Your Travel Experience with Galapagos PRO
Day 1
Welcome in Salta!
Welcome to Salta la Linda!! Upon arrival to Salta Airport your guide will meet & greet you before taking you to your hotel for check-in.
Walking Tour in Salta
In the afternoon, historic walking tour of Salta. A tour around the places of greater attractive of the city: The Cathedral (1855) where Gral. Güemes, patriotic hero, rests; Cultural Center America, Historical Museum of the North (Town Council) with exhibitions of sacred art and rooms dedicated to old traditional families of Salta, “San Francisco” Church and, “San Bernardo” Convent. We recommend a visit to the MAAM (Highrange Mountain Archaeology Museum). This small museum is worth a visit to learn more about the history and archaeology of the region. It was built to study and display the naturally preserved bodies of multiple Inca sacrifices discovered in the high Andes, immediately to the west of Salta, Argentina. In 2007, an exhibit of the "Children of LLullaillaco" opened, displaying what are possibly the most perfectly preserved human remains from the Inca Empire. Evening is at your leisure to enjoy Salta City.
Overnight in the Kkala Boutique Hotel - or similar. B&B
Day 2
Cafayate
After breakfast, you will travel south on a Full Day Tour to Cafayate, known as "the Tuscany of Argentina" Cafayate is situated 180 kms far from Salta city along paved route. The scenery that lines this route possesses the wild grandeur so typical of the Andes, with bizarre mountain formations and hills of many hues named Nature Patrimony due to the different shapes carved in the hills s like: "The Amphitheatre", "The Obelisk", "The Castle" and "The Toad". Situated at an altitude of 1.700 m, Cafayate is widely regarded as northern Argentina most beautiful spot. This town is one of those peaceful, colonial-type settlements that never fails to evoke the sense of a time long past. The town's economic existence is secured by the fertile soil and sheltered conditions on the surroundings mountain slopes that are ideal for wine growing. You will have also the opportunity to visit a winery and taste the regional wine "torrontes" . Return to Salta. Evening at leisure.
Overnight in the Kkala Boutique Hotel - or similar. B&B
Day 3
Salta - Purmamarca
After breakfast, check out and head north to Purmamarca, a charming village at the foot of the colorful Seven Colors Hill. The 3-hour drive along Route 9 offers scenic views. Upon arrival, check into your hotel. Purmamarca enjoys a mild climate, with temperatures ranging from 2°C to 25°C. The village features adobe houses and a historic 1648 church, now a National Monument. At the central square, explore a crafts market with local pottery, textiles, and instruments. You can also enjoy hikes or horseback rides through stunning landscapes like the Colorados Trail. Local traditions and festivals—such as Pachamama worship and Andean music—offer a deep look into the region’s cultural roots.
Overnight in the hotel La Comarca - or similar. B&B
Day 4
Purmamarca
Wake up early for a highlight of the trip. After breakfast, travel north through the UNESCO-listed Humahuaca Canyon, with its colorful hills and ancient archaeological sites. Visit villages like Maimará (cemetery on a hill), Tilcara (Indian fortress), Huacalera (Tropic of Capricorn monument), Uquía (oldest chapel), and Humahuaca, a historic trade town at 2,940 m. From Humahuaca, cross the river and take Route 73 to Hornocal. The gravel road climbs to 4,200 m—drive slowly and take breaks to adjust to the altitude. There are no services along the way, but the reward is the stunning 14-Colored Mountain. Return to Humahuaca, then back to your hotel in Purmamarca for a relaxing evening.
Overnight in the hotel La Comarca - or similar. B&B
Day 5
San Pedro de Atacama
Enjoy breakfast and check-out from your hotel in Purmamarca. Make sure you have all your documents at hand since today you will cross the border to Chile. At scheduled time, transfer by regular bus or private vehicle to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile through the Jama Path, drive up the Lipan Slope to Salinas Grandes (Salt flats), Salar de Quisquiro. Arrival at San Pedro de Atacama in the afternoon.
Transfer to your selected hotel. Evening to relax after the long journey.
