Bolivia Encounter
Trip Code: GGKO
Why we love it
Venture into South America's most surreal landscapes from Bolivia to Chile, where the sky kisses salt-crusted horizons and ancient deserts glow under the stars., Traverse the Uyuni Salt Flats in a 4WD. See the Salt Hotel and Dakar Rally statue, discover the cacti and coral-like structures on the rocky island of Isla Inca Wasi and enjoy a picnic lunch in the middle of the flats!, Walk along the historic Plaza Murillo and Calle Jaen on an orientation walk through La Paz. Ride the Teleferico (cable car), then visit the Killi Killi viewpoint for panoramic views of the city and the mountains., Explore colourful lakes, volcanoes and arid landscapes throughout the Siloli Desert. Pass the Ollague Volcano, visit the Iglesia San Cristobal Lipez church and stop at Hedionda and Canapa Lagoons – often home to a vibrant group of flamingos!, Drive across the driest place on Earth – the Atacama Desert. Along the way, explore the Sol de Manana Geysers, relax in the Polques Hot Springs and watch the sunset over Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon).
Is this trip right for me?
This trip visits places at high altitude, and some people can suffer from altitude sickness, regardless of age or physical health. Please see the medical and health information section of the Essential Trip Information for more details., You'll spend a lot of time in a 4WD which is likely to have all seats occupied while crossing some bumpy surfaces. This is the best way to see the sights in and around Uyuni and is all part of the adventure., In Bolivia (especially in Uyuni), things don't always go to plan. An attraction may be closed for the day without notice or reason. Although this doesn't happen very often, please be prepared for the possibility., Making your way across the Andean Desert and salt flats isn’t exactly luxurious. Temperatures in the area can be very cold, especially at night, so bring warm clothes. This is all part of the adventure. Without a doubt, this amazing experience will be one of the highlights of your trip.
Important information
1. A complimentary airport arrival transfer is included; valid if you are arriving on Day 1 or if you have booked pre-tour accommodation through us. You must provide your flight details to your booking agent at least 14 days prior to travel.
2. Full passport details are required at the time of booking. The passport you travel with must match the booking details provided to us. This information is necessary to purchase entry permits to certain sites. Delays in providing this information could result in additional booking fees or changes to your itinerary.
3. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
4. Passport holders of the United States and South Africa need a visa to enter Bolivia. We recommend that you obtain this visa in advance from your nearest Bolivian embassy. Not obtaining the visa in advance is likely to cause long delays at the border. Please refer to the Passports, visa and entry requirements section of the Essential Trip information for more details.
What to bring/pack
Most travellers prefer to take a small to medium wheeled suitcase, which is a great size for the packing capacity in our private vehicles. Whatever you take, be mindful that you will need to be able to carry your own luggage, handle it at airports, take it in/out of accommodation and perhaps even walk short distances. We recommend you pack as lightly as possible.
If your trip includes travelling on overnight trains or primarily using public transport, the smaller your luggage, the easier it will be to store under or above bunks. Large suitcases may not be able to be taken on board. A lockable bag or small padlock for your bag will be useful, especially when travelling on public transportation as well.
When you're exploring during the day, you'll also need a day pack/bag to carry water, a camera, a jacket and activity-specific items like a swimsuit, a waterproof pouch/bag for your phone, or hiking shoes.
Below we have listed the essentials for this trip:, https://www.intrepidtravel.com/packing-list, WATER BOTTLE
Please bring your own water bottle to refill. Although it can be difficult to avoid bottled water when travelling, please use the water dispensers which are provided on some of our vehicles and at some of our accommodation. When unable to avoid bottled water, it is better to buy the largest available and distribute it into your smaller bottle for the day. Some travellers like to bring a bottle with its own filtration system or water purification tablets. If you are walking or trekking as part of your trip, you will need to carry at least 2 litres of water with you.
Physical rating
Joining your group
Rosario La Paz Centro, Illampu Avenue N° 704, La Paz, BOLIVIA
Alternate Joining Point
Joining instructions
A complimentary airport arrival transfer is included; valid if you are arriving on Day 1 or if you have booked pre-tour accommodation through us. You must provide your flight details to your booking agent at least 14 days prior to travel.
