La Paz to Buenos Aires: Andes & the Atacama Desert
15 days, La Paz to Buenos Aires
Itinerary Notes
1) Please note transportation providers in Bolivia can be unpredictable and change or cancel bus routes, our itineraries may change to accommodate these changes with the best passenger experience in mind.
2) We recommend bringing USD in cash for the Argentinean portion of this tour as it is easier than using a credit card or withdrawing ARS from an ATM. USD currency is accepted in travel agencies for booking optional activities.
Itinerary
Day 1La Paz
Arrive at any time. Catch your breath before heading out for a few cold ones near the hotel with your fellow travellers. Get to know each other as you prepare for the adventure of a lifetime.
Please note if you choose to pre-book the Death Road Biking Adventure on day 1 of your tour, you will need to book a pre-night in order to participate in this activity as it starts at 6AM.
Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group
Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.
Your First Night Out Moment: Connect With New Friends
Connect with new friends on your first night out in a new destination. Only available on 18-to-Thirtysomethings tours.
Optional Activities - Day 1 HideShow
Death Road Biking Adventure
Get your adrenaline pumping as you soar down the 'world's most dangerous road.' Start high up in the Andes at 4,700m (15,420 ft) and wind your way down this steep, narrow road on the mountainside into the depths of the Bolivian jungle. This is not one for the faint of heart, adrenaline junkies only!
Please note that the entrance fee of 53 Bolivianos (not included in this activity) must be paid directly to the National Park prior to biking, only local currency is accepted. We are unable to pre-pay this fee in advance, due to the park policy.
Should you choose to pre-book the Death Road Biking Adventure on day 1 of your tour, you will need to book a pre-night in order to participate in this activity.
Accommodation
Below is an example of the hotel we may use in this city. For the actual hotel your specific departure will be using, please check your voucher.
Hotel Las Brisas (or similar)
Day 2La Paz/Sucre
Get to know La Paz with a free day to wander through the city's winding streets and vibrant markets before boarding a night bus to Sucre.
Free Time
Get out and explore this high altitude city.
Overnight Bus
Curl up and catch a snooze en route to the next stop.
Optional Activities - Day 2 HideShow
La Paz City Tour
35USD per personExplore the city on a guided tour. Check out stunning cathedrals, impressive museums, and lively markets, learning more about the history of this fascinating city. Look for majestic Mt Illimani in the background.
Valley of the Moon Tour
15USD per personTour the lunar landscape of the Valley of the Moon, observe the clay formations carved into the landscape by years of erosion.
Witches' Market Visit
Learn more about the pre-Columbian Aymara beliefs at the Witches' Market. You can witness locals buying products such as dried frogs, potions, and talismans for use in rituals and offerings.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 3Sucre
Discover the beauty of Sucre, known as Bolivia's "White City" at your own pace with a free day to explore. Set in a valley surrounded by mountains, you can choose to go hiking or mountain biking to admire this city from a different point of view.
Free Time
Get out and explore beautiful tranquil Sucre.
Optional Activities - Day 3 HideShow
Sunday Tarabuco Market
40USD per personOn a Sunday morning, the Tarabuco market offers a glimpse into daily Bolivian life and the diversity of its people. Where indigenous groups from the surrounding area gather on Sundays to sell their goods.
Hiking
Head out of town, take in some fresh air, and explore this scenic area by foot.
Mountain Biking
Take a guided mountain biking trip on the outskirts of Sucre and explore more of this beautiful region.
Sucre Dinosaur Tracks Excursion
Get ready to get up close and personal with the prehistoric times: Sucre is home to one of the world's largest collections of dinosaur footprints made some 68 million years ago. Discover more than 5,000 footprints perfectly preserved footprints in the Cal Orck’o cliff just outside the city centre. See the world's longest trail -- 347m (1138 ft) -- left by a baby Tyrannosaurus Rex now affectionately known as 'Johnny Walker'.
Rewilding Yampara: Walks Through Culture and Forest
Begin in Bolivia's capital and cultural heritage hub, Sucre. Then, travel to the Yampara Indigenous community of Pisily, located in the rural highlands near Tarabuco. The Yampara are one of the country’s oldest Andean peoples, known for their deep agricultural knowledge, ancestral weaving, and their strong relationship with the land. Hosted by a local indigenous family, the group will engage in seasonal agroecological activities, learn about sustainable practices within Andean farming, and hike through one of the largest native Polylepis forest in Chuquisaca. You'll come away from this G Adventures-supported community initiative with deeper insight into the worldview of the Yampara, their climate resilience, and food sovereignty. Finish off the experience with a traditional apthapi, a communal Andea meal featuring foods like native potatoes, quinoa, wild mushrooms, and seasonal vegetables. More than just a meal, the apthapi represents abundance, hospitality, and a shared celebration between the local community and travellers.