Overnight in the hotel Altiplánico San Pedro - or similar. B&B
Day 6
San Pedro de Atacama
Enjoy breakfast and a free morning to explore San Pedro at your own pace. In the afternoon, set out on a private half-day tour to Death Valley and Moon Valley. First, visit Death Valley with its dramatic rock formations shaped by wind and water, once the bed of an ancient lake. Then head to Moon Valley at dusk, where surreal salt and rock landscapes resemble the surface of the moon. Climb a sand dune for panoramic views of the valley and Licancabur Volcano. Visit the “Tres Marías” rock formation and finish the tour at “Coyote’s Rock,” offering sweeping views over the desert and the Salar de Atacama as the sunset paints the landscape in vivid colors. Return to San Pedro after sunset.
Overnight in the hotel Altiplánico San Pedro - or similar. B&B
Day 7
Siloli Desert
SAN PEDRO DE ATACAMA- HITO CAJON- OJO DE PERDIZ Early breakfast and departure to climb up the mountains towards the border with Bolivia where you will be greeted by your Bolivian tour guide. Welcome to Bolivia!!
Suggested schedule: 09:00 (Bolivian time) Hito Cajones - Green lagoon / at the foothills of the Licancabur Volcano - Valley of ladies Desert 12:30 Valley of ladies Desert – Polques Hot Springs (Box lunch) Morning Sun Geysers – Red Lagoon – Stone Tree 17:00 Stone Tree - Ojo de Perdiz.
You will be pick up by our Bolivian driver and guide at the Bolivian / Chilean border so-called Hito Cajon. Not far from the frontier, within the Bolivian territory, is already waiting for you the first highlight of the Nature Reserve Eduardo Avaroa; the turquoise shiny "Laguna Verde" located at the foot of the majestic volcano "Licancabur". After a stop you will travel through the Bolivian desert into the valley "Valle de las Damas del Desierto" or also know by the tourists as the "Salvador Dali desert" called over the rocks formed by the wind erosion and weather, unique in their shape and placed scattered in this vast desert. Subsequently, you will pass the ¨Salar de Chalviri¨ to reach the hot springs of Polques in which you will enjoy a relaxing bath surrounded by majestic landscapes. After this relaxing activity you will arrive to the geyser "Sol de Mañana", a spectacle of hissing steam columns, located at almost 5,000 meters above sea level. In the heart of Eduardo Avaroa Nature Reserve you will reach with the absolute highlight of this southern desert region; the ¨Laguna Colorada¨, with legions of flamingos waiting to be photographed. Then you will visit the "Arbol de Piedra", a stone figure created by wind erosion finally reaching the Siloli desert from where you sighted your hotel located right in the middle of a desert-style landscape.
Overnight in the hotel Tayka del Desierto - or similar. B&B
Day 8
Tahua
Today suggested schedule starts early! 07:30 Ojo de Perdiz – Chain of Lagoons (Honda Lagoon –Chiarkota Lagoon - Hedionda Lagoon Cañapa Lagoon) 12:30 Cañapa Lagoon - San Pedro de Quemes (Lunch at Tayka de Piedra hotel) Corrals of Charagua – Campanas islands - Mummies of Coquesa – Museum of Chantani – Tunupa volcano viewpoint 18:15 Tunupa volcano viewpoint - Tahua
The bouquet of colorful highland lagoons are waiting for you today!. The colorful mountain lakes: Cañapa, Hedionda, Chiarkota, Honda and Ramaditas where you can spot a large number of flamingos or other birds of the area will give the opportunity to take amazing photographs!. On the shore of these lakes you will enjoy the view of the currently active Ollague volcano whose peaks are often covered with a snow cap in the desert sky. For lunch we will stop in San Pedro de Quemes at the Hotel Tayka de Piedra. After a short walk through the ¨Pueblo Quemado¨ (burnt village) we will finally enter to the biggest highlight of your tour in Bolivia: the ¨Salar de Uyuni¨, the largest salt desert in the planet with approximately 12,000 km². You will cross the salt lake from north to south, passing the Campanas islands enjoying "white" landscapes with salt crystals that provide optical illusions. Here at the foot of the Tunupa volcano you will find a place not visit by the conventional tourism despite the incomparable beauty of its landscape. Before arriving to Tahua, you will have the opportunity to go to Coquesa, were you will see ancient mummies and then you will go to Chantani to visit an interesting local museum. You will finally arrive to the village of Tahua where the Hotel Tayka de Sal is located.
