Bolivia's Flooded Uyuni Salt Flats – A Wet Season Mirror (7 Days)

Bolivia's Flooded Uyuni Salt Flats – A Wet Season Mirror (7 Days)

This Photo tour is led by professional photographer, Sergio Ballivian. Based in La Paz, Bolivia, Sergio's 35+ years of photographic and guiding experiences in South America and beyond is evident. This is NOT a routine travel tour with a 'photo tour label' attached. This is a proper, professional photo tour and your results will be proof. Please contact us to discuss specifics of your preferred tour, our past client list and referrals.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in La Paz, Bolivia – City Tour

Stop At: The Witches' Market, Melchor Jimenez, La Paz, Bolivia
Arrive in La Paz early in the AM. The altitude at El Alto International Airport is 13,200 ft and is on the Altiplano, so it’s common to feel symptoms of light-headedness and possibly shortness of breath upon arrival. After doing immigration and then customs you’ll be met by us at the general passenger meeting point where you will board our private vehicle and head down into La Paz. We will loose altitude quickly, and you’ll likely feel much better. We suggest you have a basic photo kit easily accessible so you can take photos along the way. The hotel is located in the Valley of the Moon sector at the lowest level of La Paz (approximately around 10,200’) where you will check in and rest, relax or sleep for the rest of the morning. Lunch at the hotel. At 2 PM we begin a 4-hour city tour of this fascinating city deep in the heart of the Andes; visiting the busy downtown, the open air markets, and the colonial neighborhoods with great views of the city. Dinner together to talk about the upcoming days. We recommend a light dinner (avoid alcohol and caffeine at night) and drink plenty of water and mate de coca (coca tea) during the day. Overnight at Hotel Oberland (3*). (L, D)
Duration: 1 day

Meals included:
• Lunch
Accommodation included: 5* hotel in La Paz

Day 2: La Paz – Lake Titicaca – La Paz

Stop At: Lake Titicaca, Copacabana Bolivia
To continue the acclimatization process and still see amazing things we head to Lake Titicaca on a day trip. After rising out of the canyon and crossing the mega-city of El Alto, we head west to the shores of Lake Titicaca to see it’s beautiful blue waters – the highest navigable lake in the world at 12,500 ft., and the birthplace of the Incas. We begin our journey back to La Paz in the afternoon crossing the Andes once again and be back at the hotel in the late afternoon. Dinner on your own tonight. Overnight at Hotel Oberland (3*). (B,L)
Duration: 6 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: 5* hotel in La Paz

Day 3: La Paz – Sajama National Park

Stop At: Sajama National Park, Oruro Bolivia
Today our destination is Bolivia’s first National Park; Sajama, named for the strato-volcano that is the centerpiece of this spectacular, high-altitude region abutting on Chile’s border. Our drive from La Paz is on paved roads for roughly 5 hours, mostly due west-southwest towards Chile. Once at the park entrance we begin to see the details we came for – llamas and alpacas feeding on the vast plateau, surrounded by volcanoes and puna wetlands, cut by ice-cold rivers draining from the summit glaciers. There are wild vicuñas (camelid), viscachas (friendly rodent that is a cross between a large rabbit and squirrel), condors, eagles, hawks and Suri (American Rhea) that call this wind-blown region home. We head to our hostel and check-in then head out after a rest before sunset. We have a few key locations where the best photos of the most classic views are made. We return to our hostal in the village of Sajama and freshen-up before dinner. Dinner and overnight at Hostal Sajama (2*) (B,L,D)
Duration: 18 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: 3* Hostal in Sajama National Park

Day 4: Sajama National Park – Oruro – Salinas de Garci Mendoza – Jirira

Stop At: Salar de Uyuni, Uyuni Bolivia
After an early breakfast we head east, towards the main paved road that will take us to Patacamaya then south to Oruro. Lunch en route. Continuing south until we reach Salinas de Garci Mendoza – all on paved roads – by the early afternoon. The last hour or so will be on a dirt road that circumvents Mt. Thunupa, the dominant volcano on the northern edge of the Salar de Uyuni. Our destination is an Aymara family-run hostal called La Posada de Doña Lupe, a friend of ours that has provided food and shelter for us intrepid adventurers and photographers for the last 30 years. We will check-in and freshen-up before heading out for our first sunset shoot on the world’s largest salt flat – the Salar de Uyuni! We return after sunset to Jirira and rest before dinner. Overnight at Dona Lupe’s Posada (2*) (B,L,D)
Duration: 1 day

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: 3* Hostal in Jirira

Day 5: Jirira – Salar de Uyuni – Jirira

Stop At: Salar de Uyuni, Uyuni Bolivia
Our first full day on the Salar de Uyuni! We begin with a pre-sunrise wake-up and brief drive to the edge of the salt flat. We will arrive at dark, before sunrise and have time to scout for the best location – looking specifically for water and textures that will be enhanced as the sun rises behind the Andes to the east of us. As water levels fluctuate, we choose where may be the best part to get new photos, different angles and more spectacular backdrops. We’re always looking and taking notes in order to come back for the perfect light at the best time of the day looking at the best sunrise or sunset options. We return for lunch in Jirira and rest or to download photos before departing again into the salt flats before sunset. We finish another great day and return to Jirira have some free time to rest or download photos. Dinner and rest. Overnight at Dona Lupe’s Posada (2*) (B,L,D)
Duration: 1 day

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: 3* Hostel in Jirira

Day 6: Jirira – Salar de Uyuni – Jirira

Stop At: Salar de Uyuni, Uyuni Bolivia
We have many options today for making photos so we can stay on the mainland or dabble at the edges of the salt flat. It is always a great idea to get up before sunrise and head to the edge as the location here produces amazing photos looking towards the sunrise or to the west. Anywhere you point your lens should provide great images. Depending on water levels, we enter the salt flats via the villages of Jirira, Coquesa or Tahua, all of which sit below Thunupa Volcano so we can experience a little of what the flooded salar is like. Lunch in Jirira. We want to get up high on the volcano for one of the most spectacular views in the region for sunset so we drive up about a thousand feet onto the flanks of Mt. Thunupa. Our parking spot also happens to be a few minutes walk from mummies that are kept in a cave for people to come and visit them. It’s quite a day. We finish the day back in the village of Jirira and have time to freshen-up before dinner. Overnight at Dona Lupe’s Posada (2*) (B,L,D)
Duration: 1 day

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: 3* Hostel in Jirira

Day 7: Jirira – Oruro – La Paz

Stop At: Salar de Uyuni, Uyuni Bolivia
The drive to La Paz will take a good part of the day but is pretty spectacular because it stays high in the mountains for the first half of the trip and it’s on a paved road all the way to La Paz so, it’s fast and comfortable. Along the way you will see multi-colored valleys, high peaks, green puna with llamas and alpacas grazing. The closer we get to La Paz you will see the glacier-covered peaks of the Cordillera Real rising above the Altiplano. The scenery is truly amazing and should provide plenty of visual appeal along the entire route. We should arrive in La Paz in the early evening. Group dinner at a local restaurant to celebrate a wonderful and adventurous journey of the Bolivian highland region. Overnight at Hotel Oberland (3*). (B,L,D)
Duration: 8 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: 5* Hotel in La Paz