For your confirmed arrival transfer, you’ll be met after exiting the baggage claim area by a transfer representative holding an Intrepid sign who will know your name.
Please ask them who they’re picking up to confirm you’ve met the correct transfer representative.
In case of flight cancellations, changes, if you experience severe delays at immigration, baggage collection or customs, or if you are not able to find the driver, please call the number listed in the ‘Problems and emergency contact information’ section of your Essential Trip Information. Free wifi is available at the airport.
Finishing your trip
La Casa De Don Tomas, Tocopilla Street s/n, San Pedro de Atacama, CHILE, Phone: +56 9 7989 3734
Alternate Finish Point
Meals & dietary information
Breakfasts included: 8
Lunches included: 4
Dinners included: 1
While travelling with us you'll experience the vast array of wonderful food available in this region. Your group leader or local representative will be able to suggest restaurants to try during your trip. To give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat, generally not all meals are included in the trip price. This also gives you more budgeting flexibility. As a rule, our groups tend to eat dinner together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other's company. There's no obligation to do this though.
DIETARY REQUIREMENTS
Please let us know your diet requirements before your trip starts.
Generally speaking, in bigger cities/towns vegetarians can expect a reasonable range of vegetarian venues and/or vegetarian options within tourist restaurant menus. However, vegetarianism is not the norm in this part of the world so options can be limited when eating at homestays, small local restaurants, street stalls, markets, etc.
More restrictive diet requirements (vegans, coeliac, gluten intolerance, fructose intolerance, lactose intolerance, etc.) can also be accommodated along this trip but you should expect a lesser variety than what you can expect at home. We recommend that, if possible, to bring your own supply of snacks with you.
For those on strict Kosher or Halal diets, we understand your dietary requirements are important, however, sometimes due to cultural and language differences these are not always easy to convey when you are travelling. Your guide will do their best to assist you in translating your needs when eating out, but please be aware that these diets are almost unheard of in much of the continent and the best they may be able to accommodate is no pork and shellfish. If this will be a concern for you you may need to consider opting for vegetarian or vegan meals for the included meals in your itinerary. We recommend researching kosher or halal options in your destination country prior to travel to see if you are able to buy snacks once there, otherwise consider bringing some from home. , UYUNI MEALS
It's important to note that the 'standard' of meals may not be as you would find in major cities like La Paz as people eat a very simple diet here. Please expect meals to be quite basic in this remote part of the world.
Climate & seasonal information
Night time temperatures during winter (May to August) on the Bolivian Altiplano are very cold and can drop to -30 Celsius.
In case of emergency
While we always endeavour to provide the best possible holiday experience, due to the nature of travel and the areas we visit sometimes things can and do go wrong. Should any issue occur while you are on your trip, it is imperative that you discuss this with your group leader or local representative straight away so that they can do their best to rectify the problem and save any potential negative impact on the rest of your trip.
We recognise that there may be times when your group leader or local representative may not be able to resolve a situation to your satisfaction - if this is the case, please ask the group leader or local representative to speak to their direct manager.
You may also choose to provide details in your online feedback, which we ask you to complete within 30 days of the end of your trip. Please do be aware that it is very difficult for us to provide any practical help after the trip is completed, so informing us while still travelling will give us the opportunity to resolve the issue in real-time., For general contact details please use the following page: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/contact-us, In case of a genuine crisis or emergency, you can reach our local office on the numbers below:
, Available for phone call or WhatsApp call on +51 996 055559 Lima, +51 940 512701 Cusco
Accommodations
OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION
The style of accommodation indicated in the Itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances.
TWIN SHARE
Accommodation on this trip is on a twin share basis, unless otherwise stated in the Itinerary. There may be times when facilities are shared, rather than ensuite, which will also be mentioned in the Itinerary if applicable.
CHECK-IN TIME
Throughout the trip we request that hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination before checking in.
PRE/POST TRIP ACCOMMODATION
If you've purchased pre-trip or post-trip accommodation (subject to availability), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights., Due to limited time and energy supply in some places, please be prepared for some cold showers.