Bolivia Classic Tour

Pick up at the airport of El Alto and transfer to your hotel. On the way from the airport, located at 4100m above sea level, you will enjoy an impressie view of the city of La Paz, going down to the city center, located 300m lower.

​Included: transfer arrival, breakfast buffet, room

Meeting in the hotel hall at 9 a.m. for a discovery, in private transportation, of the most spectacular viewpoints over the city, unbelievably located at the bottom of the Choqueyapu river canyon, with the “Giants” of the Ryal Cordillera as a background: Huayna Potosi, Mururata and Illimani.

This tour, particularly designed for photo lovers, first takes us to the "K´Illi K´Illi" Mirador and to the Laykakota Park (closed on Mondays), on the Northwestern side of the city. Afterwards, we cross the Americas Bridge to go to the “Plaza de España” Mirador, in the colonial neighborhood of Sopocachi. From there, an abrupt descent leads us to the “South Zone”, passing through the “Garden Cemetery”. We will finally reach the Valley of the Moon, a place where we will be able to walk between psychedelic looking limestone formations.

In the afternoon our vehicle brings us back to the city center and drops us off in the heart of the colorful and animated Andean market of La Paz. We will return on foot to the hotel, together with our guide.

​Included: entrance fees, private transport, english speaking guide, breakfast buffet, room

Departure from the hotel at 9 a.m. with a private transport. We will go west until Titicaca Lake, following the Royal Cordillera and its beautiful snow-capped summits. We will reach the charming port city of Copacabana after a 3 ½ hour-drive. You will start with a visit of the most interesting sites of Copacabana: cathedral etc. Then, we will go up to the hill of the Way of the Cross and enjoy an impressive view on the bay. We will take our motorboat for an hour and a half lake crossing until the Sun Island.

We will enter the most sacred island of the lake passing through the ancient Inca empire's door located right next to the Fuente del Inca (fountain of the Inca). We will climb to the village of Yumani (around 500 steps). From there, we will overlook the lake and enjoy a breathtaking view of the snow-capped peaks of the Royal Cordillera in the background.

Note: During 2 days, a boat will be at our disposal to transport the group as well as the bags during the walks

​Included: private transport, guide expenses, entrance fees, box lunch, english speaking guide, boat ticket, room and breakfast, dinner (no drinks)

From Yumani, we start our 3 to 4-hour trek by following the ridges of the Island until the North part. On the way, we will have the chance to admire Inca terraces (many of which are still being used), indigenous villages, sandy beaches and beautiful landscapes. Arriving at the North part, we will find the vestiges of the Inca ruins of Chincana (= labyrinth in Aymara language). The Chincana labyrinth offers impressive views of the lake and the far distant shore of Peru. It is difficult to believe that these cobalt-blue waters are almost 4000m above sea level. We will then join our boat that will take us back to Copacabana after lunch. We will return to La Paz in private transportation.

Included: guide expenses, entrance fees, catering, english speaking guide, boat ticket, private transport, breakfast buffet, room

From Oruro, a long crossing from the North to the South of the altiplano. We will reach Uyuni, a small town at the edges of the Salar. On Tuesdays and Fridays, departure of the train Expreso del Sur for Uyuni at 2:30 p.m. Arrival at Uyuni at 9.30pm. On Wednesdays and Sundays, departure of the train Wara-Wara for Uyuni at 7 p.m. Arrival in Uyuni at 2:20 a.m. the next day. A private driver will pick you up at the train station in Uyuni and drive you to your hotel.

Included: private transport, train ticket, transfer arrival, room and breakfast

We begin today our journey across the Sur Lipez area, elevated region of colorful landscapes and lagoons, rock formations and volcanoes. We will start the day at 09:30 am with the visit of the train cemetery on the outskirts of Uyuni. Here a collection of old rusted train engines remind the glorious mining past of the region. We will then ride south and make different stops on the road to visit villages, in particular the model urbanization of Culpina K. Here the population has decided to waive working in mines and organized to ensure that the whole community can live from the culture of quinoa and from community based tourism.

We will have lunch in the village of San Cristobal, where we can visit a beautiful colonial church if we are lucky (it is not always open). We will then cross the region of Rio Grande to reach the village of Villamar (4022 m.a.s.l.) at the end of the afternoon.

Included: room and breakfast, lunch (no drinks), dinner (no drinks), entrance fees, private transport

During our second day in the Sur Lipez we will discover the most famous highlights of the region. We start the day with the Laguna Colorada . This immense lake of pinkish water owes its name to the presence in its waters of light sensitive phytoplankton, which also attracts thousands of flamingo part of the year. We will then visit the geysers Sol de Mañana, a volcanic crater with sulphur springs and boiling mud. Next stop: the Polques thermal springs. You are almost 4200m above sea level, but get ready to jump into hot water, surrounded by an amazing frozen landscape.

We will then jump back into the jeeps and ride along the Laguna Salada and the Dali Desert. Here the strong wind has created surprising rock formations that reminds the work of the Spanish master. Short before midday we will reach the Laguna Blanca and Laguna Verde (el. 4350m above sea level), at the foot of volcanoes Juriques and Licancabur (el. 5704m and 5960m above sea level). After having driven around 170 km we are here at the very south of Bolivia, close to the border with Chile. From here we will drive 90 km back to the Laguna Colorada, where we will spend the night.

