Signature Salta, Uyuni Salt Flats & Atacama Desert

Welcome to the charming city of Salta! Located in the north of Argentina you will fall in love with the beautiful colonial architecture and cobblestoned streets.

This morning is at leisure and later in the day you will take a half day tour of the city. Visit the fascinating MAAM museum and main square with its stunning cathedral, as well as the San Fransisco Church and San Bernardo convent.

Today you will journey north towards the small town of Purmamarca. En route you will be able to explore the UNESCO listed Querberada de Purmamarca area – enjoy stunning Altiplanos to the west and north and Andean hills to the east. You will see the breathtaking Hill of Seven Colours, with its striking and jagged formations. Explore the colourful handicraft market and see the Pukara of Tilcara.

This morning you will leave your hotel bound for Bolivia. At the border you will farewell your guide after border formalities and meet your local Bolivian guide on the other side. From here you’ll drive north towards Uyuni, taking in the Valley of the Machos, surrounded by beautiful hills of various natural shapes. On arrival check into your accommodation –a hotel made from salt bricks and located on the shores of Salar de Uyuni, the perfect place to rest easy for the night.

This morning you will explore Colchani village, where you observe the methods of salt extraction and salt processing. Set off across the Great Salt Flats to Incahuasi Island, an oasis covered with giant cacti up to 10 metres high. Continuing north to visit the foothills of Thumpa volcano and see Coquesa, which is home to pre-Colombian “mummies. After a long day of exploration, finally arrive at your accommodation –a hotel made from salt bricks and located on the shores of Salar de Uyuni, the perfect place to rest easy for the night.

Today is packed with jaw-dropping scenery. Pass through the Valley of Rocks, stopping off to view famous rock formations caused by wind erosion. Villages like Culpina, where the houses have been built from natural materials and San Cristobal, which was relocated from its original location because of the zinc and silver deposits in the vicinity. This high-altitude desert environment is home to dozens of colourful lagoons, snow-capped mountains, llamas, Tonight, your accommodation is unique as it has been built into a rock and offers a warm, cosy and comfortable refuge from the desert night.

This morning you will be transferred to Hiton Cajon, the mountain pass border between Bolivia and Chile. Along the way you will be rewarded with some of the most dramatic and beautiful landscapes in the world, stopping off for plenty of photo opportunities. flamingos, hot springs, and geysers. After clearing Chilean immigration, make your way to the village of San Pedro de Atacama. This evening you will have time at leisure to relax after a long day.

Start your day with a tour of San Pedro de Atacama, the archaeological capital of Chile. Located near the mouth of the main river that feeds the salt flat, this tour will orientate you and give you an understanding of the history, the town, and surrounding areas. This evening you will be collected from your hotel for Astronomy in the Desert, one of the best places in the world to observe stars, planets, and constellations. (B)

In the morning you will visit the Salar de Atacama, one of the world’s largest salt lakes, home to a variety of bird species, including the three types of flamingos, and one of the most important lithium reserves in the world. En route you will stop at the picturesque village of Toconao, built from white volcanic stone and then on to Chaxa Lagoon. In the afternoon, travel across the Salt Mountain Range to reach the Valley of the Moon in time for sunset when the sun brings out the best of the valley's incredible colours. (B)

You will be collected from your hotel at the appropriate time and transferred to the airport for your onward flight.