Bolivia Highlights
Bolivia Highlights
Bolivia Highlights
11 Days Starting and ending in La Paz
Visiting: La Paz, La Paz – Uyuni, Salar de Uyuni, Desierto Siloli – Laguna Colorada, Salar de Uyuni – Uyuni, Potosi, Sucre, Sucre , Sucre - La Paz
Tour operator:
Tour code:
GGSV
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
1 - 12
Age range:
15-99 years
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Tour Overview
Explore the best of Bolivia on this adventure through lively cities, breathtaking scenery and colourful market towns. From the extreme elevation of bustling La Paz through the history of Potosi and Sucre, and on to the surreal salt flats of Salar de Uyuni, there's a diverse mix of adventures and activities that deliver excitement, intrigue and pleasure. Discover the highlights of this fascinating part of South America and be swept away by the colour and beauty flourishing in this corner of the world.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: La Paz
Location: La Paz
Accommodation: Hotel
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.
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 2: La Paz – Uyuni
Location: La Paz – Uyuni
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
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: Salar De Uyuni
Location: Salar de Uyuni
Accommodation: Mixed Dormitory
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
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.
Included Activities:
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Day 4: Desierto Siloli – Laguna Colorada
Location: Desierto Siloli – Laguna Colorada
Accommodation: Basic Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
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.
Included Activities:
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Day 5: Salar De Uyuni – Uyuni
Location: Salar de Uyuni – Uyuni
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch
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: Potosi
Location: Potosi
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
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: Sucre
Location: Sucre
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
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.
Optional Activities:
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Day 8: Sucre
Location: Sucre
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
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.
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 9: Sucre
Location: Sucre
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
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?
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 10: Sucre - La Paz
Location: Sucre - La Paz
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
Today, depending on flight time and availability, you’ll fly to La Paz in the morning or afternoon (approx 40 min).
Optional Activities:
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Day 11: La Paz
Location: La Paz
Meals Included: breaksfast
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.
What's Included
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Accommodation
Dormitory (2 nights), Hotel (8 nights) -
La Paz - Orientation Walk
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Salt flats - Visit to 'Fish Island/Inca Wasi'
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Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve - Altiplano tour including Laguna Colorada & Laguna Verde
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Sucre - Dinosaur Footprints
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Sucre - Orientation Walk
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Sucre - Chataquila Pre-Inca trek
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Meals
10 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners
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Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve - Altiplano tour including Laguna Colorada
What's Not Included
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Tipping and Gratuities
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International Travel
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Airport Transfers at Destination
Included Activities
- La Paz - Orientation Walk
- Salt flats - Visit to 'Fish Island/Inca Wasi'
- Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve - Altiplano tour including Laguna Colorada & Laguna Verde
- Sucre - Dinosaur Footprints
- Sucre - Orientation Walk
- Sucre - Chataquila Pre-Inca trek
Transport
- Plane , 4X4 , Local bus , Private Vehicle
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.
Important Information
- 1. Full passport details are required at the time of booking. The passport you travel with must match the booking details provided to us. This information is necessary to purchase entry permits to certain sites. Delays in providing this information could result in additional booking fees or changes to your itinerary.
- 2. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Day 3 (Salar de Uyuni) and Day 4 (Desierto Siloli) where you will be in shared accommodation and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
- 3. Passport holders of the United States and South Africa need a visa to enter Bolivia. We recommend that you obtain this visa in advance from your nearest Bolivian embassy. Not obtaining the visa in advance is likely to cause long delays at the border. Please refer to the Passports, visa and entry requirements section of the Essential Trip information for more details.
Mode of Transport
- Plane , 4X4 , Local bus , Private Vehicle
Check out our Q&As
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Is this trip right for you
This trip visits places that are at high altitude, and as a result some people can suffer from altitude sickness, regardless of age or physical health. Please see the Medical and health information section of the Essential Trip Information for more detail.
You'll be spending a lot of time in a 4WD crossing some bumpy surfaces. This is the best way to see the sights in and around Uyuni, and is all part of the adventure.
In Bolivia (especially in Uyuni), things don't always go to plan. An attraction may be closed for the day with no notice or reason. Although this doesn't happen very often, please be prepared for the possibility.
Making your way across the Andean Desert and salt flats isn’t exactly luxurious. Temperatures in the area can be very cold, especially at night, so bring warm clothes with you. Meals are simple, toilet facilities are basic, showers can be cold, and the multi-share accommodation is dormitory-style. This is all part of the adventure. Without a doubt, this amazing experience will be one of the highlights of your trip to South America.
The excursion to Salar de Uyuni is on a shared basis and your group size may be larger than 12 travellers. -
What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Please contact us for latest COVID-19 policies
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Intrepid Travel has been taking travellers around the world for over 30 years
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Since 2002, The Intrepid Foundation has supported over 130 organisations across the world. We’re creating positive impact through the joy of travel, community and connection.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Over 50% of traveller travel solo with Intrepid. You can choose to share a room with another solo travelle of the same sex for no additional charge, or choose to pay a single supplement if you’d like your own room. Please request this when booking, and we will secure you a single supplement wherever possible. Please note, if you are booking a last-minute trip, it may be harder for us to secure a single room
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Free Date Changes
Intrepid Travel allows you to make 10 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 56 days before the start of the tour.
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Intrepid Travel allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform intrepid travel, 56 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Intrepid Travel requires a minimum deposit of 400 USD per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 56 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of intrepid travel charges.
Up to 56 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 55 days before tour starts: Forfeit 30% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 60% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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Terms and Conditions
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