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 II - BOLIVIAN HIGHLIGHTS + SALT LAKES + JESUIT MISSIONS:
14 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: Salar de Uyuni, largest
salt lake of the world
Day 7-8: Potosí, silver
mines and the economic centre of America in colonial times
Day 9-10: Sucre, a colonial city
to fall in love with
Day 11: Santa Cruz, booming town
and starting point for jungle adventures
Day 12-13: Jesuit Missions
Day 14: Santa Cruz
Day 1: La Paz
Arrival in La Paz. Being one of the world's highest Metropolis (3600 meter),
La Paz is surrounded by even higher snow-covered mountains like
the impressive Illimani (6439 meter), 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 meter 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 it's 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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Day 5: Salar de Uyuni
Day 6: Salar de Uyuni
Measuring 160 km length and 135 km width the Salt Lake of Uyuni is
the largest of the world. Local people call it the White Sea (Mar
blanco) and the holy Tunupa mountain (5820 meter) serves as a lighthouse
for navigation. The Fishermen's Island (Isla de los Pescadores),
a conglomerate of huge cacti which are perfectly adapted to the
hostile environment, seems to be a mirage in a white dessert of
salt.
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Additional programme Chile
Day 7: Potosí
Day 8: Potosí
In the 16th century Potosí was regarded as the world's
largest mining complex 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 it's Casa de la Moneda, the Church
of San Lorenzo and several patrician houses and a visit to the barrios
mitayos, the areas where workers lived, is almost considered obligatory
for a tourist. Potosí was declared World Heritage Site by
the UNESCO in 1987.
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Day 9: Sucre
Day 10: 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.
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Day 11: Santa Cruz
Flight to Santa Cruz, Bolivia's booming town. Santa Cruz is the
perfect starting-point for various interesting tours. You can visit
the Lomas de Arena, Sahara-like sand dunes in a fascinating microclimate
in a region of jungle vegetation, the marvellous National Park Amboró
with it's extreme biodiversity or Noel Kempff Mercado National Park
(World Natural Heritage Site 2000), the mysterious pre-Columbian
Fortress Samaipata (UNESCO World Heritage Site 1998), the Vallegrande
on the famous Ché Guevara Trek or to Chiquitania, the area
of the Jesuit Missions.
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Day 12: Concepción and San Ignacio
Day 13: Reducciones and Jungle
On their mission to convert the "heathen" Tupi-Guarani
Indians from Chiquitania to Christianity, the Jesuits built six
ensembles of Reducciones (settlements of Christianised Indians)
between 1696 and 1760. The founders of these settlements were inspired
by the 16th-century concept of Utopia, the 'ideal city' in an architectural
composition of Catholic architecture and local traditions. Since
1990 the remaining six Reducciones Concepción, San Javier,
Santa Ana, San Rafael, San Miguel and San José are declared
UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
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Day 14: Return to Santa Cruz, flight back
home or return to La Paz or
Additional Programmes: Ché-Guevara-Trek, Pantanal (Brazil)
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