| Sucre:
Located at 8,500 ft (2,550 m), this is the official capital of Bolivia
and its most beautiful colonial city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site
as well. Previously called Charcas, and then Chuquisaca, before finally
being renamed Sucre, this is the city where Simon Bolivar founded Bolivia
and wrote its constitution, after defeating the Spanish Army in the mid-1820s.
The city has important historical monuments like the Liberty House, the
former National Congress, the University of San Francisco Xavier, which
is older than Harvard University. There are several old Spanish houses,
monasteries and temples. Historical events in Sucre that took place between
1640-1850 have influenced the appearance of new republics in South America.
As a complement, you can visit the ASUR museum to learn about the rich
textile traditions (weavings) of this part of Bolivia, or visit Tarabuco.
Besides history and textiles, Sucre also shows newly discovered dinosaur
tracks and fossils found in its nearby hills which could be visited daily.
Weather in Sucre is subtropical and lovely, with bright blue skies and
starry nights that enhance a special ambiance for travellers. Potosi: This is another UNESCO World Heritage Site situated between Sucre and the Uyuni's Salt Lake. This historic city located at nearly 13,100 ft. (3,930 m); and at only 3 hrs from Sucre, is one of the highest in the world. Potosi's fame comes from centuries ago, when it supplied extraordinary quantities of silver to Spain. This metal was extracted from thousands of mineshafts from the Cerro Rico (or Rich Mountain) and processed in hundreds of smelters. Today, you can still visit mines where working conditions haven't changed in centuries. During the 16th Century, the city had over 160,000 inhabitants, approximately 10 times more people than New York at that time. Some of the richest people in the world may have lived there. You can still see many examples of the gothic and baroque architecture from that time. Potosí was the largest silver producer in the world until Bolivian independence in 1825, when its population decreased to 9,000 inhabitants. World demand for tin created a second boom around 1880, this boom lasted until the mid-1960s. Today the city has a much lower population than three centuries ago and mining is still the main industry. The most important building in Potosí is The Royal Mint House, one of two built to mint the silver coins used by the Spanish empire. This impressive mint house operated until 1953, or lasted for 400 years of continuous coinage. There are other important buildings open to visitors including the Santa Teresa Convent (still occupied), the San Francisco Monastery, and the Potosi Cathedral. |
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Day
1: La Paz / Sucre Transfer from your hotel to La Paz Airport for morning flight to Sucre. Transfer to hotel. Sucre, the most beautiful city in Bolivia has many attractions, such as the Recoleta Convent, which provides a great view of Sucre from the hills. Later, you will visit The House of Liberty where Simon Bolivar signed Bolivia's Act of Independence in 1825, creating a free republic. After lunch we visit Colonial Museum to learn about Bolivia's colonial history. (L) |
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| Day
2: Sucre / Potosí / Sucre Breakfast and transfer by car to Potosi, a 3.5 hr trip. We visit the impressive Royal Mint House, which embodies Potosi's 400 year history as a world silver mining giant. Other attractions are Santa Teresa Convent, the main Cathedral and churches, smelters, and Cerro Rico´s mineshafts. We will return to Sucre before sunset. (B,L,D) |
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| Day
3: Sucre / La Paz Early breakfast and visit to the dinosaur tracks near Sucre. Transfer to Sucre airport for a morning flight to La Paz. (B) |
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| Departures: All year | |||||||||||||||
2009
Rates per person:
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| Tour includes: airplane tickets La Paz - Sucre - La Paz, accommodation in Sucre, daily meals, ground transportation, museum tickets and bilingual tour leader. | |||||||||||||||
| Not
included:
personal expenses, alcoholic drinks, sodas, tips, medical insurance and
phone call. *Option: If day 3 is a Sunday you have the option of visiting Tarabuco Market instead of the dinosaur tracks exhibition. |
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| What
to take: Luggage: - 1 backpack or duffle bag - small day pack Clothes: - 3 long-sleeved shirts, if possible cotton made (to protect yourself from the sun) - 2 pairs of long cotton pants - 4 T- shirts - 1 sweater or fleece/polar Tec - 1 Down jacket or extra sweater - 1 wind breaker - 1 pair of hiking boots - 1 pair of sneakers - 1 pair of sandals or Tevas - 1 swimsuit - 10 pairs of socks - underwear - sleepwear - casual clothes - hat Other items: - binoculars, best 8x or 10x - camera - film (ASA 50, 100 and 200 are recommended) - sun block - flashlight - sunglasses - pocket knife - bandannas - plastic bags (for dirty clothes) - a photocopy of your passport - water bottle |
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