Bolivia may just be the greatest mystery of South America. The country
once had ocean access via a coastal strip through the Atacama Desert,
but a loss in a long-ago regional war resulted in Bolivia ceding
the Atacama strip to Peru. Now landlocked at the heart of Andean
Latin America, Bolivia’s remoteness (and for years inaccessibility)
has allowed it to keep its cultural heritage mostly intact, much
as it has been for centuries.
Throughout the country’s colonial
history, Bolivia was known as “Upper Peru” until Simon
Bolivar led the country to independence in 1825, when it was named
in his honor. But don’t
think just because it was once tied to Peru, that the country is somehow
an inferior sibling. Those adventurers who journey beyond Peru’s
mass tourism will find that Bolivia offers a far more authentic slice
of Latin American life. Admittedly, Bolivia can offer the independent
traveler a lot of challenges, but it is the rough-and-tumble quality
and the country’s staggering breadth of contrasts that make a
journey here so worthwhile. One minute you are strolling through
an authentic weekend market in the world’s
highest city; the next you may be lounging on the veranda of an old Spanish
colonial mansion. One day, you’re made breathless by the grandeur of
the Andes Mountains (and the high altitude). The next day you’re skirting
the edges of the Amazon Rainforest. You may dine in an international-standard
restaurant
today, and nosh on an empanada from a street vendor’s cart for lunch
tomorrow. You can find upscale hotels in the major cities or opt for a rustic
lodge in the jungle or lowlands. By being secluded from the rest of South America,
Bolivia is its own little world.
Domestically, Bolivia has entered an unprecedented
era of political stability, ending a record of military coups and recurrent
internal strife that was little
short of ludicrous. There were 192 coups in the 156 years from independence
in 1825 to 1981 – an average of one every 10 months. Much of the credit
is due to President Victor Paz Estenssoro – the grand old man of Bolivian
politics who held the presidency between 1952–56 and 1960–64. He
was elected again in August 1985, at the head of a loose coalition of both
left- and right-wing parties, and dramatically cut rampant hyper-inflation
and ushered in an era of peace and stability. Toto Tours has traveled many times to South America,
but this marks our first journey to Bolivia. It has everything we look
for in a destination – it
is unique, unknown to most people, and a real life adventure. We will
visit the world’s highest cities, sail upon Lake Titicaca (the world’s
highest) and see no less than five UNESCO World Heritage sites. From La Paz
to Sucre, from Potosi to Santa Cruz, from the height of the Andes to the lowlands
of the Amazon – Bolivia is a treasure trove of visual delights, ancient
knowledge, myth, legends, and history. We invite you to discover the mysteries
of Bolivia with us.
ITINERARY
Friday, July 1, 2011 Departure from the U.S.
When making an internet search for the best airfare, use the airport
code LPB for La Paz, Bolivia, returning from VVI airport in Santa Cruz.
Many flights (especially American Airlines from Miami) arrive very
early tomorrow morning. If you prefer to arrive a day early in order
to get further acclimated to the altitude, we will be happy to arrange
an additional hotel night tonight. Tour services in La Paz do not begin
until tomorrow.
Saturday, July 2, 2011 Arrival in La Paz, Bolivia / City Sightseeing
Most international flights will arrive early this morning.
Upon arrival in La Paz, collect your luggage and make your way through
customs.
One group transfer is provided to take us to our centrally located
hotel. If you arrive at a different time than the scheduled group transfer,
we will provide you with information about your transfer options. The
drive from the airport to downtown takes about 25 minutes. We
check into our hotel rooms, freshen up and relax from our long journey.
In late morning, start a sightseeing tour of the city.
La Paz has treasures hiding
around every corner and on every street. The indigenous, colonial and
modern areas, Indian Market, Witch Doctor’s Market, and breathtaking
panoramas are all framed by the majestic “Illimani” mountain.
After lunch, we head just outside of the city to Moon Valley, a large
collection of sandstone monoliths shaped over many thousands of years
by the dry winds of southern La Paz.
Visit the Gold Museum to see objects from pre-Columbian
days. Stroll the narrow, cobble-stoned Jaen Street, which will be a walk back
in time to Colonial days.
