An memorable Bolivia journey

Tiredness and fatigue can be overwhelming after a long international flight, so we’ll save you from the stress of navigating alone on your arrival at La Paz Airport.  Our local host will be looking for you at the international flight's arrival gate to assist and transport you to your Bolivia hotel.

La Paz is located 3625 meters above sea level, being one of the highest cities in South America. For this reason, altitude sickness can be shocking for tourists arriving in a city of this altitude for the first time. It's recommended to take everything calmly on this first day, not to make a physical effort, nor eat meat or anything very spicy, and rest often. In doing this, your body will acclimatize faster to the altitude.

Once installed in your room, you can take a comforting shower, leaving behind the fatigue of such a long flight and rest. Or, you can take advantage of the time to enjoy the best Bolivian gastronomy with a tasty lunch and dinner (on your own) in your hotel or the surrounding areas. Tomorrow, a great day is waiting for you!

Our journey in the Bolivian Andeans is about to begin! After a satisfying breakfast provided by your hotel, your tour guide will pick you up to explore La Paz City and what it has to offer. First, we’ll go to Mercado de Brujas (Witches Market) where mysterious treasures and objects used in ancient Andean rituals will be waiting for you. Next, you will take the famous cable car of La Paz and can enjoy spectacular views of the entire city and its downtown, from the air!

At mid-morning, we will make a break to taste the traditional and delicious Salteña, a type of baked bun filled with minced meat and carrot stew.

Continuing our trip, we’ll visit the Bolivian Museum of Ethnography and Folklore, where we’ll appreciate the different Bolivian traditional dances, typical costumes, masks, and other peculiarities of the highland country.

At noon, we’ll enjoy a fantastic vegetarian lunch made by micro-producers from all over Bolivia, in this unique and special restaurant Ali Pacha.

In the afternoon, you‘ll have several options to enjoy the fantastic La Paz. You just have to let us know in advance.

You can appreciate the beautiful Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley) which are polychromatic clay formations eroded by water and wind from the imposing Illimani Mountain. Or, maybe, you can take advantage of the Salar Gallery, where the masterpieces of the most recognized Bolivian artist today Gastón Ugalde, known as  “The Andean Warhol,” are shown. Moreover, you can still enjoy air tours onboard the La Paz cable car or taste delicious Bolivian Organic Coffee. The options are endless.

At the end of the day, your local guide will return you to your hotel, for a well-deserved dinner on your own. We guarantee you a comfortable rest with good memories.

Lake Titicaca still has many charms to discover, and you will not miss a thing! First, you'll enjoy a delicious breakfast at your La Paz hotel. Then, with our guide, you will begin your adventure through the highest navigable freshwater lake in the world, Lake Titicaca.

Our objective is to reach the beautiful town of Copacabana, located east of Lake Titicaca. However, in the middle of the route, we can visit the enchanting  Limachi family. They will teach us their techniques to make reed boats, typically used on the lake. It is interesting to note, their ancestors built the great Kon-Ti-Ti, the boat of Thor Heyerdahl, the Norwegian adventurer who crossed the Pacific Ocean to French Polynesia.

Another option can be to visit the ancient Tiahuanaco. This awesome archaeological site hosted maybe the most important Pre-Inca culture in the whole of South America. Well-carved stones with enigmatic engravings form its buildings and squares. Not in vain, Tiahuanaco was declared a Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 1999. Its impressive Puerta del Sol (Sun Gate), the Kalasasaya temple, the Frase and Ponce monoliths, and the Akapana Pyramid are all truly impressive. If you choose this “Tiahuanaco” route, you will enjoy a delicious lunch in a local restaurant.

Moving on, we’ll arrive in the charming Copacabana town, on the shores of Lake Titicaca. It has a beautiful XVI-century Cathedral of Moorish architectural style and is a reason for the frequent pilgrimage of Bolivian Catholics. Moreover, it hosts the most venerated religious image of the Bolivian highlands, the Virgin of Copacabana. From this quaint town, we'll take a speed boat heading to Isla del Sol (Sun Island) Of course, if you took the optional route of the Limachi Family, you will enjoy a countryside lunch on the shores of Sun Island, where you will taste the traditional Athapati, a local Aymara food for travelers.

After, you can take an optional hike to Pilkocaina temple, in the south zone of the island. Where you can enjoy an unforgettable sunset.

Finally, your local tour guide will take you to your hotel to have a delicious dinner, rest, and recharge energy for the next day.

Today, the highest navigable freshwater lake in the world and its beautiful Sun Island are waiting to be explored. Firstly, you will enjoy a fresh breakfast prepared with local ingredients. Following on, you’ll be taken by our local tour guide to Yumani town, through a charming hike surrounding agricultural terraces. Then, we will descend "The Grand Staircase" with more than 200 stairs built by the Incas, heading to the Sacred Fountain. There, you’ll drink its magical water of youthfulness and happiness (according to the local legends) and finally enjoy a delicious lunch in the middle of Sun Island.