Accommodation
Hotel Independencia (or similar)
Day 4Sucre
One day in Sucre isn't enough, so take another free day to explore! Try optional activities such as hiking, mountain biking, a visit to the Textile Cooperative, or get up close and personal with real dinosaur tracks.
Your Discover Moment
There's plenty to see and do in Sucre, and we wanted to make sure that you had some time to take it all in. Feel free to relax or try optional activities like hiking, mountain biking, and visiting the Textile Cooperative. Your CEO has more ideas if you need them. Just ask!
Optional Activities - Day 4 HideShow
Sucre Dinosaur Tracks Excursion
Get ready to get up close and personal with the prehistoric times: Sucre is home to one of the world's largest collections of dinosaur footprints made some 68 million years ago. Discover more than 5,000 footprints perfectly preserved footprints in the Cal Orck’o cliff just outside the city centre. See the world's longest trail -- 347m (1138 ft) -- left by a baby Tyrannosaurus Rex now affectionately known as 'Johnny Walker'.
Sunday Tarabuco Market
40USD per personOn a Sunday morning, the Tarabuco market offers a glimpse into daily Bolivian life and the diversity of its people. Where indigenous groups from the surrounding area gather on Sundays to sell their goods.
Hiking
Head out of town, take in some fresh air, and explore this scenic area by foot.
Mountain Biking
Take a guided mountain biking trip on the outskirts of Sucre and explore more of this beautiful region.
Accommodation
Hotel Independencia (or similar)
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 5Sucre/Potosí
Venture south to Potosí, the highest city of its size in the world.
Staying in the Bolivian highlands, we travel south to the city of Potosí. The highest city of its size in the world, this UNESCO World Heritage Site has had a tumultuous history as a silver mining centre during colonial times.
Local Bus
Climb aboard, grab a seat, and enjoy the ride.
Accommodation
Hotel Gran Libertador (or similar)
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 6Potosí
Get out and explore Potosí on a free day. Choose to take an excursion to the Potosí Mines led by former miners, visit the Casa de la Moneda or wander the streets and visit the local market.
Free Time
Get out there and explore.
Optional Activities - Day 6 HideShow
Potosí Mine Visit
Visit the inside of Potosí's historic mines on a eye-opening tour guided exclusively by former miners. They will share their stories firsthand about life underground. This is the only experience in the region guided entirely by former minders who have pursued toursim as a way to build a safer and healthier alternative to life beneath the surface. Visit the miners' market, an ore processing plant, and walk through the tunnels of Cerro Rico, an iconic mountain in global history. As you go, learn more about the cultural and historical significance of mining in Bolivia, and how important it was in fueling the global economy. This activity is the perfect way to enjoy a G Adventures-supported, community-led experience aiding local efforts towards education and safety around this important piece of Bolivian history.
Bring a bandana and wear protective gear (boots, helmet and headlamp) as you head deep into the bowels of Cerro Rico (Rich Hill).
Please note there is an optional add-on to this activity. It's recommended to consider visiting the Royal Mint Museum to complete the story. Ask your CEO for more information.
Accommodation
Hotel Gran Libertador (or similar)
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 7Potosí/Uyuni
It's off to Uyuni today. Breathe in the beautiful scenery while relaxing in a private vehicle. Take it easy today because your next adventure is right around the corner!
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Accommodation
Hotel Samay Wasi (or similar)
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 8Uyuni/Salt Flats and Desert Crossing
Embark on a three-day 4x4 excursion to the Salar de Uyuni. Get your camera ready because the endless white of the salt flats creates the perfect backdrop for mindbending photo ops. Settle in to your G Adventures-supported community salt-brick bungalow — complete with salt floors and salt furniture, and enjoy a delicious dinner prepared with local ingredients.
Note: During the rainy season, the locations visited may change due to some routes being covered by water.
We offer unique accommodation on the Salar de Uyuni. Instead of very basic refuges and homestays most operators use, we have upgraded to simple hotels that are equipped with solar panels to provide electricity and hot water. Rooms are multi-share and each has a private bathroom. Meals are made from local ingredients, most of which are grown on-site.
4x4
Roads? Where this rough-and-ready vehicle's going, we don't need roads.
Salt Flats and Desert Crossing Excursion
Spend three days in the stunning landscape between the Salar de Uyuni and the Atacama Desert in Chile. Enter a world unlike anything else as we drive across the salt flats; the piercing blue sky contrasts against the blinding white of the flat salt beds. Take memorable photos of the unusual landscape complete with mountains and active volcanoes. Visit the coloured lagoon of Laguna Colorada and enjoy the uniqueness of this region.
