Bolivia & Chile: Two Countries, Two Worlds

Day notes

Take time to rest this morning and acclimate to the altitude today. 

This afternoon, begin your exploration of La Paz with a visit to El Alto’s Colorful Cholets. Take the cable car high above La Paz to the El Alto plateau, one of Bolivia’s fastest-growing urban centers. Here, you will understand the socio-economic story behind the colorful and flamboyant Cholets buildings designed by famed architect Freddy Mamani. These futuristic façades mix modern architecture with local Aymara design and have mushroomed in El Alto since 2006. A pioneer of this ‘new Andean’ design style, Mamani’s architecture reflects their greater political autonomy and shows a revival of Andean influences in architecture. Multi-colored, flashy, and futuristic in their kitsch-style, ‘Cholet’ is a pun on the words ‘chalet’ and ‘cholo’; the latter can have negative undertones referring to people of indigenous heritage but is a term that some have proudly embraced. The buildings are largely privately owned as homes, a symbol of the new wealth and pride of Bolivia’s indigenous bourgeoisie in what is a relatively poor part of the city. You will have the opportunity to see a selection of the Cholets from the exterior and enjoy an interior visit of one as well.

Afterward, you will have the option of pursuing an indigenous market (open on Thursdays and Sundays) – La Feria 6 de Agosto - where you can expect to discover a range of products to understand more about daily life in the neighborhood. Take in the views of the city as you ride the cable car back to the lower part of the city before returning to your hotel. 

The evening will be at leisure.

Day notes

The city of La Paz and its surroundings are rife with a living history where indigenous, colonial, and modern customs collide, all under the watch of the majestic Illimani mountain. Peruse the Witch's Market, where mysterious treasures await around every corner, ride the cable-car public transport system for panoramic views of the city and take in the historic center. During the morning, take a short break for salteñas, a savory Bolivian baked empanada, before continuing with a visit to MUSEF, the Museum of Ethnography and Folklore. This impressive national museum showcases regional particularities and unique characteristics of Bolivia's many cultures.

Lunch today will be at Ali Pacha. Meaning "Universe of Plants" in the native Aymara language, this exciting new restaurant has a menu entirely based on plant products to showcase under-used produce and champion micro-producers from around Bolivia.

This afternoon,  drive out of La Paz to the Moon Valley, a series of iridescent clay formations created by the persistent wind and water erosion of the local mountains. What remains is a maze of canyons and giant spires in a beautiful variety of hues from beige to tones of red and purple. It's a serene setting, full of wonder and intrigue.

Return to your hotel late this afternoon.

You may wish for us to make a reservation for you at Gustu.  To say that this gourmet restaurant by Claus Meyer has shaken Bolivia's gastronomic scene is quite an understatement. The founder of Copenhagen's Noma, consistently in the top 10 of the World's 50 Best Restaurants list, Meyer says he was drawn to Bolivia because of its raw ingredients. Gustu is committed to working only with food and beverages sustainably produced in Bolivia, allowing diners to experience new flavors. The restaurant was also founded as a social enterprise with part of the profits supporting local initiatives, such as delivering training programs for street vendors and professional culinary training in the Gustu Training Center. Gustu is also a hub of culinary innovation in the region, with a Bolivian food lab and the first cocktail bar in the World devoted to Singani, the national liquor of Bolivia.

Day notes

Today, we invite you to engage with the local community in a genuinely authentic way on an Evolved Experience. The Evolved Traveler believes travel is "evolving" into something more than we have previously experienced or knew it to be. There is a desire for it to be more meaningful, more impactful, more enriching, and certainly more engaging. We understand our guests wish to travel with a purpose and to engage with the cultures they visit, and that is why we have created the Evolved Experience.

Evolved Experiences are a core and unique component to all our journeys that provide you, our Evolved Traveler, with experiences that far exceed the par-for-the-course of luxury travel. Evolved Experiences allow our guests the opportunity to make a lasting impression on the communities they visit, extend their hand in a gesture of global community, and create memories that can be cherished for years to come, not only for themselves but for those they visit. 

