La Paz – Salar de Uyuni – (S. Pedro Atacama)

Departure by plain to Uyuni at 06:30 or 08:00, the flight takes around 60min (TICKET FLIGHT IS NOT INCLUDED). Arrival and reception and transfer to a local restaurant for a second breakfast for those passengers arriving in the first flight (NOT INCLUDED).

Then you will visit the train cemetery only 5 minutes away from Uyuni, after that you will continue your way along the unpaved road to Colchani, ‘the town on the edge of the salt lake’, where you will experience how local people extract and process the salt. You will see water bubbling, known as ‘Ojos de Salar’, which comes from the underground river of the Tunupa Volcano. Crossing the vast salt lake you stop to enjoy your packed lunch and to appreciate the stunning views around.

After lunch you head back as you travel to the Isla Incahuasi. This island is located in the heart of the salt flat and is the greatest of a group of islands that represents an isolated ecosystem. The island is populated with a cactus species that measure up to 12 meters high (26.25 feet). The infinite view of the salt lake from this strange place is impressive with beautiful landscape views. There will be plenty of time for you to take the foot path that encircles the island to its summit, where you will have the spectacular panoramic view for as far as the eye can see.

Afterwards you drive towards the Tunupa Volcano, hike to the viewpoint (approx. 30min), after you enjoy the wonderful panorama you head to the village of San Juan crossing the vast salar de Uyuni and enter the desert area where the millenarian Quinoa grows.

Accommodation at Hotel Magia de San Juan or optional at Hotel Tayka de Piedra (this is defined according to availability and travel time).

B/BL/D

Early departure to cross a huge and great desert area with no roads or ways. These fantastic deserts gather all the colors from brown, red, orange, brass, coffee and beige which are successively shown at every curve of the trip.

You enter into the area of the lagoons chain of Cañapa, Hedionda, Chiarkota, Honda and Ramaditas, where you will see a good quantity of the three kinds of flamingos and other kinds of birds as Andean seagulls and wild ducks. These birds live in lagoons next to volcanoes, on the tops of which there is eternal snow and their green sides mixed with other colors made by the borax and sulphur.

Transfer to the lodge located in the middle of the Siloli Desert at 4.632m. Welcome dinner and overnight in comfortable rooms with heating and a well deserved shower. (Only from 18:00 to 22:00)

Accommodation at Ecolodge Los Flamencos or Tayka del Desierto (depending on availability)

B/L/D

Early departure from Ojo de Perdiz to Laguna Colorada, entering the protected area of the Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve, which is the main flamingos nesting site. The red color of the lagoon and of the flamingos comes from the effect of the solar radiations and wind on the algae and plankton.

You continue to the Geysers of Sol de Mañana. This point is the highest altitude of the tour. You will be at 5.000 meters above the sea level. The cold is intense and you will be able to walk among the smoky and noisy geysers, boiling mud stewpot where red and grey mud is boiling like water. The desert and Salar of Chalviri are sceneries of big value which combine the white of the snow. If there is time you could take a bath in the Hot Springs of Polques and then have a delicious open air lunch.

Then you will take the way to the Ladies of the Desert, Chef d’oeuvre of the wind work. The columns of stones sculpted by the wind show fantastic colors. After that you will arrive at the feet of Licancabur volcano to appreciate La Laguna Verde (the Green Lagoon, one of the pearls of the reserve) at its best moment to observe the change of color from emerald green to deeper green. Afterwards you will head to the Bolivian border at Hito Cajon.

NOT INCLUDED: From here you will continue in other vehicle to San Pedro de Atacama.

*** Hotel In San Pedro de Atacama is not included ***

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