Andean adrenalin

Welcome at the airport and transfer to the hotel. Free time to enjoy the hotel's Spa, which offers a wide range of massages and beauty treatments. The hotel offers great facilities such as a beautiful indoor swimming pool, a gym, a trendy bar and excellent restaurants. The cocktail is perfect for relaxing after a long journey to Bolivia. In the afternoon, depart for the Valley of the Moon. Walk through a geological labyrinth made of clay and intersected by deep chasms... a work of art, similar to a desert of stalagmites. Return to the hotel.

Your guide will collect you from your hotel and take you to the historic city centre of La Paz. The tour starts at the central station of the red cable car. In addition to our team of English-speaking guides, a "special" guide will show us around the city in his own way. A "shoeshine boy" will accompany us throughout the morning. After a cable car ride, we set off to visit various markets. Our first stop was the potato market, where we discovered the dehydrated variety of potato, las tuntas and los chuños, a local species with a very special taste and smell. The next stop is the fish market, where most of the produce is trout, straight from Lake Titicaca. Fish arrive every morning between 3.30am and 5am, and the cholitas start preparing their stalls. We then visit the district where all the shops where the cholita paceña buys her uniform are located: fabrics, clothes, hats and jewellery. Cholitas are very coquettish, even going so far as to match their jewellery to the colour of their contact lenses. It's easy to see why it's more profitable for a cholita to pay a bodyguard than to take the risk of having an earring stolen. A vicuña jacket, for example, can fetch up to 15,000 dollars. A short break is needed for a Bolivian culinary experience at the Ali Pacha restaurant. Its fine, refined cuisine is sure to surprise you. Afternoon devoted to a walking tour of La Paz to soak up the atmosphere of this surprising and endearing city. Discover the traditional colourful markets, the colonial quarter, Plaza Murillo and Calle Jaen, the most beautiful colonial street in La Paz. To round off this wonderful day, dinner at the Gustu restaurant, one of the best in South America. It offers both national and international gourmet cuisine. Its "tasting" menu will delight your taste buds, with a menu that is both sophisticated and authentic, using the ancestral knowledge of traditional cuisine and the products offered by the Bolivian soil.

Departure in the morning from the hotel by private vehicle to reach the town of Chuquiñapi, on the shores of Lake Titicaca, far from the tourist trails. Check in at the José Ferrari monastery, an attractive building overlooking the lake. After lunch at the monastery, we take the vehicle to the island of Sunata to the south of Chuquiñapi (20 minutes). From here, we embark on a lovely hike. After exploring the small island of Sunata, we head north along the shores of the lake. Return on foot to the monastery in the middle of the Andean countryside. You can take a stroll along the banks or enjoy the peace and quiet. Dinner on site.

We set off to join one of the two catamarans on the other side of the bay. Then we sail with our local crew as the wind blows across this pretty bay to take in the breathtaking views of the imposing glacial massifs of the Cordillera Real. Return to the monastery in the late morning. After lunch, departure in the morning for the small Aymara village of Tuni at the foot of the Condoriri massif. Meet the families of the community.

Departure for Laguna Chiarkhota. We first head due west, skirting Laguna Tuni and heading northeast up a valley. We then climb gently through a beautiful valley to the foot of the Condoriri massif and on to Laguna Chiarkhota, base camp for the Condor head and Pequeño Alpamayo. The view alone from this magical spot is well worth the climb. You can see the glacier that rises to the Pequeño Alpamayo, but above all, you have an unbeatable view of the Condor Head and its majestic glacier. We then skirt around the Laguna Chiarkhota to the left, heading north-west, along a path that gradually becomes stony and steep, heading south-east, until we reach the Col Austria at the foot of the Condoriri (5,140 m alt.). We then have to tackle steep scree to reach the Peak Austria, which rises to 5,300m. It's well worth the effort. The view of the Condoriri massif from up there is exceptional, as if you were actually there. This climb to Pic Austria will give you the same thrills as experienced mountaineers, so why deprive yourself! Return to Tuni by the same route. Musical evening with a group from the neighbouring village of Chuñawi (subject to availability).

Traditional breakfast including buñelos (a type of doughnut) and api (a drink made from purple corn). Activities linked to community life (harvesting in the fields, llamas, etc.). Preparation of the huatia (meal cooked in an "oven" built underground using large hot stones). In the afternoon, activities in the village: introduction to weaving techniques, looking for llamas and alpacas in the fields, etc. At 4.00 pm, departure for La Paz.

Departure for La Paz airport. Flight from La Paz to Uyuni (times vary). Reception at Uyuni airport and departure for the Lipez region. First, a visit to the train cemetery on the outskirts of the town. We pass through the village of San Cristobal, which was relocated following the arrival of a mining company. A little anecdote: its church was rebuilt stone by stone at a cost of almost half a million dollars. Discovery of the Vallée des Roches, where erosion has created strange shapes several metres high that sit on the sandy ground as if by magic. Before reaching our destination, we make a short stop to enjoy a magnificent panoramic view of a magnificent canyon. Arrival in the village of Villamar in the late afternoon.