Overnight in the hotel Tayka del Sal - or similar. B&B
Day 9
Salar de Uyuni
Sunrise at Salar de Uyuni or bikes tour or llama grazing as an additional.
Today suggestted schedule: 08:30 Tahua – Salinas Garci Mendoza- Alcaya 12:30 Alcaya- Chillima hill – Chillima Pukaras (ancient ruins) (box lunch) 17:30 Return to the hotel walking along a stone path or in the vehicle with a shorter walk, through the salt flat.
You will head north, towards Salinas Garci Mendoza tow, where a short stop to see its church is worth it. And then we will go to the pearl of geological trails of the Region. Visit following the rules of the center that includes the route of a museum. Chulpas, grain stores, remains of houses of residence and others, will fill our minds with history and admiration. Upon returning, the 4x4 will climb the top of Chillima, the neighboring hill of Tahua. At its top we will see another pukara, this one with an exceptional view of the salar. Then we will descend through an ancient stone path, with the great salt desert in front and the exotic image of the Tunupa Volcano on the left.
(Alternative 1: smoother return of one hour less on foot, to Chiltaico, on the banks of the Salar, where the car will be waiting)
(Alternative 2: return by car to the hotel, via Caquena and the salt flat)
Overnight in the hotel Tayka del Sal - or similar. B&B
Day 10
Potosi
After breakfast we will go to Uyuni to change the vehicle and depart to Potosí by land in a 3 ½ hour (205 km) quite trip. The city lies at an altitude of 4.000 meters and is the highest city in the world! It lies at the foot of ´Cerro Potosi´ o ‘Cerro Rico’, a mountain of silver ore and also very important mine in the history of Bolivia. Potosí is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The main attractions of Potosí are the mines, La Casa de la Moneda, the Cathedral and Santa Teresa Convent. You will visit Casa de la Moneda Museum, Santa Teresa Convent Museum, the Cathedral (exterior), San Francisco church Museum, Torre de la Compañia, Arco Histórico de Magdalena de Cobija, San Lorenzo church (exterior) and main streets of this historic and colonial city. Then you will go to your interesting and beautiful hotel, farm and Museum called Cayara. It is located 30 min (25 km) from Potosí, to have dinner and rest.
Overnight in the hotel Museo Cayara - or similar. B&B
Day 11
Potosi
After breakfast we will visit the Cayara Museum. Then we will go to Potosí to visit the Colonial Mines. First we will stop at the mine market. You will enter a mine with a suitable equipment to greet “El Tío” (image of the god of the mine, “El Tío” looks like the devil and the miners believe that he determines the success or the bad luck inside the mine) and to know a bit about the everyday work inside the mines. You can bring some coca leaves or dynamite from the mine market as a gift for “El Tío” and miners.
Overnight in the hotel Museo Cayara - or similar. B&B
Potosi - Sucre
After the Mine visit we will have lunch in the city and then we will depart to Sucre by land in a 3 hour (158 km) trip. Arrival to Sucre and transfer to the hotel to rest.
Overnight in the hotel Mi Pueblo Samary - or similar. B&B
Day 12
Sucre, the white city
Sucre is the capital of Bolivia, a charming white colonial city that lies at the head of the valley 2,700 meters high. It is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This half day excursion provides an interesting tour around this famous city known as a very well-conserved city, with buildings from the 18th and 19th century. The tour includes the visit to Casa de la Libertad, where the Act of Independence of Bolivia was signed in 1825. You will also visit Bolivar Park to see examples of the aristocratic tradition in Sucre with small replicas of the Eiffel Tower and the Arc of Triumph of Paris, the church and museum of La Recoleta as well as the famous ASUR museum (Indigenous Textiles) where you can appreciate the handmade work of the beautiful textiles and also buy some samples.
