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10-DAYS BOLIVIA EXPRESS
玻利維亞
La Paz - Tiahuanaco - La Paz - Copacabana - Sun Island - Huatajata - La Paz - Uyuni - Jirira- La Paz
Bolivia is a South American country with a varied terrain spanning across the Andes Mountain Range, the Atacama Desert and the Amazon Rainforest. The culture is bright, colorful and festive. It is also home to the highest percentage of indigenous people, therefore community-based tourism is popiular and offers the best experiences with rich traditions.
La Paz is Bolivia's capital and located at a whopping 3,500 meters above sea level, making it the highest capital city in the world. Highlights and favorites of Bolivia are the Uyuni salt flats, the small town of Copacabana and the Islands of the Sun and Moon, with ancient history dating back to the Inca time period.
Other top destinations are Lake Titicaca, the town of Potosi in the southern highlands, and Santa Cruz to the south. Wildlife in Bolivia is so biodiverse, species are still being discovered to this day. Thanks to the lush Amazon and mix of rugged terrains, the wildlife is rare and exotic.
| Day 01 | Arrival at La Paz |
Upon arrival at El Alto International Airport, you will have a private transfer to your hotel stay in La Paz.? This is the highest International airport in the world with an altitude of 4,060 meters above the sea level. The airport is located in the city of El Alto, just 30 minutes from La Paz.
Hotel stays in La Paz.
| Day 02 | La Paz |
LA PAZ CITY TOUR & MOON VALLEY (Full day)
When you visit the highest capital city of the world, La Paz, you are welcomed by extreme geography, fragrant markets, chaotic streets and colorfully dressed Bolivians roaming the city to and from. La Paz is known as “Nuestra Senora de La Paz” and is located in Western Bolivia. Compared to the countryside, La Paz is an urban jungle where you will be totally blown away by this bustling city and all its character. During the city tour you will visit the Plaza Murillo where the Bolivian government is based, as well as an important and immense cathedral and Presidential Palace. You may also get to see various museums of importance to the city. There are also very interesting markets to visit such as the “Mercado de las Brujas" where community healers will offer an array of medicinal plants as well as potions, powders, incense, amulets and talismans that ensure good health, luck, beauty and fertility. You will also see locals practicing traditional rituals such as reading the fortune in coca leaves.
You will then be driven to a special location where you will have a 360 degree view of the city and visit Moon Valley. Aptly named, this site is unique for its features of lunar-like landscapes and bizarre geological formations. The Moon Valley is not actually a valley but a maze of canyons and giant spires. The clay and sandstone formations were formed by the erosion of mountains because of strong winds and rains. One of the most breathtaking features of the place is its varied colors ranging from clear beige tones to sections of red and dark purple due to the different mineral content between each individual mountain. Several species of cactus grow among the stalagmites, including the hallucinogenic Choma, or San Pedro cactus.
Hotel stays in La Paz
| Day 03 | La Paz – Tiahuanaco – La Paz |
TIWANAKU ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE (Full day)
Today you will visit the ruins of Tiwanaku located near Lake Titicaca in western Bolivia. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000, Tiwanaku is an ancient archaeological site named after one of the most important civilizations prior to the Inca Empire. The ruins are made up of impressive architectural structures such as palaces, temples and pyramids, as well as giant monoliths and figurative representations. The site was originally populated as an agricultural village, due to favorable climate with abundant and predictable rain, which made the location ideal for farming and large-scale agriculture. Tiwanaku grew in spiritual and administrative importance and became the heart of the Tiwanaku Empire.
Tiwanaku remains an enigma for science, much of the stone creations defy explanation, posing more questions to archaeologists than answers. For example, the site is strewn with enormous blocks of stone weighing up to 25 tons that no known pre-Colombian culture had the technology to transport. Over 28 centuries, the Tiwanakus created some of the most impressive stone monoliths in the world, engineered an ingenious irrigation system and gained advanced understanding of astronomy and the workings of the sun. The fascinating civilization was truly advanced beyond their years.
Hotel stays in La Paz.
| Day 04 | La Paz – Copacabana |
3 DAYS TITICACA GOLDEN TRIANGLE PROGRAM
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CERRO CALVARIO & SUN AND MOON ISLANDS
You will leave La Paz in the morning to travel to Copacabana located on the shores of Lake Titicaca. Once you arrive in the city you will visit the Cerro Calvario that is of huge spiritual and religious significance for the locals. It also serves as a stunning spot for glorious views of Lake Titicaca and Copacabana. Later in the day you will visit the Moon Island by boat to visit the Temples of the Virgins of the Sun. The site was used by the Incas to train young girls and women to serve the chiefs and even used as sacrifices to the Inca Gods. Afterwards, you’ll continue to visit the Island of the Sun and the Pilcocain temple. This is one of the many mysterious locations of the Inca where they worshipped the Sun, their most important God. After an interesting day, you can spend the rest of the afternoon with some free time to wander the surrounding areas.
Hotel stays at Titicaca Lake
| Day 05 | Sun Island – Huatajata |
HUATAJATA & ALAJPACHA NATIVE OBSERVATORY
The day is filled with an exciting tour in the afternoon and evening while visiting Huatajata. Enjoy a free morning before setting out and then later you will visit the great Inca stairway to see a sacred spring that is believed to grant youth and eternal happiness. There is a small handicrafts market you can visit and afterwards you’ll go by boat to Huatajata. When you arrive, you’ll visit the Andean Roots Eco-Village, the Altiplano Museum, an artisan village, mud igloos, and funeral towers of the Urus Chipayas. It is an interesting afternoon with lots of cultural immersion and local encounters.
In the evening, you will be brought to enjoy a local ceremony called the Mystical World of the Kallawayas. The ceremony involves Bolivian shamans who will bless travelers and give you a reading from coca leaves. Finally, when the sun has set and the stars are shining like diamonds across the wide-open Bolivian sky, you’ll visit the Alajpacha Observatory to learn more about Andean cosmos and the constellations of the southern hemisphere, their importance and how they play a part in Inca beliefs.
Hotel stay in Huatajata
| Day 06 | Sun Island – La Paz |
Today as you enjoy your breakfast, take in the morning sights and sounds of Lake Titicaca. After lunch you will be transferred back to La Paz.
Hotel stays in La Paz.
| Day 07 | La Paz – Uyuni |
You will have a private transfer from your hotel to La Paz International Airport.
Today you will fly from La Paz to Uyuni.
Upon your arrival at Joya Andina International Airport, you will have a private transfer to your hotel stay in Uyuni.
3D KACHI LODGE PROGRAM
You will arrive at the heart of the Uyuni Salt Flats with many different options of excursions you can choose ranging from cultural and ethnic excursions to ancient archaeological sites and sacred grounds. You may also find yourself wanting to go on hikes to nearby volcanoes surrounded by the red colored earth for breathtaking views or the colorful quinoa fields. The choices seem endless in this amazing landscape.
You can arrange your program with your guide upon arriving at the lodge. All activities are included during your stay and it can be modified as per your wishes and the weather conditions. The following are some information of each available activity:
The Ancient Mummies of Alcaya
About 1.5 hours away is the ancient archeological site of Alcaya. This is a sacred ground for the local Bolivian communities and is believed to have been a unique city for one of the oldest pre-Inca civilizations in the Andes. You will visit the open-air museum with circular stone houses and silos surrounded by terraced fields and irrigation systems. In the lower part of the village you will find the mummies, still wrapped in fetal positions, along with small tombs and skulls alongside ceramics and woven objects dating back to the 12th century. You will have lunch here with a variety of local delicacies and coca tea, perfectly combining the way of life within the settlement.
Top of the World: Tunupa Volcano
Driving 1.5 hours for a hike up the Tunupa Volcano to the lookout point or even the summit is a highlight of the Uyuni Salar. The volcano stands at 5321 meters with reddish looking slopes and the locals believe the volcano is who gave birth to the salt flats. Winding roads will lead you to the base of the volcano crossing boulders and fields and you’ll see how the salt flats continue to open up in the distance. Surrounded by the multi-colored terrain you’ll walk up to the first crest at 4900 meters. The views are worth the climb. If you are looking for more adrenaline, you can hike up to the wind exposed crest that takes you to the caldera of the volcano with a 360 degree view and a rare peek inside a volcano crater. You will have lunch after the hike with a view facing the salt flats.