Included: room and breakfast, lunch (no drinks), dinner (no drinks), entrance fees, private transport

This morning we head north to the Siloli Desert and its famous “Stone Tree”. Keep your eyes wide open: it is not unusual to spot some viscachas (Andean rabbits) in this area. We will then ride along the Chilean border on the scenic “Route of the Jewels”, which owes its name to all the lagoons along its way: Honda, Ch’arkota, Hedionda, Cañapa. These lagoons are home to three species of flamingoes. We will stop at the view point of volcano Ollagüe. This volcano is still active and shelters one of the world’s highest open pit copper mines and then cross the small Salar de Chiguana located at the foot of volcano Tomasamil. After a 230 km ride we will reach the village of San Juan, where we will spend the night. This small village is famous for its surprising mummies of the “Lipez Lords” (1200 after J.C) and its interesting small museum.

Included: room and breakfast, lunch (no drinks), dinner (no drinks), private transport

Today we leave the Sur Lipez and go for a unique moment: driving across the world’s largest salt flat! After a two hour ride we will reach the famous Salar de Uyuni. We will then ride half an hour on the salt desert (34 km) to reach the Island of Incahuasi. This surprising island lost in the middle of the Salar offers an incredible view over the Salar and the several volcanos that surround it. Of volcanic origin, it is covered with stromatolites and giant cacti (stromatolites are fossilized bacterial colonies, first traces of life on earth). In the afternoon, we continue loosing ourselves on the white desert during an hour and a half more (73 km) until arriving to the city of Uyuni. Just before leaving the Salar, we will stop in the village of Colchani to visit its salt exploitation and salt hotel (closed since 2001).

Included: lunch (no drinks), entrance fees, private transport, room and breakfast

We will leave Uyuni in a private car at 08:30 am and cross the Cordillera de los Frailes to reach Potosí. The so-called “Imperial City” had a time of international glory in the 16th and 17th century when it sheltered the world’s largest silver mine. Nowadays the Cerro Rico (“Rich Hill”) is still exploited but the glory is memory. On the way, we will stop in Pulacayo, village that sheltered the second largest silver mine in South America in the 17th and 18th century. It is now almost a ghost town but the museum relates its glorious past. We will arrive in Potosí after 3 to 4 hours on the road (205 km).

Our guide will pick us up at 02:00 pm to visit the Casa de la Moneda, one of the most important historical buildings of the city - one of those which owed the city to be listed as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO. Until the 19th century the coins of the Spanish crown were minted here. This beautiful colonial house is now an important historical museum.

Included: private transport, english speaking guide, entrance fees, room and breakfast

This morning we will get to know the mines of the “Rich Hill”. Our guide will pick us up at 09:00 am at the hotel lobby and we will go to the Cerro Rico to visit the mine and see the miners at work. This encounter can be overwhelming since the miners (of all ages) work in very hard conditions. We will leave Potosí in a private car to reach the nice small colonial city of Sucre at the end of the afternoon. We will leave behind the Altiplano and descend to the Chuquisaca Valley. Here we will cross the Pilcomayo River on the Sucre Bridge; an interesting structure that looks like a medieval construction, even if built in the 19th century. We will arrive in Sucre after around 3 hours on road.

Included: english speaking guide, entrance fees, private transport, room and breakfast

Today we spend the day in the beautiful “white city” of Sucre. Listed as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO, the constitutional capital of Bolivia is famous for its flair of quietness, its beautiful colonial architecture and its numerous churches. Our guide will pick us up at 09:00 am at the hotel lobby to show us the most famous buildings and museums of the city. We will start with the Convento de la Recoleta, monastery of the Franciscan order build in 1601. We will then learn more about the culture of the region and the country in the Museum of Indigenous Art (ASUR) and about the Bolivian history in The Casa de la Libertad, where the Independence Act was signed in 1825. We will end the day visiting the Monastery of San Felipe Nery, enjoying a beautiful view over the city from its terrace.

Included: english speaking guide, entrance fees, room and breakfast

A private driver will pick you up at your hotel and take you to the airport. A private driver will pick you up at the international airport of El Alto and drive you to your hotel in La Paz.

Included: transfer departure, domestic flight, transfer arrival, breakfast buffet, room

We will meet at 6:30 a.m. at the Madness agency's office (our provider), where our exciting mountain bike tour will begin. A vehicule will bring us to the Cumbre Pass, in the Royal Cordillera. Here begins our thrilling mountain bike descent! On the way down this winding road, the scenery becomes greener, the air more humid, the wind warmer. Some 100 km lower (more than 3500 meters of elevation loss) is the Amazon Basin ! Welcome to this incredible intermediate region called the Yungas. A final 7-kilometer steep ascent (650 m of elevation gain) leads us to the village of Coroico, the paradise of the Yungas region (posible to do this last part in the vehicle). Lunch at the village and posibility to refresh in the swiming pool. Return to La Paz at the end of the day.

​Included: lunch (no drinks), english speaking guide, private transport, breakfast buffet, room

A private driver will pick you up at your hotel and take you to the airport.

​Included: transfer departure