Peru & Bolivia in One Trip — Daily Departures, All Year Long
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The Andean Explorer is a 17-day journey through the two great countries of the Andes, Peru and Bolivia, linking Machu Picchu with the Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt flat on Earth. In Peru you see the Ballestas Islands, the Huacachina Oasis and the Nazca Lines, Arequipa and the condors of the Colca Canyon, Cusco and Machu Picchu, and travel the Route of the Sun to Lake Titicaca. Then you cross the border by land to La Paz, the highest seat of government in the world, and fly to Uyuni for a 3-day 4x4 expedition across the white salt crust, cactus islands, red and green lagoons full of flamingos and steaming geysers.
Your 17-day Andean Explorer at a glance, from the Pacific coast of Peru and Machu Picchu to La Paz and the Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia. Tap any day to see the details.
Every day of your trip, with where you'll spend the night.
Day 1
Your private driver welcomes you in the arrivals hall and escorts you along the coast to your hotel in Miraflores. The rest of the day is yours: stroll the clifftop malecón, watch paragliders drift over the Pacific and enjoy a first taste of the cuisine that has made Lima one of the great food capitals of the world.
Day 2
A morning tour of Lima’s colonial center — the Plaza Mayor, the Cathedral and the San Francisco Monastery with its catacombs — is followed by the drive south along the Pan-American Highway to Paracas Bay (approx. 3.5 hours), where the desert meets the Pacific. Spend the evening by the sea.
Day 3
A morning boat takes you past the Candelabra geoglyph to the Ballestas Islands, where sea lions, Humboldt penguins and huge colonies of seabirds live on the rocks. Continue inland to the Huacachina Oasis, a palm-lined lagoon among giant dunes, and stay overnight to watch the sun set over the sand.
Day 4
Drive south to Nazca for a flight over the Nazca Lines, the giant figures of a hummingbird, a monkey, a spider and many more drawn on the desert some 2,000 years ago. In the afternoon, a long but scenic bus journey along the coast and into the foothills of the Andes brings you to Arequipa.
Day 5
A free day in Arequipa, built of white volcanic stone beneath El Misti. Visit the Santa Catalina Monastery, a colorful city within the city, see the Inca ice maiden Juanita at the Museo Santuarios Andinos, enjoy the view from Yanahuara and taste the city’s famous picanterías.
Day 6
An early start takes you across the Salinas y Aguada Blanca reserve, home to vicuñas, and over the Patapampa pass (approx. 4,900 m) into the Colca Valley. At the Cruz del Cóndor viewpoint, watch Andean condors glide above one of the deepest canyons in the world, then visit the terraced villages of the valley before returning to Arequipa in the evening.
Day 7
Fly from Arequipa to Cusco (approx. 3,400 m), the former capital of the Inca Empire. After the transfer to your hotel, take the day easy to adjust to the altitude, then stroll to the Plaza de Armas and the Koricancha, the Inca Temple of the Sun.
Day 8
Travel through the Sacred Valley to Ollantaytambo and board the panoramic train along the Urubamba River, watching the Andes give way to cloud forest through its wide windows. Arrive in Aguas Calientes, at the foot of Machu Picchu, for the night.
Day 9
An early bus climbs to Machu Picchu, where your guide reveals the Inca citadel: the Temple of the Sun, the Intihuatana, the royal quarters and the terraces above the Urubamba canyon. In the afternoon, return by train and road to Cusco.
Day 10
Cross the Andes from Cusco to Lake Titicaca on a guided tourist bus, stopping at the painted church of Andahuaylillas, the Inca temple of Raqchi, La Raya Pass (approx. 4,335 m) and the Pucará museum, with a buffet lunch on the way. Arrive in Puno in the late afternoon.
Day 11
Set sail on Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable lake. First stop: the Uros Floating Islands, woven entirely from totora reeds by families who still live on them today. Continue to Taquile Island, whose textile art is recognized by UNESCO and where the men are master knitters, for a walk along its stone paths and a lunch of fresh lake trout with views of the Bolivian Andes.
