Altiplano's Great Outdoors in Chile & Bolivia

Santiago De Chile

Day 1: Welcome to Santiago!

You will arrive in Santiago and be transferred to your hotel. You will be accompanied by a English speaking guide. At the foot of the Andes you will visit Chile's capital. Santiago has become modern over the years but still has it's romantic and authentic vibe from years ago. You will be seeing Plaza de Armas, San Francisco Church, Bellavista area and many more amazing sites. You will have a private guide, bed and breakfast and an English speaking guide so you can have the best experience. 

Santiago - Moon Valley - San Pedro De Atacama

Day 2: Travel from Santiago to the North

Today you will fly from Santiago to Calama, to the far north of the country. Upon arrival at the airport your driver will expect you and drive you to San Pedro de Atacama, a little desert spring town in the center of the driest place on Earth. 

In the evening you will leave San Pedro and drive to the Salt Cordillera and the Moon Valley. There you can go for a stroll in a heavenly scene made of sand and calcareous mountains. Enjoy the sunset panomara while having a drink.

Afterwards you will be taken back to San Pedro de Atacama for the night.

San Pedro De Atacama - Miscanti - San Pedro De Atacama

Day 3: Discover Atacama salt flats

You will leave San Pedro around 10 am to spend the day discovering the Atacama desert.

You will visit the town of Socaire, the Quebrada de Jérez, the Chaxa, Miscanti and Miñiques tidal ponds and their volcanoes, piedras rojas zone and the Tuyacto laguna. At lunchtime you will make a stop at Socaire.

San Pedro De Atacama - Tatio - San Pedro De Atacama

Day 4: Early morning visit to El Tatio

Today you will have to get up early to see a special natural phenomenon at El Tatio geysier. At dawn, with hot fumes coming out of the ground the valley resembles a Goliath pot. 

After the sun comes up you will drive back to San Pedro, passing through the Machuca Valley. You will have the day to roam on your own. For the sunset, you will join a space expert at San Pedro observatory and go on a voyage through the southern sky. Following 2 hours of observations with your bare eye and through 10 diverse telescopes, your guide will finish the explanations around a hot drink, before you head back to San Pedro.

San Pedro De Atacama - Laguna Verde - Laguna Colorada

Day 5: Laguna Verde

You will spend another day driving for about 100 km through the desert to visit the different lagoons in the South Lipez area. You will see Laguna Blanca and Laguna Verde at the foot of volcanoes Juriques and Licancabur.

You will go up to heights to 4.200 - 4750 m and your body might need some time to adjust.

Laguna Colorada - Siloli - SAN JUAN

Day 6: Stone Tree in Siloli Desert

You will keep traveling through the area, discovering more of the desert which now turns into Siloli Desert. Keep your eyes out, you might spot Andean animals like the viscachas (big rabbits).

You will continue on to visit different tidal ponds - Honda, Ch'arkota, Hedionda - where three types of flamingos reside.

In the evening you will stop at Ollagüe (elevation of 5.868 m) and spend the night at La Cabaña de Sal hostel in the middle of the desert.

SAN JUAN - Salar De Uyuni - Jirira

Day 7: Drive across the world's largest salt flat

Today you leave the Sur Lipez and go for a unique adventure: driving across the world’s largest salt flat! After a two hour ride we will reach the famous Salar de Uyuni and soon the Island of Incahuasi. This surprising island lost in the middle of the Salar offers an incredible view over the salt flat and the several volcanos that surround it. Of volcanic origin, it is covered with stromatolites and giant cacti.

In the afternoon, you will keep driving 46 km on the white desert to reach its northern extremity. Here, at the foot of volcano Tunupa (5.432 m) you will spend the night in the small village of Jirira. Before arriving, you will stop in the neighbor village of Coquesa, famous for its mummies of the Chipaya culture.

Jirira - Thunupa - Colchane

Day 8: Hiking up Tunupa mountain

You will begin the day early to climb up Tunupa mountain. Tunupa is the name of the pre-Inca lord of volcanoes and electrical storms. You will be dropped off toward the finish of the track over the town, at a rise of 3.850 m and you will then trek for 3 to 4 hours to the viewpoint at an altitude of 4.700 m. An extraordinary panorama awaits you!

Colchane - Surire - Putre

Day 9: Trekking through Las Vicuñas Nature Reserve

You will continue your journey north, towards Volcán Isluga National Park and cross the pioneer towns of Isluga (3.980 m) and Enquelga (3.850 m). A narrow track will take you to the Surire Salt Flat (4.245 m), which get their name from the ostrich (called "suri" in Aymara). There you will observe three types of flamingos, and also numerous llamas, alpacas, and vicuñas.

For lunch you will stop close to the hot springs and you will then take off on a trek, guided by the Guallatiri Volcano and sulphuric vapor, through Las Vicuñas Nature Reserve to arrive at the town of Putre in the late evening.

Putre - Lauca - Putre

Day 10: Beautiful Chungará Lake

You can choose how to spend your day:

Choice 1: Begin the day with the Chungará Lake, then walk down to the Lagunas de Cotacotani (3-hour walk). The guide will show you the way and you will descend to Parinacota and Putre.

Choice 2: If you are not too keen on hiking more, begin the day with a 30-minute stroll on Las Cuevas Trail and visit the town of Parinacota. Then drive on to Lagunas de Cotacotani (without doing the climb) and proceed to the Chungará Lake. Drive back to Putre by the day's end. 

Putre - Arica

Day 11: Views of the Andes

You will see the Andes from a breathtaking decent of 3.500 meters to the ocean with views of Nevados de Putre and Candelbra Catus on the edges of the Canyon. You will see the fields of Socorama the Pukara of Copaquilla, the San Geronimo Church of Poconchile and end the tour with petroglyps and geolyphs.

Arica - Santiago - Valparaiso

Day 12: Traveling back south

You will be picked up from your hotel and driven to Arica Airport for your flight back to Santiago and then travel onwards to Valparaíso. 

Once in Valparaíso you will visit the different neighborhoods from the Alegre to Concepcion hills. A 100 year old lift will carry you up the hills to enjoy the bohemian lifestyle of the city. 

Valparaiso - Viña Del Mar - Valparaiso

Day 13: Strolling through Valparaíso

Today you will visit the different quarters of Valparaíso, which were listed by Unesco as World Heritage. Valparaíso has a rich history, many hills and cable cars, street singers and a unique identity. You'll enjoy seafood restaurants and visit La Sebastiana (closed on Mondays).

Throughout the city you can walk or take public transportation from time to time. Enjoy the historic walk through the narrow streets filled with graffiti and murals. Even though the climb up the hills is steep you will be rewarded with a great view over the Pacific ocean.

Valparaiso - Santiago

Day 14: See you again soon, Andes!

The journey has come to an end. Today you will be driven from Valparaiso to Santiago's international airport. We hope you've enjoyed your trip and will come again soon to visit Chile and Bolivia!