Bolivia is an ideal destination for a classic 15-day tour. The Inca occupied the Andean region while independent tribes settled the plains to the north and east of the country. Its diverse cultures make this country fascinating to explore. Our Bolivia tour will visit the cities of Santa Cruz, Sucre, Potosi, and La Paz. During the trip you'll be captivated by wonderful scenery: the Uyuni salt flats, arid deserts, and striking lagoons. The Isla del Sol will let you discover the customs and traditions of this island on Lake Titicaca, the largest lake in Latin America. An unforgettable 15-day journey whose memories will stay with you forever.
Arrival in Santa Cruz de la Sierra and transfer to your hotel.
Transfer to the airport for your flight to Sucre. After checking into your room, visit Tarabuco, home of the Yampara people. Return to Sucre for the night.
After breakfast you can visit the city of Sucre on a private tour. A walk to La Recoleta, once a monastery and now a museum. Built by Franciscan friars in 1601, it houses magnificent wooden sculptures and paintings from the 16th to the 20th century. The Charcas Colonial Museum is the largest in the city and holds hundreds of colonial pieces, including paintings and religious artifacts. It's worth stopping at Casa de la Libertad to admire the relics of Bolivian independence. Overnight at a hotel in Sucre.
After breakfast, departure toward Potosí with a private transfer and arrival at the hotel. In the afternoon, visit the National Mint (Casa de la Moneda) to admire the impressive building with its paintings and other historical treasures. Overnight in Potosí.
After breakfast, you'll have a free morning. You can choose the optional tour of the Cerro Rico mine, one of the largest silver mines in the world, which made Potosí one of the wealthiest cities in Latin America between the 16th and mid-17th centuries. In the afternoon, departure for Uyuni, where you'll spend the night.
Today you'll be amazed by the Salar de Uyuni. During this extraordinary experience on the salt flat in a 4x4 vehicle, you'll be able to take fascinating photographs. Not far away is the train cemetery, where locomotives and railcars have been abandoned. Naturally, a visit to Uyuni wouldn't be complete without the Colchani refinery. Here salt is extracted, then refined and packaged for sale – a vital part of the local economy. Isla Incahuasi (or Inca Wasi) will be the last stop of today's excursion. This coral formation sits atop an ancient volcano that was submerged by an enormous lake around 40,000 years ago. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are provided during the trip, with overnight in Uyuni.
Breakfast with a view of the Ollague volcano and the Chiguana desert. Today you can admire flamingos in their natural habitat across three small lagoons. You'll also see the árbol de piedra (stone tree), a rock formation shaped like a tree, and the Laguna Colorada, a reddish-colored salt lake. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included.
Wake up at dawn to see the sunrise and the geysers, a stunning natural spectacle. You can bathe in the Polques hot springs, which reach temperatures above 30°C. These waters are said to have medicinal properties that ease the symptoms of rheumatism and arthritis. You'll then cross the arid Salvador Dalí desert to reach the white lagoon and the green lagoon before returning to Uyuni. Transfer to the bus terminal, overnight bus to La Paz (overnight on board).
Arrival in La Paz and transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon you'll take a private city tour through the historic center. Plaza Murillo, La Paz's main square, buzzes with activity. You'll also visit the neighborhood markets and learn about Andean plants and traditions. The Valle de la Luna leads to an eroding mountain whose colors offer a spectacle not to be missed. After this excursion, it's time to relax at the hotel.
Today, a private tour to Tiwanaku, a pre-Columbian site and ancient city-state. It was the capital of a vast empire that included part of Peru and Chile. Then return to La Paz to set off by bus toward Copacabana, where you'll spend the night.
The excursion to the Isla del Sol begins right after breakfast. On this island, located in the southern part of Lake Titicaca, the largest lake in South America, there are several ruins. Over 800 families live here, and you'll get a glimpse of local traditions. Lunch and dinner will be served on the island, where you'll also spend the night.
After breakfast, return to Copacabana, from where in the afternoon a bus will take you to La Paz. Transfer to your hotel in the country's administrative capital.
You can stroll leisurely through the streets of La Paz, have lunch at one of the local restaurants, or do some last-minute shopping. Transfer to the airport for your direct flight to Santa Cruz and overnight at a hotel in the city.
You began your Bolivia journey in Santa Cruz, and today you can explore it, strolling through the main square, Plaza 24 de Septiembre, stepping into the Basilica Menor de San Lorenzo, and then climbing the bell tower to admire the view over the city. The Casa de la Cultura and the Noel Kempff Mercado Natural History Museum are a must. At the end of the day, a stop at the zoo, home to many endangered exotic and tropical animals, reptiles, and birds. Your last evening in Bolivia.
Transfer to the airport for your flight home. End of your Bolivia tour.