Depart Sucre for the indigenous region of Jatun Yampara,  one of the oldest communities in all of South America. The locals live almost exclusively on natural resources. However, a few have dedicated their lives to promoting indigenous tourism. By doing this, they have made it possible to learn more about their cultures from daily occupations
to traditional dress, foods, customs, and architecture.

The Yamapara culture is known for its pottery and textiles, both of which can be purchased from local artisans. During
your visit, you will participate in various daily activities of the community, play some of their traditional games,
and visit the community museum. The museum provides the opportunity to watch the transformational process of wool being turned into precious textiles, with complex patterns and color, the region is known for.

The visit to the Jatun Yamapara region is provided with the utmost respect for their culture and community. We consider visits to such communities to be a privilege. 

Day notes

The day is at leisure for you to enjoy the beautiful city of Sucre independently.

Day notes

Today bring a full day of exploration of the Uyuni Salt Flats, or Salar de Uyuni. The most extensive salt flats on the planet cover 12,000 square kilometers (4,633 square miles) of Bolivian Altiplano. They are an awe-inspiring natural phenomenon and are highly photogenic at any time of year. In the dry season, surreal pentagons of the bright white crystalline salt form, In the rainy season, the salt flats see a layer of water develop, which acts as a natural mirror, reflecting the sky for a fantastic, other-worldly visual display.

Begin with a visit to the eerie train cemetery outside of Uyuni town, which has become an iconic site associated with the area. The 'cemetery' is the fascinating resting place of freight trains that once passed through the area in the late 1800s. Next, visit Colchani village, where locals process salt, sell salt figurines and bottles, and bags of authentic Salar de Uyuni table salt as souvenirs. There is also a ‘salt museum’ in town, which is made from salt and features salt furniture and sculptures of animals.

From here you will enter the mesmerizing salt flats. In the dry season, you’ll see the bubbling Ojos del Sal ‘Eyes of the Salt’ and can reach Incahuasi Island, notable for its giant cacti. A short walk here on a petrified coral path offers views, before enjoying a picnic lunch in the middle of the salt flats. In the rainy season, thanks to the layer of water covering the crystalline salt you cannot drive across the salt flats but rather enjoy the spectacular ethereal sight and photography opportunities produced by the salt flats. Your exact route will be adapted to the weather conditions and season at the time of your visit. To round off the day, watch the sunset over the salt flats with a drink in hand, accompanied by snacks, before returning to Uyuni.

This evening, enjoy a private stargazing presentation by an astronomy specialist, who will share detailed knowledge about the southern celestial bodies and constellations. The Uyuni sky is considered one of the clearest in the world. The unobstructed expanse of the isolated salt flats makes for a truly spellbinding experience, as the full breadth and immensity of the night sky can be observed and appreciated.

Prepare for a spectacle of kaleidoscopic reflections which are produced only at night. If your travel dates coincide with the rainy season (December through March) when the flats are flooded, and the sky reflects off it like a mirror, you will feel as walking in space amongst the stars!

Day notes

Located in Chile, west of the Andes Mountains, the Atacama Desert is a desolate wonderland of dramatic scenery and captivating attractions. Its remote landscapes range from the pale beauty of salt flats dotted with flamingos, and the surreal, steamy landscape of the Tatio geysers at sunrise, to the bizarre rock formations of Moon Valley and the ancient archaeological sites of Tulor and Quitor Pukara. The region’s culture is unique and welcoming, and an abundance of small villages, where timeless traditions are still practiced, dot the often extreme and highly photogenic terrain. 

Upon your arrival, you will meet with your private guide, who will coordinate tours and activities for your stay. The guide and a 4WD vehicle will be at your disposal for the duration of your stay. Activity options include Moon Valley, Puritama Hot Springs, the Tatio Geysers, salt flats, hiking, biking, star-gazing, and visiting the astronomical observatory.

