Discover the beauty of the Potosi Valley on our 4-day tour departing from Uyuni and ending in La Paz. We'll visit the breathtaking Uyuni Salt Flat and the Eduardo Avaroa Reserve. Colourful lagoons, geysers and erupting volcanoes await!
Uyuni to La Paz: 4 Day Tour
Day 1: Uyuni - Coqueza
At 10:30 am, we'll pick you up from your hotel in a jeep and travel across the plains of the Bolivian Potosí. First of all, we'll visit the Uyuni train cemetery to see the remains of steam engines that once transported the region's minerals around the area. We'll then go to the village of Colchani where we'll learn about the process of making table salt and handicrafts with this substance.
After taking a break for lunch, we'll head to the Uyuni Salt Flat. This spot is the largest salt flat in the world and boasts incredible views that look like something from another planet. We'll pass by one of its salt hotels and head to the Incahuasi viewpoint, which is surrounded by giant cacti, to admire unparalleled views of the salt flat. We'll then drive to the village of Coqueza to have dinner and spend the night.
Day 2: Coqueza - Tunupa Volcano - Colcha K
Rise and shine! We'll get up before dawn so we can admire a beautiful sunrise over the Uyuni Salt Flat. Afterwards, we'll have breakfast and set off for the Coqueza caves at the foot of the Tunupa Volcano. Here, we'll see the Coqueza mummies, which are remains of a family that passed away over 500 years ago. The conditions of these caves mean that the mummies still have their hair and nails, making their appearance even eerier...
Next, we'll make our way up the volcano both on foot and aboard our jeep. We'll have lunch and then head to the village of Colcha K. Along the way, we'll observe the spectacular natural scenery of the salt flats and surrounding mountains. When we get to our destination, we'll have dinner and settle in for the night.
Day 3: Colcha K - Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve
On our third day, we'll have breakfast and leave San Juan behind to travel to the southern part of the plains. This region is well-known for producing quinoa, which is considered a superfood due to its numerous benefits and nutrients. We'll cross the Chiguana Salt Flat and come to the Ollague Volcano's viewpoint, from which we'll look out at magnificent views of its valley of petrified lava.
We'll then enter the Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve, a protected area where we'll stop at the Capaña and Hedionda lagoons to see Andean flamingos and some other birds. Next, we'll have lunch and cross the Silala Desert to get to the viewpoint of the Red Lagoon, which owes its name to its beautiful reddish water. We'll then have dinner and spend the night at the Polques Hot Springs.
Day 4: Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve - La Paz
Good morning! We'll wake up at dawn and set off for Sol de Mañana, a desert with boiling mud geysers that spurt steam and fumaroles. Geothermal activity in this area is used both to generate electricity and to heat the Polques Hot Springs, which we'll also visit. We'll continue on to another one of the reserve's impressive colourful lagoons, the Laguna Verde, which is located at the foot of the Licanbur Volcano.
We'll stop in the village of Villa Mar for lunch and then set off on our return to Uyuni, during which we'll pass through colonial mining villages such as San Cristóbal. Once we're back in Uyuni, we'll board a sleeper bus departing at 8:30 pm that'll take us to La Paz. We'll arrive in La Paz at 5:30 am.
Accommodation
This tour includes 3 nights' full-board accommodation at the following hotels:
- Coqueza: Hostal Coqueza or similar.
- Colcha K: Hostal Cruz Andina or similar.
- Aguas Termales de Polques: Hostal Polques or similar.
Rainy season
Uyuni is currently in its rainy season, so we can't get to the middle of the salt flat. For this reason, we'll access around 6 to 9 miles (10 to 15 kilometres) of the salt flat on the first day before going to Coqueza.
The rainy season will last until around March or April.
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