Real Bolivia & Argentina: Self-Launched Edition

Touch down in El Alto International Airport (LPB) and take the Mi Teleférico cable car system or a pre-booked airport taxi into the city centre (~£5–8 by taxi, ~£0.50 by micro/minibus). Check into your hostel in the Sagárnaga or Sopocachi area — both are well-connected and backpacker-friendly. Spend the evening acclimatising to the 3,500m altitude (take it easy!), grab a bowl of sopa de maní (peanut soup) at a local market stall, and chat to fellow travellers about what's ahead.

🚌Airport taxi or minibus into centre ~£5–8

🛏Hostel in La Paz (e.g. Wild Rover Hostel or Adventure Brew Hostel) — dorm ~£8–12/night, private ~£18–25/night

• →Arrive and check in — take time to acclimatise to altitude
• →Ride the Mi Teleférico cable car for panoramic city views (~£0.30)
• →Explore Sagárnaga Street markets and grab dinner at a local comedor

Spend the morning exploring La Paz independently. Walk to the Mercado de Hechicería (Witches' Market) on Calle Linares — wander freely among the stalls selling dried llama foetuses, potions and amulets. Nearby, visit the Coca Museum in the Rosario district (self-entry, ~£2). In the afternoon, pick up snacks and layers for the overnight bus. Head to the Terminal de Buses and board an overnight bus to Uyuni — book in advance via operators like Todo Turismo or Bolivar Bus. Opt for cama or semi-cama (reclining) seats for comfort. Journey is ~10–12 hours.

🚌Overnight bus La Paz → Uyuni, ~10–12 hours, ~£10–15. Book at terminal or via bolivianbus.com

🛏Overnight bus (semi-cama/cama seat) — ~£10–15

• →Self-guided walk to the Witches' Market (Mercado de Hechicería) — free
• →Visit the Coca Museum (~£2)
• →Browse the San Francisco church and plaza — free
• →Optional: Book a city tour + Moon Valley through a local agency (~£28)

Arrive in Uyuni town in the early morning. Drop bags at your hostel and join a shared 3-day 4WD salt flats tour — these depart daily and are easily booked on arrival or in advance from agencies on Avenida Potosí (e.g. Oasis Tours, Esmeralda Tours, Red Planet). A shared jeep tour covering Days 3–5 costs ~£60–80 per person all-in (including accommodation, meals and a guide/driver). Day 1 of the tour: visit the Train Cemetery (Cementerio de Trenes), drive onto the Salar de Uyuni for perspective photos and sunset, and stop at Colchani salt factory and Isla Incahuasi (Fish Island) covered in giant cacti.

🚌Shared 4WD jeep tour (3 days, Days 3–5) — ~£60–80 per person all-in

🛏Salt flats basic lodge/dormitory (included in 3-day tour price)

• →Train Cemetery visit — included in tour
• →Drive onto the Salar de Uyuni and take perspective photos — included
• →Colchani salt factory stop — included
• →Isla Incahuasi (Fish Island/Inca Wasi) entrance — included in most tours

Day 2 of the shared 4WD tour. Rise early and drive deeper into the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve. Pass through dramatic landscapes of volcanoes, geysers and mineral lakes. The highlight is Laguna Colorada — a vivid red lake at 4,278m teeming with flamingos, viscachas and Andean foxes. The red colour comes from algae and sediment. Tonight, sleep in a basic desert lodge under a jaw-dropping starry sky. Note: altitude reaches ~4,900m today — drink plenty of coca tea and take it slowly.

🚌Shared 4WD — included in tour

🛏Basic desert lodge/dormitory (included in 3-day tour)

• →Laguna Colorada viewpoint and flamingo spotting — included in Eduardo Avaroa park fee (~£4)
• →Sol de Mañana geysers stop — included
• →Wildlife spotting: flamingos, viscachas, Andean foxes — free
• →Stargazing from the desert lodge — free

Day 3 of the shared 4WD tour. Wake up early to visit the Polques thermal baths (Baños Termales de Polques) — a hot spring pool at 4,400m with views of Licancabur Volcano (~£2). Your shared jeep tour will drop you at the Hito Cajón Bolivia–Chile border crossing (no public buses cross here, so the shared tour is the practical option). Chilean immigration is straightforward — have your passport and entry card ready. From the border, most tour operators continue to San Pedro de Atacama (~1.5 hours). Arrive early afternoon. Check into your hostel and explore the village on foot.

🚌Shared 4WD drops you at border then continues to San Pedro — included in tour price

🛏Hostel or guesthouse in San Pedro de Atacama (e.g. Hostal Sonchek or Hostal Mamatierra) — ~£14–20/night

• →Polques Thermal Baths soak — ~£2
• →Bolivia–Chile border crossing at Hito Cajón — free
• →Arrive San Pedro: self-guided walk around Plaza de Armas and adobe church — free
• →Browse local restaurants and try a pisco sour — free to explore

Spend a full day exploring the surreal landscapes around San Pedro. Hire a bicycle from town (~£5/day) and ride out to Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley) — the entrance fee is ~£7 and the valley is accessible independently. Time your visit to catch the late afternoon light turning the landscape golden. In the evening, book an astronomy tour through a local operator such as SPACE (San Pedro de Atacama Celestial Explorations) — the Atacama is one of the world's best stargazing spots and a guided night tour (~£28–35) is absolutely worth it.

🚌Hire a bicycle locally — ~£5/day

🛏Hostel/guesthouse in San Pedro de Atacama — ~£14–20/night

• →Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley) by bicycle — entrance ~£7
• →Valle de la Muerte viewpoint — free with Moon Valley ticket
• →Astronomy tour (SPACE or similar operator) — ~£28–35, bookable via GetYourGuide or direct
• →Optional: Meteorito Museum — ~£3

A second free day in San Pedro to soak up more of the Atacama. Book a guided tour to Lagunas Cejar and Piedra del Coyote — these salt lagoons are denser than the Dead Sea and you can float in them (~£30–35 via local agency). Alternatively, join a Rainbow Valley tour for colourful geology and rock formations. In the evening, wander San Pedro's small but vibrant restaurant strip and try a local cazuela stew.

🚌Shared tour minibus (included in activity price)

🛏Hostel/guesthouse in San Pedro de Atacama — ~£14–20/night

• →Lagunas Cejar & Piedra del Coyote tour (guide + entrance) — ~£30–35, book via Klook or local agency
• →Optional: Rainbow Valley guided tour — ~£30
• →Self-guided walk around San Pedro village and market — free
• →Dinner at a local restaurant — ~£8–12

Take the cross-border bus from San Pedro de Atacama to Salta, Argentina. Operators including Pullman Bus and Andesmar run this route — book in advance as seats fill up. The journey crosses the Jama Pass (4,200m) and takes ~11–12 hours total including the Jama border crossing. The scenery through the puna (high plateau) and quebradas (ravines) is spectacular — bag a window seat. Arrive in Salta in the evening, check into your hostel and grab a late dinner of empanadas salteñas — the city is famous for them.

🚌Bus San Pedro de Atacama → Salta via Paso Jama — ~£20–28. Book via Plataforma10 or direct with Pullman/Andesmar

🛏Hostel in Salta (e.g. Hostel Backpacker's Salta or Posada del Sol) — dorm ~£10–14/night, private ~£20–28/night

• →Scenic bus journey through Andean puna and Jama Pass — included in ticket
• →Chile–Argentina border crossing at Paso Jama — free
• →Arrive Salta: orientation walk around Plaza 9 de Julio — free
• →Dinner: empanadas salteñas at a local parrilla — ~£6–10

A full free day to explore Salta, one of Argentina's most beautifully preserved colonial cities. Start at Plaza 9 de Julio and admire the pink Cathedral and Cabildo. Hike the 1,070 steps up to the summit of Cerro San Bernardo for panoramic views over the city (free, ~45 minutes up), or take the teleférico (gondola, ~£5 return). Visit the MAAM (Museum of High Altitude Archaeology) to see the famous Inca children mummies (~£4). In the afternoon, wander the San Bernardo neighbourhood or rent a bike and explore at your own pace.

