Crossing the Chilean and Bolivian deserts

13 days

Crossing the Chilean and Bolivian deserts

A breathtaking journey where discovery of the great outdoors will rub shoulders with impressive archaeological sites, an indelible testimony to the presence of millennia-old civilizations.

Day by day

day 1: Arrival to Santiago
Arrival of your international flight. Welcome to Chile!

Private transfer between the airport and your hotel in Santiago accompanied by your guide.

Dinner on your own.

Overnight in Santiago.

Steps: The region of Santiago, Valparaíso and the centre of the country
day 2: Santiago
Free day to discover Santiago de Chile by yourself.

Lunch at leisure.

Dinner at leisure.

Overnight in a hotel in Santiago.

Steps: The region of Santiago, Valparaíso and the centre of the country Santiago Cathedral Historic Center of Santiago Planetariun de Santiago Santiago de Chile Municipal Theater of Santiago de Chile
day 3: Santiago / Calama / San Pedro de Atacama
Transfer by private service to the international airport accompanied by guide.

Flight from Santiago de Chile to Calama.

Transfer to San Pedro de Atacama.

Lunch at leisure.

Dinner at leisure.

Night in San Pedro de Atacama.

Steps: The Atacama Desert Region Calama San Pedro de Atacama
day 4: Discovery of the rainbow valley and the valley of the moon
Visit Hierbas Buenas, the place where the Domeyko Mountain Range, the Salt Cordillera and the Andes meet. It is also a place of great historical importance based on rock art, possessing one of the most important groups of Petroglyphs from distinct periods in the region.

Then Matancilla, a valley rich in flora and fauna, you will find ourselves with the Arcoíris Valley, a unique place in the world, it is as if a rainbow had settled and fallen asleep on the mountains.

Finally, you will pass through Rio Grande, a village where an Atacama community resides before returning to San Pedro de Atacama.

Lunch at your own.

You will go to the Valley of the Moon and Death.

Less than 1 km away, we can already see the landscape change with the appearance of the Salt Cordillera, formed 22 million years ago. Huge lumps of coloured earth, brown and greyish in different shapes thanks to the action of the wind. Small stop to photograph the Salt Cordillera from the belvedere.

Then arrival at the Valley of the Moon, one of the best preserved and most exotic sanctuaries in the region. Visit of the statues "las tres Marias".

Dinner at leisure.

Overnight in San Pedro de Atacama.

Steps: The Atacama Desert Region The Moon Valley San Pedro de Atacama Yerbas Buenas and the Rainbow Valley
day 5: Tatio Geysers and Cejar and Tebenquinche Lagoons
The Tatio Geysers, which are located at 4320 m above sea level and from where we can observe an impressive spectacle with the emergence of violent steam jets at 85º. 40 geysers, 60 hot springs and 70 fumaroles.

You will then have the opportunity to have breakfast and bathe in the thermal waters (at 30º).

Road back to San Pedro de Atacama passing by Machuca,

Lunch at leisure.

Departure around 4 pm, towards the northern part of the Salar, 30 minutes from San Pedro de Atacama, there is a great natural spectacle, the Cejar Lake with emerald green water and on the edges of salt crystals, where it is possible to swim and even float on these waters rich in salt and minerals such as lithium.

Going to the south of Cejar you find the Tebenquinche lagoon, similar to the Chaxa lagoon, but with more vegetation around.

Return to San Pedro de Atacama.

Dinner at leisure.

Night in San Pedro de Atacama.

Steps: The Atacama Desert Region Salar de Atacama The geysers of the Tatio Machuca
day 6: San Pedro de Atacama / Hito Cajón / Sur Lipez
Transfer from San Pedro de Atacama to Hito Cajón (border with Bolivia).

Reception at the border, then the lakes: Laguna verde and Laguna blanca at the foot of the volcano Licancabur, which exceeds 5900 meters of altitude.

You will continue by the fabulous Dali desert, after stop and relax at the thermal baths of Polques. Departure to the Sol de Mañana geysers, where a life-size geological show awaits you: impressive columns of steam escape from the dens of the earth.

Then arrival to the laguna colorada and its vivid palette of colors; the rare presence of life in these landscapes at the end of the world is that of groups of pink flamingos. Road head to the Siloli desert, a strange desert where astonishing geological formations appear, particularly in the form of "árbol de piedra" (stone tree).

Arrival at the end of the day in Huayallajara.

Lunch and dinner included.

Night in Huyallajara.

