Essential Bolivia

Begin your adventure in the high-altitude city of La Paz, the well-connected start point of many Bolivian adventures. At 5pm-6pm, say hola to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead. Your tour leader then ensures a big Bolivian welcome by arranging a group dinner. Want more time in La Paz? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative. Alternatively, you can join our Discover Peru adventure before this trip begins. Stay: Qantu Hotel (or similar) (D).

Bid farewell to La Paz and fly to Uyuni, home of the iconic salt flats. Our journey takes us off the well-paved road, so we jump in 4x4s to transfer (five to six hours, including stops) to our hotel in the desert. En route, we visit the Train Cemetery, a fascinating (and slightly eerie) collection of rusty vintage locomotives strewn in a barren landscape. We also stop in San Cristóbal, once one of the largest silver-mining producers in the country, for a fascinating history lesson. Stay: Tayka Del Desierto (or similar) (B/L/D).

Our hotel's location means we're well placed to explore Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve today, a vast landscape featuring some of Bolivia's great natural wonders. Travelling by 4x4, our first stop is Laguna Colorada to see its rusty-red waters. Then, we marvel at active geysers, boiling mud lakes and steam pools, before heading to Polques Thermal Baths, where those willing to brave the cold air can enjoy a dip in the warm waters. After, we visit Laguna Verde (Green Lagoon) and Laguna Blanca (White Lagoon) – a scenic end to today's explorations. Today's driving time is approximately 12 hours. Stay: Tayka Del Desierto (or similar) (B/L/D).

We're back to exploring the incredible landscapes of Bolivia. Start at Laguna Turquiri this morning, an area known for its variety of flora and fauna, and particularly for its diverse bird species. After, we visit a trio of scenic lakes, Cañapa, Hedionda and Honda, before we travel through the otherworldly landscapes of the Valley of Rocks and Stone Tree. We arrive around 5pm at our hotel made from salt – it's sure to be a highlight of the adventure for many. Today's driving time is approximately 12 hours. Upgrade to a suite today – speak to your sales representative for more details. Stay: Palacio de Sal (or similar) (B/L/D).

Today is the moment many will have been waiting for – our exploration of the largest salt flats on Earth. Jumping into 4x4s, we witness this incredible landscape up close, with the chance to see salt pyramids and, during the dry season, hexagonal salt tiles on the ground, which stretch as far as the eye can see.

There are wonderful photo opportunities throughout the year, and we have time to create some fun pictures. In the middle of the salt flats, we come to Incahuasi Island, known for its giant cacti and unusual fossils. This small island is an amazing sight, and we can walk across it for 360-degree views from the top. After more photo opportunities, we watch the sun set, with the light casting shadows and reflections on the water. Today's driving time is approximately five to six hours. Upgrade to a suite today – speak to your sales representative for more details. Stay: Palacio de Sal (or similar) (B/L/D).

Bid farewell to the salt flats as we transfer (four hours) to Potosí. It was here the Spanish colonial empire made their riches, forcing thousands of indigenous people to extract huge quantities of silver through slave labour. At the entrance to the Cerro Rico mine, we hear from a former miner about its world-changing legacy and tragic past. Our experience takes us to a mining market, where vendors sell dynamite and chemical products used in the extraction process.

Then, we visit an ingenio, a factory in which minerals are extracted, separated and processed. Finally, we see an active mine to learn how the workers get in and out (though we're not allowed in there ourselves!). After, embark on a walking orientation tour of the city itself, seeing the colonial structures funded by the 16th-century silver rush. Stay: Hotel Santa Teresa (or similar) (B).

Leaving Potosí in the morning, we head to Sucre, the capital of Bolivia, to catch our flight to La Paz, which typically includes a connection in Santa Cruz or Cochabamba. The evening is free to celebrate the adventure – your tour leader can arrange a group dinner where you can relive your favourite moments together. Stay: Qantu Hotel (or similar) (B).

Our Bolivia trip ends in La Paz after breakfast, and we begin our return journeys home. Alternatively, if you'd like to explore more, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.

Continue your South American adventure on Discover Peru, which you can join after this trip. Speak to your sales representative to book (B).