Bolivia is the forgotten pearl of South America, the country with the largest indigenous population on the continent. I could go on with more highlights, but let's go in order. Since my wife was born in the country, I had the opportunity to explore Bolivia more with her. We will be returning to the country again next year for some time, so I would like to take advantage of that and show you the beauty of Bolivia as well. This trip will include all the highlights from the world famous Salar de Uyuni salt flats to the mythical Lake Titicaca, to a trek through the Amazon rainforest. We'll bathe in thermal springs near volcanic mountains, photograph llamas and flamingos in such remote parts of the country that you'll wonder how this place hasn't been discovered by the tourist crowds yet.
On arrival, you'll need to take a little deep breath as La Paz airport is located at an altitude of around 4000m above sea level. We'll move to our accommodation a little lower down in the centre of La Paz. Depending on how the time works out, we will take a look around the city centre and have a nice dinner.
On the second day we will take a short trip to the "valley of the moon" or Vale de la Luna. Wind erosion has created a unique landscape of rocks not unlike a moonscape. If necessary, we will compensate for the acclimatization to the high oxygen content by chewing coca and drinking "coca" tea. We'll end our quiet acclimatization day with a tour of downtown La Paz and its museum district.
From La Paz, we transfer to Lake Titicaca in the morning by minibus. During the whole day we will be at altitudes of around 4,000 m. After about two to three hours of driving we will find ourselves in the town of Copacabana (the lesser known sister of its Brazilian namesake). After lunch and a short tour of this town, we will take a small boat to Isla del Sol (the island of the sun god). As soon as we arrive, we will be met by a local guide who will give us an introduction to the history of the island, a local life that has changed very little over the millennia. Since most tourists do not stay overnight on the island, we will have plenty of time during the afternoon and evening to explore the island and enjoy the sunsets over the lake and the views of the Andes mountains.
We will enjoy this day on Isla del Sol, when we will have more time to walk around the island and enjoy the slow pace of life of the locals along with sightseeing the Incan sights. We will also have more time to take photos of Lake Titicaca itself.
After breakfast, we will take a boat back to the mainland where a minibus will be waiting for us and we will head towards an archaeological site called Tiwanaku. One of Bolivia's most important monuments, it is also on the Unesco list of monuments. We will spend about an hour exploring Tiwanaku and then continue our journey towards Sajama National Park.
Sajama is, from my point of view, the purest Bolivia, the Andes and all of South America in one place. Wide arid plains, views of active volcanoes and Bolivia's highest mountain at 6,542m above sea level. We had only a stray dog to keep us company for two days on the trek. You will enjoy the sun, the silence, the peace and the beautiful views. The difficulty is medium as it is not a problem to walk 40km in two days. If you are interested, you can even climb Sajama with a mountain guide.
How you spend your days at Sajāma will be up to you. We can go to the thermal springs or to the geysers and fumaroles. Fumaroles are a specific type of thermal outlet that contain water vapor and gases such as water vapor, sulfur, and carbon dioxide, and usually do not spew water into the air as geysers do.
How you spend your days at Sajāma will be up to you. You can go to the thermal springs or to the geysers and fumaroles. Fumaroles are a specific kind of thermal outlet that contain water vapor and gases such as water vapor, sulfur and carbon dioxide, and they usually don't spew water into the air like geysers do. In the afternoon, we'll make our way to the Salar de Uyuni salt flats.
Salar de Uyuni is in the top 50 destinations you should visit on our planet according to many travel websites. The largest salt flat in the world is close in size to small European countries such as Cyprus or Kosovo. Although it might seem so Salar is not lifeless and so when you visit one of the many islands you will be able to admire huge cacti and if you are lucky you will even see a viscacha (local rabbit 😀 ). On Salar we will have lunch in a salt restaurant and sleep in a salt hotel so you will enjoy the salt to the full.
