Explore Andean Deserts & Highlands in Bolivia & Peru – 7 Days

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Jet off to the high-altitude deserts and Andean highlands of Bolivia and Peru for a week of outdoor adventures and ancient ruins. Start with a tour of La Paz’s unique architecture, then fly to Uyuni for a three-day tour of its arid salt flats, jewel-like lagoons, and geothermal fields. Hop over to Peru’s former Inca capital of Cusco to discover historic sites like the Plaza da Armas and Cusco Cathedral, then spend a day exploring Machu Picchu and take a colorful hike up Rainbow Mountain.

Difficulty

Condition

Travel Program

Day 1: Arrive in La Paz (Bolivia), Guided Cholet Tour

Welcome to La Paz, Bolivia’s administrative capital nestled high in the Andes. Meet your driver outside the airport and transfer to your hotel to check in, then get your first glimpse of the city with a guided cholet tour. Cholet is a distinctive architectural style unique to La Paz and characterized by vibrant colors, bold geometric designs, and a fusion of traditional Andean motifs and contemporary elements. Start with a transfer to a Mi Teleférico station, where you’ll board the cable car transit system that connects the cities of La Paz and El Alto.

Enjoy panoramic views of the steep hills and sprawling cityscape before disembarking at El Alto and heading to Villa Adela. This lively neighborhood is known for its elaborate street art and vibrant cholets. Step inside two of these colorful buildings to appreciate the equally impresive interiors, with open-plan spaces featuring luxurious finishes like Andean wall murals and ornate ceilings. After exploring both buildings, ride the cable car back to La Paz and transfer to your hotel to rest and acclimate to the altitude—you’re in the highest capital city in the world, so make sure to stay hydrated!

After a restful night in La Paz, return to the airport for a one-hour flight to Uyuni, your starting point for a three-day tour of the Salar de Uyuni, a vast salt flat stretching over 3,861 square miles (10,000 sq km). Meet your driver and guide outside the airport and hit the ground running with a visit to the Train Cemetery just a few miles out of the city. Stroll past abandoned locomotives and railway cars that date back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Once bustling with activity during the height of Bolivia’s mining boom, these rusting giants now make the perfect photographic opportunity.

Continue to Colchani, a small town where you can witness the traditional methods of salt harvesting as locals manually gather and process salt crystals. Finally, you’ll drive into the largest salt flat in the world for a picnic lunch overlooking the salt mounds and hexagonal patterns formed by the natural crystallization of the salt. After refueling, head to Isla Incahuasi, the largest island in the salt flats renowned for its impressive landscape of giant cacti, some of which reach heights of up to 39 feet (12 m). Following a full day of exploring, settle into your basic accomodation in San Juan.

The second day of your salt flats tour takes you to a viewpoint at the base of Ollagüe, an active stratovolcano. Marvel at the volcano’s rugged terrain and often snowcapped peak, which contrasts dramatically with the surrounding arid, flat landscape. Continue to the “Andean Jewels,” a set of lagoons known for their distinctive and varied characteristics, including differences in color, smell, and chemical composition. Enjoy a picnic lunch en route to Siloli Desert, one of the driest deserts in the world and the gateway to the Reserva Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa.

The desert is home to the iconic Arbol de Piedra (Stone Tree), a natural rock formation shaped by centuries of erosive winds. Your next stop is Laguna Colorada, a picturesque lagoon full of algae and plankton, which give it its red color and population of flamingoes, including the rare James’s flamingo. Transfer to your basic accommodation in Huayllajara and relax until your stargazing tour. When it’s dark enough, hop in a 4WD vehicle and drive away from any light pollution for an incredible view of the Milky Way.

After breakfast, head to Sol de Mañana, a geothermal field featuring a dramatic array of steaming fumaroles, bubbling mud pools, and active geysers. Wander the arid terrain and wait for a geyser to erupt, emitting clouds of steam and boiling water. Then, continue to the nearby Termas de Polques for a soothing soak in the natural hot springs. Surrounded by towering Andean peaks, the hot springs feature naturally heated mineral waters rich in therapeutic properties.

Your last stop is Laguna Verde, a high-altitude lagoon named for its striking emerald-green color caused by the high concentration of minerals like arsenic and sulfur. The lagoon is near the Chilean border, so on a clear day you can see the distant Atacama Desert. When the tour is over, transfer to the airport in Uyuni for a one-hour flight back to La Paz. Meet your driver outside the airport and transfer to your hotel to relax after an action-packed three days.

