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Home > Wide Open Spaces of the Altiplano

Wide Open Spaces of the Altiplano

The Altiplano, or high plain, of South America is a place of superlatives: It holds the world's highest navigable lake, Titicaca, and the largest salt flat, Salar de Uyuni. It is the second largest mountain plateau in the world, after that of Tibet—a landscape of ice and fire, wind and salt that stretches from northern Argentina to the harsh flatlands of Peru.

Map

Itinerary

  • Day 1: Santiago de Chile
  • Day 2: Santiago de Chile - Arica - Santiago de Chile - Arica - Putre
  • Day 3: Putre - Lauca National Park - Putre - Lauca National Park - Putre
  • Day 4: Putre - Salar de Surire - Colchane - Salar de Surire - Colchane
  • Day 5: Colchane - Paso Pisiga - Coquesa - Paso Pisiga - Tahua
  • Day 6: Coquesa - San Pedro de Quemez
  • Day 7: San Pedro de Quemez - Siloli Desert
  • Day 8: Siloli Desert - Paso Hito Cajon - San Pedro de Atacama - Paso Hito Cajon - San Pedro de Atacama
  • Day 9: El Tatio Geysers - San Pedro de Atacama
  • Day 10: The Atacama lagunas - Valleys of the Atacama Desert - San Pedro de Atacama
  • Day 11: San Pedro de Atacama - Santiago de Chile - Valparaiso & Viña del mar - Santiago de Chile - Valparaiso & Viña del mar
  • Day 12: Valparaiso & Viña del mar
  • Day 13: Valparaiso & Viña del mar - Santiago de Chile

TRAVEL BOOK

Day 1: Santiago de Chile

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

Day 2: Santiago de Chile - Arica - Putre

Private transfer from your hotel to Santiago airport.


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

4-day expedition in a private vehicle with a Spanish-speaking driver.
Meet your driver/guide at Chacalluta International Airport, located in the desert 15 km north of Arica, near the Peruvian border, or at your hotel in Arica. Immediate departure to begin an incredible climb to 3,500 m of altitude. In a little more than 150 km, you will reach the pleasant village of Putre (about 5 hours drive with stops). You will see, among others, geoglyphs and petroglyphs, the terraced fields of Socorama, candelabra cactus on the edge of the canyon and beautiful views of the Nevados de Putre (5,824 m alt.).
Night in the village of Putre. Excellent base to begin acclimatization.

Night at Hotel la Chakana **.
Included : transfer departure, domestic flight, airport tax, local guide, guide expenses, private transport, room & breakfast

Day 3: Putre - Lauca National Park - Putre


Option 1: Begin the day with the Chungará Lake, then go down to the Lagunas de Cotacotani (3-hour walk). The guide shows you the way and picks you up at the end of the hike. After that, go down to Parinacota and Putre.
Option 2: Begin the day with a 30-minute walk on Las Cuevas Trail and visit the village of Parinacota. After that, head to the Lagunas de Cotacotani (without doing the hike) and continue to the Chungará Lake. Drive back to Putre at the end of the day.

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

Day 4: Putre - Salar de Surire - Colchane


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, driving through the peat bogs full of lamas and alpacas of Volcán Isluga National Park. You will pass the colonial villages of Enquelga (3,850 m) and Isluga (3,980 m) before arriving to Colchane.

Night at the hotel Isluga **.
Included : room & breakfast, dinner (no drinks), local guide, guide expenses, entrance fees, private transport, box lunch

Day 5: Colchane - Paso Pisiga


You leave Colchane in the morning and head to the border crossing Pisiga-Colchane. You drive near the Cariquima Volcano (5,390 m) and the Portezuelo mountain pass (5,075 m!).
Border crossing.

Included : local guide, guide expenses, entrance fees, private transport, breakfast

Day 8: Paso Hito Cajon - San Pedro de Atacama


Early in the afternoon you pass the Bolivian border at Hito Cajón. An hour drive takes you to San Pedro de Atacama.

Night at the Takha Takha Hotel in a superior room **.
Included : private transport, room & breakfast

Day 9: El Tatio Geysers - San Pedro de Atacama

Departure between 4.30 and 6.00 (time depends on the vehicle and the season) from the hotel towards the Tatio. You will arrive at the perfect time to admire the sunrise and the geysers roaring in the cold air of the Altiplano. The valley looks like a giant pot. Water spurts here and there. This geological curiosity mixes a ground still frozen with boiling hot clear water springs (70°C/160°F). Observation of numerous volcanic formations. After a few hours, return to San Pedro via the Machuca Valley.