In the morning, after breakfast, we will set off again towards the south of Bolivia to the Reserva Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa National Park. As the name suggests, we will continue to admire the Andean fauna. We will spend quite a bit of time in the SUV on unpaved roads. Mostly we will be in completely uninhabited areas and gradually we will stop at local lagoons that will take your breath away with their colors.We will spend the night at Refugio Huyallajara, which is a very basic type of accommodation with rooms for about 10 or more people. Meals will be provided at all times, so there is nothing to worry about. What makes this accommodation unique is its location right next to the Colorado River Lagoon, which is the unmissable red one :) So you'll have the power to spend the whole evening walking, taking pictures and watching the flamingos.
Today's morning won't be completely for sleepers, as we'll be setting off around 5am to enjoy an early morning visit to a place where numerous fumaroles spring from the ground.
We will have a great opportunity to photograph them at sunrise.
The journey then continues to the thermal lakes where we will have the opportunity to warm up our still slightly hot bodies. After a dip in the thermal pools we will head back towards Uyuni followed by a flight/overnight bus transfer to La Paz
The program for this day will be a bit up to you. ;) If you are tired from the night crossing, we can include a rest day in La Paz. Alternatively, we'll insert a trip to a coca plantation or sample the local coffee in the Yungas area, which is about 100km from La Paz.
Drive by speedboat from Rurrenabaque to Madidi National Park. The journey along the Beni and Tuichi rivers takes 3 hours and is a great opportunity to observe the wildlife and landscape of the Amazon. Arrival at the ecolodge and accommodation in our traditional lodges. Lunch and time to relax in the hammocks. After lunch we will go on a 3-hour guided tour of the Tareche trail. Here there will be an opportunity to observe various species of birds, especially macaws and other parrots, and to see the surrounding tropical rainforest. You may see various animals such as the white-faced peccary, brown and red capuchin monkeys and other roaring monkeys. After a walk along the banks of the Aguapolo River, we return to the ecolodge for dinner. After the meal you will have the opportunity to take a short night walk and experience the nocturnal fauna 🐛. During the walk you will be able to see different insects and also tarantulas. You will be able to enjoy the nocturnal symphony of the jungle produced by countless species of wildlife like nowhere else.
Madidi National Park is one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet, home to more than 1,000 species of birds, 200 species of mammals and 300 species of fish. During your stay you will have the opportunity to experience the true magic of the rainforest. There will be a guided jungle walk, bird and wildlife watching, a visit to an indigenous village, and you will also learn about Indian culture and medicine.
Breakfast in the ecolodge. After breakfast we will go on a 3-4 hour guided tour of the Biwa trail, where you can very often encounter spider chappies. After this trek we will stop at a beautiful lookout overlooking the rainforest canopy. This will be followed by lunch and an opportunity to relax in hammocks. After lunch, we will go on a 3-hour guided hike on the trails to appreciate the huge bellows (the tree from which kapok is extracted is majestic and according to a number of legends is one of the sacred trees). Its trunk is covered with large spines and can grow up to 60 metres high and three metres in diameter) and fig trees. The guide will describe in detail the different types of plants and their use for medicinal purposes. This is a great opportunity to learn about the ecosystems of the Amazon while observing the pristine environment and the different species of wildlife. In the evening, we will enjoy a traditional Dunucuabi (carp in leaves) dinner together and then have the opportunity to sit together.
Breakfast in the ecolodge. Then we will take a boat upstream on the Tuichi River to the Serere Trail. A walk through the jungle plain to Lake Piraña offers the chance to see yellow squirrel monkeys before we stop to fish/catch piranhas. We will then return by boat to our accommodation. Lunch will be followed by a return to Rurrenabaque by boat. Optional: On the return trip you will have the opportunity to visit Caquiahuara, where you will be able to see red and green macaws and other parrot species. Birdwatching is possible at any time of the year, but ideal conditions are from May to November. The return trip takes only 2 hours. Upon arrival in Rurrenabaque, we will transfer to your hotel for check-in.
The last day will be marked by departures home, transfers or flights to other destinations. At the moment we are still considering connecting the trip to a short trip in Peru (the other side of Lake Titicaca and floating islands, Cuzco, Machu Picchu, Lima, etc.)
