

  • Dinner (9)
  • Breakfast (14)
  • Lunch (12)

Transport expand_less

  • Airport Transfers
  • Private Transfer throughout itinerary
  • Domestic Flights Included

Activities expand_less

  • Guided visit to Amboro park
  • Discover the wine estate Uvairenda of Francisco and Humberto
  • Bolivian wine production in the Tarija
  • Uyuni Visit to Puerta del Diablo then the Valle de los Machos, ending with the Canyon del Inca
  • Admire Laguna Colorada
  • Excursion to the Sol de Mañana Geysers
  • Mirador of volcano Ollague
  • Visit Salar de Uyuni
  • Visit to Market in Sucre enjoy local meals

Not Included expand_less

  • International Flights
  • Meals not specified as included
  • Drinks
  • Tips for Guides and Drivers
  • Travel Insurance

About Alice

TEAM LEAD

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From the French Alps, I have landed in the Andes, in La Paz. Travelling for me is the unexpected, is to meet new people, and new ways of living. I like adventures, mountaineering, sharing with people.

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