 |
|
|||||||||
|
| |
|
|||||||||
|
ITINERARY
|
||||||||||
2010 Land cost per person:
|
  Giant cacti on Incahuasi Island, Bolivia
|
|||||||||
Day 1 – Saturday, September 10- Departure USA/Santiago Day 2 – Sunday, September 11– Santiago Arrival in Santiago and morning is at leisure. After lunch we will have a city tour of Santiago. We run up and down Cerro San Cristóbal. You can also take the “Teleferico” – cable car to the summit. At the peak, there is a church and a 22 meter statue of the Virgin Mary. The summit is a superb location from which to view the city and during a clear day it's also possible to see the Andean peaks on the east. The hill is part of Parque Metropolitano, Santiago's largest public park. Overnight: Hotel in Santiago Day 3 – Monday, September 12– San Pedro de Atacama This morning we fly to Calama. Upon arrival we continue on a 1 hour bus drive to San Pedro de Atacama (8,000'/2,450 m). The Atacama Desert is situated between the Andes Mountains and Pacific Ocean and stretches 600 miles (1,000 kilometers) from Peru's southern border into northern Chile. This region is extremely hyper-arid. It is an inhospitable, seemingly lifeless, sun drenched spot that is probably the driest place on Earth. Temperatures in the Atacama vary daily from 95°F down to 32°F. The Atacama is 10 to 15 million years old and 50 times more arid than California's Death Valley. There are places where rain has never been recorded. This natural environment on Earth poses some of the same challenges for human explorers as would a seemingly lifeless planet. NASA scientists and engineers selected this landscape to test the technology that will be used in places like the Moon or Mars - the Atacama is "the closest place to Mars." Hike in the Valley of the Moon Overnight: La
Casa de Don Tomas Day 4 – Tuesday, September 13– San Pedro de Atacama Today we hike the best trails around San Pedro, including the Kari Canyon and the Valley of Death. Overnight: La
Casa de Don Tomas Day 5 – Wednesday, September 14– Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve - Laguna Colorada A one hour drive takes us to "Hito Cajon" at the Bolivian border. The Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve is in the southwestern section of Bolivia, bordering Chile and Argentina. This Puna region ranges in altitude from 11,482 feet (3,500 meters) and extends above 16,400 feet (5,000 meters). We drive past Laguna Blanca and to Laguna Verde at the base of Licancabur volcano (19,455'/5,930 m) Continue across the Bolivian altiplano to the hot springs in Laguna Salada and to the active geyser, “Sol de la Mañana”. From there to Laguna Colorada, a lake with a pinkish hue. This naturally occurring color results from algae and minerals in the lake, which is the main source of food for the thousands of pink flamingos. Three of the world’s six flamingo species – Chilean, James’ and Andean breed in this area. The reserve has mammal species such as vicuñas, pumas, Andean foxes, vizcachas (Andean rabbit similar to marmot) and other. Andean geese, falcons, ducks and large, flightless birds called lesser rheas are some of the 80 species of birds living in Eduardo Avaroa Reserve Today we do not have a scheduled hike due to the sudden climb to high elevation. We will however have opportunities for acclimatization hikes along the drive. We continue our drive to our hotel in Ojo de Perdiz. Overnight: Hotel
del Desierto. Day 6 – Thursday, September 15– San Pedro de Quemez We continue north on the altiplano "high plain" where we will see llamas, wild herds of vicuñas, Andean geese and other wildlife. Overnight: Hotel