Bolivia is the forgotten pearl of South America, the country with the largest indigenous population on the continent. I could go on with more highlights, but let's go in order. Since my wife was born in the country, I had the opportunity to explore Bolivia more with her. We will be returning to the country again next year for some time, so I would like to take advantage of that and show you the beauty of Bolivia as well. This trip will include all the highlights from the world famous Salar de Uyuni salt flats to the mythical Lake Titicaca, to a trek through the Amazon rainforest. We'll bathe in thermal springs near volcanic mountains, photograph llamas and flamingos in such remote parts of the country that you'll wonder how this place hasn't been discovered by the tourist crowds yet.
On arrival, you'll need to take a little deep breath as La Paz airport is located at an altitude of around 4000m above sea level. We'll move to our accommodation a little lower down in the centre of La Paz. Depending on how the time works out, we will take a look around the city centre and have a nice dinner.
On the second day we will take a short trip to the "valley of the moon" or Vale de la Luna. Wind erosion has created a unique landscape of rocks not unlike a moonscape. If necessary, we will compensate for the acclimatization to the high oxygen content by chewing coca and drinking "coca" tea. We'll end our quiet acclimatization day with a tour of downtown La Paz and its museum district.
From La Paz, we transfer to Lake Titicaca in the morning by minibus. During the whole day we will be at altitudes of around 4,000 m. After about two to three hours of driving we will find ourselves in the town of Copacabana (the lesser known sister of its Brazilian namesake). After lunch and a short tour of this town, we will take a small boat to Isla del Sol (the island of the sun god). As soon as we arrive, we will be met by a local guide who will give us an introduction to the history of the island, a local life that has changed very little over the millennia. Since most tourists do not stay overnight on the island, we will have plenty of time during the afternoon and evening to explore the island and enjoy the sunsets over the lake and the views of the Andes mountains.
We will enjoy this day on Isla del Sol, when we will have more time to walk around the island and enjoy the slow pace of life of the locals along with sightseeing the Incan sights. We will also have more time to take photos of Lake Titicaca itself.
After breakfast, we will take a boat back to the mainland where a minibus will be waiting for us and we will head towards an archaeological site called Tiwanaku. One of Bolivia's most important monuments, it is also on the Unesco list of monuments. We will spend about an hour exploring Tiwanaku and then continue our journey towards Sajama National Park.
Sajama is, from my point of view, the purest Bolivia, the Andes and all of South America in one place. Wide arid plains, views of active volcanoes and Bolivia's highest mountain at 6,542m above sea level. We had only a stray dog to keep us company for two days on the trek. You will enjoy the sun, the silence, the peace and the beautiful views. The difficulty is medium as it is not a problem to walk 40km in two days. If you are interested, you can even climb Sajama with a mountain guide.
How you spend your days at Sajāma will be up to you. We can go to the thermal springs or to the geysers and fumaroles. Fumaroles are a specific type of thermal outlet that contain water vapor and gases such as water vapor, sulfur, and carbon dioxide, and usually do not spew water into the air as geysers do.
How you spend your days at Sajāma will be up to you. You can go to the thermal springs or to the geysers and fumaroles. Fumaroles are a specific kind of thermal outlet that contain water vapor and gases such as water vapor, sulfur and carbon dioxide, and they usually don't spew water into the air like geysers do. In the afternoon, we'll make our way to the Salar de Uyuni salt flats.
Salar de Uyuni is in the top 50 destinations you should visit on our planet according to many travel websites. The largest salt flat in the world is close in size to small European countries such as Cyprus or Kosovo. Although it might seem so Salar is not lifeless and so when you visit one of the many islands you will be able to admire huge cacti and if you are lucky you will even see a viscacha (local rabbit 😀 ). On Salar we will have lunch in a salt restaurant and sleep in a salt hotel so you will enjoy the salt to the full.