After that, you’ll be taken onboard a boat to Moon Island. This island antagonist of the island of the Sun hosts beautiful examples of pre-Inca architecture like the imposing Sacred Temple of the Virgins of the Sun, Iña Kuyu. The ruins of this temple once hosted selected women who were dedicated to the Sun worship. They were kept on the island of the moon to keep the eternal sacred fire lit. After this awesome trip to Moon Island, you will return to La Paz, passing by Copacabana.

In beautiful La Paz, you can enjoy an exquisite dinner in a “Michelin-star restaurant called Guru (A prior table reservation is required).

Finally, our staff will take you to your La Paz Hotel, where you can take a relaxing shower and just rest.

Once time, Sucre was the most important city of Bolivia. The Spanish nobility and the richest families, who were involved with silver extraction in Potosi mines, used to live there. But before visiting it, you'll enjoy a delicious hearty breakfast in your La Paz hotel. At a certain time, our host will take you to La Paz airport to be sent on a commercial flight to Sucre.

Upon arriving in this beautiful city, enchanting colonial architecture of a glorious past, white stucco buildings, green squares, and cozy alleys full of coffee shops and restaurants await you. Once you have met our local host who will be waiting for you at the national arrivals gate of Sucre airport, he'll explain to you why Sucre is considered the official Bolivian capital and La Paz is the seat of the executive and legislative power.

Once installed in the Sucre hotel, previously chosen by you, feel free to enjoy a delicious lunch on your own.

The afternoon tour can be totally customized! Maybe, you and our expert tour guide can visit the cultural area of the city and its beautiful attractions like the church of San Felipe Nery, the Azur Museum, and La Recoleta. Or, on the other hand, you can visit the Cal Orck'o quarry, just outside Sucre, home to dinosaur footprints, or local chocolate factories (must be arranged in advance), local hat factories, the Museum of Anthropology and Modern Art and Simón Bolívar Park among others. The possibilities are infinitive in Sucre!

The night will be reserved for a tasty dinner, on your own, in your hotel, or at a distinguished Sucre restaurant (previously recommended by our local tour guide).

Today, after a comforting breakfast, our tour guide will transfer you to the famous Tarabuco. This quaint market offers a vision of traditional indigenous life in Bolivia. There, you'll see how all Sunday artisans and weavers arrive early to open their stands and begin to sell their handicrafts and beautiful Andean fabrics. Don't worry if you notice that the bustle quickly takes over the place.

40 minutes away from the market, you'll find the XVII-century Candelaria mansion. You can appreciate the high quality of fabrics that are made there. Also, you’ll take a country walk and enjoy a typical Bolivian lunch. After lunch, you'll be able to participate in a  Bolivian textile workshop, learn how to spin and dye wool, and try your hand at the intricate weaving process!

Or if you want, you can choose another experience with a visit to enchanting traditional weaver's villages located north of Sucre, in the amazing Los Frailes (friars) colored Range Mountain. These towns are Potolo and Maragua,  where the Jalq'a ethnic group live. These are recognized for their high-quality textile products on which they represent animals sacred to them such as llamas, vicuñas, eagles, and frogs among others. Also, the inhabitants of these towns will offer you a glimpse into their daily life that has not changed in centuries!

As optional experiences before visiting the weaver's villages, you can take a nice walk by an Inca Trail, another walk through the crater of the Maragua volcano, highlighting the dinosaur footprints embedded in its ground, visit Maragua Town with its charming houses where the local women make dream Andean fabrics, or you can visit cave paintings in the Puma Machay caves. The decision is always yours!

At the end of the day, your guide will return you to your hotel in Sucre for a well-deserved rest and an exquisite dinner.

Once upon a time, Potosi was the most important and biggest silver mine in all South American colonial. The new-world Spanish nobility and the richest Bolivian families were established there. Its silver mines were the main source of income for the Spanish crown in America. And now, these are at your fingertips. We'll begin this fantastic day with a delicious breakfast at your Hotel.

At a certain hour, your tour guide will pick you up from the hotel to go to Potosi (3 hours from Sucre). In this historic town, besides entering an ancient silver mine on the slope of Potosi Hill, you will visit the House of Coin, where the Spanish colonists and Bolivian slaves made coins with the extracted silver for Spain and its colonies. Also, you will visit the local miner's market to take a look at the past and understand the harsh working conditions in which the Bolivian miners found themselves.

After a delicious lunch in a famous local restaurant, you will visit the Santa Teresa convent which is the perfect example of the religious life in Bolivian colonial times, besides appreciating its architectural beauty. But the visit doesn't end here, if you wish, we can organize other fantastic tours for you, like the visit to the roof of the church of San Francisco. Or a visit to the national archives. It’s up to you!

