Discover Bolivia and northwest Argentina

The Argentine capital is an elegant, cultured and cosmopolitan city famed for its interesting museums and the fascinating port district of La Boca, with its cobbled streets and brightly painted houses. It was here that the tango was born, and Diego Maradona honed his footballing skills.

The centre of town is home to the colonial heartland, government buildings and churches, as well as chic shopping districts, which have a nostalgic Parisian feel. The bohemian quarter of San Telmo is full of quaint old houses interspersed with antiques shops, tango bars and classy restaurants. Slightly further out of the centre is the Recoleta district, even more evocative of the French influence, where Evita Perón was laid to rest.

You’ll be staying within walking distance of the historical centre.

At leisure to explore the city. You might stroll along Avenida 9 de Julio, one of the widest boulevards in the world and studded by the Obelisk, an emblematic symbol of the city. On the famous Plaza de Mayo you find the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Town Hall and the Casa Rosada, the presidential palace.

Also of interest are the bohemian, arty La Boca, which was settled and built by Italian immigrants and has streets lined with brightly painted corrugated iron-clad houses, the chic district of Recoleta with its Italianate and belle époque architecture and Puerto Madero, the refurbished port district where former dock installations and features have been preserved alongside a string of  restaurants and loft conversions.

Transfer to the airport and fly to Salta in the northwest. The city is renowned for its beautiful baroque colonial architecture, friendly population and the Andean flavour of its tasty regional cuisine. It lies in the arid eastern foothills of the Andes, the only Argentine region where vestiges of indian heritage are still visible.

Depart Salta for the 3hr drive northwards to the Humahuaca Gorge, famous for its deep terracotta rock strata and giant cacti. The canyon embraces peaceful towns and villages with solid colonial churches and quaint adobe-brick houses.

At the southern end of the gorge is pretty Purmamarca, at the foot of the famous hill of seven colours. The hill’s deeply-defined strata seem constantly to change colour according to the light conditions. Purmamarca is a relaxing place to explore – its dazzling white 17th century church dominates the village square peppered with handicrafts stalls.

An hour beyond Purmamarca is Tilcara, one of the region’s most important settlements where you will have the chance to stop and visit the pre-Inca Pucara fortress which has great views across the town and valley beyond. Just south of Humahuaca village, the Tropic of Capricorn passes though the village of Uquia. Onward to the village of Humahuaca itself, 2,940m above sea level on the Rio Grande. It has an attractive colonial cathedral which affords views of the fantastically coloured hills that surround it.

By road north to the Bolivian border at La Quiaca. It’s a bit of a culture shock to cross the international bridge. You will have driven through wild canyon country in Argentina, through some simple villages, but in the northwest of that country the infrastructure is fairly sophisticated, with paved roads and a European-influenced culture. Once you enter Bolivia you find yourself in real wilderness South America, where facilities are relatively primitive, and the isolated inhabitants still live in a centuries-old life of struggle against the harsh elements.

The Bolivian border town of Villazón is a one-street, one-horse town of rudimentary houses, street peddlers and dusty 4WD pick-up trucks. Here there will be a change of vehicle and you will drive 95km through savage, skeletal mountain scenery to Tupiza, a friendly town in a warm fertile valley. Stop at midday en route at a local restaurant for lunch.

In the afternoon you will have a guided excursion into the countryside, dominated by a series of canyons where the stark, mineral-rich rock faces are streaked with colour and through which flows the river San Juan del Oro.

Climb out of the valley en route to Uyuni. It’s a 6hr journey of a little over 200km through dusty landscapes punctuated by weird wind-fashioned rock formations. It is here that Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid are reckoned to have ambushed hapless folk transporting money and minerals to and from the mines.

Upon arrival in Uyuni you will be shown around this isolated, chilly highland town, including a visit to the “train cemetery” full of abandoned, rusting engines evocative of more prosperous and dynamic times.

Travel by 4WD vehicle to the Salar de Uyuni. At 3,650m it’s the highest salt desert in the world and arguably the largest, covering over 12,000 sq km. When the rains fall, the desert is turned into a mirror, salt plains and sky fuse, and the world is turned upside down.

Conditions permitting, travel on to the foothills of the Tunupa Volcano and the village of Coquesa with its ancient fort and petrified mummies. The road takes you deep into the salar to the Isla de Pescadores, a small volcanic island covered in giant cacti.  Return to Uyuni.

