Accommodation

OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION: The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances. TWIN SHARE / MULTI SHARE BASIS: Accommodation on this trip is on a twin/multishare basis. Please note there may be times where facilities will be shared rather than ensuite and rare occasions when you share a room with passengers travelling on a different Intrepid trip than your own. CHECK-IN TIME: Throughout the trip we request that our hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we’re arriving prior to normal check-in time. However this isn’t always possible which means we won’t be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination. PRE/POST TRIP ACCOMMODATION: If you’ve purchased pre-trip or post-trip accommodation (subject to availability), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights. Due to limited time and energy supply in some places, please be prepared for some cold showers. Dormitory (2 nights), Hotel (8 nights)

Transport

Plane , 4X4 , Local bus , Private Vehicle

Meals

10 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners

Others

La Paz - Orientation Walk Salt flats - Visit to ’Fish Island/Inca Wasi’ Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve - Altiplano tour including Laguna Colorada Sucre - Dinosaur Footprints Sucre - Orientation Walk Sucre - Chataquila Pre-Inca trek

Guide

All group trips are accompanied by one of our group leader or local representative. The aim of the group leader or local representative is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavours to provide the services of an experienced group leader or local representative however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your group leader or local representative is new to a particular region or training other group leader or local representative. Your group leader or local representative will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense, you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious, and social aspects. At Intrepid we aim to support local guides who have specialised knowledge of the regions we visit. If you are interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your group leader or local representative can recommend a local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip.

Not included:

Others

Other activities and services not included

Optional

Other activities and services not included

Insurance

Insurance is not included. Travel insurance is required for this tour. Please make sure you are adequately covered. If you require travel insurance, TourRadar has partnered up with World Nomads to provide a hassle-free experience. More information can be found here (https://www.tourradar.com/travel-insurance).

Flights

International flights not included.

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Day 1: La Paz
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: La Paz

Kamisaki! At around 3600 metres, you’ll feel like you’re on top of the world in La Paz. Although Sucre is the official capital of Bolivia, La Paz is the centre of industry – the country’s brain. Despite the abundance of colonial architecture, La Paz’s indigenous roots run deep, and the atmosphere in the market-filled streets is both modern and traditional. After a 6 pm welcome meeting maybe head out into the city, situated in the middle of a vast volcanic crater. Breathe the ‘thin’ air, marvel at the vistas of buildings clinging to the canyon sides, and explore the lively streets like Calle Jaen.
Day 2 Day 2: La Paz – Uyuni
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: La Paz – Uyuni

This morning, leave La Paz behind and travel by private vehicle to Uyuni – the gateway to Bolivia’s acclaimed salt flats. You’ll head off around 8.30 am this morning and will arrive late in the afternoon, so be sure to have a book or some podcasts ready, a packed lunch, and some snacks on hand. Arriving in Uyuni feels a bit like you’ve reached the end of the road, which in many ways is true. This remote small town sits on the edge of the high altiplano – a wilderness that extends for hundreds of kilometres towards the border with Argentina and Chile. Once arrived, check in and relax into your hotel in Uyuni town. Although basic, your accommodation for tonight is clean and comfortable, and maybe the last time you’ll have a hot shower for a few days!
Day 3 Day 3: Salar De Uyuni
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Salar De Uyuni

Uyuni is the starting point of your 4WD excursion into Salar de Uyuni and the Andean Desert. This morning you will stop by the Train Cemetery, three kilometres outside of Uyuni Town, connected to it by the old train tracks, and see where families of abandoned locomotives rust slowly in the sun. Continue on to the town of Colchani, which produces salt the old-fashioned way, before heading into the salt flats. Endless skies meet endless white plains, and it’s a pretty hypnotic sight – don’t forget to snap loads of photos! Stop by an intriguing salt hotel and drive to an island of cacti that rises like a jagged reef in the desert. Known as Isla Inca Wasi, or Fish Island, this fossil-strewn outcrop was once the top of an ancient volcano, and you’ll have the chance to go on an optional hike here. After a big day of driving, head south to a small village and your homestay-style accommodation. Settle in and enjoy an included dinner.
Day 4 Day 4: Desierto Siloli – Laguna Colorada
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Desierto Siloli – Laguna Colorada