Your G for Good Moment: Jukil Community Experience & Lodge
Visit the Santiago de Agencha community, located two hours across the salt flats from Uyuni, a rural village surrounded by towering cacti and part of a small desert oasis. The community-owned salt lodge was renovated and expanded through a major project in 2016 funded by G Adventures’ foundation, Planeterra. With many of the village’s younger residences fleeing for economic opportunities, this lodge is seen by the community as a way to rescue their indigenous culture and provide opportunities for the future. Learn about their traditional agricultural practices, including their specialization in quinoa production, and take a guided walk with a community member to the sacred Jukil mountaintop for a beautiful view of the village below and the salt flats beyond. Meals of local ingredients grown in the village are prepared by ladies who were provided culinary training through the project. Leave Jukil Community Lodge knowing your visit is creating opportunities for a whole new generation of people in this community to improve their lives, and the lives of their children and grandchildren.
Accommodation
Jukil Lodge (or similar)
Meals included:
Breakfast | DinnerDay 9Salt Flats and Desert Crossing
Continue crossing the desert today, admiring the scenery while passing red and blue lagoons and intriguing rock formations along the route. Keep an eye out and you might spot wild llamas, alpacas, and even flamingos deep within the desert.
Salt Flats and Desert Crossing Excursion
Spend three days in the stunning landscape between the Salar de Uyuni and the Atacama Desert in Chile. Enter a world unlike anything else as we drive across the salt flats; the piercing blue sky contrasts against the blinding white of the flat salt beds. Take memorable photos of the unusual landscape complete with mountains and active volcanoes. Visit the coloured lagoon of Laguna Colorada and enjoy the uniqueness of this region.
Accommodation
Quetana (or similar)
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 10Salt Flats and Desert Crossing /San Pedro de Atacama
Get a head start on your day by rising early to cover more ground on your journey through the unique landscape of the Salar de Uyuni. Soak in the views of unimaginable scenery including volcanoes and salt lakes. Travel to the border then kick back and relax on your descent by bus to San Pedro de Atacama, Chile.
4x4
Roads? Where this rough-and-ready vehicle's going, we don't need roads.
Local Bus
Climb aboard, grab a seat, and enjoy the ride.
Border Crossing (Bolivia - Chile)
Ready for a little more ink in your passport? Grab your bags and get ready to check another country off your bucket list.
Optional Activities - Day 10 HideShow
Valley of the Moon Visit
35000CLP per personThe sunset brings out a variety of colours over this majestic valley that experts say is the area on Earth that most closely resembles moon's surface. Explore the incredible formations created by wind and rain over millennia in this unique location between the Andes mountains and one of the world's driest deserts.
Accommodation
Hostal Puritama (or similar)
Meals included:
Breakfast | LunchDay 11San Pedro de Atacama
Today is full of possibilities. Explore San Pedro de Atacama on a mountain bike, cruise down the dunes on a sandboard, or chill out in the hot springs. Or visit the Valley of the Moon, an area on Earth that resembles the moon's surface. (How cool is that?)
Free Time
Get out and explore the area.
Optional Activities - Day 11 HideShow
Observatory Tour
50000CLP per personGaze at the impressive desert stars from one of the best places to see them in the world and be guided on a planetary journey with an expert astronomer.
San Pedro de Atacama Hot Springs
45000CLP per personRelax in large geothermal pools surrounded by stunning desert landscapes and scenery.
Sandboarding
45000CLP per personHit the dunes and experience the rush of surfing down.
Valley of the Moon Visit
35000CLP per personThe sunset brings out a variety of colours over this majestic valley that experts say is the area on Earth that most closely resembles moon's surface. Explore the incredible formations created by wind and rain over millennia in this unique location between the Andes mountains and one of the world's driest deserts.
Accommodation
Hostal Puritama (or similar)
Day 12San Pedro de Atacama/Salta
Say "Adios!" to Chile because you're heading to Argentina today. Relax on the bus en route to Salta, home to empanadas salteñas—and no visit to the town is complete without trying them! Unwind at the hotel or liven it up with a visit to a Peña Folklore show to dance the night away and sip delicious Argentine red wine.
Local Bus
Climb aboard, grab a seat, and enjoy the ride.
Only one company operates this route each day and recently one of these companies has cancelled their services. If travel falls on a day without a bus, then please be aware that travel could be moved to Day 13. This means you would have 3 nights in San Pedro and one night in Salta.
Border Crossing (Chile - Argentina)
Ready for a little more ink in your passport? Grab your bags and get ready to check another country off your bucket list.
Optional Activities - Day 12 HideShow
Peña Folklore Show
7000ARS per personEnjoy a combination of local musical, dancing, wine and food at a peñas folklóricas. The performances can take place in restaurants, open-air squares or music halls and are usually very casual. While dancing the chacarera or zamba, any guitarist can jump on stage or start to sing. Dance the night away, try some delicious Argentine red wine and enjoy the great music.
