Andes Journey, Atacama desert to Machu Picchu

This 24-day trip departs on Friday September 3rd 2010 and will return on Sunday September 26th 2010, it will pass the most beautiful spots of the South American Andes Mountains. This 3 country roundtrip consists of day walks and some multiple day treks. It is one of the most beautiful trips of South America and starts at the Atacama Desert in Chile, continues through the Altiplano in Bolivia towards and through the Andes of Peru. We travel by domestic flights, bus, train, landover and boat.

During the trip we stay at characteristic lodges and boutique hotels. We strive for comfort but are depending on local conditions of accommodations. Some nights we camp during the Cordillera Real trekking or make use of relatively simple but the best available hotels during the Altiplano jeep trekking in Bolivia. The magnificent landscapes of the Andes and the unique experiences will compensate however any potential discomfort.

What can you expect of this trip? A modest summary: strolling through the Atacama-desert, one of the driest area’s on earth. Bright blue and green salt lakes, beautiful coloured mountains and steamy geysers of El Tatio at sunset. We take lovely baths at thermal sources at great height in Chile and Bolivia with a view on snow caped volcanoes. We make a multiple day expedition in a 4x4 jeep through South-west Bolivia travelling over the Altiplano. Passing red, white and rusty coloured lakes with flamingos and lamas we travel over the immense Bolivian plateau to the worlds largest salt lake of Salar de Uyuní.

Volcanoes in a desolate scenery of fossilized coral at Isla Pescado - these volcanoes date from the time that the salt plain was still an inner sea - with the famous giant cactuses of several metres high. Birds to watch for are giant colibri's, vizcacha's, black-hooded sierra finches, hillstars and the rusty-vented canasteros. After a visit at La Paz we walk the Condoriri trail through the Cordillera Real accompanied by local mountain people with lamas as pack animals.

Hiking to the heart of the Condoriri, we will camp at the bank of a mountain lake, in which the snowed mountaintops are reflected. We will make an exclusive daytrip over the glacier of the Condoriri with a mountaineering guide. We visit the highest lake in the world, the Titicaca Lake. Walking along the bank we follow old pré-inca paths and sail to Amantani where we will see the pré-Incaruïnes of Pachamama.

At Cusco we go back in time and stroll through the San Blas quarter between the remains of the Inca's empire and colonial architecture of the Spanish. An extended visit to the former sacred Inca city Machu Picchu including a day walk of a part of the Inca Trail (Camino Real) will be the concluding piece of an unforgettable trip. For the nature lovers there is a possibility to extend this trip with a 5 day visit to the National Park Manu, one of the best preserved rainforests of Latin America with abundant wildlife. National Park Manu is one of best places in Latin America to gain insight and experience the impressive world of a tropical rainforest.

Ask for the detailed day by day itinerary and further details about price and participation. As this is a special travel with limited places AND with only one departure date for 2010 full information is only sent to requests with name, address and landline connection.

Featured highlights:

Culture & Nature Travel in Atacama desert Bolivian Altiplano Sierra Real Titicaca & South Peru Walking

Trekking Cultural sightseeing Meeting of local cultures The art of being

Day 1:	Lima. International flight to Lima, arrival and meeting of all group members in boutique hotel.
Day 2:	San Pedro de Atacama. Flight to Santiago and connection to Calama with LAN. Transfer to small desert village San Pedro de Atacama. Overnight at typical Atacamena hotel 4 nights.
Day 3:	Explore the desert. Day for exploring the desert with walks on various locations, visiting Inca and pre-Inca ruins, salt & gypsum landscapes, sunset walk at Moon Valley.
Day 4:	Machuca village. Early morning excursion to Tatio geysers, walk at Machuca village & wet bofedales with lamas & alpacas, hot thermal baths at Puritama.
Day 5:	Salar of Atacama. Visit to Salar of Atacama with its bird reserve & flamingo colonies, midday hike through the green oasis of Toconoa canyon.
Day 6:	Bolivia. Transfer to border Bolivia, start 4-day landcruiser trekking over South Bolivian Altiplano (4000 m altitude), thermal bath with view on snow topped volcanoes, visit fumarole field, beautiful coloured lakes, late midday walk at Laguna Colorado. Overnight in comfortable lodge.
Day 7:	Walking. Continuation through vast and impressive landscapes, several walks to experience the silence and mountains. Overnight in comfortable lodge close at southwestern border of Uyuni Salt plain.
Day 8:	Caves & saltplain. Visits to some caves, travel over world largest saltplain, walks, visit Isla Incahuasi (Isla Pescador) with giant cacti, overnight at feet of volcano Tunupa in comfortable Salt hotel.
Day 9:	Volcano Tunupa. Ascend on the slope of volcano Tunupa until halfway for a magnificent view into the crater and over Uyunyi Salt plain, visit mommy cave, village Coquesa, salt hotel & springs, salt exploration site. Arrival Uyunyi and some time for a rest in best hotel.
Day 10:	La Paz. By night train to Oruro and by bus from there to La Paz, rest free day for immerse city & cultural life, boutique hotel in colonial heart of La Paz for 2 nights.
Day 11:	Tiwanaku archaeological site. Visit to Tiwanaku archaeological site & Moonvalley, optional for adventure 3000 m descent on mountain bike from high mountain pass to the yungas of Coroico (the famous “camino de la muerte”).
Day 12-15:	Condoriri. Condoriri trekking of 4 days in high mountains of Cordillera Real, with a spectacular extra day trekking over glacier with professional mountain guide, 3 nights at tented camps, meals prepared by cooks, trekking with lamas & mules and day 15 midday return in hotel La Paz.
Day 16:	Puno. Day travel via Copacabana at Titicaca lake to Puno, boutique hotel Puno.
Day 17-18:	Titicaca lake program. 2 days, with day hike over pre-inca paths along Titicaca lake, boat transfer to Isla Ticonata, plays & celebrations with community, overnight island in sheds, sailing to Amantani next morning, visit Pachamama sanctuary, visit Uros islands, Puno hotel.
Day 19:	Cusco. Excursion Sillustani tombs, day travel to Cusco, visit Viracocha temple along the way, Cusco former capital of the Inca empire and the most fascinating colonial city of Latin America, overnight in San Blas quarter boutique hotel. Nb: there free days for Cusco in rainforest extension, or as optional afterwards.
Day 20:	Visit Chincheros, hike to salt pans of Maras down into Sacred valley, continuation to Ollantaytambo, visit ruins with sunset, overnight at lodge in village.
Day 21-22:	Inca trail. 2 days Camino Real & Machu Picchu program. By train to Aguas Calientes, hike Inca trail Camino Real, late midday entrance Machu picchu, overnight AC, sunrise at Machu Picchu, visit ruins full morning, in midday to boutique hotel Cusco.
Day 23-24:	Depart. Flight Cusco – Lima, international flight in midday, arrival home day 24.

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Or, continue your journey with the Rainforest extension -

Day 23:	Cusco. Free day.
Day 24-28:	5 day rainforest extension. To National Park Manu, which belongs to the top 4 of rainforests of Latin America. Ask for itinerary. Spectacular travel over Andes mountains into the rainforest by bus & boat. Guidance from local guides in the rainforest, with enough participants as private group! Lodges all included. Day 28: Domestic flight from rainforest to Cusco if weather permits. Free midday, boutique hotel Cusco.
Day 29:	Free day Cusco. Immerse in citylife, optional full day Inca tour visiting Inca ruins in Sacred valley from Qenko to sacred baths Tipon.
Day 30-31:	Depart. Flight Cusco – Lima with international flight late midday, arrival home day 31.