🚌Walk/local bus within Salta — ~£1–2

🛏Hostel in Salta — ~£10–14/night dorm

• →Hike Cerro San Bernardo (1,070 steps) — free
• →Or take the teleférico gondola — ~£5 return
• →MAAM (Museum of High Altitude Archaeology) — ~£4
• →Plaza 9 de Julio and colonial architecture walk — free
• →Optional: bike rental for city exploration — ~£6–8/half day

Fly from Salta (SLA) to Buenos Aires (AEP — Aeroparque Jorge Newbery, central) or Ezeiza (EZE). Book in advance with Aerolíneas Argentinas, JetSmart or Flybondi — domestic flights can be very cheap if booked ahead (~£30–70 one way). Aeroparque is much more convenient for the city centre. From Aeroparque, take a taxi or Uber into Palermo or San Telmo (~£6–10). Check into your hostel and head straight out — Buenos Aires rewards night owls. Try a classic parrilla (steakhouse) dinner with a glass of Malbec.

🚌Domestic flight Salta → Buenos Aires — ~£30–70 (book via Despegar.com or directly with Aerolíneas/Flybondi/JetSmart). Taxi/Uber from airport ~£6–10

🛏Hostel in Buenos Aires (e.g. Milhouse Hostel, El Hostel or America del Sur) — dorm ~£12–18/night, private ~£28–40/night

• →Flight Salta to Buenos Aires — ~£30–70
• →Arrive: explore Palermo or San Telmo neighbourhood — free
• →Parrilla dinner with Malbec — ~£15–20
• →Optional: tango show at a milonga — ~£15–30 (cheaper than tour add-ons)

Dive into Buenos Aires' most iconic neighbourhoods. Start at the San Telmo Sunday Antiques Market (Feria de San Telmo) on Defensa Street — browse stalls, try empanadas and helado (ice cream with dulce de leche). Walk or take the Subte (metro, ~£0.50) to La Boca to see the colourful Caminito street and street artists. Head north to Recoleta — visit the cemetery where Evita Perón is buried (~£12 for a guided tour, or explore free independently). Finish the evening at a local bar or milonga for a taste of Buenos Aires nightlife.

🚌Subte (metro) day pass — ~£2. Walk between most sights

🛏Hostel in Buenos Aires — ~£12–18/night dorm

• →San Telmo Feria (Antiques Market) — free entry, budget ~£5 for snacks and empanadas
• →Caminito Street, La Boca — free
• →Recoleta Cemetery — free (self-guided) or ~£12 with guided tour via GetYourGuide
• →El Ateneo Grand Splendid bookshop — free
• →Evening: milonga (tango bar) — ~£10–20 entry

Your adventure ends today. Check out after breakfast and head to the airport for your onward flight. If you have time before checkout or your flight, grab a final cortado at a Buenos Aires café, pick up alfajores (local biscuits) as gifts, or take a stroll along the Puerto Madero waterfront. Depending on your flight, consider booking an airport transfer in advance — Ezeiza airport is ~45 minutes from the centre by taxi/Uber (~£18–25), or take the Tienda León bus (~£8).

🚌Taxi/Uber to Ezeiza (EZE) ~£18–25, or Tienda León bus ~£8. To Aeroparque (AEP) ~£6–10 by taxi/Uber

🛏Check out — no accommodation cost

• →Final breakfast at a local café — ~£4–6
• →Puerto Madero waterfront stroll — free
• →Last-minute souvenir shopping (alfajores, mate sets) — budget as desired
• →Transfer to airport