Day 1: Arrive in La Paz, Bolivia
Day 2: Top of the Andes to Amazon Rainforest – Downhill Mountain Bike Tour
After pickup from your hotel, we begin the mountain bike descent at wind-swept La Cumbre (4,700m/15,400 feet), where you’ll see fantastic views of several snow-covered peaks, including Huayna Potosí (6,088m/19,973 feet). From here, we descend rapidly down a twisting asphalted road among mountain peaks, grazing llamas and alpacas, and tiny villages. We stop for refreshments, photos, and rests along the way — all the better to give us time to take in the scenery: towering snow-capped cliff faces, dramatic drops, and increasingly greener vegetation. After a snack, we descend further, and after a brief undulating section of the road, we enter the jungle itself and the most challenging part of the ride. This infamous narrow dirt road is cut precariously into the side of the mountain and descends 2,000m (6,500 feet). Then, with 1,000m+ (3,300 feet) sheer drops off to our left and hulking rock overhangs and cascading waterfalls to our right, we ride through the mist, low cloud, and beautiful scenery (Note that since March 2007, the majority of traffic has stopped driving down the WMDR, and now moves down the new road … leaving the road for us to enjoy without battling very many trucks, buses, and cars). By the time you arrive at the bottom in Yolosa (1,100m/3,600 feet) after descending nearly 12,000 feet, you’ll be rewarded with the most incredible nature imaginable. Just below the village of Yolosa, we ride down to La Senda Verde Animal Refuge — where we enjoy a late pasta and salad buffet lunch, take in the magnificent scenery, spend time relaxing by the pool, enjoying a cold drink, and getting to know the rescued animals. Return to hotel in La Paz.
Day 3: Fly to Uyuni
Early morning we pick up from the hotel for transfer to the airport for flight to Uyuni. Arrive in Uyuni, check in at the hotel. The afternoon is free to explore.
Day 4: Uyuni to the Salt Desert
We will leave Uyuni in the morning and first visit the train cemetery to see the old rusting trains from decades ago. After this, we proceed to Colchani and witness how the salt is processed before we arrive at the Salt Flats themselves and see the “Ojos de Sal,” where water bubbles up through the salt plains. Next, we will know where the salt has been placed in mounds ready to be transported, the original salt hotel (no longer used for guests), and visit Inca Huasi (Fish Island) to see the giant cacti and have great views of the salt flats all around. Finally, there will be plenty of time for taking amazing photos before we head toward the Village of Villa Candelaria, where we stay the night in the salt hotel “Samarikuna.”
Day 5: Villa Candelaria – Paso Leon – Lagunas – Laguna Colorada
After breakfast, we head further south. First, we will pass through the Chiguana desert area, where the scenery will include several extinct volcanoes plus the semi-active Volcan Ollague. Then, as the journey continues, we will pass by high-altitude lagoons inhabited by three species of flamingos before arriving at the Siloli Desert and the “tree of rock.” Our final destination for the day is “Laguna Colorada,” a fantastic red lake. Here we will find the night accommodations (basic dorm-style)—4600 m altitude.
Day 6: Laguna Colorada – Geysers – Laguna Verde – San Pedro de Atacama
Today we have an early start at 5 am to visit “Sol de Mañana” geysers and see the bubbling mud pools and steam jets. Then we will continue to some hot springs where we will have a chance to relax in the warm water pools and also have breakfast here. After our relaxing break, we will continue through the “Dali Desert” to see “Laguna Verde,” where, under favorable conditions, we will see the green mineral waters of this lake at the foot of Volcan Licancabur (from here we transfer to San Pedro de Atacama, and arrive in San Pedro approx. midday).
Days 7 – 8: San Pedro de Atacama – Chile
San Pedro de Atacama is a village located 2.440 m/8.000 ft in the middle of an oasis. In this most beautiful region of northern Chile, we visit thermal baths, geysers, sunset over the valley of the moon with the opportunity to sandboard the vast dunes of Valle De La Muerta.
Day 9: San Pedro de Atacama to Santiago
We transfer to Calama for a flight to Santiago. (Highly recommended to combine this trip with Chilean Fjord Cruise)