In the morning, after breakfast, we will set off again towards the south of Bolivia to the Reserva Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa National Park. As the name suggests, we will continue to admire the Andean fauna. We will spend quite a bit of time in the SUV on unpaved roads. Mostly we will be in completely uninhabited areas and gradually we will stop at local lagoons that will take your breath away with their colors.We will spend the night at Refugio Huyallajara, which is a very basic type of accommodation with rooms for about 10 or more people. Meals will be provided at all times, so there is nothing to worry about. What makes this accommodation unique is its location right next to the Colorado River Lagoon, which is the unmissable red one :) So you'll have the power to spend the whole evening walking, taking pictures and watching the flamingos.
Today's morning won't be completely for sleepers, as we'll be setting off around 5am to enjoy an early morning visit to a place where numerous fumaroles spring from the ground.
We will have a great opportunity to photograph them at sunrise.
The journey then continues to the thermal lakes where we will have the opportunity to warm up our still slightly hot bodies. After a dip in the thermal pools we will head back towards Uyuni followed by a flight/overnight bus transfer to La Paz
The program for this day will be a bit up to you. ;) If you are tired from the night crossing, we can include a rest day in La Paz. Alternatively, we'll insert a trip to a coca plantation or sample the local coffee in the Yungas area, which is about 100km from La Paz.
Drive by speedboat from Rurrenabaque to Madidi National Park. The journey along the Beni and Tuichi rivers takes 3 hours and is a great opportunity to observe the wildlife and landscape of the Amazon. Arrival at the ecolodge and accommodation in our traditional lodges. Lunch and time to relax in the hammocks. After lunch we will go on a 3-hour guided tour of the Tareche trail. Here there will be an opportunity to observe various species of birds, especially macaws and other parrots, and to see the surrounding tropical rainforest. You may see various animals such as the white-faced peccary, brown and red capuchin monkeys and other roaring monkeys. After a walk along the banks of the Aguapolo River, we return to the ecolodge for dinner. After the meal you will have the opportunity to take a short night walk and experience the nocturnal fauna 🐛. During the walk you will be able to see different insects and also tarantulas. You will be able to enjoy the nocturnal symphony of the jungle produced by countless species of wildlife like nowhere else.
Madidi National Park is one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet, home to more than 1,000 species of birds, 200 species of mammals and 300 species of fish. During your stay you will have the opportunity to experience the true magic of the rainforest. There will be a guided jungle walk, bird and wildlife watching, a visit to an indigenous village, and you will also learn about Indian culture and medicine.
Breakfast in the ecolodge. After breakfast we will go on a 3-4 hour guided tour of the Biwa trail, where you can very often encounter spider chappies. After this trek we will stop at a beautiful lookout overlooking the rainforest canopy. This will be followed by lunch and an opportunity to relax in hammocks. After lunch, we will go on a 3-hour guided hike on the trails to appreciate the huge bellows (the tree from which kapok is extracted is majestic and according to a number of legends is one of the sacred trees). Its trunk is covered with large spines and can grow up to 60 metres high and three metres in diameter) and fig trees. The guide will describe in detail the different types of plants and their use for medicinal purposes. This is a great opportunity to learn about the ecosystems of the Amazon while observing the pristine environment and the different species of wildlife. In the evening, we will enjoy a traditional Dunucuabi (carp in leaves) dinner together and then have the opportunity to sit together.
Breakfast in the ecolodge. Then we will take a boat upstream on the Tuichi River to the Serere Trail. A walk through the jungle plain to Lake Piraña offers the chance to see yellow squirrel monkeys before we stop to fish/catch piranhas. We will then return by boat to our accommodation. Lunch will be followed by a return to Rurrenabaque by boat. Optional: On the return trip you will have the opportunity to visit Caquiahuara, where you will be able to see red and green macaws and other parrot species. Birdwatching is possible at any time of the year, but ideal conditions are from May to November. The return trip takes only 2 hours. Upon arrival in Rurrenabaque, we will transfer to your hotel for check-in.