Initially, the route runs alongside the Salar de Capina, exploited for its borax. The trail then continues to the Polques thermal baths (4,000 m). The most courageous can enjoy a bath with a view of the Laguna Chalviri. On to the border with Chile. On the way, you can catch a glimpse of the famous "Dali Desert", with its supernatural landscapes of light ochre tones dotted with isolated rocks. Finally, we arrive at the end of Bolivia, with the Laguna Blanca and above all the Laguna Verde (4,300 m) with its emerald colour and the Licancabur volcano as a backdrop... watch out, it's blowing hard. We cross a pass at almost 5,000 m altitude before stopping at the Sol de Mañana site (4,850 m altitude). This area is characterised by numerous geysers, fumaroles and mud pools. Continue on to Laguna Colorada. The Laguna Colorada finally shows its face. You'll need to take a long break to admire this exceptional lagoon. It is home to numerous colonies of pink flamingos, strutting their stuff before our very eyes. The track then takes the road to the Siloli Desert. This desert is made up of numerous geomorphological formations, including the locally famous "stone tree". The surrounding landscape is not to be outdone, with its multicoloured mountains. A few more kilometres are needed before you reach the Hotel du Désert.

The route continues northwards, along the border with Chile, along the "1001 Lagoons" road. A succession of splendid lagoons (Honda, Ch'arkota, Hedionda and Cañapa), some of which are home to colonies of pink flamingos... amazing. In the background, the surrounding landscape is not to be outdone, with its multicoloured mountains. During the day, each section brings its own eclectic array of landscapes. Further on, a break to stretch your legs and contemplate the Ollaguë and Tomasamil volcanoes. Crossing the Salar de Chiguana brings this magnificent day to a close. Arrival at the village of San Pedro de Quemez in the late afternoon.

Depart very early in the morning to reach the Iruputuncu Volcano (2h30 to 03h00 of track). The vehicle stops at the foot of the volcano, just a few metres from the Chilean border (4465 m alt.). Fumaroles are already visible at the summit. First climb a steep scree slope, then wind up through the rocks to the rim of the crater (4950 m alt.). It takes around 1 hour 45 minutes from the vehicle to reach the heart of the volcano. The ruins bear witness to a former mining operation. The colours here are astonishing. Huge fumes envelop the bright yellow mineral. If the winds are favourable, it is possible to climb beyond the crater to reach the pass above. It takes around 3 hours to reach the summit. Superb panoramic views of the Bolivian and ... Chilean side of the mountain. Descend by the same route back to the crater, then directly through the scree to the car (around 1 hour). Return to San Pedro de Quemez in the late afternoon.

First of all, a small diversions is necessary to get to the small Cave of the Galaxies, a rather unique place... Arriving on the Salar d'Uyuni, even if it had been hoped for, impatiently awaited, even if it had been glimpsed in photos, it is beyond imagination. Its immaculate surface, a virgin land for everyone's dreams. Dotted with a handful of islands, you'll have plenty of vantage points from which to observe, photograph, picnic... and, above all, meditate on the beauty of the world. Discover Incahuasi island with a short walk (around 45 minutes) along a small path. If time allows, visit a small Tahua salt mine and the small Chantani museum. Overnight in the village of Tahua. Sunset over the Salar.

Morning departure for the village of Llica. We cross the Salar d'Uyuni due west. From Llilica we head for the small village of Bellen. We cross vast stretches of desert offering splendid views of the enormous mountain massif that is the Sillajhuay o Alto Toroni... The latter forms an immense open crater, covered in snow on its many summits and summit ridges. After passing the village of Chacoma, we arrive in Bellen, nestling at the foot of the volcano. We pass through the old ghost village and continue through fields of quinoa before climbing up the mountainside. We arrive above the mine camp, then descend to the mine huts. After asking the miners for permission to camp, we set up camp on a pretty flat spot above the mine, close to a stream, at around 4735m.

Departure in the night at around 3am. The vehicle climbs along the passable track to the bottom of the valley, to a pass at an altitude of 5510m. Depending on snow conditions, the vehicle may stop lower down. We continue on foot. We climb to a ridge and follow it to a viewpoint (or first summit) at 5740m (1h30 to 2h00). Beautiful views of the summit. Steep descent of 85m (depending on snow conditions, crampons may be required) before climbing back up to the foot of the summit ridge (5800m). Climb to the summit, which we reach in 2? hours from the viewpoint. Views of the Coipasa and Uyuni salars and the Volcanoes on the Chilean side. It takes 2 hours to return to the car. Return to Llica and then to the Uyuni salar. We reach the village of Colchani on the edge of the Salar. Night in a salt hotel.

Morning departure for Uyuni airport. Flight from Uyuni to La Paz. Reception at La Paz airport and transfer to hotel.

Free time to enjoy the hotel's Spa, which offers a wide range of massages and beauty treatments. The hotel offers great facilities including a beautiful indoor swimming pool, a gym, a trendy bar and excellent restaurants. The cocktail is perfect for relaxing after your Bolivian adventure in the highlands.

In the morning, we set off by vehicle towards La Cumbre (4,750 m alt.). We begin our mad descent. From bend to bend, the landscape becomes greener, the air more humid, the wind warmer... We covered more than 3,500 metres of ascent to Yolosa (alt. 1,100 m) in just a few hours! We climbed back into the vehicle. A steep 7-kilometre climb (650 m ascent) takes us to Coroico, a paradise village in the Yungas, where we enjoy a delicious buffet. We then transfer to the "Las Cascadas" ecolodge, situated at the bottom of the Rio Coroico valley.

Descend on foot to the Rio Coroico, where kayaks and rafts (your choice) await you. In a tropical setting, a magnificent descent down the river to Chojña. In the afternoon, return by vehicle to the ecolodge. On the way, stop off at the magnificent Ensueño waterfall for a refreshing swim.

Departure for exotic waterfalls where you can rest and refresh yourself. A leisurely morning to take in the scenery and relax. Lunch at the ecolodge. In the afternoon, return to La Paz by private vehicle.

Departure from the hotel by private vehicle for a transfer to La Paz airport (3 hours before international departure time).