Say goodbye to La Paz and Bolivia today as you head to the airport for a one-hour flight to Cusco in Peru, the former capital of the Inca Empire. Meet your driver outside the airport and transfer to your hotel to check in and freshen up for a city tour. Follow your guide to Plaza de Armas, a historic square surrounded by colonial architecture and adorned with ornate fountains and beautiful gardens. Continue to Qoricancha, also known as the “Temple of the Sun” for its dedication to the worship of Inti, the sun god. Next door is the Cusco Cathedral, built atop the ruins of an Inca palace in the 17th century.

Learn more about the Inca Empire at Saqsaywaman, a sprawling archaeological site featuring meticulously crafted stone walls that once formed an impressive ceremonial complex. After exploring the remnants of sweeping terraces, ceremonial plazas, and fountains, head to the Q’enco Archaeological Complex, featuring interconnected caves and subterranean chambers believed to have been used for rituals and ancestral worship. Trade one archaeological site for another as you transfer to the Puka Pukara Archaeological Complex, often called the “Red Fortress” due to the hue of its stone walls.
Stroll the interconnected walls, terraces, and enclosures and learn about the structure’s history as a military outpost, supply center, and Inca checkpoint. Your last stop is Tambomachay, a public bathhouse used for ceremonial and religious purposes. Admire the terraced platforms, aqueducts, and fountains that once supplied water to the site through a complex network of channels and cascades before returning to your hotel in Cusco.

Your penultimate day in Peru starts with a four-hour train ride to Aguas Calientes, where you can hop on a bus for 30 minutes to get to the iconic Machu Picchu, a 15th-century Inca citadel nestled in the Andes. Follow your guide through the archaeological site with its meticulously designed terraces, temples, and residential areas. Navigate the terraced agricultural fields, with their intricate irrigation systems, and learn more about the advanced farming techniques used to sustain the site’s inhabitants.

Visit the Temple of the Sun to admire the precise stonework and enjoy panoramic views of the sprawling site. Then, visit the Temple of the Three Windows to snap a picture of the surrounding Andes and the Sacred Valley below through the trapezoidal windows. Other highlights include the Inca Bridge built into the cliffside, the royal tomb for Inca royalty and high priests, and the quarry, where the stones used to build Machu Picchu were extracted. After exploring the archaeological site for two hours, head back to Aguas Calientes for lunch before returning to Cusco by train.

Get ready for an early wake-up call as you leave Cusco between 4:00 and 4:30 am for a 3-4-hour transfer to the town of Ocefina. Have a simple breakfast in the San Jerónimo district, then start the journey, driving through rural highlands dotted with traditional villages and terraced farmlands. When you arrive, stretch your legs and set off on a 3.5-hour hike to Vinicunca, better known as “Rainbow Mountain” for its vibrant, multicolored stripes created by the sedimentary layers of minerals in the earth.

While you walk, enjoy views of snowcapped peaks, rolling hills, and the occasional herd of grazing alpacas. The higher you climb, the thinner the air grows, making the trek more challenging, but your efforts will be rewarded when you reach a viewpoint just below the summit. Enjoy a free hour to rest and take in sweeping views of the mountain’s vivid shades of red, pink, yellow, and turquoise. When it’s time, start the three-hour trek to Checacupe, where a much-deserved lunch will be waiting for you. Return to Cusco around 6:30 pm and head to the airport for your flight home. Safe travels!

Included meals: B=breakfast; L=lunch; D=dinner

What's Included

Included

  • Services and meals included in the aforementioned program
  • Accommodation and feeding as mentioned in the program
  • Guide in English or Spanish language
  • Entries and contributions to the places visited
  • All services are private except for the boat trip on Lake Titicaca, which will be shared only with our clients and only if they have the same route

Not included

  • Early check-in, late check-out
  • Services and food not listed in the itinerary, hotel extras, and personal expenses
  • Everything not mentioned in the program
  • Airport taxes on the Uyuni/La Paz route
  • Tips
  • Air tickets

What to Bring

What to Bring or take fo Day Hiking and Technical Equipment for Climbing Expedition

This equipment list is compiled to provide you with adequate help when choosing your equipment for a climb. Most items are required. Please consider each of them and make sure you understand the function and exclusive use for mountaineering, before substituting or removing items from this list. Please note that this list has been carefully annotated by the organizer. Remember that mountaineering, climbing or mountain expeditions tours is an extreme, risky sport, therefore everything related to it is of great attention.

