Atacama Crossing, La Paz to Santiago
| country: | Bolivia, Chile |
| location: | Atacama Desert |
| trip type: | Strenuous walking holidays |
| departures: | 2009: 21 Nov, 29 Nov, 14 Dec, 19 Dec, 27 Dec |
| price: | From £559 (20 days) excluding flights. Local payment US $250 |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
From the wide-open expanses of the Bolivian Altiplano to the verdant valleys of central Chile, this is a 3 week journey of contrasts. Travel through one of the most indigenous and endearing countries in South America to one of the most modern. Take in stark salt flats, multicoloured mountains, two very different capitals and loads in between.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Arrive La Paz. |
| Day 2: | La Paz. With streets lined with market stalls and vendors, the pace on the street and the vibrant atmosphere of La Paz is an incredible experience. |
| Day 3-7: | Cochabamba / Sucre. Travel south to Cochabamba, renowned for its spring-like climate. Explore the city then take a night bus to Sucre. Beautiful architecture and good museums are complimented by optional activities such as a visit to see 60 million year old dinosaur footprints. |
| Day 8-9: | Potosí. The highest city of its size in the world, UNESCO declared Potosí a World Heritage Site in recognition of its splendid but tragic history in the mining of silver during the time of Spanish colonization. |
| Day 10-12: | Uyuni / 4x4 Desert Crossing Excursion (2B,2L,2D). A surreal landscape awaits between the Salar de Uyuni and the Atacama Desert (Chile), the driest in the world. Travel by 4X4 and marvel at the contrast of piercing blue skies and blinding white salt on the flat lakebed. |
| Day 13-15: | San Pedro de Atacama. Descending almost 3000 metres, we arrive at the small desert oasis of San Pedro de Atacama. Optional excursions include biking, exploring nearby ruins, horseback riding, or a tour of the Valley of the Moon. |
| Day 16-19: | La Serena / Santiago. Travel south along the coast to the beachside city of La Serena. Relax a while before heading to Santiago on Day 18. Santiago is known equally for its museums and parks and its vineyards and ski resorts. Visit the vibrant Bellavista neighbourhood or go exploring. |
| Day 20: | Depart Santiago. |
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places. how this holiday makes a difference
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We ensure minimal social and environmental impact in the places we visit by travelling in small groups (max 12), using local transportation and staying in locally-owned accommodation.
This tour offers travellers the opportunity to visit one of the projects that we support through our non-profit organization, the Planeterra Foundation, developed as a way to give back to the people and places that we visit on our tours. In Sucre you may visit a home for over 50 orphaned children where you will be able to spend time with the children and learn about the programs they offer. Children are provided with food, shelter, education, healthcare and workshops that develop workmanship skills. On this tour we visit two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The city of Potosi was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in recognition of its tragic history in the mining of silver during the time of Spanish colonization. The historic city of Sucre , also a UNESCO World Heritage site was the first capital of Bolivia, founded by the Spanish in the first half of the 16th century. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |