This multi-day adventure takes you to two of the world’s most incredible and pristine environments; San Pedro de Atacama is second to none with its uncontested beauty and dramatic contrast of land and sky. In places you may feel as if you are on another planet, or even the moon! And then, suddenly your surroundings transform and you’re deep in a lush river canyon. This unique part of our Earth is untouched in many places, some haven’t seen rain in more than 300 years! During your stay, you will experience guided explorations, gourmet meals and a wonderful climate year-round. Activities range from touring by car to mountain climbing! Spending 3 nights in this region allows for time to acclimatize yourself for your stay in Bolivia. From the peaks of the Andes, travel to the majestic Salt Flats of Bolivia. This impressive area of the world is one of the best places for incredible snapshots. Experience this vast landscape by 4X4 vehicle. During these excursions you will enjoy visits to small local villages and towns in this remote area of South America. Although this area is very rustic and missing some comforts of home, it’s views and natural beauty are well worth the sacrifice. This journey will have you returning home with memories and photos that are sure to leave a footprint in your mind for many years to come.

Day 1
Calama - San Pedro de Atacama
Transfer by Van for a 1 hour drive through the Atacama desert. Located between the Pacific Ocean and the Cordillera de los Andes, Atacama is an immense extension of land and mystery. Enjoy lunch (included in tour price). Alto Atacama has created a program of activities so that you can enjoy as much of the local area as you want, in the way that you want. There is something for everyone, from visiting the local museum to climbing a volcano. The excursions are designed for people who love nature and extraordinary landscapes, but the vast majority do not require any special physical training or technical abilities. All activities are classified by type (by vehicle, on foot or bicycle), length (half or full day) and difficulty. The level of difficulty is rated as follows: Easy excursions are on flat or gently rising and falling ground, much of which is covered by van. These excursions require no acclimatization to the altitude of the Atacama Desert. Medium rated excursions involve some rocky or sandy terrain, short climbs of moderate steepness and/or long treks. Some excursions require a few days of acclimatization to the altitude of the Atacama Desert. Difficult excursions are on tough terrain, involve long and/or steep climbs up to 4000 metres above sea level. These excursions are physically demanding and require acclimatization time. Each evening, you will meet with the guides in the bar to discuss options for the following day. There are eight options per day, taken from a programme of 23 excursions. Enjoy dinner (included in tour price). Surrounded and embraced by the Cordillera de la Sal (Salt mountain range) and close to the pre-columbian ruins of Quitor, the Alto Atacama Hotel offers one of the most astonishing settings in the world. The hotel has state of the art facilities including a Spa, Yoga fields, hot springs, wooden decks with 6 swimming pools, International bar and a cozy common room with a big fireplace. Add the most impressive sights of the milky way to all of that and you can start getting the picture... The decor is simple yet elegant, with local crafts to enhance the spirit of the rooms. All rooms in Alto Atacama have a private terrace from which the colors of the valley can be enjoyed. Take a nap, read a book or simply relax. The definition of peacefulness aquires a new meaning after a couple of nights here. Calama is a city and commune in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile. It is the capital of El Loa Province, part of the Antofagasta Region. The River Loa, Chile's longest, flows through the city. At an elevation of 2,400 metres (7,900 ft), Calama is the gateway to the geological and archaeological wonders of Chile’s high central desert. In 2003 the nearby town of Chuquicamata, by one of the largest open-pit copper mines in the world, was dismantled, partly because of environmental reasons, and partly due to encroachment from the mine's expansion. Residents of Chuquicamata then moved to Calama, away from company-owned residences, to find housing on their own.

Day 2
San Pedro de Atacama
There are lots of options to choose from in terms of guided tours that you can do from the Alto Atacama. Your guide will let you know which tours are available each day for you to choose from, but here is a general summary of half day tours offered by vehicle: archeological ruins of Tulor, Tocanao and the Atacama saltflats, sunset tour of Moon valley, Tatio geysers. There are also a number of half day guided biking tours which highlight various aspects of the environment. Please ask your Kensington Tours Sales Advisor for full details of all tours if you are interested. Enjoy lunch (included in tour price). Enjoy dinner (included in tour price). Overnight at Alto Atacama. San Pedro de Atacama is located in Antofagasta Region, in the Atacama desert and near the Salar de Uyuni. It grew around an oasis over centuries, and nearby native ruins showcase pre-Colombian cultures. The city has a significant archeological museum with a large collection of relics and artifacts from the region. Other popular activities include sandboarding and stargazing, with unrivalled views in the dry clean air. The town lies at an average altitude of approximately 2,400m (7,900 ft) and visitors often experience mild altitude sickness such as dizziness, lethargy and headaches.

Day 3
San Pedro de Atacama
There are lots of full day excursions to choose from by vehicle as well as trekking. Your Guide will let you know which options are available each day. Guided tours by vehicle include a visit of the Altoandina Lagoons, local villages of the Altiplano and the Tara saltflats. Full day trekking excursions include following an ancient shepherd’s route along the Machuca River, a steep and long climb involving incredible views of the oasis, the Andes and the salt flats, a trek through dunes, gorges and flats, a ridge hike with panaromic views of San Pedro, the oasis, salt flats and snowcapped Andean mountains. Full details on all of these excursions are available from your Kensington Tours Sales Advisor. Enjoy lunch (included in tour price). Enjoy dinner (included in tour price). Overnight at Alto Atacama.

Day 4
San Pedro de Atacama - Colchani
This morning you will depart the hotel with your private van and driver heading to Chilean Customs in San Pedro de Atacama. After finishing with customs, enjoy a one hour drive through the Chilean Andes arriving at the Bolivian Border crossing of Hito Cajón. Note: American Passengers must pay $136.00 USD to enter Bolivia. This can be done in advance with the Bolivian Consulate, or locally at the border crossing in cash. Rules are subject to changes without notice. Contact the Bolivian Consulate for the latest rules. Upon arrival in Hito Cajón (Bolivian Border) you will meet with your private English speaking Bolivian guide, and your private driver. They will assist you with Bolivian Customs. Once customs is complete you will commence your guided full day tour towards the Salar de Uyuni. Today you will visiting Volcán Llicancabur, one of highest mountains of the area, where you will see Laguna Verde (Green Lagoon) located at the base of the mountain. The bright green color of the lagoon is a result of rich minerals found in the water. Continuing the drive towards Uyuni, you will see the surreal natural wonder of the Altiplanic desert aptly named after Salvador Dalí. The desert of Dalí has stunning views of snow capped mountain with a diversity of color, a result of the minerals embedded in the Andes Cordillera. Shortly afterwards you will arrive at Laguna Polques where if you like, you can enjoy a dip in the natural hot springs at the edge of the lagoon. A picnic lunch will be provided. Around mid day, visit the nearby Geyers, before descending to Laguna Colorada (Red Lagoon). Here you will see remarkable views of the Andes mountains reflected in the red wáter of the lagoon. You will also see numerous birds of various kinds including flamingoes of the Andean, James and Chilean variety. Continue on your journey towards the Salar of Uyuni as passing by towns, villages and farmland, seeing canyons and rivers, Vicuna, Llamas and Alpacas along the way. In the evening you will arrive in Colchani a town located on the very edge of the Great Salar of Uyuni, to enjoy a hot Bolivian dinner (included) after a long days journey. Enjoy dinner (included in tour price). Located by the Salt Flats borders of Uyuni, in the Colchani area, the Luna Salada Hotel (Salt Moon Hotel) is one of the most extraordinary hotels in the world. The unique hotel is constructed of salt blocks, in the Salt flats of Uyuni in Bolivia. The personalized attention given by the staff offers excellent service while the privileged location gives some of the best view of the Salt Flats, in a peaceful atmosphere. Salar de Uyuni is estimated to contain 10 billion tons of salt, of which less than 25,000 tons is extracted annually. All miners working in the Salar belong to Colchani's cooperative. Every November, Salar de Uyuni is also the breeding grounds for three species of South American flamingos: the Chilean, James's and Andean flamingos. It is also a significant tourist destination; highlights include a salt hotel and several so-called islands. As it is so flat it serves as a major transport route across the Bolivian Altiplano.