The last day will be marked by departures home, transfers or flights to other destinations. At the moment we are still considering connecting the trip to a short trip in Peru (the other side of Lake Titicaca and floating islands, Cuzco, Machu Picchu, Lima, etc.)
itinerary by Simon Hrabak
Bolivia is the forgotten pearl of South America, the country with the largest indigenous population on the continent. I could go on with more highlights, but let's go in order. Since my wife was born in the country, I had the opportunity to explore Bolivia more with her. We will be returning to the country again next year for some time, so I would like to take advantage of that and show you the beauty of Bolivia as well. This trip will include all the highlights from the world famous Salar de Uyuni salt flats to the mythical Lake Titicaca, to a trek through the Amazon rainforest. We'll bathe in thermal springs near volcanic mountains, photograph llamas and flamingos in such remote parts of the country that you'll wonder how this place hasn't been discovered by the tourist crowds yet.
On arrival, you'll need to take a little deep breath as La Paz airport is located at an altitude of around 4000m above sea level. We'll move to our accommodation a little lower down in the centre of La Paz. Depending on how the time works out, we will take a look around the city centre and have a nice dinner.
On the second day we will take a short trip to the "valley of the moon" or Vale de la Luna. Wind erosion has created a unique landscape of rocks not unlike a moonscape. If necessary, we will compensate for the acclimatization to the high oxygen content by chewing coca and drinking "coca" tea. We'll end our quiet acclimatization day with a tour of downtown La Paz and its museum district.
From La Paz, we transfer to Lake Titicaca in the morning by minibus. During the whole day we will be at altitudes of around 4,000 m. After about two to three hours of driving we will find ourselves in the town of Copacabana (the lesser known sister of its Brazilian namesake). After lunch and a short tour of this town, we will take a small boat to Isla del Sol (the island of the sun god). As soon as we arrive, we will be met by a local guide who will give us an introduction to the history of the island, a local life that has changed very little over the millennia. Since most tourists do not stay overnight on the island, we will have plenty of time during the afternoon and evening to explore the island and enjoy the sunsets over the lake and the views of the Andes mountains.
We will enjoy this day on Isla del Sol, when we will have more time to walk around the island and enjoy the slow pace of life of the locals along with sightseeing the Incan sights. We will also have more time to take photos of Lake Titicaca itself.
After breakfast, we will take a boat back to the mainland where a minibus will be waiting for us and we will head towards an archaeological site called Tiwanaku. One of Bolivia's most important monuments, it is also on the Unesco list of monuments. We will spend about an hour exploring Tiwanaku and then continue our journey towards Sajama National Park.
Sajama is, from my point of view, the purest Bolivia, the Andes and all of South America in one place. Wide arid plains, views of active volcanoes and Bolivia's highest mountain at 6,542m above sea level. We had only a stray dog to keep us company for two days on the trek. You will enjoy the sun, the silence, the peace and the beautiful views. The difficulty is medium as it is not a problem to walk 40km in two days. If you are interested, you can even climb Sajama with a mountain guide.
How you spend your days at Sajāma will be up to you. We can go to the thermal springs or to the geysers and fumaroles. Fumaroles are a specific type of thermal outlet that contain water vapor and gases such as water vapor, sulfur, and carbon dioxide, and usually do not spew water into the air as geysers do.
How you spend your days at Sajāma will be up to you. You can go to the thermal springs or to the geysers and fumaroles. Fumaroles are a specific kind of thermal outlet that contain water vapor and gases such as water vapor, sulfur and carbon dioxide, and they usually don't spew water into the air like geysers do. In the afternoon, we'll make our way to the Salar de Uyuni salt flats.
Salar de Uyuni is in the top 50 destinations you should visit on our planet according to many travel websites. The largest salt flat in the world is close in size to small European countries such as Cyprus or Kosovo. Although it might seem so Salar is not lifeless and so when you visit one of the many islands you will be able to admire huge cacti and if you are lucky you will even see a viscacha (local rabbit 😀 ). On Salar we will have lunch in a salt restaurant and sleep in a salt hotel so you will enjoy the salt to the full.
