For this trip, guests arrive at San Pedro de Atacama where, gradually and through explorations at different altitudes, they acclimatize themselves in order to continue the trip in the morning of Day 5. Guests arrive at the Salar de Uyuni after 2 days of travel across the altiplano, and they remain there for 2 more days. The Salar de Uyuni is one of the largest and highest salt flats in the world. The last 2 days are spent traveling from Bolivia to the Chilean altiplano, arriving at Iquique on Day 10.
The travesía to these remote and attractive destinations constitutes perhaps one of the greatest travel experiences one can have.
The San Pedro oasis in the midst of the Atacama Desert is undoubtedly a last frontier. In spite of its aridity and extravagance, it is an environment where man can live while conserving its large spaces.
The altiplano reaches heights over 3,600 meters (11,800 ft.) and at its furthest point, the Salar de Uyuni, is a continuation of the Atacama in that, it provokes the imagination and provides romantic memories of purity and vastness while offering little hope of survival or a place to set down roots.
If the driest desert symbolizes the end of habitable land, the altiplano appears as another world: an enigma more than an opportunity; food for thought, not for the stomach.
Location
How to arrive
The trip begins in San Pedro de Atacama and continues to Bolivia, entering at the Sur Lípez, at the extreme southwest of the country, and then traveling past the majestic line of volcanoes that begins with Volcano Licancabur. The trip continues through the Bolivian altiplano at 3,600 to 4,300 meters altitude, crossing geothermal fields, lakes and old mines, until reaching the Salar de Uyuni which is situated between 20 and 21 degrees latitude South, and 68 degrees longitude West, with a surface of more than 10,000 km squared. This zone is located within the Potosí province. As we travel towards Chile, we cross the Salar de Coipasa at 19 degrees South, arriving at the Colchane border and the Chilean town Enquelga in the Isluga National Park. Iquique is located at 20 degrees South and 66 degrees West.
Fly to Santiago on an international flight, and connect with a national flight to Calama, which take about 2 ½ hours from Santiago. explora shuttle takes guests by van to explora en Atacama hotel, a 1 hour trip. After completing the trip across the Bolivian altiplano, our journey concludes at the Chilean city Iquique, where guests can take a 2 ½ hour flight to Santiago. An explora shuttle will take guests to the airport in the morning of the 11th day.
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