1 - La Paz – Tahua (3707m/12.162ft)
We have a long day ahead of us. After breakfast we head towards the small village Tahua which lies north of the Salar de Uyuni. First we reach the small picturesque village Sabaya, from where we cross the Salar de Coïpasa (also known as the mirror of the earth) and after passing the checkpoint at the small garrison village Llica we enter the Uyuni salt flat. Mid-afternoon we reach Tahua from where we have a wonderful view of the magnificent salt flat – the biggest in the world. Depending on our time of arrival we can visit the Coquësa mummies or go for a walk in and around Tahua. Hotel. Distance: 595km/370mi. Transport: 6h00. Visit: 2h00. B/L/D

2 - Tahua - San Pedro de Quemez (3723m/12.215ft)
We spend the morning on the salt flat. The Salar de Uyuni is the biggest salt flat in the world with acreage of 10582km2/4,085mi2 and it contains a reserve of 9 million tonne of Lithium and other minerals. We head towards the “island” Incahuasi, also known as the fisherman’s island. This geological formation which is a leftover of petrified limestone offers a multiple of Tiwanakota and Inca archaeological sites. From the highest point on the island we have an amazing 360° view of the Salar de Uyuni. We relax and have lunch on the island and afterwards we visit the small salt exploitation cooperation of Colchani where salt is still extracted and processed without machines. We leave for San Pedro de Quemez, situated at the doors of the south Lipez by crossing the Salar de Uyuni in direction South-west and we arrive at San Pedro de Quemez by mid-afternoon. We discover the active volcanoes Iruputuncu and Ollaguë, the caves of Cueva Galaxia with their astonishing rock formations sculptured by nature over years, and also the pre-Columbian sites showing the customs and rites of the people of this part of the Andes. Hotel. Distance: 340km/211mi. Transport: 5h30. Visit: 3h00. B/L/D

3 - San Pedro de Quemez - Ojo del Perdiz (4217m/13.835ft)
Our trip continues in southern direction. After breakfast we head towards Ojo del Perdiz, a small village at the heart of the grand landscapes of the Siloli desert. We cross the Salar de Chiguana where we visit the Arbol de Piedra “the stone tree”, before reaching Ojo del Perdiz by mid-afternoon. Hotel. Distance: 150km/93mi. Transport: 2h00. Visit: 1h30. B/L/D

4 - Ojo del Perdiz - Laguna Colorada - Laguna Verde (4400m/14.436ft)
We still continue in southern direction now towards the lagunas. After crossing the Siloli desert we discover the different lakes that decorate our journey; Seca, Cañapa, Hedionda, Honda and Khara before we arrive at the famous Laguna Colorada in the Avaroa National Park in the beginning of the afternoon. The lake gets a reddish colour from the alga and therefore the name; the coloured lake! After lunch we continue towards the Laguna Verde passing by the geysers of Sol de Mañana before arriving at the small shelter Queteña, not far from the volcano Llicancahur and the Lagunas Blanca and Verde. The Laguna Verde gets its name because of its turquoise colour which it gets from a high concentration of lead carbonate, arsenic and calcium. Please refrain from bathing!! Shelter. Distance: 130km/81mi. Transport: 3h00. Visit: 3h30. B/L/D

5 - Summit Zapaleri (5653m/18.546ft) - Quetena Grande (4216m/13.832ft)
We get up exceptionally early at 5h00 for the ascend of the Zapaleri. Our car drops us off at 4500m/14.764ft. Like the many volcanoes that decorate this region the ascend of the Zapaleri is undertaken on a rather abrupt scree and it takes about 4 hours to reach the summit and about 1 hour to walk back down. We return to Quetena Grande where we spend the night. Hotel. Elevation: +/- 1508m, +/-4.947ft. B/L/D

6 - Quetena Grande – Villamar (3951m/12.963ft)
After our stay in the south we head north in direction of Villamar, a small village not far from Villa Alota, which is this regions mining village. We cross the Mallku canyon and the Valle de las Rocas (valley of rocks) before arriving at Villamar in the afternoon. Hotel. Distance: 120km/75mi. Transport: 2h30. Visit: 1h30. B/L/D

7 -V illamar - Uyuni (3665m/12.024ft)
We head to Uyuni by the Rio Grande valley. Before we get installed at the hotel we make a detour to visit the locomotive cemetery, a vestige of the more prosperous times in Bolivia, and the evening is free to discover Uyuni. Hotel. Distance: 170km/106mi. Transport: 3h. Visit: 1h. B/L

8 - Uyuni - La Paz
Today we cross the Quinoa plantations of Salinas de Garzia Mendoza. The crop is mistakenly called a cereal but in reality it’s a pseudo cereal because it does not belong to the grass family!! The Incas held the crop to be sacred and referred to it as the "mother of all grains" and it is now much more widely distributed for its nutritional value. We arrive in La Paz in the late afternoon. Distance: 815km/506mi. Transport: 7h. Visit: 3h. B/L

Options

• This climb can be combined with the ascend of the Uturuncu and/or the Llicancahur
  
• Trek: If you are interested in trekking please see our trek programs here
  
• Other options: After the 8th day you also have the possibility to continue your trip to Peru (Cusco and the Machu Picchu and/or the floating island Uros and the neighbouring islands Amantani and Taquile), Chile (San Pedro de Atacama and Arica and the Pacific Ocean) or Argentina (Salta).
  
  
  

  If you have special wishes for a tour that you do not find on these pages i.e. birding, wine tours, adventure sports, archaeological tours etc. please do not hesitate to contact us directly for more information.