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

Day 10: The Atacama lagunas - Valleys of the Atacama Desert - San Pedro de Atacama

At 09:00, leave San Pedro and head south, towards the Atacama Salt Flat and the Laguna Céjar. Have a swim in the lagoon where you will surprisingly float, thanks to the extreme salt concentration, an unforgettable moment in the desert! Then drive to the Ojos del Salar, another lagoon where you can swim. End of the tour at the Laguna Tebenquiche to enjoy the beautiful colours of the Licancabur Volcano.
Return to San Pedro.


Notes : No bathing more than 45 min and it’s not allowed for kids under 6 years old. The application of sunscreen should be two hours before the bath.



In the middle of the afternoon, leave San Pedro and drive to the Salt Cordillera and the Moon Valley. Once there, you can take a walk in a magnificent landscape made of sand dunes and sculpted calcareous mountains. Enjoy the sunset while having a drink before going back to San Pedro.

Night at the Takha Takha Hotel in a superior room **.

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).
Included : guide expenses, entrance fees, private transport, english speaking guide, room & breakfast, drinks, excursion (shared)

Day 11: San Pedro de Atacama - Calama - Santiago de Chile - Valparaiso & Viña del mar


Private transfer from your hotel to Calama airport.

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

Departure from the hotel in the morning.
Head south and visit the village of Pomaire (famous for pottery art craft of all kinds).
Continue to the Pacific coast until you reach Isla Negra and visit the museum of Pablo Neruda, Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971.
Lunch in the village.
After lunch, make your way to Viña del Mar, the largest beach resort in Chile.
Arrival at Valparaiso in the late afternoon.

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

Day 12: Valparaiso & Viña del mar

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

TRAVEL BOOK

Day 5: Paso Pisiga - Coquesa - Tahua

We enter to Bolivia through the border post of Pisiga, located on the west side of the Salar de Coipasa. Fifth world’s largest salt flat and second largest of Bolivia, the Salar de Coipasa is seldom visited. We will probably only cross path with the huge trucks transporting the salt extracted from the Salar. We will enjoy the stunning landscapes of the isolated region before reaching the other Salar, larger and better known, the Salar de Uyuni (el. 3650 m.a.s.l.). We drive around volcano Tunupa (5432 m.a.sl.) and reach, in the early evening, the village of Coquesa (3700 m.a.s.l.), on the outskirt of the Salar de Uyuni, after driving around 200 km and 4.5 hours.

Night at the Hotel de Sal***.
(availability of double room with matrimonial bed not guaranteed)
Included : lunch (no drinks), dinner (no drinks), private transport, room & breakfast

Day 6: Coquesa - San Pedro de Quemez

Today we will discover the world’s largest salt desert and cross it entirely from north to south! We will first visit the village of Coquesa, famous for its mummies of the Chipaya culture. We will then enter the Salar de Uyuni (el. 3650 m.a.s.l.) and ride around an hour (44 km) to reach the Island of Incahuasi. This surprising island lost in the middle of the salar offers an incredible view over the salt desert and the several volcanoes 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 will keep south and drive around 35 km on the Salar; then 50 km on a track to get to the village of San Pedro de Quemez (3690 m.a.sl.). We will stop on the way to visit the Galaxy Cave famous for its very finely sculpted stalactites.

Night at the hotel de Piedra***.
(availability of double room with matrimonial bed not guaranteed)
Included : room & breakfast, dinner (no drinks)

Day 7: San Pedro de Quemez - Siloli Desert

We begin today our journey across the Sur Lipez area, elevated region of colorful landscapes and lagoons, rock formations and volcanoes.
After we leave San Pedro, we will cross the small Salar de Chiguana (el. 3650 m.a.s.l.), at the feet of the Tomasamil volcano (el. 5900 m.a.s.l.) The track will then climb up to 4200 m.a.s.l. and 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. We will then drive South along the Chilean border on the scenic “Route of the Jewels”, which owes its name to all the lagoons along its way: Honda, Ch’arkota, Hedionda, Cañapa. These lagoons are home to three specific species of flamingoes. Our track then continues in the middle of the superb landscapes of the Siloli (el. 4700 m.a.s.l.) desert where our hotel for tonight is. We will arrive at the end of the day, having driven around 170 km today.

