Private Palca Canyon Tour from La Paz with optional stop at Valle de las Animas

While we visited amazing locations in Bolivia that no other company offers tours to, there were some issues that detracted from the experience. Van overheated several times, tired were not fully inflated, significantly later than promised return to La Paz, and instances of road rage

Adventurous tour. Great destinations without crowds. Knowledgeable guide. Some nerve wracking roads. Lots of Bolivian history. Definitely not your typical tour. Read all reviews and responses to understand what you’re signing up for.

As Bolivia novices choosing the right tour company was a challenge. We came upon the Solace site and Caleb became our guide for three days. He is an outdoorsman and approaches his all-day tours from that perspective. As an American who adopted Bolivia as his home, he is passionately engaged with it. He offers adventure--not an air-ride suspension, “tinted window” excursion. Be aware that any Bolivian travel may be subject to public demonstrations. Guard rail-less highways may transition to gravel and city traffic may be fierce. Following local custom in the countryside, Caleb may stop and offer rides to locals. We encountered an over-80 year old bundle-bearing couple trudging up a dirt road at 14,000 feet, a woman on her way to a university orientation at a highway check point and a young mother and her four year-old daughter and infant. All provided insight into the daily lives of Bolivians. The all-day trip down to the ruins at semi-tropical Yanacachi via the Sud Yungas-Chulumani “highway” offered great variety. We first climbed over a pass and stopped near Estancia Rinconada, a crushed slate 15,000 foot moonscape with fantastic views of Mount Illimani near the mountain bikers’ starting point on the so called “Death Road.” If you have visited Tiwanaku or Machu Picchu and seen “developed” sites, this is an opportunity to see a “raw” archeological site. While there can be dust or mud depending on the season, you will get a sense of the “undiscovered” wonders of Bolivia. The day trip to Palca was really beautiful. For U.S. travelers think of Brice and Zion National Parks with Denali in the background. Caleb’s walks in the narrow canyons offer some physical activity and were really worth it. He encouraged us, but did not push us beyond our capabilities and we appreciated the experience. The full-day Lake Titicaca and Tiwanaku day was a “must do” extension to a La Paz visit. The local Tiwanaku site guide, Angela, is not only remarkably knowledgeable about this civilization, but she positioned our photos to catch the best light. The trip to the Lake was beautiful. As others have remarked, Caleb is extremely generous with his time and offers many options to stop and see more. His passion for Bolivia is more than a business for him. If your goal is to get closer to what Bolivia has to offer, book with Solace and you will not be disappointed. We are glad we did. This remarkable country and its people opened up to us through a memorable adventure.