Bolivia in Family 12 Days
Tour overview:
Your Bolivian travels start in La Paz where you will be guided by a ‘lustra bota’ or shoe-shiner who will provide a unique impression of the city. Then on to Copacabana, a pleasant town on the shores of Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake. Experience the Uyuni Salt Flats where the earth and sky meet and makes you think the horizon disappears. Explore the jungle in the Madidi National Park where you can catch sight of Capuchin and red howler monkeys, macaws, and other unique species while staying in tree tents. Your Bolivian adventure awaits!
Day 1 - Arrive La Paz
El Alto airport is currently the highest International airport in the world at 4,080m/13.115 ft above sea level. Transfer from airport to hotel, via a short highway, from which there is a nice view of the city lights.
Day 2 - City Tour with shoe-shiner (Half Day –walking tour)
A unique visit to the popular neighborhoods and markets of La Paz, guided by a “lustra bota” or shoe-shiner will provide different impressions of this unique city. Meeting with the “lustra guide” outside the former train terminal of La Paz. Hop on, on one of the many telefericos (cable cars) lines this vibrant city has, the Red Line, and get off where the walking tour starts, the main cemetery. After a short visit, continue walking to “Fish Street Market”, the “Flower Market” and the “Uruguay Market” where various species of animals and food can be seen. The tour continues to Eloy Salmón Street, lined with shops and stalls selling the latest technology and to the “Cholitas Market” where Cholitas (local ladies) can be seen shopping for traditional skirts and blankets. The tour concludes at the famous witches’ market on Linares and Sagarnaga Streets where we will learn a little bit of Andean cosmovision. Afternoon is at leisure.
Day 3 - La Paz – Copacabana – Sun Island
An enjoyable nice trip by private transportation going north through the highlands and parallel to the Andes Royal Range until Copacabana (3 ½ hours), a pleasant town in the shores of Lake Titicaca. Visit to its church and the famous “Virgen Morena”, have a stroll around. Trip by motorized boat to the legendary Island of the Sun (1 hour), until Huacani to have an Aptapi (typical lunch in the highlands), this trip continues by boat up till to the ruins of Pilkokaina Inca temple. Finally hike to La Estancia with a wonderful view of Lake Titicaca (1 hour ). (L&D)
Day 4 - Moon Island
DON’T MISS AN EARLY SUNRISE! Trip by motorized boat to the Island of the Moon and visit the ruins of Iñak Uyu Inca temple, returning to Sun Island arrive to Huacani to have an Aptapi (typical lunch in the highlands). And hike to Ecolodge La Estancia. (BLD)
Day 5 - Sun Island – Copacabana – La Paz
Hike down through the village of Yumani in the Garden and stairs of the Incas visiting the fountain of Eternal Youth to take the trip by boat to Copacabana (1 hour and a half). To finally take a private transportation to La Paz (3 hours and a half). (BL)
Day 6 - Depart La Paz
You will meet and transfer to the airport for your flight to Uyuni.
Note: Flight La Paz-Uyuni (Not Included)
Transfer from the Aiport of Uyuni
10:00 am. Our day begins with the visit of the famous Train Cemetery, located only 8min away from Uyuni town. This place is known for the remains of steam locomotives that have persisted since the 19th and 20th centuries.
Later, in Colchani we will observe the salt extraction methods used by the local people in their artisanal fabrics.
We will then enter the incredible Uyuni salt flats, with more than 12,000 km2 of pure salt. Visit the “Stairs to heaven” which is one of the works of the renowned Bolivian artist Gaston Ugalde. It is a staircase made of salt that is located in the middle of the Uyuni salt flat. It is an interesting stop to have nice pictures. Then, we will see the “Eyes of the Salt”. These are the outlets for subterranean rivers flowing under the Uyuni Salt Flat. The waters flowing from inside the salt flat have particular acidic concentrations and are considered medicinal waters by the locals.
Continue our journey to Incahuasi Island, which is a unique oasis and isolated ecosystem that is populated by giant cactuses up to 10 meters high, amazing!