Hiking backpack for hiking 50 to 60 liters

Light gloves for hiking or (Optional Mittens waterproof)

Medium weight socks

Sleeping bag (-15º to 20ºC)

Small daypack for one day hiking 30 liters

Weather-appropriate clothing (think moisture-wicking and layers)

Hiking boots or shoes

Medium weight parka with fibber fill or down

Rain poncho (or rain gear)

Long-sleeved shirts

Fleece or Wool sweater and/or trousers

Lightweight pants

Cotton short-sleeved shirts or t-shirts

Water bottle for hiking or trekking

Strong waterproof duffel bag

Flashlight with spare batteries and bulb

Towel for personal hygiene each participantFirst-aid kit

Regular and long underwear

Knife or multi-tool

Light cap and wool hat

Sunglasses with UV certification, Sun block, lips

The rest of the list Essentials as appropriate for your hike

Grooming and personal hygiene kit

One Hiking Buff per person

3 Locking carabiners, we recommended per person

We recommend 2 ice screws for each client

1 Daisy Chain (Life Line) per each person

2 Ice axes (per person) technical, we recommended GRIVEL company

1 ATC descender (Rappel), this is very necessary for technical mountains

2 Cords for prusik, very important (Size Cord 6 mm x 10 m. long)

Gloves(Good gloves) for expeditions over 6000meters

Harness for climbing

Sleeping pad / Mattress, we recommend with air or inflatable mattress

Crampons, we recommended GRIVEL company

Walking sticks – Trekking Poles (optional), a pair per person, we recommended GRIVEL company

Down Jacket for expedition

Very important to have personal clothing such as pants and jacket with GOROTEX certification

First aid kit, for high mountains, because we as guides cannot medicate clients

Backpack Capacity 60 liters, it is better to have a bigger backpack to go comfortably to the high camps, because here you have to carry all your personal things

Gaiters or Leggings, now modern boots already have built-in (Incorporated), but better to have an extra pair

Dressing appropriately for the mountains can make the difference between a pleasant trip and a really uncomfortable one. Clothing must provide the right degree of temperature, perspiration and be well ventilated. Preferably cotton clothing should be avoided, as in humid conditions they absorb body heat.

In general, the weather conditions in in the Andes of South America can vary from day to day and even throughout the day. Therefore, clothing must be versatile.

Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have regarding the necessary equipment.

Prices & Dates

FROM/TO

PRICE (USD)

TRAVEL STATUS

01 APR 2026 / 19 APR 2026

$ —-

🟢

Join Now

Please note: Insurance for emergency evacuation is required for this trip. Call for more details.

» Additional dates available upon request
» Rates may vary from July 26th to 31th for the national holidays

Prices (per person):

1 PAX 2 PAX 4 PAX 6 PAX 8 PAX 10 PAX 12 PAX 14 PAX
— USD — USD — USD — USD — USD — USD — USD — USD

Deposit for reservations

— USD (– EUR) ✓ Full payment 40 days before. No refund if you cancel less than 30 days!

Places: 🟢 *Available
Trip-code: Number ►BOL-000
Duration: 1 day
Participants: Minimal: 2 Maximal: 15
Members: We don’t have an open group to join – We can open a new group – Contact us!
Country / Location: Bolivia
Mountain Guide: Eric Raul Albino Lliuya
Other dates / additional info: Contact us!

3% early bird discount when booking 6 months prior to departure 2024

Legend Booking-information:
EZZ Single room supplement
🟢 On this trip, places are still available.
🟡 On this trip, only a few places left.
🔴 This trip is sold out / closed.

Eric Raul Albino Lliuya

Expert guide certified by AGOMP
General Sales Manager of Peru Expeditions

Hans Honold | Certified Mountain and Ski Guide

For a trip with a Professional Certified Mountain Guide from abroad with your own language that you speak, please request us to get in touch. We have guides working for our company from all over the world who are members of IVBV/UIAGM/IFMGA Certified Guides.

It is very important to have accident coverage for trekking and climbing mountains, more if you go a technical mountains over 6 thousand meters, we oblige and recommend buying travel insurance with our partner Global Rescue, you get the peace of mind that the finest medical, security evacuation, field rescue, intelligence and telehealth.

Only $1000 deposit to book

Pay over time, interest free

No booking fee, no change fee

24/7 support

Accommodations

Scroll through our exclusive accommodations for this trip below. Although very unlikely, we will be able to make substitutions when necessary. The comfortable accommodations that guests stay in every night offer comfort, the level that these options are are 3 stars and some hostels in some towns of first class quality to make your stay very pleasant.

