Amazon Forest & Inca Sites Of Bolivia

Welcome to Bolivia! After arriving at La Paz Airport you’ll be warmly greeted by your awaiting bilingual guide and private tranportation for the half-hour journey downtown to your chosen hotel. Along the way, your guide will provide their passionate insight into this breathtaking Bolivian city, the highest de facto capital city in the world at 3,650 m (11,975 ft) above sea level.

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On day three, you’ll enjoy a fantastic breakfast before leaving the hotel. Then, you’ll ride from La Paz to Copacabana, which is nestled at the waters of Lake Titicaca. There, you can visit the sacred shrine of the “Virgen de la Candelaria,” who, according to legend, has performed various miracles in the area since the late 16th century. The area celebrates the Virgen with a festival in early February.

From Copacabana, you’ll take a boat to Moon Island, where the god Viracocha commanded the rising of the moon. You can also explore the ruins of Inaq Uyu, the Sun Virgins Temple. Then, you’ll go from night to day and travel to the Sun Island, where we’ll see the Pilcocaina Sun Temple, where the legend says that the Inca’s Sun God was born.

After exploring the islands, you’ll take a gentle walk of approximately 40 minutes known as the Llama Trek along Inca roads and accompanied by llamas on your way to your hotel, where a delicious Bolivian lunch awaits. After lunch, you’re free to explore the rest of Sun Island and take in the stunning sunset across the water. You’ll spend the night on the island.

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A delicious breakfast awaits you on Sun Island. You can continue to explore the surroundings at your leisure until we meet for our excursion to the Incan Grand Stairs around noon. The Grand Stairs and Sacred Fountain are also on La Isla Del Sol, and we’ll have lunch at the Uma Kollu archaeological restaurant, which offers outdoor dining so that you can view the lake while you eat. After lunch, you can explore the surrounding market to buy souvenirs and other handcrafted items to commemorate your stay.

After lunch, we’ll take a hydrofoil to the mainland, then drive to the town of Huatajata. There, we’ll visit the Andean Roots Eco Village, where you can see replicas of mud houses and Incan boats. We’ll also explore the Altiplano Museum, where we can see how the ancient Inca people lived and thrived in the region. Other highlights from Huatajata will include the handicrafts village (where you can buy gorgeous handmade artwork) and the mortuary towers of the Urus Chipayas, who still live in the area.

In Huatajata, you’ll also learn about the Limachi Family, who built massive ships to traverse the Atlantic Ocean. At night, we’ll enter “The Mystical World of the Kallaways,” who are the natural healers of Bolivia. Kallaways focus on healing your soul and your body, and we’ll even meet one of these ancient practitioners in person. After the show, we’ll head to the Native Observatory Alajpacha, where we can learn about how the Inca relied on celestial navigation and see some of the southern constellations. Then, we’ll spend the night in Huatajata.

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On Day Four, the Amazon awaits! You’ll fly to the city of Trinidad where you’ll step aboard your cruise for the next two nights aboard the Reina De Enin, Bolivia’s only Amazon riverboat. Keep in mind that the program can vary depending on where the vessel is overnight. The details of the program will be similar, but locations and activities may vary.

WET SEASON – January to June

After embarking at Puerto Ballivian you’ll get to explore the Ibare River, which snakes through the northern section of the country. Your captain and crew, who will be there to assist you with anything you need, will show you around the boat and discuss the sights you’ll see along your journey.

During the cruise, you should be able to spot many of Bolivia’s birds and animals as long as you keep a sharp eye. The crew members can also point out animals of interest along the route.

By the early afternoon, you’ll arrive at La Boca, which is where the rivers Ibare and Mamore meet. There, you’ll have lunch along the banks of the river. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to see some of Bolivia’s famous pink dolphins playing in the water. After lunch, you’ll be encouraged to swim in the river, where you can meet the dolphins, known locally as bufeos, up close.

In the evening, the cruise will take you to the Island of the Monkeys, where you might be able to see these creatures playing among the trees. Closing out the day will be a presentation of the indigenious Moxos culture and how they thrive in the Bolivian jungles.

DRY SEASON – July to December

You’ll head to Puerto Los Puentes on the Mamore River instead of the Ibare River. From there, you’ll explore a small Moxo village and learn more about the culture and how they live. You’ll also have lunch in the village, complete with traditional Moxo dishes. After lunch, you’ll head along the banks of the river to find good fishing spots. Here, you can find pink dolphins and try catching the infamous piranha.