Day 5
Colchani - Tahua
In the morning visit the community of Colchani (3660m.) in the company of your private English speaking guide, where you will see the rustic method used to process salt. Afterwards drive to the Salar de Uyuni. Following a brief visit of the salt piles, drive across the salt flat East to West, 98 km towards Chuvica Port. After just over an hour's drive, you will arrive in the vicinity of Aguadquiza, Atulcha and Agencha -small establishments producing Quinoa (sacred cereal of the Andes). After 35 km arrive at Galaxy Cave, a strange and interesting rock formation, a natural phenomenon produced when lava from Thunpa volcano made contact with ocean water over 2 million years ago. Afterwards enjoy the drive to the Salar, where your vehicle is driven right on the Salt Flats south to north for approximately 1 hour to Incawasi Island (also known as Fish Island). The name originates from the fishlike appearance of the island's reflection in the wet season. The island is made of fossilised coral populated by 1000-year-old cacti in the middle of the Salar. These cacti grow at a rate of 1cm per year, so you can easily calculate their age. From here you can hike around the island enjoying spectacular views of the Salt Lake. After a picnic lunch (included) continue the trip crossing the Salt Lake again approximately 30 minutes to Tunupha Volcano for a panoramic view of the Salt Lake. Continue to the town of Tahua for an overnight stay. Enjoy dinner (included in tour price). As its name describes, the Hotel de Sal is almost entirely made of pure salt from the Uyuni Salt Flats, and is located near the village of Tahua, on the foothills of Thunupa volcano, only 110 km away from the town of Uyuni. The hotel faces the Salt Flats and offers overwhelming views over the surrounding desert of 12,000 square Km and has an intimate feel to it, given that it only hosts 47 guests at a time. Tahua is a high altitude town on the side of a volcano beside the Salar de Uyuni. A stopover for region tours, there are some rewarding climbs in town - but only for those who are completely acclimatized to the altitude.

Day 6
Tahua - Villamar
Early in the morning following breakfast your private driver and Guide will take you across the giant Salt Flat by vehicle once again, visiting the village of San Juan del Rosario (St. John of the Rosary), where you can enjoy a picnic lunch. Then continue on to village of Villa Mar, with scenic views of the Bolivian Altiplano along the way, see Vicuna’s, Alpaca’s, Llamas and Biscachas along the way arriving at around 5:30pm to the village. Tonight we will stay in a basic refugio, and enjoy a hot meal after a full days journey. Enjoy dinner (included in tour price). Las Piedritas is a basic refugio (basic hotel) located in the small village of Villa Mar in the Bolivian Altiplano. It is located in a valley with nearby streams, and farm lands. The rooms have private washrooms with showers. Villamar is a small, basic refuge village in the middle of Salar de Uyuni.

Day 7
Villamar - Hito Cajón
This morning after breakfast we will return to the Bolivian and Chilean Border of Hito Cajón. Along the way we will once again visit the Laguna Verde and Laguna Colorada passing by the scenic desert of Dalí as we continue through the Andes arriving at the border around 11:00am. Upon arrival at Hito Cajón customs you will meet with our Chilean English speaking guide who is also your driver. The guide will take you to San Pedro de Atacama to assist you with clearing Chilean customs. After clearing customs the guide will drive you to Calama (1hr) for your departure flight. Depart from International Airport. End of itinerary. Hito Cajón is the Bolivian border located in the Andes mountain range between the two countries. Only 1 hour drive from San Pedro de Atacama, it is remote gateway to the region of Bolivia, where roads are not paved, and the comforts of home are scarce, but where the natural beauty of the country compensates for the harsh conditions. Hito Cajón is only a short distance from Laguna Verde (Green Lagoon) and the desert of Dalí.