Day 1. Calama Airport – San Pedro de Atacama
Departure of the Tour at 10:30 hrs. We will visit the Agricultural Terminal to see a typical market. We will enter the Azapa Valley, on the way we will observe the La Tropilla Geoglyph. Then we will visit the San Miguel de Azapa Museum. We will cross towards the Lluta Valley where we will have a view of both valleys. We will have lunch in an ecological community, Ecotruly. We will appreciate the candelabra cactus and the magnetic zone, we will visit a pre-Inca fortress in Copaquilla and we will visit a foothill town of Socoroma 3000 meters above sea level. We will walk towards this town for approximately 1 hour, a short break (coffee and cookies). Arrival at Putre 3500 MSN at 6:30 p.m. approximately. Dinner and accommodation.
Day 2. Putre – Lauca – Putre National Park
Departure from the accommodation in Putre at 08:30 hrs. approx. We will have breakfast in Putre or in Termas de Jurasi. To continue later to the Bofedal de las Cuevas where we will walk for 40 min. On the way we will see wild vicuñas, vizcachas and we will know bofedales, the base of the ecosystem in the altiplano (Mirador Bofedal de Parinacota). We will be able to admire a great variety of birds such as the pitios del norte, guallatas, coots, among others. We will admire Lake Chungara, and Lagunas Cotacotani return to Putre. Dinner.
Day 3. Putre – Surire Salt Flat
Breakfast in Putre Departure at 08:30 hrs. approx., Later visiting Ancuta and Guallatire, two highland towns over 4000 meters above sea level at the foot of the active Guallatire volcano. Arriving at the Salar de Surire at 12:00 hrs. approx. We will visit Chilcaya making a walk of approximately one hour, to photograph the flora and fauna, highlighting the three types of flamingos that exist in this Salar (Andean, Chilean, James); Then we will go to the Polloquere Hot Springs (4,270 masl), waters of volcanic origin that emerge at 80º C, with high mineral content that allow us to rest pleasantly at 4,270 masl. Picnic. Lodging in CONAF Refuge. Dinner.
Day 4. Salar de Surire – Isluga Volcano National Park – Enquelga – Colchane
Breakfast at the CONAF shelter. Departure towards Mulluri – Arabilla Viewpoint, Enquelga. We will visit the Isluga Volcano National Park, where we will get to know the Isluga town with its Church and abundance of bofedales. We will visit the giant cacti of Rio Grande. Picnic at noon. We will also observe geological formations of moving beauty.
Day 5. Colchane Pisiga – Tahua (Bolivia)
Breakfast, we cross the Bolivian border through the Salar de Coipasa, Salar de Uyuni near the village of Llica, Tahua, accommodation at the Tayka de Sal hotel. Dinner.
Day 6. Tahua – Salar de Uyuni – San Pedro de Quemes
Breakfast, Chillquilla, Pucara de Chillima, Incahuasi Island, Mala Mala Bay, towards the Galaxy Cave, San Pedro de Quemes. Dinner and overnight at the Tayka de Piedra hotel.
Day 7. Desert Lagoon – Partridge Eye
After breakfast visit San Pedro de Quemes, Laguna Cañapa, Laguna Hedionda, Laguna Honda, Ramaditas. Box lunch. Dinner and lodging Hotel Tayka del Desierto * * * Ojos de Perdiz, 4,000 m.
Day 8. Partridge Eye – Red Lagoon – Green Lagoon – San Pedro de Atacama
First breakfast. Early departure Arbol de Piedra, Laguna Colorada, Sol de Mañana geyser, Chalviri desert, Valle de las Damas del Desierto, border to Hito Cajon. San Pedro de Atacama.
Day 9. San Pedro de Atacama – Salar de Atacama – Altiplanic Lagoons – San Pedro de Atacama
Breakfast at the Hotel. Departure from San Pedro de Atacama at 08:30 hrs. We will head south to the town of Toconao, an oasis on the edge of the Salar de Atacama. We will continue on our way to the town of Socaire (3218 masl), to go up to the Miscanti and Meñiques Altiplanic Lagoons located at 4350 masl within the Los Flamencos National Reserve, one of the 5 zones protected by CONAF. Return to Socaire for lunch. After lunch we will go down to the edge of the Salar de Atacama to visit the Lagunas de Chaxa, brackish lagoons where Chilean, Andean and James flamingos feed. Return to the hotel in San Pedro de Atacama. Dinner and accommodation.
Day 10. San Pedro de Atacama – Pukara de Quitor – Tulor – Valley of the Moon – San Pedro de Atacama
Breakfast at the Hotel. Departure from San Pedro de Atacama at 08:30 hrs. We will leave in the direction of Pukara de Quitor, an impressive Atacameño fortress from the 12th century. Later we will visit the village of Tulor, it is the oldest residential vestige in the salt flat (800 ac) it is made up of circular enclosures interconnected with each other. There is a replica of them in the surroundings, which allows us to contextualize this visit in situ.
Visit the Padre Le Paige Museum, it is the most important in the north. Lunch in San Pedro de Atacama, in the afternoon excursion to the Valley of the Moon. Departure from San Pedro at 4:00 p.m. Approximately towards Valle de la Luna, a protected sector of the Los Flamencos National Reserve. It is a folding area of the Cordillera de la Sal that at sunset allows you to see shade and colors in the Atacama desert. We will walk through an area of caves from a large dune of 500 meters. To observe the sunset from that height. Return to the hotel in San Pedro. Dinner and accommodation.
Day 11. San Pedro de Atacama – Calama or Airport
Departure in the direction of Geiseres del Tatio at 04:00 a.m., to arrive at this geothermal field, one of the most important in Chile, at 07:30 a.m. With the dawn we will witness the emanations of water, gases and steam, coming from mother earth; breakfast.
On the way to Calama, we will pass through the picturesque towns of Caspana, Chiu – Chiu to have lunch in the town of Lasana. Transfer Airport or Calama.
Includes:
Accommodation:
2 night in a hotel/hostel in Putre (according to availability).
1 night at the CONAF Refuge in Surire.
1 night in a hotel/hostel in Colchane.
3 nights Tayka Hotels in Bolivia.
3 nights in a hotel/hostel in San Pedro de Atacama.
Feeding:
11 breakfasts in Putre, Parinacota, Surire (CONAF), Colchane, Hotels in Bolivia. Saint Peter.
11 lunches (Ecotruly, picnic in Parinacota and Polloquere, Salar de Uyuni, Socaire, San Pedro de Atacama, Lasana).
9 dinners in a restaurant in Putre, Parinacota, Surire (CONAF), Colchane, Hotels in Bolivia.
Soft drinks and mineral water without gas.
Fruits, coffee, cookies.
Guide:
Experienced guide/driver in English.
Vehicle:
Minibus (van) with oxygen equipment.
4×4 vehicle to travel around Bolivia (Toyota Land Cruiser).
Others:
Tickets to the San Miguel de Azapa Museum, Termas de Jurasi and Polloquere.
Walks in Socoroma, Bofedal de las Cuevas, in the Cotacotani and Salar de Surire Lagoons, Salar de Uyuni, Laguna de Chaxa, Valle de la Luna.