Steps: Uyuni and Lipez's desert Dali's desert Siloli's Desert Sol de Mañana's Geysers Huayllajara Laguna Blanca Laguna Colorada Laguna Verde Polques Thermal Waters
day 7: By 4x4 The deserts of the north Lipez
In the morning, Road to the Siloli desert, a strange desert where astonishing geological formations appear,

Then discovery of several lagoons, inhabited by dozens of pink flamingos, silent presences in this motionless desert.

Among the lagoons, those of Chiark'ota, Honda, Hedionda, and Cañapa, whose color contrasts are worthy of a painter.

A stone's throw from Chile, stands the majestic volcano Ollagüe and its 5865 meters of altitude.

It will also be an opportunity to discover the Chiguana Salt Flat, whose landscapes seem to belong to another dimension.

Then head to San Juan.

Lunch and dinner included.

Night in San Juan.

Steps: Uyuni and Lipez's desert Siloli's Desert Laguna Cañapa Laguna Chiarkota Laguna Helionda Laguna Honda
day 8: In 4x4 Discovery of the famous Salar d'Uyuni / Night at the edge of the salar
Departure early in the morning, road to finally enter the salar, "white and geometric expanse" as far as the eye can see, which turns into a perfect mirror during the rainy season. Words, just like oxygen, are lacking to describe these fantastic landscapes where time seems to have stopped.

In the distance, the outline of the Incahuasi island, which we will also discover. On this island lost in the middle of a sea of salt, hundreds of giant cacti grow indiscriminately: it is the refuge of the viscachas (kind of Andean rabbits).

After a good lunch, continuation of the visit to the village of Colchani on the edge of the Salar. Here they exploit... the salt, an abundant resource if there is any in the surroundings. The inhabitants extract the salt in blocks (for animals) or in grains (for human consumption) using picks and picksaxes.

You will take the road to the village of Uyuni.

Lunch included.

Sharing a moment of relaxation on the banks of the salar around an aperitif and a glass of wine.

Dinner included.

Night in a salt hotel in Colchani.

Steps: Uyuni and Lipez's desert Colchani Incahuasi Uyuni Salar
day 9: Departure in 4x4 for the deserts of the south Lipez / Night at Villa Mar
Head towards Villa Mar with a stop at the train cemetery, near the town, where old steam locomotives from the beginning of the last century quietly end their lives.

Afterwards, San Cristóbal, a village known for its silver deposits but also for its charming colonial church.

You will then take the Cañón de la cascada and the Valle de las Rocas where you can admire magnificent rock formations. During the trip, it is often possible to observe foxes or the Darwin's Rhea (Andean ostrich).

At the end of the day, Head to Villa-Mar.

Lunch and dinner included.

Night in Villa-Mar.

Steps: Uyuni and Lipez's desert Valle de las Rocas Villa Alota, Culpina K and San Cristobal Villa-Mar
day 10: Villa Mar / Hito Cajón / San Pedro de Atacama
Departure from Villa Mar, in order to reach Hito Cajón, the border with Chile.

Arrival in Hito Cajón.

Crossing the Bolivia/Chile border (Hito Cajón). Transfer to San Pedro de Atacama in Chile.

Lunch at leisure.

Dinner at leisure.

Night in San Pedro de Atacama.

Steps: The Atacama Desert Region San pedro de Atacama
day 11: San Pedro de Atacama / Calama and flight to Santiago, transfer to Valparaiso
Transfer to Calama airport and flight from Calama to Santiago de Chile

Lunch at leisure.

Departure from the capital to reach the coastal city of Valparaiso, during the journey you can admire the landscapes designed by the different wine estates of the Casablanca valley.

Dinner at leisure.

Overnight i in Valparaíso.

Steps: The region of Santiago, Valparaíso and the centre of the country the Valparaiso region Santiago de Chile Valparaiso
day 12: Valparaíso, between sky and sea
Day at leisure to discover Valparaíso

Here you are in Valparaiso, the country's second largest city and one of the major ports on the Pacific coast. The city is built on many hills (45 in all!), dotted with houses with colourful facades. It is an endearing, bohemian city with a typically Latino atmosphere.

Lunch & Dinner at leisure.

Overnight in hotel in Valparaíso.

Steps: The region of Santiago, Valparaíso and the centre of the country Cerros de Valparaiso the Valparaiso region Valparaiso Market Muelle Prat de Valparaiso Valparaiso
day 13: Valparaíso / International flight
You will leave by private vehicle from Valparaiso to reach Santiago airport.

End of your trip.

Steps: The region of Santiago, Valparaíso and the centre of the country

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