Day notes

Begin your exploration of Santiago this morning on a walking and metro tour.

Today, the Chilean capital is a modern and vibrant metropolis flanked on one side by the Andes mountain range and the Coastal range on the other.

Founded in 1541, the Chilean capital is home to 7 million - 40% of Chile's total population. After living in the shadow of other great South American cities such as Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires, the real boom came not long ago when Chile invested a small fortune in constructing cultural centers, museums, and parks across the city. Today, Chile's capital is a dynamic, modern city where colonial mansions sit amongst soaring skyscrapers, folk art becomes fashion, and Latin and European cultures intertwine. 

Your tour this morning will be an overview of Santiago. Join the locals on the metro, learning about their daily life. Learn of the centuries of architecture blended and how natural disasters have influenced it.   Take in the stunning panoramic views from Santa Lucia, high above the city. Visit the colorful downtown fruit and vegetable markets, and the administrative heart of the town where La Moneda government palace takes is one of the pride's of the city. Continue to hidden neighborhoods where the lively culinary, art, and cultural scenes are making Santiago a sought-after destination. Finally, stroll through the central Plaza de Armas and admire the contrasts as you see the elegant colonial plaza framed by the modern city.

Time will be given for an independent lunch.

This afternoon,  delve deeper into Chile's history and culture at the Pre-Colombian Art and Memorial Museums. The Pre-Columbian Art Museum houses unique works that demonstrate the cultural diversity of the Americas. Highlights include the priceless Andean textile collection, with pieces more than 3,000 years old;  the Chinchorro Mummies, the oldest in the world; works in ceramics, metal, and stone, all works of art from the  Mayans, Aztecs, Andean cultures, and the ancient people of the Amazon and Caribbean.

The Memorial Museum is a tribute to Chile's two hundred-plus-year history, following its independence from Spain and its Bicentennial celebration in 2010. Laid out over three floors, the museum is home to a collection of pieces related to the country's Bicentennial, including government documents, newspapers and magazines, posters, letters, and photographs. Throughout the museum, there are audiovisual panels with excerpts from documentaries and recordings of the time, providing a narrative of the celebration and the immense work undertaken, not only on the events but on the city itself. The Memorial  Museum also features a documentation center, a digital library, and an esplanade for cultural activities

Return to the hotel late this afternoon and have the evening at leisure.

Day notes

Mid-morning depart for the Chilean Coast and the unique and colorful Valparaiso. The precise year of its origin is unclear, although it is widely believed to be the oldest city in Chile, dating back some 500 years. One of Chile's ports, Valparaiso was the point of entry for thousands of immigrants and adventurers, the very people who made the city what it is today - a Bohemenian labyrinth of stairs, narrow streets, winding lanes, and a few avenues that roll up and down its 43 hills. Poets, artists, sculptors, and intellectuals have all made their mark on the city, creating the eclectic cultural mix of the unique town.

Visit Pablo Neruda's most whimsical house - La Sebastiana – and wander through the open-air museum of murals and stylish graffiti. Continue through the historic center of the city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where you can take time for lunch in one of the vibrant cafes before exploring further and taking a ride on the city's famed funicular.

Return to Santiago late afternoon and have the evening at leisure.

Day notes

Enjoy a final day of Santiago and Chile, beginning with a cooking class on local cuisine.  You will meet the chef at "Mercado Central" and continue to La Vega Central, the popular fruit and vegetable market,  the perfect place to discover new flavors.

After buying the goods needed for the class, head to the cooking workshop located in the beautiful Barrio Italia, where the chef will guide you through preparing simple and delicious Chilean recipes, revealing some of his culinary secrets along the way.

Once everything is prepared,  enjoy the feast of Chilean dishes complemented by excellent Chilean wines specially chosen to pair with the menu you have prepared.

The afternoon and evening are at leisure for you to enjoy some final sightseeing, shopping, taking in some art galleries or relaxing as you like.