Continue by road to Potosi (3hrs), arriving mid-afternoon.

At an altitude of 4,090m Potosí is the highest city in the world. Its former wealth lay in its silver; today it lies in its history and the grand buildings born from a city that was quite literally founded on a mountain of wealth – the Cerro Rico (Rich Hill) with its rich deposits of silver.

Today only the atrophied remnants of the city’s former wealth remain; ornate churches, monuments, neat cobbled streets and the Casa Real de la Moneda (Royal Mint), one of South America’s finest colonial buildings. The tunnels which honeycomb the Cerro Rico, are as dark and poisonous as the city’s gruesome past.

Potosí itself, with its narrow streets and grandiose architecture is one of Bolivia’s great treasure troves.  Your walking tour takes you to some of the city’s principal historical attractions. These include San Lorenzo church, with its baroque façade of flesh coloured stone mined from the nearby hills. Inside, works of art adorn the ornate altar along with two original paintings by Holguin. Also visit Santo Domingo church and the vast 16th century Cathedral.

The Casa de Real de la Moneda occupies an entire block near the cathedral. The museum has a fascinating history, being not just the Royal Mint, but also a prison, fortress, and HQ for the Bolivian army during the Chaco War. The museum displays crafted silverware, oil paintings and Bolivia’s first locomotive train.

A scenic 3hr drive to Sucre along a paved road descending from the high plains of the stark wilderness of the altiplano, passing crops of peas, beans and cereal.

Sucre lies in a remote valley at, for Bolivia, a relatively benign altitude of 2,800m.  Provincial in outlook, it is nevertheless the legislative capital of the country. Its gentle climate, and innate conservatism has helped preserve many of the churches, cloisters, museums and mansions that make this Bolivia’s most beautiful city. There are some nice cake shops and ice cream parlours too, and an optional visit to a weaving project where local artisans are being given assistance to create high-quality craftwork reflecting their Andean traditions.

Take a breathtakingly scenic drive from Sucre to the mountain range Cordillera de los Frailes. En route you’ll visit the church of Chataquila, which was built to house and protect travellers who were transporting their goods to Sucre. You’ll have the option of a gentle 2.5hr trek down the mountain to Chaunaca along pre-Hispanic (Inca) roads, or to continue by car.

Either way you’ll reach the rustic adobe town of Potolo where you’ll visit a few of the inhabitants’ homes and learn about the weaving process fundamental to this region – from the gathering of the wool to the plant-staining methods used to endow colour. After a picnic lunch, head back to Sucre, taking in the stunning views of the surrounding peaks.

Fly to La Paz. Set in a deep canyon, dominated by the snow-capped peak of Mount Illimani, La Paz (3,632m) is the highest capital in the world. The colonial core around Plaza Murillo retains much of its quirky Spanish charm, lively with families and children with balloons at the weekend. Beyond, there are cavernous indigenous markets with restaurant grills open to the street and narrow alleyways lined with museums, churches and craft shops. Ambulant vendors in felt bowler hats and colourful shawls crouch below the skyscrapers in tree-lined modern avenues.

Today you have a guided walking tour through the mystic, colonial streets of Bolivia’s capital. This is a great way to get a real and authentic feel for the place – embracing the hustle and bustle, admiring the vibrant colours and inhaling the local fragrances. A highlight is the intriguing Witches’ Market where you’ll see preserved llama foetuses, charm spells, Pachamama offerings and much more.

Walk on to the renowned, baroque-style San Francisco Church, and the quirky, colonial Plaza Murillo, before heading on towards the cobbled Jaen Street to visit the Costumes Museum and the Gold Museum to discover more about Bolivia’s rich culture and background.

It’s a 2.5hr drive to Copacabana on the shores of Lake Titicaca which attracts many pilgrims who make the trip often from great distances on foot. After lunch, board a motor-powered sailing boat and head across the lake towards Isla del Sol (Sun Island), the legendary birth place of the Inca Empire – you’ll hike to the Yumani village, which is renowned for its historic Inca fountain and staircase, whilst enjoying views of the surrounding snow-tipped Andean ranges. Finally, you’ll sail gently back to Copacabana and return to La Paz for the final night of the holiday.