Night at the Hotel del Desierto***.
(availability of double room with matrimonial bed not guaranteed)
Included : lunch (no drinks), dinner (no drinks), private transport, room & breakfast

Day 8: Siloli Desert - Paso Hito Cajon

Today we go back to Chile... First we will cross the Siloli Desert and discover its famous “Stone Tree”. After 70 km we will reach the Laguna Colorada (el. 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 then visit the geysers Sol de Mañana (el. 4850 m.a.s.l.), a volcanic crater with sulphur springs and boiling mud. Next stop: the Polques thermal spring. 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 and ride along the Laguna Salada and the Dali Desert. Here the strong wind has created surprising rock formations that remind the paintings of the Spanish master. Before lunch we will reach the Laguna Blanca and Laguna Verde (el. 4350 m.a.s.l.), at the foot of volcanoes Juriques and Licancabur (el. 5704 and 5960 m.a.s.l.). After riding a total of around 200 km we will reach the border cross of Hito Cajon at the beginning of the afternoon. Here our Chilean driver awaits us to drive us to San Pedro de Atacama.
Included : lunch (no drinks), entrance fees, private transport

Day 13: Valparaiso & Viña del mar - Santiago de Chile

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

Hotel Galerias   Santiago de Chile

Level : 3*
Included : room & breakfast

Hotel Galerias is located in the heart of downtown Santiago. Strategically placed steps away from the main commercial and cultural activities of the country, this traditional hotel, completely restored on the year 2002, invites you to live a unique experience, in which Chile, its people, origin and cultural richness are present on every corner.

Night hotel La Chakana.   Putre

Level : 2*
Included : room & breakfast

The Chakana Mountain Lodge offers perfect conditions to adjust to high altitude. Because of its location at 3,500 m altitude, the difference in temperature between day and night might be considerable. Chakana offers therefore feather beds, hot water, a wooden stove in the public area, and heaters in every room. Small reading corners, the so-called "rincones", invite every tourist’s soul to relax while getting informed about the diversity of the Andean world and a whole range of discovery tours.

Hotel Isluga STD   Colchane

Level : 2*
Included : room & breakfast

The Isluga Hotel is the only hotel in the small village of Colchane, Its restaurant offers a local aymara cuisine, mainly made out of corn and quinoa. Note: Warm water no garanteed. You can ask for hot water bottles at the reception.

Hotel Takha Takha SUP   San Pedro de Atacama

Level : 2*
Included : room & breakfast

Takha Takha was built in accordance with the aesthetic and tradition of San Pedro. Its comfy rooms made of adobe, wood and stone allow a natural temperature balance during day and night. The hotel is ideally located in the middle of the town within an area of 5.000 m2, which guarantees silence and tranquility.
Note: San Pedro is located in the middle of the Atacama Desert, and the water available can be limited. Thank you for understanding this peculiar situation and acting accordingly.

Hotel Camila 109 STD   Valparaiso & Viña del mar

Level : 2*
Included : room & breakfast

You will receive a fabulous welcome from Ulysse,the owner, who opens you the doors of his small typical hotel Bed and Breakfast. Take a small glass of Chilean wine on the panoramic terrace before going to rest in one of the five very pleasant and modern rooms. Enjoy a delicious breakfast and wifi connexion in the room and the common parts. The hotel situated in cerros, on the heights, is a little taken away from the tourist districts but we meet very easily.

Salt Hotel   Tahua

Level : 3*
Included : room & breakfast, dinner (no drinks)

The Hotel de Sal Tayka is located on the north shore of the Salar de Uyuni, at the bottom of volcanTunupa at a height of 3700 meters. The hotel is built entirely of salt blocks, and the roofs are covered with straw. The hotel offers two courtyard equipped with translucent roof materials to retain heat. It also has a comfortable and welcoming restaurant where you can enjoy the warmth of a fireplace.

Hotel de piedra   San Pedro de Quemez

Level : 2*
Included : room & breakfast, dinner (no drinks)

Located at south of Salar de Uyuni, in front of a peninsula and in an environment of majestic mountains, the Hotel de Piedra Tayka is built with materials of stone and volcanic sand characteristic of the region. The use of stone was inspired by the village Quemado next to the hotel. The roofs of the hotel are covered with straw, the traditional material that covers the entire Andean region.

Hotel del Desierto   Siloli Desert

Level : 3*
Included : room & breakfast, dinner (no drinks)

The Tayka Desert Hotel is located in the heart of the Siloli desert. Volcanic rocks were used for the walls and the architectural design has been specially choosen to withstand the intensity of the winds of the region.

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