How many of you travel to South America for the first time with Machu Picchu as your main goal? Even risking altitude sickness?
Since you’re already at Machu Picchu, shouldn’t you also visit Lake Titicaca? And while you’re at it, how can you skip the Salar de Uyuni’s Salt Flats?
And if you’ve made it to Uyuni, isn’t it only right to visit Chile’s Atacama Desert too?
How should you plan a two-week itinerary covering Peru, Bolivia, and Chile?
Day 1: Arrive in Lima
Day 2: Full-day tour to the Paracas Bird Islands and Huacachina Oasis
Day 3: Morning flight from Lima to Cusco; Afternoon half-day tour of Cusco city and nearby ruins
Day 4: Full-day tour of the Sacred Valley, overnight in Aguas Calientes
Day 5: Visit Machu Picchu, return to Cusco in the afternoon
Day 6: Take the “Sun Route” from Cusco to Puno
Day 7: Full-day tour of Lake Titicaca: Uros Floating Islands and Taquile Island, evening arrival in La Paz
Day 8: Full-day tour to Tiwanaku archaeological site from La Paz
Day 9: Visit La Paz’s Witches’ Market, San Francisco Church, and take a cable car ride; Night bus to Uyuni
Day 10: Full-day Uyuni Salt Flats tour
Day 11: Day 2 of the 3-day border-crossing tour to Chile: Visit high-altitude lakes, eroded rocks, and the Red Lagoon to see flamingos
Day 12: Day 3 of the 3-day border-crossing tour: Visit geysers, hot springs, the White Lagoon, and Green Lagoon; Cross into Chile’s Atacama Desert
Day 13: Swim in the “Dead Sea” of Atacama, visit the Moon Valley in the evening
Day 14: Morning visit to the El Tatio Geysers, afternoon flight to Santiago
Day 15: Depart Santiago or continue to your next destination.
This itinerary, starting in Lima and ending in Santiago, covers all the must-see places you’re eager to visit: Lima, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, the Uyuni Salt Flats, the Atacama Desert, and Santiago. The biggest advantage of this journey is that it starts in Lima and travels south without any backtracking! Plus, the entire trip is connected by seamless bus travel, so you won’t have to hop on and off flights like a sky-high commuter.
The overnight bus from La Paz to Uyuni also saves you an entire day, making it perfect for those with limited time!
Besides the Salar de Uyuni, are there other places worth visiting in Bolivia?
Of course, there are!
Day 1: Depart from Puno for a full-day border-crossing tour to the Uros Floating Islands and Sun Island, then arrive in La Paz, or alternatively, fly directly to La Paz.
Day 2: Explore La Paz with a visit to the Witches’ Market, San Francisco Church, and a cable car ride. In the evening, take a night bus to Sucre.
Day 3: Full-day tour of Sucre, including the main attractions like the Sucre Cathedral, the Museum of Liberty, and the May 25th Plaza.
Day 4: In the morning, take a bus from Sucre to Potosí. In the afternoon, visit the Potosí Mint.
Day 5: Explore the mines of Potosí, then take a bus to Uyuni in the afternoon.
Day 6: Full-day tour of the Uyuni Salt Flats.
Day 7: Take part in a sunrise tour and a salt flats tour, then catch an overnight bus back to La Paz or continue to your next destination.
If you’re heading from Puno to La Paz, Summer would say you’re incredibly lucky! Not only can you visit the unique floating islands of Lake Titicaca, but you can also cross into Bolivia and explore the Sun Island, all the way to La Paz. It’s a much better experience than flying straight to La Paz!
Aside from La Paz, Summer highly recommends Sucre, the “White City,” and Potosí, the “Silver Mining City.” Compared to the hustle and bustle of La Paz, Sucre has an elegant charm. In fact, Summer enjoyed Sucre so much that she didn’t want to leave!
Arriving in Potosí, walking up the steep mountain paths where every step leaves you gasping for air, I couldn’t imagine that this city—once so prosperous due to its silver mines—was once more bustling than even New York or London.
After struggling through the altitude in Potosí, I finally reached her long-awaited destination: the Salar de Uyuni! Why two days? Because one day might not be enough to capture the perfect sunset. What to do? Schedule two—or even three days. I went into the salt flats three times and joined three sunset tours just to get that perfect shot of the sky reflecting on the flats. Totally worth it!
