ITINERARIES IN BOLIVIA
Travelling through Bolivia means experiencing the indigenous soul
of Latin America in a country of colonial cities surrounded by snow-covered
mountain peaks and mega-diverse jungle regions. Quechua and Aymara
people make up the majority of this Bolivia´s population.
Experience the marvellous region of the Altiplano in the Andes,
the world heritage cities Sucre and Potosí, visit the place
where the first Inca was born at the Lake Titicaca, travel through
impressive salt lakes and enter the fascinating world of the Amazon
Forest, visiting Jesuit's Missions.
Bolivia
Roundtrip I -
Bolivia Roundtrip II - Bolivia Roundtrip III
| BOLIVIA
ROUNDTRIP I - BOLIVIAN HIGHLIGHTS: 4 - 8 DAYS |
Day 1-2: La Paz, the world's
highest metropolis, Colonial Centre, Indian Markets and the Moon
Valley
Day 3-4: Lake Titicaca, Tiwanaku
world heritage archeological site and Copacabana where the first
Inca were born
Day 5-6: Potosí, silver
mines and the economic centre of America in colonial times
Day 7: Sucre, a colonial city
to fall in love with
Day 8: La Paz
Day 1: La Paz
Arrival in La Paz. Being one of the world's highest Metropolis (3600m),
La Paz is surrounded by even higher snow-covered mountains like
the impressive Illimani (6439m), which make up the amazing setting
of this historical town. Although La Paz is not the capital of Bolivia,
the government's palace is situated there.
Day 2: La Paz
Go for a walk through the colonial centre and see the most beautiful
church of La Paz, the baroque basilica of San Francisco decorated
with birds, flowers and fruit of the Amazon region. Visit the famous
"witch-market" in the Linares Street where indigenous
healers sell holy stones, traditional medicine and even embryos
of Llamas. Or just relax in the city's main avenue El Prado and
get used to the altitude enjoying a cup of coca mate-tea. You can
also visit the stunning Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley) in the lower
and warmer south of La Paz, where, within thousands of years, erosion
has formed a landscape of bizarre pyramids of clay, ashes and interesting
formations of stones.
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Day 3: Tiwanaku / Lake Titicaca
Tiwanaku, about 70 km from La Paz and near the Lake Titicaca, is
one of South America's most important archaeological sites, declared
World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 2000. The empire of Tiwanaku
reached it's heyday between 500 and 900 A.D. and it's remains testify
the cultural and political significance of this civilization, having
played a leading role in the development of the Andean region. The
most interesting archaeological monuments are the impressive Kalasasaya
monoliths which represent gods or human beings and the Intipunktu
sun gate with a representation of the god of creation Wiracocha.
On the way to the Copacabana you will travel along the shores of
the Lake Titicaca which is the highest navigable lake of the world
(3810 m above see level). The Lake Titicaca has always been a source
of life in this region and there is even a myth saying that the
ancestors of the Inca were born on the Lake Titicaca.
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Day 4: Copacabana / Isla del Sol
The town of Copacabana in Bolivia gave it's name to the Copacabana
of Rio de Janeiro. It used to be the cultural and religious centre
of the Colla and Aymaras for over three thousand years. It's interesting
basilica is still an important centre of pilgrimage nowadays. You
can also hike up the Cerro Calvario with its 14 crosses to enjoy
a marvellous view of the Lake Titicaca. But the main attraction
definitely is a boat trip to Isla del Sol (Island of the Sun) or
to Isla de la Luna (Island of the Moon). An Inca myth says that
the Isla del Sol was the birthplace of the god Wiracocha and the
first Inca Manco Capac and his wife or sister Mama Ocllo - a holy
place both for Quechua and Aymara people. Visit temple ruins of
the Tiwanaku period and enjoy the beautiful views of the Lake Titicaca,
while strolling around on the island.
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Additional programme or flight back home
Additional programmes Peru:
Puno, Uru-Islands, Cusco or Arequipa
Additional programmes Bolivia:
Cities (following) - Salt
Lakes, Amazon Bassin and Jesuit Missions
Day 5: La Paz / Potosí
Day 6: Potosí
In the 16th century Potosí was regarded as the world's largest
mining and the Spanish Colonies' economic centre. It was the city
of the Latin American Silver Rush. The industrial monument of the
Cerro Rico shows a complex system of aqueducts, artificial lakes
and hydraulic mills to extract the silver. The visit to the colonial
town with the Casa de la Moneda, the Church of San Lorenzo, several
patrician houses and the barrios mitayos, the areas where workers
lived, is almost regarded obligatory for a tourist. Potosí
was declared World Heritage Site by the UNESCO in 1987.
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Day 7: Sucre
Sucre, the capital of Bolivia, has a well-preserved historical centre
with many religious buildings of the 16th-century, such as San Lázaro,
San Francisco and Santo Domingo. It shows an interesting mix of
local architectural styles and traditions imported from Europe and
since 1991 is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Day 8: Flight to La Paz and back home or
Additional Programmes Salt
Lakes, Amazon Bassin and Jesuit Missions, Cusco (Peru)
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