After breakfast, continue driving through the incredible landscapes of the Andean Desert, with another day deep in the wilderness. Pass by Chiguana Salt Lake, the still-active Ollague Volcano, and other small lakes of different colours – perhaps with a flamboyance of flamingos standing nearby! Continue on to the Siloli Desert, which is known for its mountain of seven colours, Arbol de Piedra (Stone Tree) rock formation, and some pretty epic vistas. You’ll also get the chance to venture into an Andean wildlife reserve (Reserva de Eduardo Avaroa) and hike around the Laguna Colorada (Red Lake), keeping an eye out for llamas, flamingos, vicunas, and foxes along the way. Once all the sightseeing is over for another day, retire to your accommodation in a local community (either Huayllajara or Polques) for a well-earned rest and included dinner.
Day 5 Day 5: Salar De Uyuni – Uyuni
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Salar De Uyuni – Uyuni

Leave your lodge nice and early to try and catch the sunrise over the surrounding geysers. These bubbling fumaroles are especially active in the morning, thanks to the cold air. There may be an opportunity to stop at a local hot spring for a quick dip (optional), then to Laguna Verde to take some pictures of the water’s striking green hues. Afterward, pass through more barren desert landscapes, some of which are frequently compared to Salvador Dali’s paintings. Onwards to Laguna Verde, Valle de Rocas (Rock Valley), and the San Cristobal mining town. You’ll arrive back in Uyuni around 5 pm to spend the night at your leisure – after the last few days in the Bolivian wild, this could be the right time to find a comfy local restaurant for an optional dinner and drinks with your travel crew.
Day 6 Day 6: Potosi
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Potosi

Today, say goodbye to Uyuni, and catch a local bus for about 4 hours along the scenic route to Potosi, where you’ll arrive in the early afternoon. Potosi has had a turbulent past, centred mostly around its mining successes and failures. Once the predominant supplier of silver to colonial-era Spain, Potosi briefly celebrated life as one of the richest cities in the world. Explore the architectural remnants of this period of industry on a leader-led orientation walk, then the afternoon and evening are yours. Perhaps visit the Santa Teresa Convent Museum to observe the art and treasures on display inside the convent’s original walls or the National Mint Museum.
Day 7 Day 7: Sucre
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Sucre

After a lazy morning to explore Potosi, take a local bus early in the afternoon and arrive in Sucre after approximately 4 hours, disembarking in the temperate valley city. Bolivia’s official capital, Sucre was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1991 and has retained the flavour of its colonial heritage in its churches, museums, and ancient mansions. Most of the town’s colonial buildings have been whitewashed, earning it the nickname the ’White City’. On arrival, you’ll have some free time to get your bearings of the city before you go for an optional dinner.
Day 8 Day 8: Sucre
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: Sucre

Take a few days to explore Bolivia’s capital. After an orientation walk, compare shoe sizes with a dinosaur at Cal Orcko, where 68 million-year-old footprints have been discovered. This is the largest collection of dinosaur footprints in the world, over 12,000 of them! Then, you might like to visit the Museo de la Recoleta, a 400-year-old convent on top of the hill that provides great views over the city and is home to a fascinating collection of sculptures and paintings. Or maybe head to the Plaza 25 de Mayo to rub shoulders with Sucre’s affluent residents and investigate the extravagant interior of the Senora de la Merced.
Day 9 Day 9: Sucre
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 9: Sucre

Today, set out for an included hike along the ancient Pre-Incan path known as the Chataquila trek. The trek is relatively easy being that it is mostly downhill. On the way down enjoy the stunning views of the Andes and the valleys. In the afternoon,you will have time to further explore. Most of today and tomorrow are free to take up some additional optional activities in and around town, so it’s up to you what you’d like to do and see! Bolivian dance show, or textile museum, anyone?
Day 10 Day 10: Sucre - La Paz
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 10: Sucre - La Paz

Today, depending on flight time and availability, you’ll fly to La Paz in the morning or afternoon (approx 40 min).
Day 11 Day 11: La Paz
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 11: La Paz

Today is the final day of your tour and there are no activities planned, so you are free to leave at any time. With so much to see and do, you might want to spend an extra day or two checking out the city. We’ll be happy to organize additional accommodation for you (subject to availability) and transfer to the airport.

11 days tour

Bolivia Highlights

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Bolivia Highlights

Day 1: La Paz

Day 2: La Paz – Uyuni

Day 3: Salar De Uyuni

Day 4: Desierto Siloli – Laguna Colorada

Day 5: Salar De Uyuni – Uyuni

Day 6: Potosi

Day 7: Sucre

Day 8: Sucre

Day 9: Sucre

Day 10: Sucre - La Paz

Day 11: La Paz

Experience Style

Accomodation level

Experience Type

Physical Rating

Age range

Who talk about us:

Best cities to travel to

America

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania