Deserts and Salt Flats

Arrival in Santiago and private transfer to your hotel.

An English-speaking guide will accompany you during the transfer.
Visit of Chile's capital, nestled at the foot of the Andes. Although Santiago has become over the years a modern and bustling city, some older neighbourhoods have preserved their atmosphere and a romantic charm.
You will visit the Plaza de Armas, San Francisco Church, the Bellavista area, Cerro San Cristobal, etc.

Night at the Galerias hotel ***.

Included : transfer arrival, english speaking guide, guide expenses, entrance fees, private transport, room & breakfast
Included opts : International guide

Private transfer from your hotel to Santiago airport.

Domestic flight from Santiago to Calama (time to be confirmed, flight indicated in option).

Arrival at Calama airport and private transfer to San Pedro de Atacama, a small oasis in the middle of the driest desert on Earth.
In the middle of the afternoon, departure to the Cordillera de Sal (salt mountains) and the Moon Valley to have a walk in a magnificent landscape made of sand dunes and sculpted calcareous mountains. Make sure you watch the sunset project amazing colors over the tortuous scenery before going back to San Pedro.

Night at the Takha Takha Hotel in a superior room **.
Included : transfer departure, domestic flight, airport tax, transfer arrival, english speaking guide, guide expenses, entrance fees, room & breakfast

At 9:00 a.m. departure to the north of the Salar de Atacama and the lagoon Cejar. Swimming break in the lagoon where you will surprisingly float, given the extreme salt concentration, an unforgettable moment in the desert! You continue to the Ojos del Salar, another lagoon where you can swim. End of the Tour at the Laguna Tebenquinche to enjoy the beautiful colors of the Licancabur volcano. Back to San Pedro.

Night at the Takha Takha Hotel in a superior room **.
Included : english speaking guide, guide expenses, entrance fees, private transport, room & breakfast

You will leave in the morning to go visit the Lasana Fortress, which was built in the 12th century. Then you will head to Chiu-Chiu, a small village of 300 people founded in 1611. San Francisco Church, one of the oldest in Chile, presents a typical colonial architecture, with thick adobe walls, exposed chañar wood maintained by leather straps and a ceiling and doors made of cactus wood. You will have lunch there and then drive to the small, traditional, and charming villages of Ayquina and Toconce. Finally, you will reach Caspana just in time to admire the sunset.
Night in Caspana.

Night at the hotel Sabores de Caspana **.
Included : guide expenses, entrance fees, private transport, room, dinner (no drinks), breakfast

Departure between 4:30 y 6:00 (the leaving time depends on the vehicle, the number of passengers and the season) from Caspana towards the Tatio. You will arrive at the perfect time to admire the geysers roaring in the cold air of the Altiplano in the sunrise. The valley looks like a giant pot. Water spurts here and there. This geological curiosity mixes a ground still frozen to clear water springs at more than 70°C (160°F). Observation of numerous volcanic formations.
After a while, drive back to San Pedro via the village of Machuca.

At nightfall, you will join an astronomer at San Pedro observatory, for a tour of the southern sky. After 2 hours of observation with the naked eye and through 10 different telescopes, the guide will complete the explanation around a hot beverage, before you head back to San Pedro.

Note: The excursion is open to other tourists. The excursion will be canceled if the moon is full, and is subject to weather conditions. Do not forget your jackets and coats (the temperature can go down to - 15ºC in the winter).

Night at the Takha Takha Hotel in a superior room **.
Included : english speaking guide, entrance fees, private transport, drinks, excursion (shared), room & breakfast

Leaving San Pedro, a steep road up the Altiplano takes you to the border post of Hito Cajón, entry point of Lipez region.
Included : private transport

3-day excursion in private vehicle with Spanish-speaking driver-guide.
At the border, you will change vehicles and guides, near the Chungará Lake (4,570 m), dominated by the Parinacota Volcano (6,340 m). You can start walking from the Lagunas de Cotacotani to the colonial village of Parinacota. The driver will show you the way and pick you up at the end of the hike (4 hours - 10 km). Drive down to the village of Parinacota and its charming colonial church. Drive to Putre.

Night at Hotel la Chakana **.
Included : guide expenses, entrance fees, private transport, local spanish-speaking guide, room & breakfast

Head south through Las Vicuñas National Reserve and follow the active Guallatiri Volcano (6,063 m alt. with fumaroles around the summit) before arriving at the Surire Salt Flat (4,245 m alt.) which takes its name from the presence of ostriches (“suri” in Aymara). Observation of different species of flamingos, as well as many llamas, alpacas, and vicuñas. Lunch break near the hot springs. Continue on a narrow track that descends south. Return to Putre at the end of the day.

Night at Hotel la Chakana **.
Included : room & breakfast

Leave Putre and continue your trip to Arica. Go down to the valley, from 3,500m to the sea level. Enjoy a last view on the candelabra cactus and some geoglyphs in the background. Arrival in Arica, back to the civilization, after a few days far away from the city, into the wild.

Night at Hotel Aruma ***.
Included : local guide, guide expenses, entrance fees, private transport, room & breakfast

Private transfer to Arica airport.

Domestic flight from Arica to Santiago (time to be confirmed, flight indicated in option).
Arrival in Santiago and private transfer to Valparaíso.
English-speaking guide.

Night at the Camila 109 hotel ** sea view.
Included : private transport, domestic flight, airport tax, transfer arrival, english speaking guide, room & breakfast
Included opts : International guide

Visit of this town, and its old quarters, listed as a World Heritage by UNESCO. With its many hills crowned with picturesque houses and warehouses, its steep narrow streets, its cable cars and street artists, the city has a particular identity and a very special atmosphere. Seize the opportunity to have lunch in a typical seafood restaurant. Visit of La Sebastiana, one of Pablo Neruda's houses.

By foot and in public transport.
La Sebastiana is closed on Mondays.
In case of rainy day, posibility of guided tour with private vehicule (extra fees to your charge).

Night at the Camila 109 hotel ** sea view.
Included : english speaking guide, entrance fees, room & breakfast

Private transfer from Valparaiso to Santiago airport.
International flight.
Included : private transport

We meet our Bolivian driver at the border post of Hito Cajon, entry gate to the South Lipez area. Today we will ride around 100 km in our private jeep, across spectacular landscapes, crossing altitudes between 4200 and 4750 m.a.sl.
Late in the morning, we will reach the lagunas Blanca and Verde, at the foot of volcanoes Juriques and Licancabur (el. 5704 and 5960 m.a.s.l.). Curious phenomenon: when the wind picks up, the waters of the Laguna Verde change to a spectacular emerald color. We will then cross the Dali Desert (4750 m.a.s.l.). Here the strong wind has created surprising rock formations that reminds the paintings of the Spanish master. Riding along the laguna Salada, we will reach the Polques thermal springs. You are almost 4200 m.a.s.l.; but get ready to jump into hot water (86°F/30°C), surrounded by an amazing frozen landscape of volcanoes. We will then jump back into the jeeps to reach the geysers Sol de Mañana (4850 m.a.s.l.), a volcanic crater with sulphur springs and boiling mud. Last stop today: the laguna Colorada (4278 m.a.s.l.). This immense lake of pinkish water owes its name to the presence in its waters of light sensitive phytoplankton, which also attracts thousands of flamingo part of the year. We will spend the night close to this lagoon.

Night in a basic accommodation.

Included : lunch (no drinks), dinner (no drinks), entrance fees, private transport, room & breakfast

Today we continue enjoying the landscapes of the Sur Lipez area… This morning we head north to the Siloli Desert (el. 4700 m.a.s.l.) and its famous “Stone Tree”. Keep your eyes wide open: it is not unusual to spot some viscachas (Andean rabbits) in this area. We will then ride along the Chilean border on the scenic “Route of the Jewels”, which owes its name to all the lagunas along its way: Honda, Ch’arkota, Hedionda, Cañapa. These lagunas are home to three species of flamingoes. We will stop at the view point of volcano Ollagüe (el. 5868 m.a.s.l.). This volcano is still active and shelters one of the world’s highest open pit copper mines and then cross the small Salar de Chiguana located at the foot of volcano Tomasamil (el. 5900 m.a.s.l.). After a 230 km ride we will reach the village of San Juan (el. 3600 m.a.s.l.), where we will spend the night. This small village is famous for its surprising mummies of the “Lipez Lords” (1200 after J.C) and its interesting small museum.




Night at La Cabaña de Sal hostel* (basic comfort).
Included : room & breakfast, dinner (no drinks)
Included opts : Accommodation driver

Today we leave the Sur Lipez and go for a unique moment: driving across the world’s largest salt flat! After a two hour ride we will reach the famous Salar de Uyuni (el. 3650 m.a.s.l.). We will then ride half an hour on the salt desert (34 km) to reach the Island of Incahuasi. This surprising island lost in the middle of the salar, offers an incredible view over the Salar and the several volcanos that surround it. Of volcanic origin, it is covered with stromatolites and giant cacti (stromatolites are fossilized bacterial colonies, first traces of life on earth). In the afternoon, we continue loosing ourselves on the white desert during an hour and a half more (73 km) until arriving to the city of Uyuni. Just before leaving the Salar, we will stop in the village of Colchani to visit its salt exploitation and salt hotel (closed since 2001). Before reaching our hotel, we will stop at the train cemetery. On the outskirts of Uyuni, a collection of old rusted train engines remind the glorious mining past of the region.





Night at the Tambo Aymara hotel***.
Mondays and Thursdays, (Tuesday or Friday morning) departure of the train Wara-Wara for Oruro at 1:45 a.m. Hotel available until your departure from Uyuni. Arrival in Oruro the next day et 9:10 a.m.
Included : room & breakfast, train ticket

Reception at the train station and private tranport to La Paz.
This afternoon our guide will show us the historical center of the city. We will meet at 02:00 pm at the hotel lobby. From the Plaza San Francisco (the main square of La Paz) we will go up the Sagarnaga street, where it is hard to resist the temptation of buying some local handicraft sold all along the street. We will stop in the Witches Market (“Mercado de las Brujas”) where the locals buy all the necessary artifacts for ceremonial offering to the Pachamama (Mother Earth): coca leaves and other medicinal plants, miniature figurines in sugar and lama fetuses. We will then wander in the different markets of San Pedro before we go the Plaza Murillo. This square is the political heart of the city since it has become the executive capital of Bolivia in 1899: here are the Presidential Palace and the National Congress.

Night at the Rosario hotel***.
Included : private transport, local guide, entrance fees, english speaking guide, room & breakfast

Departure from the hotel at 9 a.m. with a private transport. We will follow the Lake Titicaca and the Cordillera Real until Copacabana (3 ½ hours).
A motorboat will take us to the Lourdes Virgin on the Yampupata peninsula. We will start the trel from there to the village of Yampupata (3 to 4 hours walk). When arrived at the village we will take a boat to the Sun island (1 hour crossing), and enjoy the sunset over the Cordillera Real from the village of Challa.
Note: A private boat will be available for 2 days for the transport of the groups and of the luggage during the treks.
Walking time: 3 to 4 hours; +250m/-250m elevation gain/lost
Note: During 2 days, a boat will be at our disposal to transport the group as well as the bags during the walks.


Night at the hostel Qhumpuri (basic comfort).
Included : private transport, entrance fees, box lunch, local spanish-speaking guide, english speaking guide, boat ticket, room & breakfast, dinner (no drinks)
Included opts : Bilingual guide

The boat will take us to the village of Cha'llapampa. We will climb on the arete to the ruins of Chicana (labyrinth in the aymara language) and the sacred Inca rock. The very beautiful trek on the arete leads to the village of Yumani, south of the island, with the Plkokaina temple built by the Inca Tupac for its visits on the Isla del Sol. Return to Copacabana by boat.
Hiking time 3-4h ; Elevation gain: +450m / -450m



Night at La Cúpula hotel***.
Included : english speaking guide, room & breakfast
Included opts : Bilingual guide

Copacabana is a small and quiet city located at the shores of Titicaca Lake, between two hills. It attracts all year long visitors willing to enjoy the peace and beauty of the lake, as well as pilgrims of the Copacabana Virgin. The tradition here is “challar” one’s car; this ceremony ensures protection to the vehicle and its drivers for the rest of the year. We will walk along the center, the market and the port and visit the cathedral.

We will return to La Paz in private transportation (about 3½-hour).

Night at the Rosario hotel***.
Included : guide expenses, private transport, english speaking guide, room & breakfast

Departure from the hotel at 9 a.m. in a private vehicle for the beautiful altiplano crossing. We will head south to Patacamaya, from where we will then turn to the West guided by the majestic Sajama Volcano.
On the way, we will stop by chullpas (carangas sepultures) now empty because of regular pillaging. Short stop in the village of Curahuara de Carangas with its colonial church known as the Sixteen chapel of the Altiplano. The church keeps indeed some perfectly preserved intricate frescoes, contrasting with the abandoned atmosphere of the village.The paved road then climbs through a surprising landscape of canyons and rock formations, before arriving to the Sajama’s desolate plateau. We will enter the park by a dirt road taking us to the ranger station.
Night at Doña Isabel and Don Marcelo’s (Basic comfort).



Night at the Oasis hostel*.
Included : lunch (no drinks), dinner (no drinks), entrance fees, private transport, room & breakfast

In the morning, we will head to the geysers by 4WD. This particularly active area is a unique display of bubbling pools spread over hundreds of square meters.
From there we will follow up the stream until the Laguna Khasiri Kota (el. 5050 m.a.s.l. / 2½-hour hike). During our lunch break we will be able to observe different aquatic bird species, particularly the Andean geese (Huallata in Aymara) never very far from their recognizable nest (large floating platforms made out of algae and grass.)
It is another hour to reach the plateau containing the beautiful Laguna Sorapata. This magical place, surrounded by impressive copper colored mountains, will be perfect for our lunch break. We will then descent to the geysers while enjoying the magnificent view of the volcano Pomerape (el. 6280 m.a.s.l.). We will get back to our 4WD to join Sajama.
Night at Doña Isabel y Don Marcelo (basic comfort).
Hiking time: 6/7h (option to do it in 2 days); Elevation gain: +600m/-600m.

Night at the Oasis hostel*.
Included : private transport, guide (hiking), box lunch, room & breakfast, dinner (no drinks)

We will pass the Chilean-Bolivian border in the morning.
Included : private transport