*These exact accommodations are not guaranteed. In some cases, alternative accommodation of similar quality and location can be used.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What our travelers or clients always ask questions before joining our trips, tours & expeditions, read all the information provided here.

Suggested FAQs

For our mountain climbing trips: If they are easily accessible mountains: For easy-climb mountains, well, you don’t need much experience, but if you already want to climb mountains above 6,000 meters and the conditions become more difficult, we recommend if you already want to go through mountains above 6,000 meters, have a basic or intermediate course for a good preparation. It is very important to be physically, technically and psychologically prepared.

Regarding the preparation of children: Everything will depend on which mountain you want to climb with your children, once you are clear on which of our tours or mountains you want to go with your children, we can give you some advice or see how to prepare them before going with they.

Regarding older people: It all depends on the condition of experience and how well the person is in health, on many occasions older people are the best to walk in the mountains because they have more experience, so it is always good to ask and find out about their experience of older participant. If you have any other questions, please contact us. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

In all our trekking or mountaineering trips we do not include personal equipment in our prices, so you have to have your own equipment: Personal equipment (such as boots, ice ax, crampons, harness, sleeping bag, mat, Goretex, etc. ) and also within each page of the trips that we sell is a small list so you can see it on our website.

Our company can also rent the materials that you would need for your trip, see the list here on our website: https://peru-expeditions.org/equipment-rental/ . For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

Safe and effective vaccines are available that provide strong protection against serious illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19. Billions of people have been vaccinated against COVID-19. Getting vaccinated is one of the most important things you can do to protect yourself against COVID-19, help end the pandemic and stop new variants emerging.

We also recommend having accident insurance, we always recommend. We are Partners –Global Rescue. If you have any other questions about the trip we can schedule a date for a calling via WhatsApp. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

To do long-distance hiking you need to at least train or do some tours such as visiting lagoons to get the experience and feel comfortable with what you do, it is always good before doing a long-distance hiking tour to test yourself so as not to be with the problems of altitude sickness during the trekking, and if you travel with children it is good to first train them before taking them, if they are accompanied by an adult of legal age, they must do a good acclimatization before going on the long-distance tour or with high altitude camps If you want to know or learn more advice, we can schedule a call via WhatsApp to clarify your doubts. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

The preparation is according to what type and what technical level you want to go and climb a trek or mountain, the preparation will always gain experience little by little.

For this type of demanding or technical climbing sports, it is recommended to do some summits above 5 thousand meters beforehand and have good knowledge of high mountain technical equipment such as the use of technical ice axes, ice screws, correct use of crampons, and of course all the technical material. For more information, we can schedule an appointment to be able to explain in more detail everything about the mountain equipment and the preparations prior to joining our outings. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

Every day we have active walks around approximately 4, to 5 sometimes 6 hours of walking, everything is according to your pace and physical condition of each person, in each of our travel programs you will find more detailed information, and if If you need more information about each day of the travel program, we can schedule a call via WhatsApp to clarify your doubts or questions, for this please contact us. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

In our trips, either hiking or mountaineering: Depending on the type or destination of the trip that you are going to book, in some parts of the treks you go with mules or donkeys or sometimes with horses, and within the mountain trips, the approach camps are also They go with mules or donkeys, but there are some stretches where pack animals can no longer reach. In this part, our logistics is fully supported by the porters.

Who are the porters? They are people from the area who were born and live in the heights of the towns, they are very strong and are very acclimatized, the reason is that after the tourist season ends they dedicate themselves to agriculture and livestock for that reason they are people They are used to the altitude and have lived in nature all their lives and they are happy to be in the mountains together with our expeditions. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

About accommodation or meals during the tour: Well, depending on the type of tour, when the tour is a classic cultural tour or a city tour, we eat during the route in tourist restaurants and sleep in category hotels that the client has requested.

If the tour is with camps and trekking: During the activity, logistics we include the service of Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner with traditional and typical meals of the region where you are going to travel with us, during the night we stay in tents, and we have a special tent for the kitchen and another for the dining room.

If the trip is at altitude or in the mountains: We bring special high mountain food, It are quicker meals to cook and we provide complete logistics such as Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, and we sleep in special 4-season high mountain tents, with the best tents. If you have any questions or concerns, we can schedule an appointment via Whatsapp to clarify all your doubts and give you better information so that your trip is an unforgettable tour.