Accommodation
La Candelaria Hotel (or similar)
Day 13Salta
Tantalize your tastebuds with the local cuisine today as you explore freely. Choose to saddle up and admire the scenery on horseback. Or, if you'd prefer, take a visit to the town of Cafayate to roam vineyards and sample some of the white wine produced at insanely high altitudes.
Your Discover Moment
There's plenty to see and do in Salta, and we wanted to make sure that you had some time to take it all in. Feel free to relax or try optional activities like the Museum of High Altitude Archeology, whitewater rafting, and hiking around Quebrada de las Conchas. Your CEO has more ideas if you need them. Just ask!
Optional Activities - Day 13 HideShow
Quebrada de las Conchas
Wind your way through valleys to the impressive layered red rock walls of the Quebrada de las Conchas, carved into high walls over time by the Las Conchas River. This is a spectacular sight, so be sure to take a few photos.
Cafayate Full Day Tour
35USD per personTravel along beautiful valleys and stop by the Quebrada de las Conchas, a beautiful red rock gorge with unique shapes eroded into its walls by wind and water. Continue on to the town of Cafayate, home to several vineyards and wineries that produce the torrontes grape. Be sure to sample some of this white wine that is produced at remarkably high altitudes. Salud!
Museum of High Altitude Archeology
8000ARS per personThe Museum of High Altitude Archeology offers a peek into Inca culture in the Andes, with a focus on child sacrifices. The mummified remains of one such sacrifice is on display in the museum.
Horseback Riding and BBQ
75USD per personAdmire the scenery while your ride slowly carries you across hills and along trails in the countryside.
Accommodation
La Candelaria Hotel (or similar)
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 14Salta/Buenos Aires
Skip the long bus journey with a quick flight to Buenos Aires. Spend the afternoon exploring the city. Cruise around on a bike with a local or dine on a traditional Argentine meal while experiencing the art of the tango.
Opt to pre-book the "Buenos Aires Tango Experience" on the checkout page ahead of time to include it on your tour.
Plane
Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
Free Time
Get out and explore beautiful Buenos Aires.
Optional Activities - Day 14 HideShow
Teatro Colón Tour
25USD per personExplore this stunning opera house on a guided tour and find out why it is voted one of the best acoustic venues in the world.
Buenos Aires Guided City Tour
Enjoy a guided tour exploring beautiful, vibrant Buenos Aires. Be introduced to historic sites and districts, including Plaza de Mayo where Eva Peron's famed balcony presides over the square. See La Boca and San Telmo's colourful street life, painted houses, and the famed Recoleta Cemetery.
Tango Dinner Show
Discover the passion of tango. Watch the pros step and slide around the dance floor while you dine on a traditional Argentine dinner. Get lost in the music, savour the sensuality, and see why this traditional dance continues to ignite the senses of locals and visitors alike.
Accommodation
Milhouse Avenue Hostal (or similar)
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 15Buenos Aires
Depart at any time.
Consider booking post-tour accommodation to further explore fascinating Buenos Aires.
Departure Day
Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.
Optional Activities - Day 15 HideShow
Teatro Colón Tour
25USD per personExplore this stunning opera house on a guided tour and find out why it is voted one of the best acoustic venues in the world.
Buenos Aires Bike Tour
Experience this vibrant city cruising around on a bicycle with a local Argentine. Bike, helmet, knowledgeable tour guide, they've got it all taken care of, just come along for the ride and take in the many historical sights on offer. Discover Plaza de Mayo, San Telmo, colourful Caminito, and the working class neighbourhoods where Tango was born.
Meeting place: Carlos Pellegrini 1233
Please note the bike tour begins at 10 AM. We advise booking a pre-night in order to arrive on time for this pre-sold optional activity. If you choose to arrive the day of the bike tour, please ensure your flight lands no later than 8 AM to ensure enough time to make it to the arrival point.
Buenos Aires Guided City Tour
Enjoy a guided tour exploring beautiful, vibrant Buenos Aires. Be introduced to historic sites and districts, including Plaza de Mayo where Eva Peron's famed balcony presides over the square. See La Boca and San Telmo's colourful street life, painted houses, and the famed Recoleta Cemetery.
La Boca Neighbourhood Visit
10USD per personVisit La Boca to soak in the vibrancy of the barrio’s brightly coloured buildings and El Caminito (a cobblestone street lined with artist studios that’s often used as an impromptu setting for tango performances). Or, if lucky, catch a match at fabled La Bombonera, the home stadium of the Boca Juniors’ fútbol club (the crowd's excitement is electric!).