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Arrive
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Day 1 Arrive in Santiago
Arrive in the Chilean capital today where you will be met at the airport and privately transferred to your hotel. The balance of the day is at leisure for you to recover from your journey or perhaps explore the cafes, shops and restaurants of Santiago's bohemian Lastarria neighbourhood.
Overnight: The Singular Santiago
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Day 2 To the Atacama
This morning you will be driven to the airport in time for your flight to Calama, gateway to the Atacama Desert. Transfer to your lodge where, after a delicious first lunch, you will learn more about the wealth of activities on offer during your stay. There may be time for an excursion this afternoon, or you could simply relax in one of the heated outdoor pools and begin absorbing your serene natural surroundings.
Overnight: Explora Atacama
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Day 3 Activities in the Atacama Desert
Enjoy a first full day of activities in the Atacama Desert, led by Explora's superb team of guides. Classic expeditions include visits to the steaming Tatio Geysers and the Atacama's flamingo scattered lagoons, but the ethos of Explora is also to get you off-the-beaten track, discovering remote and pristine regions rarely frequented by other visitors. Traverse rolling dunes on foot or horseback, taking in the astonishing views of the Salt Mountain Range, or venture out by mountain bike to explore multicoloured valleys. Perhaps round off your day with a soak in the inviting waters of the Puritama hot springs.
Overnight: Explora Atacama
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Day 4 Further activities in the Atacama
Another full day of Atacama adventures awaits. Those with an interest in early civilisations can join visits to Yerbas Buenas or Kezala with their variety of petroglyphs, or encounter one of the earliest known Atacama settlements at Tulor. If it is a rewarding physical challenge you seek, you could hike to the caldera of the Sairecabur Volcano or go mountain biking in the Moon Valley. Those seeking a slower pace can take a leisurely bike ride to the Cejar Lagoon - perfect for an afternoon dip. This evening, you may wish to partake in guided star gazing at the lodge's observatory.
Overnight: Explora Atacama
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Day 5 Crossing the Altiplano into Bolivia
This morning you will leave the desert plains of Chile behind and cross the border into Bolivia, joining your private 4 x 4 vehicle, driver and guide for an immersion into breathtaking landscapes of the Altiplano. At the Sol de Mañana geysers you will be greeted by the sight of bubbling mud pools and lively fumaroles. Keep a look-out for Andean flamingos as you take a picnic lunch looking out over the striking Laguna Colorada. Continue your scenic journey, arriving at your welcoming mountain lodge in time to glimpse the mirror-like lake and volcanic peaks before the sun dips below the horizon.
Overnight: Explora Ramaditas Mountain Lodge
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Day 6 Turquiri Lagoon & Chituca
Continue your journey across the Bolivian Altiplano today, pausing to hike through ancient mines and valleys. The more hospitable conditions of the Turquiri Lagoon make this a wonderful place to spot an array of Andean birds, against a backdrop of intriguing rock formations formed of volcanic pumice stone. After a picnic lunch by the lagoon, time will be spent delving deeper into this fascinating area. You can choose to explore by vehicle and gentle walk, or set out on a more challenging hike. Later this afternoon you will resume your journey to Chituca and your mountain lodge, which boasts sweeping views of the Altiplano from its cosy dining room.
Overnight: Explora Chituca Mountain Lodge
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Day 7 Chituca activities & on to Uyuni
Your morning will be spent exploring the varied surroundings of Chituca, where you could hike through cactus forest and ancient agricultural terraces or visit a former Spanish settlement that offers a stunning outlook over the Altiplano. Continue on to the Gruta de las Galaxias cave and discover its shards of honeycomb-like rock, formed by fossilised algae. This afternoon, your first glimpse of the dazzling Salar de Uyuni awaits, gleaming brilliant white on the horizon. You will arrive in time for lunch on the salt flat, before heading to Isla Pescado - 'Fish Island'. One of the largest islands on the salt flat, Isla Pescado emerges seemingly out of nowhere in the middle of the endless white plains, and its cactus-sprinkled slopes provide magical photo opportunities. This evening, settle into your memorable lodge located on the slopes of the Tunupa volcano.
Overnight: Explora Jirira Lodge
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Day 8 Salar de Uyuni
On the largest salt flat in the world, a world of opportunities for adventure awaits, and your private guide will make suggestions for the very best way to immerse yourself into these astonishing landscapes. You could traverse the salt encrusted expanse by mountain bike, visit remote villages in the volcanic foothills or hike the multicoloured slopes of the Tunupa volcano. For a less demanding hike, the summit of Cerro Wila Khollu offers far-reaching views of the salt flats and the volcano beyond.
Overnight: Explora Jirira Lodge
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Day 9 To La Paz
After a final breakfast admiring the unforgettable views of the Salar de Uyuni, you will be driven to Uyuni airport where you will take a flight to La Paz. Experience a complete change of pace as you are driven into the centre of colourful La Paz - the highest administrative capital city in the world. A private guide will introduce you to the highlights of this multifaceted city, where ladies in traditional indigenous dress sell no end of curiosities in the Witches' Market, and cobbled streets dotted with churches and plazas reflect the city's colonial past. A cable-car ride up to El Alto provides an entirely new perspective on the sprawl of the city and the snow-capped peak of Mount Illimani in the distance.
Overnight: Casa Grande
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Day 10 Tiwanaku
This morning you will be joined by your private guide for a visit to the intriguing pre-Inca archaeological site of Tiwanaku. The remains of this ancient city only hint at the power and significance of the Tiwanaku empire, one that flourished during the period 500 - 900 AD. Your guide will explain the sophistication of the Tiwanaku civilisation and the theories behind its unexpected disappearance as you explore the site's well-preserved temples, monoliths and Sun Gate.
Overnight: Casa Grande
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Day 11 Depart
Transfer to La Paz airport in plenty of time for your flight home or onward arrangements.
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Depart