Day 12
Travel by tourist bus along the shores of Lake Titicaca to the Peru–Bolivia border, where you complete immigration formalities before continuing across the Bolivian Altiplano, with the snow-capped Cordillera Real on the horizon, to La Paz (approx. 3,640 m). Arrive in the late afternoon and settle into your hotel.
Day 13
Fly from La Paz to Uyuni and set out by 4x4 with your driver-guide. Visit the train cemetery and the salt workers of Colchani, then drive onto the Salar de Uyuni, more than 10,000 km² of white salt at approx. 3,650 m. Explore Incahuasi Island and its giant cacti, take perspective photos on the endless plain and watch the sunset over the salt.
Day 14
Leave the salt flat behind and head south through volcanic landscapes to the colored lagoons of the Altiplano: Cañapa and Hedionda with their flamingos, the wind-carved rock formations of the Siloli desert and the Árbol de Piedra, and finally Laguna Colorada, whose red waters are home to thousands of flamingos. Overnight in a simple high-altitude lodge.
Day 15
Rise before dawn to see the steaming Sol de Mañana geysers (approx. 4,900 m) in the early light and warm up in the Polques hot springs. Visit Laguna Verde beneath the Licancabur volcano when conditions allow, then drive back across the Altiplano to Uyuni for the night.
Day 16
Fly back to La Paz and spend a free afternoon in the city: visit Plaza Murillo and the colonial Calle Jaén, browse the Witches’ Market, or ride the Mi Teleférico cable cars for spectacular views of the city and the Illimani mountain.
Day 17
Transfer to El Alto airport for your morning flight to Lima, where you connect with your international flight home. End of services.
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Yes. This 17-day Peru and Bolivia itinerary combines both: Machu Picchu on days 8–9, then Lake Titicaca, the overland crossing to La Paz and a 3-day expedition on the Salar de Uyuni. A flight from La Paz back to Lima connects you with your international flight.
You cross between Puno and La Paz by tourist bus along the shore of Lake Titicaca. At the border post you complete Peruvian exit and Bolivian entry formalities on foot, usually in less than an hour, with assistance from the bus company, then continue to La Paz. Keep your passport and the immigration slip you receive in Peru at hand.
Entry requirements for Bolivia depend on your nationality: many passports enter visa-free, while others need a tourist visa, which in some cases can be obtained in advance or on arrival. Rules change, so please check with the Bolivian consulate or your government’s travel advice before booking. Your passport must be valid for at least six months.
You travel by 4x4 with a driver-guide: day one on the salt flat with Incahuasi Island, day two through the high lagoons with flamingos and Laguna Colorada, and day three at the Sol de Mañana geysers and hot springs before returning to Uyuni. Accommodation on the route is simple — a salt hotel and a high-altitude lodge — and all meals are included.
From January to March, rainwater can cover the Salar de Uyuni and turn it into a giant mirror reflecting the sky — the famous mirror effect. From April to November the salt flat is dry, white and hexagonal, the skies are clear and all the high lagoons are accessible. Heavy rain can occasionally change the route on the lagoon days.
Altitude increases gradually: Arequipa (approx. 2,335 m), Cusco (approx. 3,400 m) and Puno (approx. 3,830 m) prepare you for La Paz (approx. 3,640 m) and Uyuni (approx. 3,650 m). On the lagoon route you reach about 4,900 m at the geysers. Drink plenty of water, avoid alcohol at altitude and consult your doctor before traveling.
Warm layers, a down jacket, hat, gloves and a sleeping-bag liner for the lagoon lodge — nights on the Altiplano can drop well below freezing — plus sunglasses, high-factor sunscreen and a lip balm. Bolivia uses the boliviano (BOB); bring some cash, as cards are not accepted everywhere.
The price depends on the hotel category you choose (Essential 2★, Comfort 3★, Superior 4★ or Deluxe 5★) and on the number of travelers. Open the Rates tab for the current price per person, based on double or twin accommodation. Domestic and international flights within the route are quoted separately.