Where It’s Happening: Bolivia’s High Altiplano

This custom expedition roams the Bolivian Altiplano, a vast high-altitude plateau in the Andes, stretching between rugged peaks and surreal salt flats. You start in La Paz, Bolivia’s dizzying capital at 3,600m, a chaotic sprawl of markets and cable cars with Illimani mountain looming. From there, you dive into the heart of the Altiplano, hitting the Uyuni Salt Flats, volcanic trails, and geothermal zones like Sol de Mañana. It’s a wild, empty landscape - think endless white salt pans, flamingo-dotted lagoons, and steaming geysers under a huge sky. You’re far from crowds, passing Aymara villages and grazing llamas, in a place that feels like the edge of the earth.

The Expedition: Crafting Your Journey

This 6-9 day adventure is built to your style - shorter for a quick blast or longer for deeper exploration. Expect a mix of mountain biking, hiking, and 4x4 trips across salt flats, with altitude making every move feel heavier. You’ll carry a light daypack (5-7kg); vehicles or porters haul the rest. Weather’s harsh (sunny days, freezing nights), so we tweak routes if storms hit. Here’s a sample 7-day itinerary, adjustable for more biking, hiking, or cultural stops based on your vibe.

Day 1: La Paz to Oruro
Start in La Paz, soaking in the city’s chaos - maybe hit the Witches’ Market for coca leaves to chew (helps with altitude). Meet your crew, get fitted for bikes, and drive (3-4 hours) to Oruro, a mining town at 3,700m. Short 2-hour bike ride on flat highland trails to test your legs and lungs. Stay in a basic lodge, eating salteñas (spicy pastries) for dinner. Night’s chilly, so layer up.

Day 2-3: Uyuni Salt Flats
Drive (4 hours) to Uyuni, gateway to the world’s largest salt flats. Day 2’s a 4x4 adventure across the Salar de Uyuni - 12,000 sq km of blinding white salt, like a frozen sea. Bike 3 hours across the flats (flat but surreal), stopping at Incahuasi Island, a cactus-covered rock mound in the middle of nowhere. Camp on the salt under stars or stay in a salt hotel - walls made of salt blocks, weirdly cozy. Day 3’s a mix of biking (2-3 hours) to Colchani village for salt harvesting demos and a short hike to a flamingo lagoon. Optional sunset photo stop - the flats mirror the sky like a dream. Lodge or camp, with quinoa soup and grilled llama for dinner.

Day 4: Eduardo Avaroa Reserve
Drive (3 hours) to the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve, a high-altitude wonderland of lagoons and volcanoes. Bike 3-4 hours on dirt trails past Laguna Colorada, a red lake packed with flamingos. Altitude’s 4,300m, so go slow. Short hike to a viewpoint for photos - the water’s blood-red from algae. Camp near a lagoon or stay in a basic lodge, with alpaca stew and hot coca tea to warm you up. Nights drop to -5°C, so bring a good sleeping bag.

Day 5: Sol de Mañana & Laguna Verde
Early start for a 4x4 trip to Sol de Mañana, a geothermal field at 4,800m with bubbling mud pools and steam jets. Hike 2 hours around geysers, feeling the ground hum - it’s like Mars. Bike downhill (3 hours) toward Laguna Verde, a turquoise lake backed by Licancabur Volcano. Optional soak in nearby hot springs if you’re aching. Camp or lodge near the lake, with a firelit dinner of potatoes and local veggies. If extending to 8-9 days, add a trek up a smaller volcano like Imurco.

Day 6: Return to Uyuni
Bike 3 hours back toward Uyuni, mixing flat trails and gentle descents with views of distant peaks. Stop at a train cemetery - rusted locomotives half-buried in sand, super eerie. Drive (4 hours) to Uyuni for a lodge stay, with a chance to wander the town’s market for woven textiles. Dinner’s a feast - maybe chuño (freeze-dried potatoes) and fresh trout. If going longer, add a day biking around Tunupa Volcano’s colorful slopes.

Day 7: Back to La Paz
Drive (7-8 hours) back to La Paz, with a stop at a roadside Aymara village for snacks or coca tea. Time in La Paz for a quick market stroll or a beer before flying out. For 8-9 days, we can add a bike descent on the infamous “Death Road” (extra cost) or a cultural day with Aymara weavers and shamans.

Highlights That’ll Hit You

Biking across the Uyuni Salt Flats feels like gliding on a white planet - the crunch under your tires and endless horizon are unreal. Flamingo lagoons pop pink and red against the desert, like a painting you can’t believe is real. Hiking around steaming geysers at Sol de Mañana, with the ground bubbling, gives you chills (not just from the cold). Aymara villages are raw - sharing coca with locals or watching them herd alpacas feels like stepping back centuries. The Altiplano sky’s a show, with stars so bright you’ll skip sleep to stare. And the food? Hearty, spicy, with quinoa bowls and llama steaks that fuel you through the altitude.