Bolivia Destination Guide

Peru offers the comforts of mass tourism but its neighbour Bolivia offers an authentic take on Latin America. Bolivia’s innate charm lies in its striking contrasts. From the sweeping landscapes of its jungles to the soaring heights of its mountains, from its peaceful, ancient monuments to the variety of adrenaline pumping sports activities and from the indigenous to the European cultures, Bolivia is a land of contrasts. While the infrastructure does need to be improved upon, there are premium Bolivia hotels catering to international standards of hospitality. There are also well equipped lodges to suit every budget.

Bus journeys across mountain passes and rough and tumble jeep drives across vast empty plains provide a ring side view of authentic Latin American geography and culture.

This Bolivia Destination Guide lists some of the highlights worth checking out on a trip to Bolivia. Keep in mind that there are far more than we are able to list here! For more detailed information about things to see and do in specific cities or regions, check out the tour pages on our individual destination sites:

- La Paz
- Salar de Uyuni

Things to See & Do in Bolivia

Check below for some useful information about some of the exciting things to see & do in Bolivia:

Sucre, the 'White City', is the legal capital of Bolivia. It houses the judiciary arm of the Bolivian Government. This small city, steeped in history and culture, is a World Heritage Site. It has a sober community, yet it is energised by a sizeable student population. Sucre houses the largest paleontological site in the world. Around 5000 impressions of 300 dinosaurs are embedded on a gigantic slanted limestone slab here.

La Paz, the political capital of Bolivia, is the highest capital in the world. It is located at a height of 11910 feet (3632 metres) above sea level, against the backdrop of Mount Illimani and houses the legislative and executive arms of the Bolivian government. Apart from being the largest city in Bolivia, La Paz forms the core of Bolivia’s international travel and commerce. The night life in La Paz is worth exploring.

The world’s largest salt flat is found in Salar de Uyuni. This great salt desert in the high mountains, in the southwest of Bolivia, was actually a giant salt lake which dried up thousands of years ago and left behind over 10 billion tonnes of salt. This salt is now being harvested and exported out of the country. This area, which is also known as the 'white sea', is a great tourist attraction. Apart from the salt flat itself, there is even a hotel made fully out of salt, right down to the furniture. The area also presents a panorama of landscape from the blinding sea of white salt to the finely coloured mineral lakes of the Andean mountains. There are regular tours to this spot from Uyuni town and from San Pedro de Atacames in Chile.

Until as recently as three centuries back, Potosi was believed to be one the wealthiest cities of the world, with streets paved in silver. Today, it is a prominent mining town. A trip down the mines of Potosi is a learning experience. Tourists usually take small gifts for the miners and climb through the shutters of the mine to watch them work and chat with them.

Straddling the border between Bolivia and Peru is an enormous fresh water lake called Lake Titicaca. It is the highest commercially navigable lake in the world and houses many small island communities. The Uros islands which is made completely from reeds lies on Lake Titicaca.

In 2000, authorities discovered an ancient temple which lay submerged almost 30 metres under the lake. The ruins are believed to be 1500 to 2000 years old and belong to the Pre-Inca period. Alongside the temple is a terrace used for crops, a wall that is 2,600 feet long and a long road.

Cochabamba is a garden city, famous for its climate, its cuisine and a magnificent statue of Christ.

The tropical rainforests of Bolivia are repositories of a rich biodiversity which is worth exploring. Tourists can explore the hidden delights of these rainforest reserves or spend hours bird watching. The adventurous tourists can take boat rides down the many rivers that flow through these forests.

Isla del Sol is an island dotted with many villages and has a population of around 5000 people. Cha’llapampa and Yumani are the largest villages on Isla del Sol. A museum in Cha’llapampa houses a collection of gold artefacts from underwater excavations which were carried out near Isla Koa, which lies to the north of Isla del Sol. It is believed that the Chincana complex in the north of the island is the site of the holy rock where the Inca creation began. There are also Inca ruins in Pilko Kaina, at the southern end of Isla del Sol. The Museo Templo de Sol near Cha’llapampa displays a collection of artefacts of the Aymara people who are one of Bolivia’s largest indigenous groups.

Bird watchers can spot more than a thousand birds at the Parque Nacional Madidi which is home to 10% of the world’s known bird species. Tourists can also witness closely, the lives of the Quechua, Tacana and Araona communities; because the populated stretches along Rio Tuchi are designated 'Territorio Communitario de Origen '; this ensures that the indigenous tribes in the region can retain their traditional practices of fishing, hunting and harnessing other forest produce.

Adventurous tourists can also venture into the fringes of the park independently after registering with the national park office of Bolivia at San Buenaventura. They must, however, be accompanied by a guide.

The Che Guevara Trail from Santa Cruz traces the life and times of Latin America’s most popular hero through the lowlands of south eastern Bolivia, up to La Higuera, where he was executed in 1967. This trail is highly recommended for those interested in the history of Latin America.

A horse ride or hike around the Zona Sur region of La Paz gives tourists an opportunity to enjoy the spectacular scenery of Bolivia’s mountains.

Bolivia has a lot to offer skiing aficionados. Chacaltaya, in Bolivia, is the highest ski resort in the world, at an altitude of 5468 metres. Another popular tourist attraction is Huayna Potosi where skiers can enjoy skiing down a climb of 6000 metres.

Trekking through ancient Inca trails is another popular tourist attraction. Most of them start from Sorata and La Paz and range from the easy to the arduous. The most popular trek is the Choros Trek from La Paz to Coroico. This moderate trek stretches over three days like the Taquesi Trail which also starts from La Paz but the Illampus Circuit from Sorato is an arduous six day trek.

The Yungas Road which starts from the Bolivian Andes is believed to be the most dangerous road in the world as it descends rapidly down tortuous hill roads into the Yungas jungle. Hurtling down this frightening road on a bike is a popular tourist attraction.

Tourists can try their hand at the highest golf course in the world at La Paz, where the air is so thin that a good shot is believed to travel many metres farther than what it would at sea level.

Bolivia is the ideal place to enjoy nature. Tourists can explore the Amazon, stay in rustic jungle lodges, take jungle trips on motorised canoes and walk through the rainforests with a guide to discover the wealth of flora and fauna. They can also go on guided excursions to the world's highest salt flats at Salar de Uyuni and experience its unique ambience and exotic wildlife. These two day trips are arranged by local agencies in Uyuni.

Trekkers can climb the peaks of the Cordillera Real. This is a challenging experience as most of the peaks soar above 5000 metres (14000 feet). Agencies in the Alpine style village of Sorata organize these excursions right down to the porters, mules and guides. Café Pete's Place gives updated information on access and routes.