Returning
to
our hotel, we have some rest before our welcome festivities. (Lunch
/ Welcome Dinner included)
Sunday, July 3, 2011 Tiwanacu World Heritage Site
Enjoy a free morning today, taking breakfast at your leisure.
This afternoon, we drive out of town to the UNESCO World Heritage site
of Tiwanaku, the most magnificent ruins in Bolivia
marking one of the oldest civilizations in the Americas (1,580 BC-1,000
AD). Tiwanaku had an agrarian-based economy with an estimated
population of 115,000 inhabitants. Its state-controlled agriculture
produced a surplus of wealth that supported a highly developed urban
centre and administrative system. These people were outstanding in
agriculture,
hydraulics, architecture
and medicine, as well as in social organization. Due to an economical
crisis
caused
by a long dry season, Tiwanaku collapsed around 1,000 AD. The Sun
Gate,
the Temple of Kalasasaya and the Pyramid of Akapana are
the best examples of the glorious past of Tiwanaku. Returning to our
hotel, the remainder of the day is at leisure. (Breakfast)
Monday, July 4, 2011 Lake Titicaca’s Moon Island and Sun Island
After breakfast, we check out of our hotel and commence a two-night
visit to the beautiful Lake Titicaca. We suggest you bring an
overnight bag and leave the bulk of your luggage at our hotel in La
Paz since we’ll be returning here in two days. Our overland transfer
takes us to the picturesque town of Huatajata, located at an altitude
of 12,973 feet above sea level on the south-eastern shores of Lake
Titicaca, the highest navigable fresh water
lake in the world. Take a hydrofoil to Moon Island to visit the Sun
Virgins Temple Iñak Uyu, an ancient nunnery of
sorts. Continue to the larger Sun Island, site of more than 180 Incan
ruins and the Pilcocaina Sun Temple. Because there are no
paved roads on this rocky island, we take a llama trek to get
to our lodge in time
for
lunch. The afternoon and evening are free to explore the surroundings
at our eco-lodge. (All
Meals)
Tuesday, July 5, 2011 Sacred Journeys from Sun Island to Huatajata
Enjoy breakfast at our lodge and a morning at leisure. Our touring
begins with a visit to the Inca “Grand Stairs” and the
Sacred Fountain to taste the waters believed to give eternal youth & happiness.
We eat lunch at the Uma Kolla archaeological restaurant, followed
by a visit to a small handicraft market. Afterwards, we board a
hydrofoil for our return trip to Huatajata.
Back on the mainland, we visit
the Andean Roots
Eco Village, including the Altiplano Museum, handicrafts village, the
Mud Igloos and the mortuary towers of the Urus Chipayas. Meet the Limachi
family, builders of the RA II and Tigris boats for epic expeditions across the
Atlantic Ocean.
Tonight we experience The Mystic World of the
Kallawayas, natural healers of Bolivia who believe that you first have to
heal the soul in
order to heal your
body. “Tata Benjo,” the village’s Kallawaya, will
bless visitors and answer questions by casting his sacred coca leaves.
After a candlelight dinner, enjoy a nighttime visit
to the Native Observatory Alajpacha to learn about the Aymaras
vision of the cosmos, and view the Southern constellations. (All Meals)
Wednesday, July 6, 2011 Return to La Paz
After breakfast, we check out of our hotel and make the overland
transfer back to La Paz. The road runs parallel with the Royal Range
of the
Andes. We arrive in La Paz in the afternoon and the remainder of
the day is free. (Breakfast)
Thursday, July 7, 2011 Sucre, A World Heritage City
After breakfast, we check out of the hotel and transfer to the airport
for our morning flight to Sucre. Upon arrival we have lunch at the
“Huerto Restaurant,” followed by an afternoon sightseeing
tour of this historic city which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our
tour includes Park Bolivar, the Liberty
House completed in 1621, the Main Square, the textile and ethnographic
Museum Asur, La Recoleta Museum of colonial and Bolivian art, and
the San Felipe Nery Church. Dinner is included tonight at the Kolpimg
Restaurant. Our hotel is a restored courtyard mansion. (All
Meals)
Friday, July 8, 2011 Potosi, A World Heritage City
After breakfast, pack just an overnight bag for our one-night trip
to the old mining town of Potosi, a World Heritage
Site, and
one of
the
world’s