In the morning, after breakfast, we will set off again towards the south of Bolivia to the Reserva Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa National Park. As the name suggests, we will continue to admire the Andean fauna. We will spend quite a bit of time in the SUV on unpaved roads. Mostly we will be in completely uninhabited areas and gradually we will stop at local lagoons that will take your breath away with their colors.We will spend the night at Refugio Huyallajara, which is a very basic type of accommodation with rooms for about 10 or more people. Meals will be provided at all times, so there is nothing to worry about. What makes this accommodation unique is its location right next to the Colorado River Lagoon, which is the unmissable red one :) So you'll have the power to spend the whole evening walking, taking pictures and watching the flamingos.
Today's morning won't be completely for sleepers, as we'll be setting off around 5am to enjoy an early morning visit to a place where numerous fumaroles spring from the ground.
We will have a great opportunity to photograph them at sunrise.
The journey then continues to the thermal lakes where we will have the opportunity to warm up our still slightly hot bodies. After a dip in the thermal pools we will head back towards Uyuni followed by a flight/overnight bus transfer to La Paz
The program for this day will be a bit up to you. ;) If you are tired from the night crossing, we can include a rest day in La Paz. Alternatively, we'll insert a trip to a coca plantation or sample the local coffee in the Yungas area, which is about 100km from La Paz.
Drive by speedboat from Rurrenabaque to Madidi National Park. The journey along the Beni and Tuichi rivers takes 3 hours and is a great opportunity to observe the wildlife and landscape of the Amazon. Arrival at the ecolodge and accommodation in our traditional lodges. Lunch and time to relax in the hammocks. After lunch we will go on a 3-hour guided tour of the Tareche trail. Here there will be an opportunity to observe various species of birds, especially macaws and other parrots, and to see the surrounding tropical rainforest. You may see various animals such as the white-faced peccary, brown and red capuchin monkeys and other roaring monkeys. After a walk along the banks of the Aguapolo River, we return to the ecolodge for dinner. After the meal you will have the opportunity to take a short night walk and experience the nocturnal fauna 🐛. During the walk you will be able to see different insects and also tarantulas. You will be able to enjoy the nocturnal symphony of the jungle produced by countless species of wildlife like nowhere else.
Madidi National Park is one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet, home to more than 1,000 species of birds, 200 species of mammals and 300 species of fish. During your stay you will have the opportunity to experience the true magic of the rainforest. There will be a guided jungle walk, bird and wildlife watching, a visit to an indigenous village, and you will also learn about Indian culture and medicine.
Breakfast in the ecolodge. After breakfast we will go on a 3-4 hour guided tour of the Biwa trail, where you can very often encounter spider chappies. After this trek we will stop at a beautiful lookout overlooking the rainforest canopy. This will be followed by lunch and an opportunity to relax in hammocks. After lunch, we will go on a 3-hour guided hike on the trails to appreciate the huge bellows (the tree from which kapok is extracted is majestic and according to a number of legends is one of the sacred trees). Its trunk is covered with large spines and can grow up to 60 metres high and three metres in diameter) and fig trees. The guide will describe in detail the different types of plants and their use for medicinal purposes. This is a great opportunity to learn about the ecosystems of the Amazon while observing the pristine environment and the different species of wildlife. In the evening, we will enjoy a traditional Dunucuabi (carp in leaves) dinner together and then have the opportunity to sit together.
Breakfast in the ecolodge. Then we will take a boat upstream on the Tuichi River to the Serere Trail. A walk through the jungle plain to Lake Piraña offers the chance to see yellow squirrel monkeys before we stop to fish/catch piranhas. We will then return by boat to our accommodation. Lunch will be followed by a return to Rurrenabaque by boat. Optional: On the return trip you will have the opportunity to visit Caquiahuara, where you will be able to see red and green macaws and other parrot species. Birdwatching is possible at any time of the year, but ideal conditions are from May to November. The return trip takes only 2 hours. Upon arrival in Rurrenabaque, we will transfer to your hotel for check-in.
The last day will be marked by departures home, transfers or flights to other destinations. At the moment we are still considering connecting the trip to a short trip in Peru (the other side of Lake Titicaca and floating islands, Cuzco, Machu Picchu, Lima, etc.)