Dinner will also be provided on the tour. After your meal, your guides will take you on a simulation of black caiman hunting. You’ll head out on the river searching for these elusive predators, and you’ll learn more about them.

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WET SEASON – January to June

On your penultimate day, you’ll traverse the Mamore River after having a scrumptious breakfast at the hotel. You’ll be on the water for two hours, then arrive in the town of El Carmen. There, you’ll visit a small farm and go horseback riding through the jungle and along the plateaus of Bolivia. You’ll also learn about how Bolivian farmers cultivate the land while maintaining a balance within the ecosystem.

After your jungle trek, you’ll have lunch, then you can try your hand at sport fishing along the river. You can catch piranhas and blanquillos, which you can cook and eat on-site. At night, you’ll explore the jungle during the “Caimaneada,” which is when you hunt for black caiman. Don’t worry – you won’t have to kill anything. Your guides will simply point them out and explain more details about the species.

DRY SEASON – July to December

Instead of cruising along the Mamore River, you’ll head straight to El Carmen for your horseback riding excursion. You’ll spend more time in Bolivia’s pampas, which are the swamps and marshes of the countryside. After lunch, you’ll be taken to a beach where you can relax and enjoy the scenery until dinner.

After dinner, you’ll experience a presentation about the local Moxo culture and its people, who still inhabit the region.

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WET SEASON – January to June

Today you’re saying goodbye to Bolivia! Today we’ll navigate back to the Ibare River, a journey that takes some five hours. Upon arrival, and after lunch on board, we’ll head over to the beautiful Lake Victoria, where you’ll take a boat ride on the water. Afterwards, you’ll return to Puerto Ballivan, where a taxi will take you to the airport in Trinidad in readiness for your flight home via La Paz’s International Airport.

DRY SEASON – July to December

After breakfast, you’ll travel by land until you reach a secluded jungle trail. Depending on your starting point, you may get to see some Incan ruins. However, no matter where you are, you’ll witness many of Bolivia’s local plantlife, birds, and animals. You’ll also enjoy lunch along the trail.

After lunch, you’ll head back to Puerto Loma Suarez to meet the taxi to take you to Trinidad. From there you can head to Cochabamba.

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On day seven, you’ll enjoy a quick Bolivian breakfast and then, take a plane to the town of Uyuni, which is in the southwest corner of Bolivia. Uyuni is most famous for its massive salt flat – the largest on earth spanning over 4,000 square miles. The salt flat is a remarkable place where life seems to stand still. Although much of the water has dried, there are still some lakes in the area, some of which have colorful flamingos.

For lunch, we’ll dine at Isla Incahuasi, a gorgeous oasis surrounded by salt. During lunch, you can see thousands of columnar cacti, most of which are centuries old. This backdrop practically begs for photographs and selfies, as you won’t get this kind of mealtime view anywhere else in the world.

After lunch, we’ll head over to the Luna Salada Hotel. This establishment is world-famous because it’s made entirely of salt. There, we’ll have a delicious dinner, and you can partake in some of the spa amenities that the hotel has to offer. We’ll stay the night in Uyuni.

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Today you’ll drive over the salt flats on an excursion to the village of Tahua, and the Thunupa Volcano, the so-called Guardian of the Salt Flats. Small ponds located at its base are home to flocks of Andean flamingos wading through their shallow waters. A checkerboard of stonewall pens decorates the slopes as herders walk with their llamas and plant quinoa in the fertile soil of the volcanic earth. Toward the volcano’s crater, different layers of sediment are visible giving way to a spectacular smorgasboard of color under the vivid blue sky.

Climbing up the trails of the volcano, you’ll witness some of the most beautiful vistas of the Salt Flats the area has to offer. After a stroll through the village, you’ll hike to the cave of the Coquesa Mummies, ancestors of the ancient Urus Chipayas civilization. Believed to have been killed together by poisonous gases leaking up from underground, they have remained untouched for over 1,200 years; though some speculation as to how they died and whether or not they are in fact related still remains as archaeological research has yet to be conducted. Due to the dry air and their protected enclave, the bodies are remarkably preserved with the colors of their clothes and even fingernails still visible.

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After breakfast at the hotel, you’ll head to the Uyuni Airport, where you’ll fly over to Santa Cruz or La Paz to take your international flight connection.

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