highest cities at 13,420 feet above sea level. The city lies beneath
the Cerro
de
Potosí—sometimes
referred to as the Cerro Rico (“rich mountain”)—a
mountain mined for its silver ore which provided much of the Spanish
Empire’s
silver supply. After lunch, our sightseeing tour will include the Convent
and Church of Santa Teresa, housing an outstanding collection of religious
art, and the Royal Mint, the most important example of civil architecture
in South America. Carved stone, rough stone, bricks, wood and iron
combine to produce a building of elegance and harmony. It contains
important collections of colonial paintings, furniture, clothing, regional
dresses, coins and anthropological specimens. Dinner tonight is at
“Fogon Restaurant” in Potosi. (All
Meals)
Saturday, July 9, 2011 Potosi Silver Mine / Return to Sucre
After breakfast, we tour Potosi’s great silver mine, seeing
the deep shafts, the work of the mines, the veins containing the minerals
and how the ore is carried to the surface and then on to the concentrating
mills. We return to Sucre, arriving in time for lunch. In the afternoon,
tour Sucre’s main cemetery, one of South America’s most
beautiful and on a par with the ones in Buenos Aires and Paris. We
will also view more of the city's main tourist attractions, followed
by dinner at “Le Biscuit Restaurant.” Spend a second night
at our elegant Parador in Sucre. (All Meals)
Sunday, July 10, 2011 Santa Cruz and Biocenter Guembe
After breakfast, we check out of our hotel and transfer to the airport
for our morning flight to Santa Cruz. Upon arrival, take a full
day sightseeing tour of the city and Biocentro Guembe.
In the city, see the Main Square 24 de Septiembre, the Cathedral
Museum, and more of the primary attractions in Santa Cruz. Next,
we travel 10 miles outside of town to the Biocentro Guembe, a 24-hectare
nature preserve surrounded
by exotic plants, animals and lush forests.
The
facilities include a Butterfly Dome (104 different species), Bird
Observatory, and Orchid Exhibition. We will have time to do some
trekking on the
nature paths, ride horses, and even enjoy the water pools (bring
your swim suit). Return to Santa Cruz for a free evening. (Breakfast
/ Lunch)
Monday, July 11, 2011 Amboro National Park and Los Volcanes
Following an early breakfast, we bring an overnight bag for our one-night
expedition to the Amboró National
Park and Los Volcanes. Roughly a 90-minute drive from Santa Cruz, Refugio
Los
Volcanes
is
located
in the southern part of Amboró National Park. Tucked away in
a deep valley, Los Volcanes offers spectacular views of sandstone rock
cliffs as well as the tropical forests, where you can see more than
200 species of birds, 100 species of orchids and bromeliads, and countless
numbers of unique animals. Weather conditions and travel times considered,
we will arrive at our destination with enough time to hike
down the entrance road looking for wildlife (a walk of about three
miles). Group members should know that the entrance
road is steep
and
takes about 2 hours to walk down. A good walking stick and supportive
foot wear are essential. Alternatively, you can be transported to the
bottom by jeep. In the afternoon we hike “the Loop” trail.
Overnight at Los Volcanes in some cozy cabanas on the Pirai River. (All
Meals)
Tuesday, July 12, 2011 The Samaipata Ruins / Return to Santa Cruz
Spend an active morning exploring more of the trails by our lodge
if you wish. In late morning, we tour the Samaipata
Ruins,
a UNESCO
World
Heritage site consisting of two parts: the hill with its many carvings,
believed to have been the ceremonial centre of the old town here (14th–16th
centuries), and the area to the south of the hill, which formed the
administrative and residential district. Included is a visit to the
archeological museum. In late afternoon, we return to Santa Cruz for
a free evening. (Breakfast /
Lunch)
Wednesday, July 13, 2011 Jesuit Missions of the Chiquitos
After breakfast, we depart Santa Cruz to visit the villages of
Cotoca, Pailas, Pailón, and Los Troncos to see the UNESCO World
Heritage Jesuit Missions of the Chiquitos. Inspired by
the “ideal cities” of 16th-century philosophers, six settlements
of Christianized Indians were founded between 1696 and 1760 by the
Jesuits in a style that married Catholic architecture with local traditions.