Finally, your transport will take you to the Uyuni salt flat on a 4-hour trip to be hosted in a charming lodge or level up by hiring a nice and luxury airstream-camper located on the north coast of the Salar, with a private bathroom and kitchen, heating, hot shower, mini-bar, and a dedicated chef who will prepare gourmet meets and cocktails. If you choose the camper, the order of the activities can vary.

Are you ready to visit the largest salt mirror in the world? We refer to Uyuni! Well, after your hotel provides a comforting and delicious breakfast, our host will be ready to transport you to La Paz airport to take a commercial flight to Uyuni.

Once in Uyuni, our local host will welcome you and guide you to Uyuni Salar. It is the world's largest salt flat with more than 4,600 square miles (12,000 square kilometers). The is so flat and featureless that on its horizon you can see the curvature of the earth. This accumulation of sodium chloride in large quantities is one of the most unique natural spectacles in the world.

In the dry season, salt-solidified pentagons appear on the floor making it possible to walk over this magical white expanse, an amazing opportunity to capture some unique photos. Also, at this time you'll see bubbly salt holes and can explore, with your expert tour guide, the enchanting Incahuasi island with its amazing giant cacti. Without mentioning, a magical hike in the middle of petrified corals and a comforting countryside lunch on Uyuni!

On the other hand, in the rainy season, a fine water line covers a few centimeters of the planed salt esplanade, by making a giant natural mirror where the blue sky merges with the white, salty surface of Uyuni. However, this fine water line makes it impossible the drive over this salt flat. However, you'll obtain the best photos with this water layer that reflects the sky and your image, too!  Also, you will see the mysterious K'aka mummies.

For all these reasons, the exact route through Uyuni can change depending on climate factors or the season you visit. To crown the afternoon, you will be able to appreciate a beautiful sunset.

Finally, your expert local guide will take you to a cozy lodge in Uyuni, where you will have a deserved rest.

After breakfast at your hotel, you will head south to the city of San Cristóbal, a colonial city that is now the largest source of silver in the world. If you are interested, you can stop to visit the church, with beautiful original frescoes on the walls. Take a walk along the Alota River, home to much of the region's birdlife. Enjoy the surreal and highly photogenic landscapes of this region, including the Valley of Rocks, with its unusual rock formations that offer magnificent photo opportunities. We will enjoy a picnic lunch en route today. In the afternoon, visit the lagoons of this area, including Catal Lagoon and Laguna Negra, home of pink flamingos. End the day we will rest at Mallku Cueva, for dinner and your overnight stay.

After breakfast, you will continue south, with your private vehicle and guide, towards the Eduardo Avaroa Reserve. Today you will stop at Laguna Colorada which displays various shades of red, depending on light conditions. It is also the most important nesting site for three types of South American flamingos. You’ll continue to the Sol de Mañana geysers, with intensely active fumaroles and volcanic craters filled with boiling lava. Next, head to Chalviri Lagoon where you will have the opportunity to take a dip in the natural hot springs.

Finally, you will cross the Dalí Desert to head to Laguna Blanca and then Laguna Verde, which looks like a liquid emerald varying between shades of turquoise and green. Along the way, you'll stop for lunch and have plenty of opportunities to enjoy and photograph the stunning scenery.

At the end of the tour, we will transfer you back to Uyuni, passing through the Andean towns and the Valley of the Rocks.

The worst part of a trip is when those good adventures you will remember forever, end. That is why Machu Travel Peru wants to save you the penalty. You will only have to enjoy a comforting breakfast fully included in your hotel reservation and relax.

At a predetermined hour, MACHU TRAVEL PERU staff will transfer you to Uyuni airport and send you on a flight to La Paz, where you will board your international flight heading to your home country.

Do you like the sound of our "Discover Bolivia and Uyuni Salar" tour? Do you have extra requests or questions? Please don’t hesitate to write to us. We will always be attentive to personalize your Bolivia tour at your desire!

OPTIONAL: If you want, as an alternative to staying in your hotel in Uyuni, we offer you a novel alternative, the Deluxe Camper Airstream Camper. As its name indicates, this is a mobile hotel or a cozy camper formed by a comfortable room for two persons, with a hot shower, heating, minibar, sofa, and even an iPad dock with speakers. You’ll pass by the same places on this itinerary with slight modifications in the visiting orders. As if this were not enough, the camper is accompanied by another car that includes a kitchen, satellite radio, and oxygen cylinders, among other facilities. From there your private chef will prepare the most exquisite dishes for dinner and cocktails. After meals, he and his guide will leave you alone to enjoy your privacy in the Uyuni desert.

NOTE: This program will allow you to visit La Paz, Lake Titicaca, Sucre, Potosi, and Uyuni in Bolivia. Additionally, you can add more exciting day tours in Bolivia or another destination in the Andean country. Please make contact with our travel agents!