Tayka Route Uyuni + Atacama

Duration

3D/2N

Highlights:

Overview

Uyuni in Bolivia is home to the awe-inspiring Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flat, with its vast expanse of glistening salt crystals creating a surreal and breathtaking natural spectacle.

Logistic support and telephone on call 24 hours a day
Driver – guide in Spanich highly specialized for the trips in the region
Private transportation (for the private program)
Semi-private transportation according the program, maximum 4 people per car (if a language guide is requested, this will be the 5th person)
– Toyota Land Cruiser 4X4, equipped with satellite cell phone, medical kit, oxygen tanks and fire extinguisher
Share transfer San Pedro de Atacama-Hito Cajon
Accomodation according to the program, on a double basis in standard private rooms with private bathdroooms, hot water and heating In case of unavailability, hotels of the same category will be proposed with the consequent modification of the program
Consigned meals (B= Breakfast, L= Lunch, D= Dinner, Bx= Box Lunch
Snack and mineral water for the trip (in the vehicle)

Guide in a language other than Spanish
Entrance fees (price apart)
Meals not included in the itinerary
Drinks during ,eals in hotels
Travel insurance, tips or other personal expenses
What is not mentioned in the program

Uyuni-Tahua (Tayka de Sal Hotel) (-/Bx/D)

Today we will have an unforgettable trip through 12.000 km² of fantastic landscapes of salt. Prepare your photo camera! The blinding white mantle of Salar de Uyuni resembles an immense glacier.

In winter (dry season, from May to November/December), when the surface hardens, geometric figures appear formed by the particles of salt amassed in polygons. In summer (rainy season, from December to March/April) the saline desert becomes a gigantic mirror auf water that melts into the purest sky in America.

We will enter the salt flat through Colchani, where the small family run salt factories are located. We will visit one of them, where we will receive an explanation about the economy of the salt that governs the town’s life based on a cooperative organization.

Next we will have the privilege of visiting Incahuasi Island that has an ascension path to its peak that turns into an extraordinary 360 degree viewpoint. This island surprises by the quantity of giant cactus (Echinopsis atacamensis) that populate the Island.

We will have a box lunch on the island and later we’ll go towards the dominant and magic figure of the Tunupa Volcano to whose foothills is located the village of Coquesa, from where the ascent will begin in our 4×4 to reach an appreciable height from where the views of the Monumental Salt Desert are impressive. A short walk takes us to see the¨chullpares¨ – rock graves, which are old burials sites of ancient mummies.

A neighboring village of Coquesa is Tahua, where we arrive to our hotel for the night. Accommodation in the Hotel Tayka de Sal, with private bathroom, hot water and heating (Bx, D).

Tahua-Ojo de Perdiz (Tayka del Desierto Hotel) (B/Bx/D)

Today we will dedicate us to the part of the Salt Flat ignored by tourism yet, also called ¨Salar Sensual¨ (Sensual Salt Flat). We will head our 4X4 car towards Ch’jini, a place little visited by the tourism despite of its nonpareil beauty.

Here, we will ascend to the “cathedral”, rock formation at the shore of the salt lake of approximately 40 m high where a ¨pucara¨ or ruins are located as a presume remain of an old Tiwanacota civilization. The challenge of ascending to the very crest of the “cathedral” is simple but with the guaranteed means of security, it is an opportunity to distill adrenaline in order to reach one of the most exceptional viewpoints in the world. Next we will visit the cave of Ch’jini, result of a sub aquatic geologic formation. The beauty and fragility of these geologic formations have forced the community to organize the visit in small groups. Continuing our travel, we will have the privilege of crossing from north to south the most beautiful part of the white desert, the ¨Salar Sensual¨, far from the usual route of the tourists.

Going towards the Fish Island we will have a brief walk and will continue through the bay of the ¨Islas Campanas¨ (Bell Islands) dominated by the image of the Volcano Caltama configuring a nonpareil landscape and environment. We will abandon the Salt flat leaving through ¨Charagua¨, and it will take us one more hour to arrive to the Burnt Village of San Pedro de Quemes, where we will walk through its narrow alleys and constructions that have inspired the Tayka de Piedra Hotel. Lunch at the Hotel.

In the afternoon the dominant figure of the Volcano Ollagüe that remains active, will lead us towards the bouquet of colorful mountain lakes: The lagoons Cañapa, Hedionda, Chiarkota, Honda and Ramaditas, in which you will enjoy to photograph great quantity of flamingos. Later on we will enter in desert surfaces of sand and stone of enormous extension, without routes, almost without direction. These fantastic deserts owns the whole palette of terracotta, red, oranges, ochers, brasses, browns and beige fighting in every curve of the road for the traveler’s attention.

In front of this palette of colors was lifted the Hotel Tayka del Desierto, with private bathrooms, hot water and heating (B, Bx, D).

Ojo de Perdiz-San Pedro de Atacama (B/Bx/-)

We will leave early at dawn towards our first contact with the Andean Flora and Fauna at Eduardo Avaroa Reserve when visiting the ¨Árbol de Piedra¨ (Stone Tree). Next we will have a visit to the stunning ¨Laguna Colorada¨ (Red Lagoon) to observe its great population of flamingos. We will continue toward the Sol de Mañana Gaysers in order to get surprised by their most active moments. This will be the highest point on the route, near 5000 m.a.s.l.

The desert and Salt Flat of Chalviri is scenery of great landscape value that combines the white of the borax, the ocher of the desert, and the blue of the water. In one of its corners we will be able to take a bath in the hot springs of Polques. When leaving we will pass in front the scenery of the desert ¨Las Damas del Desierto¨ (Valley of the Ladies), masterpieces of rocks carved by wind and the weather.

And once again, now as an excess, we will see the ¨Laguna Verde¨ (the Green Lagoon) at the feet of the Licancabur Volcano, other pearl of the Reserve.

The border crossing will be at Hrs 13:30, for the semi-private transfer to San Pedro de Atacama (B, Box).

End of our services in San Pedro de Atacama.

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