At the oldest mission, San Javier, we enjoy a mini Baroque Music
concert by the church’s choir. In the afternoon, we return to
Santa Cruz for a festive Farewell Dinner marking our final night together
in Bolivia. (All Meals)
Thursday, July 14, 2011 Departure from Santa Cruz
The tour ends officially after breakfast. Make your
flight arrangements to depart the Santa Cruz airport (VVI) at any
convenient time today. Most flights depart in early morning, and will
have you home (with connections) later today. We provide one group
transfer to the airport today, timed to accommodate the greatest number
of departing tour participants. (Breakfast)
Bolivia may just be the greatest mystery of South America. The country
once had ocean access via a coastal strip through the Atacama Desert,
but a loss in a long-ago regional war resulted in Bolivia ceding
the Atacama strip to Peru. Now landlocked at the heart of Andean
Latin America, Bolivia’s remoteness (and for years inaccessibility)
has allowed it to keep its cultural heritage mostly intact, much
as it has been for centuries. 
One minute you are strolling through
an authentic weekend market in the world’s
highest city; the next you may be lounging on the veranda of an old Spanish
colonial mansion. One day, you’re made breathless by the grandeur of
the Andes Mountains (and the high altitude). The next day you’re skirting
the edges of the Amazon Rainforest. You may dine in an international-standard
restaurant
today, and nosh on an empanada from a street vendor’s cart for lunch
tomorrow. You can find upscale hotels in the major cities or opt for a rustic
lodge in the jungle or lowlands. By being secluded from the rest of South America,
Bolivia is its own little world.
Toto Tours has traveled many times to South America,
but this marks our first journey to Bolivia. It has everything we look
for in a destination – it
is unique, unknown to most people, and a real life adventure. We will
visit the world’s highest cities, sail upon Lake Titicaca (the world’s
highest) and see no less than five UNESCO World Heritage sites. From La Paz
to Sucre, from Potosi to Santa Cruz, from the height of the Andes to the lowlands
of the Amazon – Bolivia is a treasure trove of visual delights, ancient
knowledge, myth, legends, and history. We invite you to discover the mysteries
of Bolivia with us.
Friday, July 1, 2011
with information about your transfer options. The
drive from the airport to downtown takes about 25 minutes. We
check into our hotel rooms, freshen up and relax from our long journey.
In late morning, start a sightseeing tour of the city.
Enjoy a free morning today, taking breakfast at your leisure.
This afternoon, we drive out of town to the UNESCO World Heritage site
of Tiwanaku, the most magnificent ruins in Bolivia
marking one of the oldest civilizations in the Americas (1,580 BC-1,000
AD). Tiwanaku had an agrarian-based economy with an estimated
population of 115,000 inhabitants. Its state-controlled agriculture
produced a surplus of wealth that supported a highly developed urban
centre and administrative system. These people were outstanding in
agriculture,
hydraulics, architecture
and medicine, as well as in social organization. Due to an economical
crisis
caused
by a long dry season, Tiwanaku collapsed around 1,000 AD. The Sun
Gate,
the Temple of Kalasasaya and the Pyramid of Akapana are
the best examples of the glorious past of Tiwanaku. Returning to our
hotel, the remainder of the day is at leisure. (Breakfast)
After breakfast, we check out of our hotel and commence a two-night
visit to the beautiful Lake Titicaca. We suggest you bring an
overnight bag and leave the bulk of your luggage at our hotel in La
Paz since we’ll be returning here in two days. Our overland transfer
takes us to the picturesque town of Huatajata, located at an altitude
of 12,973 feet above sea level on the south-eastern shores of Lake
Titicaca, the highest navigable fresh water
lake in the world. Take a hydrofoil to Moon Island to visit the Sun
Virgins Temple Iñak Uyu, an ancient nunnery of
sorts. Continue to the larger Sun Island, site of more than 180 Incan
ruins and the Pilcocaina Sun Temple. Because there are no
paved roads on this rocky island, we take a llama trek to get
to our lodge in time
for
lunch. The afternoon and evening are free to explore the surroundings
at our eco-lodge. (All
Meals)
Enjoy breakfast at our lodge and a morning at leisure. Our touring
begins with a visit to the Inca “Grand Stairs” and the
Sacred Fountain to taste the waters believed to give eternal youth & happiness.