In mountains above 5000 meters: A local guide takes a maximum of 3 clients = Ratio 3pax = 1 local guide

In technical mountains: In large-big mountains we manage the travel policy, a guide and a maximum of 2 clients = Ratio 3pax = 1 local guide. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

For all the trips that we offer within our main tourist destinations such as South America and Central America, also including the ascent of the 7 continents and the 7 highest peaks of each continent, on each page of our website for each trip we indicate that month or what season to travel, then please read the information you find in our travel offers for each tour. If you have any other questions you can contact us by WhatsApp with one of our travel experts. Thank you so much. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

In the interest of the team’s enjoyment and success, we work with every single guest to ensure they are properly prepared and ready for this expedition. We pride ourselves on vetting every member to make sure that the team can bond and succeed together. It really sucks to be grouped with members that are much faster, or much slower, than you are. No one wants to the weakest link on a trip like this. By setting expectations and a solid training plan, we work to insure maximum cohesive success. Use this trip as an exercise motivator, and we will succeed together with style.

For the pick-ups of each trip, depending on the place or the trip that you are going to make with us, the meeting point is always at our office, in one of our trips we pick you up where you are staying or staying, or in some cases a A representative of our company will pick you up and then ship you to your transport to continue with your destination of the tour or trip you have booked with us. If you wish to request more information, do not hesitate to contact us. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

For all the trips that we offer within our main tourist destinations such as South America and Central America, also including the ascent of the 7 continents and the 7 highest peaks of each continent, on each page of our website for each trip we indicate that month or what season to travel, then please read the information you find in our travel offers for each tour. If you have any other questions you can contact us by WhatsApp with one of our travel experts. Thank you so much. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

About the meteorological conditions of the climate, we try to organize the trips of each tour in the best season to have the best views and enjoy the selected trip but sometimes even is good season we can have bad weather, in this case on hiking or treks trips The complications are minimal, but when this happens during high-altitude climbing expeditions, the complications can become very difficult, that is why the bosses or leaders of the local guides must always make the most correct decision for the safety of our passengers, so we always recommend listening to the best advice from the local guide assigned for each tour. If you have any other questions please contact us. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

We as a local company and connoisseurs of tours have departures on different dates. The best thing to do is to join a travel group to take care of your budget, and of course you can join our groups, but on trips like mountaineering we recommend going in small groups. To join a group, ask us for the dates and we will send you the necessary information to be able to join any of our trips.

Why go in a private trip: For trips whether trekking or high mountains, going privately is the most recommended option, but the costs are more expensive. So, if one joins a group, the prices will be more reasonable. In the mountains, the only disadvantage is if you are in a wall with another partner and if one of the participants gets tired or gets sick. In this case, you have to abort or cancel the summit and return together. For more information, contact us. We can schedule a call via WhatsApp to clarify all your questions.

In a mountain, for example, if 3 people go and one of the participants falls ill on the route, for security reasons they have to cancel or abort the summit or return all together. The same in a technical mountain if the climbing partner gets sick they all have to return, for these reasons sometimes it is better to go private only because for a single person the costs are more expensive for the same reason that the trip would already be private .

For more information please contact us. For calls or inquiries to this number: +51 943 081 066

Additional information

We help in the purchase of air tickets: we set up convenient flight options with each participant of the trip and book tickets such as international flights and domestic flights in each destination city of the countries that we offer our trips. We recommend you booking international flights tickets well in advance so we can find current flights offer prices from the airlines. In order for us to search for and book your flight, please contact us and we will be happy to help you!. → More information click here
About a Satellite Phone or inReach® Messenger - GARMIN: On each trip we recommend having a satellite phone at your disposal. The possibility of quick contact from anywhere on the mountain will guarantee your safety on the road. In case of need (for example, contact with the family or the travel company), for this service the participants have to request to rent a satellite phone, of course this service has an additional cost, contact us or ask our office for more information. A practical device is to have an inReach® Messenger - GARMIN also helps for any emergency. → More information click here
Many of the participants or clients of our adventures, hikes and expeditions in the mountains are people who sign up alone, but in some of our trips you will be able to find a travel partner companion to join a group. We have many options for you from day tours, short treks, long duration tours, and even the most extreme climbing high mountains on each country or South American continent and other destinations, as like the destinations you can see on our website. The mountains are a great place for rapid integration and a very healthy sport. → More information click here
Our mountain guides or tour leaders: All of our Tour Leaders are multiple conquerors of the peaks they lead the expeditions to. Each of our cultural guides, high mountain guides, mountainbike guides, among others are internationally recognized and certified guides, such as the certifications of (UIMLA) Union of International Mountain Leader Associations & (IFMGA) International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations. The mountaineering experience, skills and knowledge of your guides are a priority for us. → More information click here

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