Included: Picnic lunch
At proper time transfer to the hotel
Dinner at Luna Salada Hotel
Beverages Not Included
Day 7 - Depart Uyuni
You will meet and transfer to the airport for your flight to La-Paz.
Note: Flight Uyuni-La Paz (Not Included)
Transfer Airport – Hotel
El Alto airport is currently the highest International airport in the world at 4,080m/13.115 ft above sea level. Transfer from airport to hotel
Included: Guide
Free day
No services.
Day 8 - Depart La Paz
You will meet and transfer to the airport for your flight to Rurrenabaque.
Note: Flight La Paz-Rurrenabaque (Not Included)
Rurrenabaque – Madidi National Park – Mashi Refuge
on arrival transfer from the aiport of Rurrenabaque Departure from the port of Rurrenabaque by boat sailing across the Beni River. On the way it will be possible to see the last range of the Andean Mountains that divides the Altiplano and the Amazon, along with the controversial Canyon of Bala, the place where several Bolivian governments intend to build a dam. Going further up the Beni River, the group will pay an entrance fee to enter the Madidi National Park and later turn right into the Tuichi River. Boat ride takes about 4 hours.
Arrival to the port, and we will walk through the Wabu Path for about 30 minutes, until we reach the camp on the banks of the Mashi Lagoon.
Lunch, accommodation in tree tents, usage instructions and short rest.
After lunch we will start a guided walk along the Lucachi Trail for 3 hours where we will see a labyrinth of exotic trees and plants that lead to the nesting place of some bird species such as the red macaw (Ara chloropterus), blue-yellow macaw (Ara ararauna) and other smaller birds from the same family. During the tour you will have the opportunity to observe an endemic specie of the Madidi, the lucachi monkey (Callicebus aureipalatii). Then we will walk back to the camp.
Dinner, and later we will have the opportunity to join on a night walk into the jungle.
at night, the jungle is still alive and offers a wide diversity of animals and insects. We could find some praying mantis (Brunneria subaptera), sword nose bat (Lonchorhina aurita) and a variety of tarantulas.
Overnight at Tree tents
Day 9 - Mashi – Rurrenabaque
Early wake up in the morning (05:00) to move on to River Tuichi to see the sunrise in the jungle, listen to the different sounds of it, identifying some species of birds, insects, and mammals. Then we will return to the camp for breakfast.
Breakfast. This is the time of the day when the red howler monkeys start singing calling for females. Birds will join to the orchestra to indicate that a new day has begun. We will start walking into the Piwarola Trail where we will learn about medicinal and poisonous plants and how the communities use them as medicine and food. Later we will move back to the camp for lunch.
Lunch and some time to rest.
We will return to Rurrenabaque taking the Wabu Trail to the port in River Tuichi where our boat will depart on the way to Rurrenabaque.
Day 10 - Mashi – Rurrenabaque
Early wake up in the morning (05:00) to move on to River Tuichi to see the sunrise in the jungle, listen to the different sounds of it, identifying some species of birds, insects, and mammals. Then we will return to the camp for breakfast.
Breakfast. This is the time of the day when the red howler monkeys start singing calling for females. Birds will join to the orchestra to indicate that a new day has begun. We will start walking into the Piwarola Trail where we will learn about medicinal and poisonous plants and how the communities use them as medicine and food. Later we will move back to the camp for lunch.
Lunch and some time to rest.
We will return to Rurrenabaque taking the Wabu Trail to the port in River Tuichi where our boat will depart on the way to Rurrenabaque.
Day 11 - Depart Rurrenabaque
You will meet and transfer to the airport for your flight to La-Paz.
Note: Flight Rurrenabaque-La Paz (Not Included)
Transfer Airport – Hotel (Night)
El Alto airport is currently the highest International airport in the world at 4,080m/13.115 ft above sea level. Transfer from airport to hotel
Included: Guide
Day 12 - Depart La Paz
Transfer Hotel -Airport
El Alto airport is currently the highest International airport in the world at 4,080m/13.115 ft above sea level. Transfer from your hotel to the airport, via a short highway, from which there is a nice view of the city lights.
Included: Guide