We eat lunch at the Uma Kolla archaeological restaurant, followed
by a visit to a small handicraft market. Afterwards, we board a
hydrofoil for our return trip to Huatajata.
After breakfast, we check out of the hotel and transfer to the airport
for our morning flight to Sucre. Upon arrival we have lunch at the
“Huerto Restaurant,” followed by an afternoon sightseeing
tour of this historic city which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our
tour includes Park Bolivar, the Liberty
House completed in 1621, the Main Square, the textile and ethnographic
Museum Asur, La Recoleta Museum of colonial and Bolivian art, and
the San Felipe Nery Church. Dinner is included tonight at the Kolpimg
Restaurant. Our hotel is a restored courtyard mansion. (All
Meals) 
After breakfast, pack just an overnight bag for our one-night trip
to the old mining town of Potosi, a World Heritage
Site, and
one of
the
world’s
highest cities at 13,420 feet above sea level. The city lies beneath
the Cerro
de
Potosí—sometimes
referred to as the Cerro Rico (“rich mountain”)—a
mountain mined for its silver ore which provided much of the Spanish
Empire’s
silver supply. After lunch, our sightseeing tour will include the Convent
and Church of Santa Teresa, housing an outstanding collection of religious
art, and the Royal Mint, the most important example of civil architecture
in South America. Carved stone, rough stone, bricks, wood and iron
combine to produce a building of elegance and harmony. It contains
important collections of colonial paintings, furniture, clothing, regional
dresses, coins and anthropological specimens. Dinner tonight is at
“Fogon Restaurant” in Potosi. (All
Meals)
After breakfast, we tour Potosi’s great silver mine, seeing
the deep shafts, the work of the mines, the veins containing the minerals
and how the ore is carried to the surface and then on to the concentrating
mills. We return to Sucre, arriving in time for lunch. In the afternoon,
tour Sucre’s main cemetery, one of South America’s most
beautiful and on a par with the ones in Buenos Aires and Paris. We
will also view more of the city's main tourist attractions, followed
by dinner at “Le Biscuit Restaurant.” Spend a second night
at our elegant Parador in Sucre. (All Meals)
After breakfast, we check out of our hotel and transfer to the airport
for our morning flight to Santa Cruz. Upon arrival, take a full
day sightseeing tour of the city and Biocentro Guembe. 
Following an early breakfast, we bring an overnight bag for our one-night
expedition to the Amboró National
Park and Los Volcanes. Roughly a 90-minute drive from Santa Cruz, Refugio
Los
Volcanes
is
located
in the southern part of Amboró National Park. Tucked away in
a deep valley, Los Volcanes offers spectacular views of sandstone rock
cliffs as well as the tropical forests, where you can see more than
200 species of birds, 100 species of orchids and bromeliads, and countless
numbers of unique animals. Weather conditions and travel times considered,
we will arrive at our destination with enough time to hike
down the entrance road looking for wildlife (a walk of about three
miles). Group members should know that the entrance
road is steep
and
takes about 2 hours to walk down. A good walking stick and supportive
foot wear are essential. Alternatively, you can be transported to the
bottom by jeep. In the afternoon we hike “the Loop” trail.
Overnight at Los Volcanes in some cozy cabanas on the Pirai River. (All
Meals)
Spend an active morning exploring more of the trails by our lodge
if you wish. In late morning, we tour the Samaipata
Ruins,
a UNESCO
World
Heritage site consisting of two parts: the hill with its many carvings,
believed to have been the ceremonial centre of the old town here (14th–16th
centuries), and the area to the south of the hill, which formed the
administrative and residential district. Included is a visit to the
archeological museum. In late afternoon, we return to Santa Cruz for
a free evening. (Breakfast /
Lunch)
After breakfast, we depart Santa Cruz to visit the villages of
Cotoca, Pailas, Pailón, and Los Troncos to see the UNESCO World
Heritage Jesuit Missions of the Chiquitos. Inspired by
the “ideal cities” of 16th-century philosophers, six settlements
of Christianized Indians were founded between 1696 and 1760 by the
Jesuits in a style that married Catholic architecture with local traditions.
At the oldest mission, San Javier, we enjoy a mini Baroque Music
concert by the church’s choir. In the afternoon, we return to
Santa Cruz for a festive Farewell Dinner marking our final night together
in Bolivia. (All Meals)