Bolivia is the forgotten pearl of South America, the country with the largest indigenous population on the continent. I could go on with more highlights, but let's go in order. Since my wife was born in the country, I had the opportunity to explore Bolivia more with her. We will be returning to the country again next year for some time, so I would like to take advantage of that and show you the beauty of Bolivia as well. This trip will include all the highlights from the world famous Salar de Uyuni salt flats to the mythical Lake Titicaca, to a trek through the Amazon rainforest. We'll bathe in thermal springs near volcanic mountains, photograph llamas and flamingos in such remote parts of the country that you'll wonder how this place hasn't been discovered by the tourist crowds yet.
On arrival, you'll need to take a little deep breath as La Paz airport is located at an altitude of around 4000m above sea level. We'll move to our accommodation a little lower down in the centre of La Paz. Depending on how the time works out, we will take a look around the city centre and have a nice dinner.
On the second day we will take a short trip to the "valley of the moon" or Vale de la Luna. Wind erosion has created a unique landscape of rocks not unlike a moonscape. If necessary, we will compensate for the acclimatization to the high oxygen content by chewing coca and drinking "coca" tea. We'll end our quiet acclimatization day with a tour of downtown La Paz and its museum district.
From La Paz, we transfer to Lake Titicaca in the morning by minibus. During the whole day we will be at altitudes of around 4,000 m. After about two to three hours of driving we will find ourselves in the town of Copacabana (the lesser known sister of its Brazilian namesake). After lunch and a short tour of this town, we will take a small boat to Isla del Sol (the island of the sun god). As soon as we arrive, we will be met by a local guide who will give us an introduction to the history of the island, a local life that has changed very little over the millennia. Since most tourists do not stay overnight on the island, we will have plenty of time during the afternoon and evening to explore the island and enjoy the sunsets over the lake and the views of the Andes mountains.
We will enjoy this day on Isla del Sol, when we will have more time to walk around the island and enjoy the slow pace of life of the locals along with sightseeing the Incan sights. We will also have more time to take photos of Lake Titicaca itself.
After breakfast, we will take a boat back to the mainland where a minibus will be waiting for us and we will head towards an archaeological site called Tiwanaku. One of Bolivia's most important monuments, it is also on the Unesco list of monuments. We will spend about an hour exploring Tiwanaku and then continue our journey towards Sajama National Park.
Sajama is, from my point of view, the purest Bolivia, the Andes and all of South America in one place. Wide arid plains, views of active volcanoes and Bolivia's highest mountain at 6,542m above sea level. We had only a stray dog to keep us company for two days on the trek. You will enjoy the sun, the silence, the peace and the beautiful views. The difficulty is medium as it is not a problem to walk 40km in two days. If you are interested, you can even climb Sajama with a mountain guide.
How you spend your days at Sajāma will be up to you. We can go to the thermal springs or to the geysers and fumaroles. Fumaroles are a specific type of thermal outlet that contain water vapor and gases such as water vapor, sulfur, and carbon dioxide, and usually do not spew water into the air as geysers do.
How you spend your days at Sajāma will be up to you. You can go to the thermal springs or to the geysers and fumaroles. Fumaroles are a specific kind of thermal outlet that contain water vapor and gases such as water vapor, sulfur and carbon dioxide, and they usually don't spew water into the air like geysers do. In the afternoon, we'll make our way to the Salar de Uyuni salt flats.
Salar de Uyuni is in the top 50 destinations you should visit on our planet according to many travel websites. The largest salt flat in the world is close in size to small European countries such as Cyprus or Kosovo. Although it might seem so Salar is not lifeless and so when you visit one of the many islands you will be able to admire huge cacti and if you are lucky you will even see a viscacha (local rabbit 😀 ). On Salar we will have lunch in a salt restaurant and sleep in a salt hotel so you will enjoy the salt to the full.