Overnight in the hotel Mi Pueblo Samary - or similar. B&B
Day 13
Sucre
If you are lucky to be in Sucre on Sunday, we highly recommend to visit Tarabuco Market. If not, you may visit Jatun Yampara. Both options are impressive!
TARABUCO FD OPTION: After breakfast you will visit to the Sunday market in Tarabuco, a small colorful town located 78 km (1 hour) from Sucre. The inhabitants still gather in traditional costumes. It is also home to the best traditional Indigenous Market in South America, with a big fair every Sunday which has, in fact, become the primary economic and social activity for the local people. You will be able to walk through the small streets to appreciate the textile work and handcraft variety. After that, you will return to the city.
JATUN YAMPARA FD OPTION: After breakfast, you will depart to JATUM YAMPARA (SUCRE INDIGENOUS NUCLEUS), located 23 Kms from Sucre (½ hour trip). Here you will have a short walk to visit some typical houses and observe the way of life and customs of the ancestral Yampara culture. You will also visit the native, mortuary and ceremonial constructions, as well as: the "chichería" (native bar) to taste the "chicha" (corn-based alcoholic beverage), the Native Sanctuary, the small museums and textile workshop (where you can buy textiles directly from the local artisans). At midday you will have lunch (typical dish in the dining room of the Nucleus). In the afternoon, visit of the small school of the community to have a little coexistence with the children who study there and an explanation of the Educational Reform in Bolivia by the teacher, (School: open from Monday to Friday). After that you will return to the city.
Overnight in the hotel Mi Pueblo Samary - or similar. B&B
Day 14
Sucre - La Paz
After breakfast, transfer to the airport and flight to La Paz. Reception at La Paz airport and transfer to the hotel.
Walking tour La Paz
After the check in, the city tour starts: a walk where you will know this wonderful city and appreciate the cultural, historical, architectural and natural wealth. You will visit the main square Pedro Domingo Murillo, the Metropolitan Cathedral, the National Congress and the Government Palace (exterior view), Precious Metals Museum (closed Monday), Killi Killi viewpoint, where you can appreciate a panoramic view of La Paz city and the Illimani snowy mountain. Then we move to the South area where we will feel the change of weather and observe the change of style of the construction of the city of the southern part for then go to the Moon Valley, a place that challenges your imagination, generating the feeling of being in a small wasteland of the moon, its forms are the product of erosion and resemble volcanic craters.
You will also have the opportunity to enjoy the view from one of the cable cars in our city (the highest cable cars in the world). Finally you will walk through the Witch Market, where local people buy necessary and traditional articles for ritual ceremonies such as the Ch'alla and the offerings to Pachamama (mother earth).
Overnight in the hotel La Casona - or similar. B&B
Day 15
La Paz
After breakfast we begin an hour and a half trip by a totally paved road to Tiwanaku "Cradle of the American civilization", this archaeological site is among the oldest of Andean cultures and its remains are surprising for its monumentality and the perfection of the constructive and decorative technique. You will visit the following attractions: Museums of Tiwanaku and several ruins such as the Pyramid of Akapana, Kalasasaya Temple, Puerta del Sol, Frayle and Ponce monoliths and the semi-underground temple and Puma Punku. You will also have the opportunity to observe the handicraft of the area: small stones carefully carved, taking as model monoliths, amulets tiwanacotas and Aymaras; in the same way the pottery worked with great mastery as ceremonial vessels, sahumadores, Puerta del Sol and others. Lunch in Tiwanaku. After the visits return to La Paz city and transfer to the hotel.
Overnight in the hotel La Casona - or similar. B&B
Day 16
End of Itinerary
Enjoy your breakfast and check-out from your hotel. According to flight departure time, transfer out from hotel to La Paz airport to board flight to your next destination or back home!