Land cost:
(19 or more participants)
(12-18 participants)
|
$TBD
$TBD |
| Single Supplement, if requested* |
$TBD |
| *Single rooms
are limited and not available on 2 nights. Please call
for details. |
TRIP FEE INCLUDES:
• Airport check-in and baggage assistance in Chile, Bolivia and Perú.
• All airport departure taxes for those using our all-inclusive package with airline tickets.
• All airport transfers and ground transportation as scheduled on itinerary.
• All ground transportation in comfortable private buses.
• All meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. Vegetarian meals can be accommodated (please request in advance).
• All sightseeing tours and park entrance fees to destinations on the itinerary.
• All accommodations in Chile, Bolivia & Peru are in fine hotels.
Based on double occupancy, rooms are shared by two people. 2 nights
are in rustic accommodations and we may share more than 2 per room.
• If you are traveling alone and prefer single accommodations you must
pay the single supplement. If you are willing to share accommodations, we will
try our best to find a roommate and if that is not possible you will pay only
75% of the single supplement cost.
• The services of professional tour guides.
• Our local leaders and guides are knowledgeable about the language, customs, culture and history of their country. They are detail oriented and take great pleasure in sharing their insight and expertise. They help make sure everything runs as safely and smoothly as possible.
NOT INCLUDED:
• Transfers for independent arrival or departure, travel insurance
(highly recommended) for which an application will be included with
your confirmation, passport fees, excess baggage fees, Bolivian visa*, optional tips to trip leader, guides and local
staff. All items of personal nature such as: personal gear, laundry, telephone
calls, beverages, bottled water, etc.
*U.S citizens need a visa to enter Bolivia. The cost is $135 and you need
to apply through the Bolivian consulate. There are no fees or visas required
to enter Perú.
Note: Chilean reciprocity fee does not have to be paid when entering Chile from the northern border of Arica saving USA citizens $140. We have never heard of tourists been charged at the border, but in the event this will change, please note that are not responsible for the fee.
Note: All itineraries are subject to change due to circumstances beyond our control including, weather, road or trail conditions and flight schedules.
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Day 1 – Saturday, September 6– Departure USA/Lima
Day 2 – Sunday, September 7– Lima/Tacna
Arrival in Lima and connect on a flight to Tacna near the Southern border of Peru with Chile.
Overnight: Hotel in Tacna
Meals: L, D.
Today’s hike: None scheduled.
Day 3 – Monday, September 8– Tacna/San Pedro de Atacama
We cross the border into Chile and fly from Arica to Iquique and from Iquique to Calama. Upon arrival in Calama, we continue on a 1 ½ hour bus drive to San Pedro de Atacama (8,000'/2,450 m).
The Atacama Desert is situated between the Andes Mountains and Pacific Ocean and stretches 600 miles (1,000 kilometers) from Peru's southern border into northern Chile. This region is extremely hyper-arid. It is an inhospitable, seemingly lifeless, sun drenched spot that is probably the driest place on Earth. Temperatures in the Atacama vary daily from 95°F down to 32°F.
The Atacama is 10 to 15 million years old and 50 times more arid than California's Death Valley. There are places where rain has never been recorded. This natural environment on Earth poses some of the same challenges for human explorers as would a seemingly lifeless planet. NASA scientists and engineers selected this landscape to test the technology that will be used in places like the Moon or Mars - the Atacama is "the closest place to Mars."
Overnight: La Casa de Don Tomas
Meals: B, L, D.
Today’s hike: None scheduled.
Today's flights: 35 minutes from Arica to Iquique and 40 minutes from Iquique to Calama.
Today's drive: 56 km (35 miles) from Tacna to Arica and about 90 km (55 miles) from Calama to San Pedro de Atacama.
Day 4 – Tuesday, September 9– San Pedro de Atacama
Day on your own to relax, rest, recover and enjoy San Pedro de Atacama.
Overnight: La
Casa de Don Tomas
Meals: B, D.
Today’s hike: Optional hikes.
Day 5 – Wednesday, September 10– San Pedro de Atacama
Today we hike the best trails around San Pedro, including the Kari
Canyon and the Valley of Death.
Overnight: La
Casa de Don Tomas
Meals: Breakfast & afternoon grill buffet lunch by the pool.
Today’s hike: 7.5 miles or longer option (12 km).
Today’s drive: Very short distances around San Pedro.
Day 6 – Thursday, September 11– Eduardo Avaroa National
Reserve - Laguna Colorada
A one hour drive takes us to "Hito Cajon" at the Bolivian border.
The Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve is in the southwestern section of
Bolivia, bordering Chile and Argentina. This Puna region ranges in altitude
from 11,482 feet (3,500 meters) and extends above 16,400 feet (5,000 meters).
We drive past Laguna Blanca and to Laguna Verde at the base of Licancabur
volcano (19,455'/5,930 m)
Continue across the Bolivian altiplano to the hot springs in Laguna Salada
and to the active geyser, “Sol de la Mañana”. From
there to Laguna Colorada, a lake with a pinkish hue. This naturally occurring
color results from algae and minerals in the lake, which is the main source
of food for the thousands of pink flamingos. Three of the world’s
six flamingo species – Chilean, James’ and Andean breed
in this area.
The reserve has mammal species such as vicuñas, pumas, Andean
foxes, vizcachas (Andean rabbit similar to marmot) and other. Andean geese,
falcons, ducks and large, flightless birds called lesser rheas are some
of the 80 species of birds living in Eduardo Avaroa Reserve
Today we do not have a scheduled hike due to the sudden climb to high
elevation. We will however have opportunities for acclimatization
hikes along the drive.
We continue our drive to our hotel in Ojo de Perdiz.
Overnight: Hotel
del Desierto.
Meals: B, L, D.
Today’s hike: No hike scheduled. Acclimatization hikes
to break the drive..
Today’s drive: About 7 hours with various stops in the altiplano.
Day 7 – Friday, September 12– San Pedro de Quemez
We continue north on the altiplano "high plain" where we will
see llamas, wild herds of vicuñas, Andean geese and other wildlife.
Overnight: Hotel
de Piedra.
Meals: B, L, D.
Today’s hike: No hike scheduled. Acclimatization hikes
to break the drive.
Today’s drive: About 7 hours with various stops in the altiplano.
Day 8 – Saturday, September 13- Salt flats of Uyuni – Incahuasi
Island –Oruro
This morning we enter the impressive Salar de Uyuni, the salar is 4,700-square-miles
of salt flats - the largest in the world. Some 40,000 years
ago the area was part of Lake Minchin a gigantic prehistoric
lake. When the lake dried it left behind two major salt
deserts, the largest one - the Salar de Uyuni. The salt
is completely white and the depth is about 20 feet. We
drive to the start of the hike, which will be on the salt flats and we
finish on Incahuasi Island (12,010’/3,660
m) - a rocky outcrop in the middle of the vast white expanse
of salt. Here you will see giant cacti covering the island
creating one of the most surreal landscapes on earth. It is estimated
that these cacti grows only about 1 centimeter per year. Some of the cacti reach
up to 36 feet (11 meter) and are 1,200 years old.
We continue our drive to Oruro.
Overnight: Plaza Flores Hotel - Oruro
Meals: B, L, D.
Today’s hike: About 4 miles (6.5 km).
Today’s drive: About 6 hours.
Day 9 – Sunday, September 14– Oruro - La
Paz
This morning we drive to La Paz (12,000’/3,660 m), we will have
views of the impressive summit of Illimani (21,260'), the highest mountain
in the Cordillera Real range on the southeastern side of the city.
La Paz is the administrative capital of Bolivia. We will have a tour
of the city’s colonial and historical sections.
Overnight: Hotel Ritz Apart Hotel
Meals: B, L, D.
Today’s hike: Approximately 1 ½ hour hike.
Today’s drive: About 140 miles (229 km).
Day 10 – Monday, September 15– Tiahuanaco - Island
of the Sun - Lake Titicaca
This morning we visit Tiwanacu (also known as Tiahuanaco), one of the
oldest cultures in South America. It is believed to be the origin of the
Pre-Inca Civilization. It was one of the most advanced cultures at that
time. The main structures are the Kalasasaya temple with construction
details similar to Machu Picchu's Gate of the Sun, the Akapana pyramid;
and the semi-underground temple.
We travel in the highlands and continue along the eastern shore of the
lake to the strait of Tiquina, which we cross by ferry and continue along
the road overlooking the lake and arrive in Copacabana (12,634').
We take a private boat to the island section of Yumani and hike to our
accommodations at the Ecolodge La Estancia.
Overnight: Ecolodge
La Estancia on the Island of the Sun in Lake Titicaca.
Meals: B, L, D.
Today’s hike: None scheduled.
Today’s drive: 45 miles/72 km (La Paz to Tiahuanaco) + 98 miles/158 km (Tiahuanaco to Copacabana).
Day 11 – Tuesday, September 16– Island of the
Sun – Lake
Titicaca
This morning we hike around the island. We follow the trail along the
shore, passing by villages, agricultural fields, beaches
until we reach Challapampa and from there we continue up to the Chinkana
ruins where we turn south and continue on the mountain trail leading us
around the island. After the hike we return by boat to Copacabana.
Overnight: Hotel
Rosario del Lago.
Meals: B, L, D.
Today’s hike: About 4 hours.
Today’s drive: None.
Today’s boat ride: 1 hour.
Day 12 – Wednesday, September 17– Puno – Uros Islands
A short 15 minute drive to Kasani and across the border to Yunguyo - Perú. Continue
overland to Puno (12,560').
Overnight: Hotel Sonesta Posada del Inca – Puno
Meals: B, L, D.
Today’s hike: None scheduled.
Today’s drive: 2.5 hours.
Day 13 – Thursday, September 18– Puno/Lima/Flight Home
After breakfast, we leave from the hotel dock and travel by boat to the "floating islands" of the Uros people who build the famous "totora" reed boats. The Uros and other lakeside dwellers depend extensively on the totora reed. It is used to make fishing boats and homes as well as the famous floating islands of reed. From there we continue to Taquile Island, to visit a community of weavers and spinners who live in a Mediterranean-like setting on Lake Titicaca - the highest navigable lake in the world. Upon arrival to Taquile, we climb up the long, steep staircase from the docks to the village. After lunch in a typical restaurant in the island, we visit the local museum before boarding our boat for the return navigation to Puno.
This afternoon we transfer to the airport at Juliaca, visiting the ruins of Sillustani en route. Sillustani is in a beautiful setting on a barren, windswept peninsula about 15 miles from Puno. Here we'll view chullpas (pre-Columbian funeral towers) that date from the time of the Inca occupation of this region, around the 15th century. These towers were built by and for people of the Aymara-speaking Colla tribe. Sillustani's stone architecture is complex and different in many ways from Inca stonework.
Arrival at the Lima airport and connect to your flight home.
Meals: B, L.
Today’s hike: None scheduled.
Today’s boat ride: Boat tour to the Uros islands (Peru).
Day 14 – Friday, September 19– Arrival home
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