Quinoa Fields and Herds of Llamas
You’ll take a day visit to various villages with quinoa fields just an hour away, it is an excellent way to understand the local culture and the vitality of the Jirria community. You’ll be taken through the necessary steps on how to grow, harvest, beat and separate the quinoa grains from the wooden stems it grows on. You may even have the opportunity to participate in the separation process. Also during this visit you can find a herd of llamas with their owner happy to welcome you and eager to share more about his herd. You’ll learn about the importance of the llama wool, meat, and the desertification at stake with climate change and the breeding season of the llamas.
Sunrise Hikes
Anywhere between one to two hours driving distance will provide spectacular opportunities for a sunrise hike. Sunrise is one of the most beautiful times of day in the salt flats, especially when the sun reflects off of the salt flat like a million diamonds. A particularly special area to watch the sunrise is the cacit-covered Kachi Island with 80 to 100 year old cacti with strange shapes and silhouettes and shadows created by the rising sun. When you return breakfast will be ready with hot coffee and exotic fruits.
Sunset Thrills
A sunset drive chasing the sun around the extremities of the salt flats will have you longing to keep time still. The rays of the sun glimmer and shine as they continue to set, the reflections off of the salt flats are truly phenomenal as they create natural works of art. You’ll see the edges of the salar begin to turn different shades of yellow, orange and hues of red - each sunset is a unique masterpiece. Once the sun is set, enjoy some cocktails and maybe even the rising of the moon coming up over the edge of the salt flats.
Starry Nights
The Uyuni salt flats provide for exceptional stargazing thanks to little pollution and city lights. The stars are so bright it feels as if you could reach out and touch them. Even more dazzling is when the salt flats have rain water on them and the stars reflect on the surface, looking like it has its own constellations. It provides an unforgettable experience.
Mountain Biking on Salar or Downhill
You will be provided a selection of high-quality mountain bikes for an ideal way to explore the surrounding islands or for venturing out into the wide open. A bike ride on the salt flats is quite easy as the landscape is perfectly flat. If you are feeling a bit more adventurous, you can drive the bikes up to the nearby Thunupa Volcano for an adrenaline filled downhill biking experience.
4x4 Across the Salar
The salt flats offer so much adventure, what's better than traversing them on all terrain vehicles looking for “ojos del sol” or treks up the many islands. Your guide will help choreograph the day and offer to help with ideas for the best photo ops in the world with interesting and fun perspective photos that can only be done on the salar and nowhere else in the world. Make sure your camera and/or phone have plenty of memory, battery and space!
Accommodation in Uyuni.
| Day 08 | Jirira |
Spending your second day at Uyuni and?you can choose from the previous day’s options or you can decide to enjoy the activities present at the lodge. Wildlife observation is possible of various endemic animals to this area such as flamingos, vicunas - a relative of llamas, Andean fox, viscachas - similar to a chinchilla, and of course the giant cacti found around the lodge. The cacti can tower up to 10 meters and bloom in October through November.
Accommodation in Uyuni.
| Day 09 | Uyuni – La Paz |
Enjoy breakfast while watching the amazing scenery around your Lodge.
You will have a private transfer from your hotel to Joya Andina Airport and fly back to La Paz.?????
Upon arrival at El Alto International Airport, you will have a private transfer to your selected hotel in La Paz. This is the highest international airport in the world with an altitude of 4060 meters above the seal level. The airport is located in the city of El Alto, just 30 minutes from La Paz.
Hotel stays in La Paz.
| Day 10 | La Paz Departure |
You will have a private transfer from your hotel stay to La Paz International airport.
Have a nice holidays!
Remarks :
Every effort will be made to adhere to the planned itinerary. However, due to weather conditions and reasons beyond our control, changes to the itinerary might occur, for which the company accepts no responsibility.
Our private tailor-made itinerary offer complete freedom of choice. Prices vary according to your selected accommodation, total number of passengers travelling in your party and seasonality of travel; please feel free to contact us for individual tailor-made itinerary as per your travel plan.
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