Küstenexpress

[die Tourbeschreibung ist momentan nur auf Englisch verfügbar]

Day 1:
La Paz. La Paz is the highest capital city in the world, built 400metres below the 4-kilometre-high Altiplano, at the bottom of a canyon to escape the cold. As the city grew, it expanded up the walls of the canyon and is now an amazing blend of winding, cobble-stoned streets filled with markets of all types. The most interesting of these is the witches market, where you can purchase many different potions and spells! Nearby are some interesting, optional excursions to the highest ski resort in the world, Mount Chacaltaya, and the “Valley of the Moon” with its strange rock formations. There is also the option of visiting the Pre-Inca ruins of Tiahuanaco or the famous bike ride down the world’s most dangerous road! Descend from 4700m to 1100m on mountain bikes in 4-5 hours.

Days 2-3:
Potosi. Heading south across the Altiplano, we arrive in the colonial city of Potosi. Potosi began its journey to fame almost 500 years ago when silver was discovered in Cerro Rica, a hill just outside the town. In the late 1700s, Potosi was the richest city in Latin America. The situation declined when the silver demand diminished but these days you might still choose to take a guided tour of Potosi’s silver mines (optional) as mining still continues today in primitive conditions, or wander around the colonial streets but whatever you choose to do, bring plenty of warm clothes. Potosi’s altitude of 4.070m makes it not only the highest city in the world but also one of the most freezing cold as well!

Days 4-6:
Uyuni and the Salt Flats. Our journey continues southwest towards Uyuni where we begin our expedition out on to the great, blinding-white Salt Flats. This natural phenomenon is a massive, salt lake, which forms a strange lunar landscape that shimmers in the sunshine and stretches for hundreds of kilometres dotted with a few islands, cactuses or home to strange colonies of rodents! Here, we take a 4x4 trip across the salt flats: an incredible experience. Don’t forget your sunglasses!

Days 7-8:
San Pedro and the Atacama Dessert. We reach the Chilean border and our destination is the small, oasis town of San Pedro de Atacama with its sandy streets and shady plaza. The town is surrounded by towering, conical volcanoes far in the distance and is famous for its nearby salt lake. You might like to take an optional excursion to watch pink flamingos fly off into the dessert sunset or to the nearby Valley de la Luna to marvel at its weird and wonderful rock formations.

Days 9-12:
Bahia Inglesa or free camp and La Serena. On our way from the Pacific coast at La Serena, we camp under the stars in the vast expanses of the world’s driest dessert: The Atacama. From the Atacama dessert, we continue along the coast to the colonial seaside town of La Serena. The city has some lovely, colonial buildings surrounding the plaza, and the area is renowned for having clear, sunny skies. Now we have some beach time and a chance to do some shopping in the markets of La Serena. You might want to take an optional excursion to the observatory to star gaze - these are renowned for being the clearest skies in the world. And if the weather allows, kick back and relax on the beach!

Day 13:
Santiago. We come to Chile’s pleasant capital, Santiago, which still retains some of its old charm with a magnificent, tree-lined plaza, dominated by the main cathedral. You might want to take an optional cable car ride up San Cristobal hill for magnificent views of the city and the backdrop of the snow-capped Andes in the distance, catch the changing of the guard at Plaza Constitucion or do some last minute shopping for souvenirs!

Day 14:
Santiago. Tour finishes.