de Piedra. Day 7 – Friday, September 16- Salt flats of Uyuni – Incahuasi Island – Oruro This morning we enter the impressive Salar de Uyuni, the salar is 4,700-square-miles of salt flats - the largest in the world. Some 40,000 years ago the area was part of Lake Minchin a gigantic prehistoric lake. When the lake dried it left behind two major salt deserts, the largest one - the Salar de Uyuni. The salt is completely white and the depth is about 20 feet. We drive to the start of the hike, which will be on the salt flats and we finish on Incahuasi Island (12,010’/3,660 m) - a rocky outcrop in the middle of the vast white expanse of salt. Here you will see giant cacti covering the island creating one of the most surreal landscapes on earth. It is estimated that these cacti grows only about 1cm per year. Some of the cacti reach up to 36 feet (11 meter) and are 1,200 years old. We continue our drive to Oruro. Overnight: Plaza Flores Hotel - Oruro Day 8 – Saturday, September 17– Oruro - La Paz This morning we drive to La Paz (12,000’/3,660 m), we will have views of the impressive summit of Illimani (21,260'), the highest mountain in the Cordillera Real range on the southeastern side of the city. La Paz is the administrative capital of Bolivia. We will have a tour of the city’s colonial and historical sections. Overnight: Hotel Plaza in La Paz Day 9 – Sunday, September 18– Tiahuanaco - Island of the Sun - Lake Titicaca This morning we visit Tiwanacu (also known as Tiahuanaco), one of the oldest cultures in South America. It is believed to be the origin of the Pre-Inca Civilization. It was one of the most advanced cultures at that time. The main structures are the Kalasasaya temple with construction details similar to Machu Picchu's Gate of the Sun, the Akapana pyramid; and the semi-underground temple. We travel in the highlands and continue along the eastern shore of the lake to the strait of Tiquina, which we cross by ferry and continue along the road overlooking the lake and arrive in Copacabana (12,634'). We take a private boat to the island section of Yumani and hike to our accommodations at La Estancia. Overnight: Ecolodge
La Estancia on the Island of the Sun in Lake Titicaca. Day 10 – Monday, September 19– Island of the Sun – Lake Titicaca This morning we hike around the island. We follow the trail along the shore, passing by villages, agricultural fields, beaches until we reach Challapampa and from there we continue up to the Chinkana ruins where we turn south and continue on the mountain trail leading us around the island. Overnight: Hotel
Rosario del Lago. Day 11 – Tuesday, September 20– Island of the Sun - Puno We drive to Kasani and across the border to Yunguyo - Perú. Continue overland to Puno (12,560'). This afternoon we will visit the "floating islands" of the Uros people who build the famous "totora" reed boats. The Uros and other lakeside dwellers depend extensively on the totora reed. It is used to make fishing boats and homes as well as the famous floating islands of reed. Overnight: Hotel
Sonesta Posada del Inca – Puno on the shore of the lake. Day 12 – Wednesday, September 21– Puno – Chivay - Colca Canyon This morning we drive to Chivay. The road reaches the mirador at 4,920 meters above sea level (16,142 feet). Upon arrival in Chivay and after checking into the hotel, we will hike to the Calera Hot Springs. Overnight: Casa
Andina Colca in Chivay Day 13 – Thursday, September 22- Colca Canyon Drive from Chivay to Colca Canyon. "Hike in the Colca Canyon." Overnight: Hotel
Kuntur Wassi Day 14 – Friday, September 23- Cross of the Condor/Arequipa This morning we visit the "Cross of the Condor" where you can view the majestic flight of the condors. We continue our drive to Arequipa, also known as the White City. This is because of its magnificent Spanish architecture, made with a white volcanic stone "sillar". The city is at the foot of “El Misti” (19,100’) the majestic snowcapped volcano, Chachani volcano (19,931’) and Pichu Pichu volcano (18,372’). The downtown area of the city features Mixed Baroque churches and mansions from the Colonial Period like the Monastery of Santa Catalina, a Spanish city in miniature with stone streets, beautiful patios and plazas. We arrive in Arequipa for a late lunch and transfer to the airport for the flight to Lima and connection with your flight home. Meals: B, L, D. Day 15 – Saturday, September 24- Lima/Flight home
|
||||||||||
Home |
Running | Trekking |
Tours | Extensions | Calendar | Trip Comments | Special Offers
| Photos | Articles |
Trip Reservation | Request Info |
FAQ | Contact Us |
Site Map
1323 12th Street, Suite F - Santa Monica, CA 90401
Toll Free (800) 289-9470 · Phone (310) 395-5265 · FAX (310) 395-7343
Request Info or E-mail 
|
