La Paz, Uyuni, Eduardo Avaroa, and Hito Cajon

If you’re planning a trip to northern Peru, consider adding an extension to Bolivia for a 5-day, 4-night tour of Bolivia’s interesting natural formations and archeological sites. You’ll leave from Puno, Peru, near the banks of Lake Titicaca, and make your way to La Paz, Bolivia, which is one of the highest-altitude cities in the world. It has fascinating landmarks and outdoor markets, not far from Bolivia’s famous salt flat deserts.

Day 1 - Travel to La Paz

This first day is mostly travel. You’ll make your way to the Real Plaza Hotel, a mid-range hotel in the middle of La Paz.

Day 2 - Tiwanaku - La Paz City Tour - Valley of the Moon

The second day has a two-part tour, beginning with a half-day tour to Tiwanaku. They’re over 3,000 years old, pre-dating the Inca. One of these temples is semi-subterranean, with a portion of it built into a sunken courtyard. There’s also a stone gate that frames the rays of the sun, a sun temple, and a museum where you can observe the ceramics that archeologists have unearthed here.

Afterward, you’ll return to the hotel for a break. In the afternoon, your guide will pick you up from the hotel once again to explore the city. You’ll also see sights like the colonial church of San Francisco and the Metropolitan Cathedral. See streets lined with unusual items used in witchcraft rituals, as well as charming colonial buildings. Next, you’ll head out of town to stretch your legs with a hike around the Valley of the Moon. This is a natural formation where erosion has left behind an interesting pattern of different-colored minerals. There’s also a visit to the ceramic workshop where you can see some interesting handicrafts.

5:00 PM - Leave for the airport 7:15 PM - Departure for Uyuni 8:15 PM - From the airport, transfer to the Hotel Luna Salada

Day 3 – Uyuni – Salt Flats

Pick up from your hotel. Day 3 will take you to some of the most interesting parts of the salt flats. You’ll travel to Colchani Village, where you’ll observe locals extracting salt, and then admire the artwork that people sculpt out of closely packed salt. This is a tiny village of less than a thousand people, and the residents’ entire way of life revolves around salt.

You’ll head to the flats where the piles of salt look like tiny, salty dunes. Nearby, you can also observe the ojos del sal – or the “salt eyes” – where volcanic activity creates geysers. If you arrive during the dry season, from April to November, the cracked surface of the salt will have formed a honeycomb-like pattern of hexagons. From December to May, the rainy season creates a shallow lake, making a reflective surface that can create some interesting photographic opportunities. (It’s advisable to wear sandals if you plan to wade into the water.) After a break for lunch — either in a restaurant or at a picnic — you’ll head to the Incahuasi Island, where cacti grow among the rocks.

Afterward, you’ll return to the airport to return to La Paz, and the same Real Plaza Hotel where you spent the first night.

Day 4 — Colchani — Silioli Desert (Ojo de Perdiz)

Your first stop of the day will continue to an interesting area just south of the salt flats, where there are abandoned trains engines from the 19th century. Next, you’ll see a mining village called San Cristóbal, followed by a trip to see a group of scenic red rocks. There’s a break for lunch, followed by a transfer to a hotel in Ojo de Perdiz, a small town in the middle of Siloli Desert.

Your tour continues to see some interesting sights in this, the driest desert in the world. There’s a stop at the active Ollagüe Volcano, followed by a visit to see some Andean Jewelry, and a stop by some pretty lagoons. Afterward, you’ll head to the Tayka del Desierto Eco Hotel for your night in the desert. This hotel offers comfortable, cozy rooms with traditional Andean decorations.

Day 5 – Ojo de Perdiz – Hito Cajon – San Pedro de Atacama

You’ll leave the hotel nice and early, so you can see the sights under the first rays of the sun. Get ready to see one of the most incredible and rare ecosystems in the world at the Eduardo Avaroa reserve, where you’ll see a surprising variety of attractions for such a stark environment. Your first stop takes you to the stone tree, which isn’t a tree at all, but a 22-foot (7-m) piece of sandstone that’s been worn down at the base.

Next, you’ll visit the Sol de Mañana, where volcanic activity creates geysers that reach up to 260 to 328 feet (80 to 100 m) in height. It gets its name, which translates to “Morning Sun,” because it’s more active in the morning. See more evidence of volcanic activity at the hots springs of Polques. Make your way to the Green Lagoon, named after the green color given off by the microorganisms and the levels of magnesium.

There’s a stop for lunch, and then your guide will take you to the Hito Cajon, which is located between Peru and Chile. Travelers typically continue from here to San Pedro de Atacama.

Everything you need for a 5-day trip and money for personal expenses and souvenirs, as well as meals not mentioned.

Most transportation, accommodations, tours, and some meals. It does not include air tickets La Paz to Uyuni.