ARGENTINA, BOLIVIA AND CHILE

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24 DAYS

South America offers a world of unique experiences to suit any traveller. A region of contrasts one trip may include a visit to the moonscapes of the Atacama Desert, the gushing waters of Iguazu Falls, and the dreamlike landscapes of Uyuni Salt Flats. Below is a sample of what we can create for you however this is just to give you an idea. We will create a tailor-made holiday just for you to suit your interests and travel needs.

ITINERARY

Day Place Highlights
Day 1 Arrive Buenos Aires Argentina
Day 2 Buenos Aires Buenos Aires city tour and tango show
Day 3 Buenos Aires Day at leisure

Buenos Aires:

Buenos Aires is a charming, sophisticated city with a strong European influence and culture.  With its blend of Spanish, French and Italian architectural styles, its great variety of nightspots, and its cultural life, it is often referred to as the ‘South American Paris’.  Enjoy dinner and a night of music and tango at Esquina Carlos Gardel, one of the excellent venues where typical songs and dances are performed.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Day 4 Fly to Esteros del Ibera Arrive at Hacienda Rincon Del Socorro
Day 5-6 Explore Esteros del Ibera Discover the wildlife in the marshes and Lagoons of Esteros del Ibera

Esteros del Ibera:

The marshlands and lagoons of Esteros del Ibera are home to an abundance of wildlife. Here you may see alligators, marsh deer and hundreds of bird species. Best explored by boat or 4×4 guides show you areas filled with wildlife. This place really is a haven for nature lovers.

Black Caiman Ibera Marshlands Argentina

Day 7 Fly to Iguassu Falls Settle into your hotel
Day 8-9 Iguazu Falls Explore the Argentine and Brazilian sides of the Falls

Iguazu Falls:

In a tropical region of magnificent rainforest and deep flowing rivers in the far north-east, you’ll see the mighty Iguazu Falls. The thundering waterfalls are an incredible sight and sound sensation. 3km wide and plunging 70m into the gorge that separates Brazil and Argentina and Paraguay. You can see the wide angle view of the falls from the Brazilian side and a up-close detail from the Argentinian side

Iguazu Falls Argentina

Day 10 Yacutinga Lodge Transfer to the lodge
Day 11 Yacutinga Lodge Explore the forest

Yacutinga Lodge:

The Yacutinga Lodge and Wildlife Nature Reserve is located in a pristine part of Misiones jungle, almost entirely surrounded by the upper Iquazu River, behind the Iguazu National Park.  During your stay in this subtropical rainforest you will see a variety of wildlife and your guide will explain the importance of the national park and conservation in the region.

Yacutinga Lodge

Day 12 Fly to Salta, Argentina Arrive in the afternoon
Days 13-14 Salta, Argentina Explore Salta

Salta:

Salta gets its name from the Aymara word ‘sagta’, meaning very beautiful, and it is indeed a strikingly beautiful city with wonderful colonial architecture, museums and galleries.  Today it is known as “La Linda” (the beautiful one).  Located in a very fertile valley of Lerma, this city has best preserved its colonial architecture.  In earlier times the valleys that surround Salta served as trails between the Alto Peru and Buenos Aires and today are still home to different Indian cultures.  Nestled between the colourful mountain scenery and peaks of over 6,000m, there are many tiny Indian villages, as well as colonial churches and Inca ruins.

Salta Cathedral Argentina

Day 15 Humahuaca, Argentina Humahuaca Canyon, Purmamarca
Day 16 Tupiza, Bolivia Cross the La Quiaca/Villazon border
Day 17 Uyuni, Boliva Horse Riding Valle de los Machos
Days 18-19 Colchani, Bolivia Salt flats and Cemetery of Trains
Days 20 Villa Mar, Bolivia Cave paintings, Fort of Tomas Lakjas

Salar de Uyuni (Salt Flats of Uyuni):

Bolivia’s most well-known attraction is the Salar de Uyuni (Salt Flats of Uyuni), a 10,000 km2 dazzling white landscape. The salt flats are formed by the evaporative process of meltwaters from the surrounding volcanic peaks that trickle into what is effectively a large ‘inland sea’. Over many thousands of years a crust of salt has formed that is thick enough to drive on (2-10 metres). Up to 200m of water lie beneath the salt crust as well as the world’s largest deposits of lithium.

 

There is little local rainfall to weaken the crust, although when it does rain (Nov to Feb) the mirages created by water-covered salt flats are like a surreal scene from a Salvador Dali painting.

Uyuni Bolivia
Train Graveyard Bolivia

Day 21 San Pedro de Atacama Chile Travel overland to Laguna Colorada
Day 22-23 Atacama Desert Explore the desert and geysers
Day 24 Fly to Santiago Itinerary ends

The Atacama Desert:

Located in northern Chile the Atacama Desert is the driest non-polar desert on earth, a virtually rainless plateau, with starkly beautiful landscapes of sand dunes, salt pans, lava flows and soaring volcanoes. The Valley of the Moon near San Pedro de Atacama is an area of dramatic land formations in fascinating colours and shapes. Visit the turquoise blue salt lakes 4,500m above sea level and the typical Atacama Indian village of Socaire. A dawn excursion to the El Tatio Geysers, high in the altiplano, is an amazing experience.
In addition to dramatic landscapes the region is also home to a great variety of wildlife including; vicunas, guanacos, viscachas (which looks like a long tailed rabbit and is actually a rodent/chinchilla), andean geese and Andean gulls to name a few.

Atacama Desert
We will tailor the perfect holiday to suit your needs.