In the morning, after breakfast, we will set off again towards the south of Bolivia to the Reserva Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa National Park. As the name suggests, we will continue to admire the Andean fauna. We will spend quite a bit of time in the SUV on unpaved roads. Mostly we will be in completely uninhabited areas and gradually we will stop at local lagoons that will take your breath away with their colors.We will spend the night at Refugio Huyallajara, which is a very basic type of accommodation with rooms for about 10 or more people. Meals will be provided at all times, so there is nothing to worry about. What makes this accommodation unique is its location right next to the Colorado River Lagoon, which is the unmissable red one :) So you'll have the power to spend the whole evening walking, taking pictures and watching the flamingos.
Today's morning won't be completely for sleepers, as we'll be setting off around 5am to enjoy an early morning visit to a place where numerous fumaroles spring from the ground.
We will have a great opportunity to photograph them at sunrise.
The journey then continues to the thermal lakes where we will have the opportunity to warm up our still slightly hot bodies. After a dip in the thermal pools we will head back towards Uyuni followed by a flight/overnight bus transfer to La Paz
The program for this day will be a bit up to you. ;) If you are tired from the night crossing, we can include a rest day in La Paz. Alternatively, we'll insert a trip to a coca plantation or sample the local coffee in the Yungas area, which is about 100km from La Paz.
Drive by speedboat from Rurrenabaque to Madidi National Park. The journey along the Beni and Tuichi rivers takes 3 hours and is a great opportunity to observe the wildlife and landscape of the Amazon. Arrival at the ecolodge and accommodation in our traditional lodges. Lunch and time to relax in the hammocks. After lunch we will go on a 3-hour guided tour of the Tareche trail. Here there will be an opportunity to observe various species of birds, especially macaws and other parrots, and to see the surrounding tropical rainforest. You may see various animals such as the white-faced peccary, brown and red capuchin monkeys and other roaring monkeys. After a walk along the banks of the Aguapolo River, we return to the ecolodge for dinner. After the meal you will have the opportunity to take a short night walk and experience the nocturnal fauna 🐛. During the walk you will be able to see different insects and also tarantulas. You will be able to enjoy the nocturnal symphony of the jungle produced by countless species of wildlife like nowhere else.
Madidi National Park is one of the most biodiverse areas on the planet, home to more than 1,000 species of birds, 200 species of mammals and 300 species of fish. During your stay you will have the opportunity to experience the true magic of the rainforest. There will be a guided jungle walk, bird and wildlife watching, a visit to an indigenous village, and you will also learn about Indian culture and medicine.
Breakfast in the ecolodge. After breakfast we will go on a 3-4 hour guided tour of the Biwa trail, where you can very often encounter spider chappies. After this trek we will stop at a beautiful lookout overlooking the rainforest canopy. This will be followed by lunch and an opportunity to relax in hammocks. After lunch, we will go on a 3-hour guided hike on the trails to appreciate the huge bellows (the tree from which kapok is extracted is majestic and according to a number of legends is one of the sacred trees). Its trunk is covered with large spines and can grow up to 60 metres high and three metres in diameter) and fig trees. The guide will describe in detail the different types of plants and their use for medicinal purposes. This is a great opportunity to learn about the ecosystems of the Amazon while observing the pristine environment and the different species of wildlife. In the evening, we will enjoy a traditional Dunucuabi (carp in leaves) dinner together and then have the opportunity to sit together.
Breakfast in the ecolodge. Then we will take a boat upstream on the Tuichi River to the Serere Trail. A walk through the jungle plain to Lake Piraña offers the chance to see yellow squirrel monkeys before we stop to fish/catch piranhas. We will then return by boat to our accommodation. Lunch will be followed by a return to Rurrenabaque by boat. Optional: On the return trip you will have the opportunity to visit Caquiahuara, where you will be able to see red and green macaws and other parrot species. Birdwatching is possible at any time of the year, but ideal conditions are from May to November. The return trip takes only 2 hours. Upon arrival in Rurrenabaque, we will transfer to your hotel for check-in.
The last day will be marked by departures home, transfers or flights to other destinations. At the moment we are still considering connecting the trip to a short trip in Peru (the other side of Lake Titicaca and floating islands, Cuzco, Machu Picchu, Lima, etc.)
