How do I handle the altitude in La Paz?

Arrive, check in, and do almost nothing on day one — no alcohol, no heavy meals, no climbing hills for sunset photos. Drink coca tea, hydrate hard, and consider starting in Sucre or Santa Cruz and flying up to La Paz so your body acclimatizes gradually rather than all at once.

Do I need a visa to visit Bolivia?

Most European, Australian, and Canadian passport holders enter visa-free for 30 to 90 days. US citizens need a visa, which can be obtained on arrival at La Paz or Santa Cruz airport for around $160 with a yellow-fever vaccination certificate, passport photos, and proof of onward travel — easier in advance through a consulate.

Is it safe to travel in Bolivia?

Generally yes, with standard South American street smarts. Petty theft is the main concern in La Paz's crowded markets and bus terminals, so keep your phone out of sight and use official radio-taxis at night. Protests and road blockades happen periodically and can strand you for a day — build some buffer into your schedule.

Can I drink the tap water?

No — tap water is not considered safe to drink anywhere in Bolivia. Stick to bottled or filtered water, including for brushing your teeth in smaller towns, and be cautious with ice and raw salads outside of higher-end restaurants. Most hotels provide bottled water in the room.

What's the best way to book a Uyuni salt flat tour?

Book in person once you arrive in Uyuni or La Paz rather than online — prices are significantly lower and you can compare operators face to face. Look for reputable companies like Red Planet or Quechua Connection, confirm the 4x4 is well maintained, and insist on seeing a written itinerary and accommodation list before you pay.

TravelCharted

🇧🇴

Bolivia

South America

A landlocked South American nation of extremes, from the dizzying altitude of La Paz to the surreal mirror-like expanse of the Salar de Uyuni.

Capital: Sucre
Population: 12.2M
Currency: BOB
Languages: Spanish

Overview

A landlocked South American nation of extremes, from the dizzying altitude of La Paz to the surreal mirror-like expanse of the Salar de Uyuni. Travelers come for salt flat sunsets, ancient Tiwanaku ruins, and the lush biodiversity of the Amazon headwaters. You feel the altitude before you see anything else. La Paz sits in a bowl at roughly 3,600 meters, with the newer city of El Alto spilling over the rim another 500 meters higher, and your first walk from the airport to a cab will leave you winded in a way that catches you off guard. Chew the coca leaves the hotel leaves on the pillow, drink more water than you think you need, and give yourself a day before you try to do anything ambitious. Bolivia rewards travelers who like their landscapes unvarnished and their logistics a little rough at the edges. It is a country of long bus rides, brass-band parades spilling out of small plazas on a Tuesday afternoon, and high-plateau skies that go violet at dusk. If you want the most surreal salt flats on the planet, a capital where Aymara women in bowler hats run the Witches' Market, and a route down from the Andes into real Amazon jungle, this country is worth two or three weeks of your time.

Things to Do

Salar de Uyuni salt flats

The world's largest salt flat stretches for over 10,000 square kilometers of blinding white hexagonal tiles, flat enough that satellites use it for altitude calibration. Three-day 4x4 tours out of Uyuni loop you through flamingo lagoons, red and green mineral lakes, and geysers at 5,000 meters before dropping you at the Chilean border if you want. Come in the dry months for the honeycomb pattern; come in February or March for the mirror.

La Paz's Witches' Market and cable car system

The Mercado de las Brujas on Calle Linares sells llama fetuses, dried frogs, and amuletos intended for offerings to Pachamama — the stall owners are Aymara yatiri who will tell you exactly what each item is for. A few blocks away, the Mi Teleférico network strings ten colored cable-car lines across the canyon between La Paz and El Alto, and a single ride gives you the best cheap city tour in South America.

Tiwanaku pre-Inca ruins

An hour and a half west of La Paz toward Lake Titicaca, Tiwanaku was the ceremonial center of a civilization that peaked around 800 AD — several hundred years before the Inca. The Kalasasaya platform, the sunken temple with its carved stone heads, and the monolithic Sun Gate are smaller in scale than Machu Picchu but older and stranger. Go with a guide who can walk you through the astronomical alignments.

Death Road mountain biking from La Paz to Coroico

The old Yungas Road drops about 3,600 meters over 64 kilometers, from the snow of La Cumbre down through cloud forest into subtropical Coroico. It earned its name in the 1990s when trucks still used it — a newer paved highway now carries most traffic, which is why the old road has become a downhill bike route. Go with a reputable operator, use their full-suspension bikes, and keep your hands off the brakes on the sections where they tell you not to.

Sucre's whitewashed colonial center

Bolivia's constitutional capital is the prettiest city in the country, a UNESCO-listed grid of whitewashed facades and red tile roofs at a much more forgiving 2,800 meters. The Casa de la Libertad is where independence was declared in 1825, the central market sells saltenas at breakfast, and the hike up to La Recoleta at sunset gives you the view everyone comes for. Stay a few days; Spanish-language schools here are among the cheapest in South America.

Lake Titicaca and Isla del Sol

The highest navigable lake in the world straddles the Peruvian border at 3,812 meters, and Isla del Sol — held by Aymara communities to be the birthplace of the sun — is the best thing to do with a day or two on the Bolivian side. Boats leave Copacabana in the morning, the trail between the north and south ends takes about three hours at altitude, and the terraced farms and stone ruins along the way make the walk worth the breath.

Madidi National Park in the Amazon basin

Madidi drops from Andean peaks down into primary Amazon rainforest, and the gradient means it hosts more bird species than any other protected area on Earth. Fly from La Paz to Rurrenabaque, then travel by motorboat upriver to community-run eco-lodges like Chalalán or Berraco del Madidi. Expect pink river dolphins, tapir tracks along the trails, and a canopy full of things you will hear long before you see.

When to Go

May to October is the dry season with clear skies for salt flat photography and mountain trekking. February to April brings the rainy season mirror effect on the Salar de Uyuni — arguably even more spectacular, though some tour routes get cut short when lagoons flood. Nights on the altiplano are below freezing year-round, so pack a real down jacket even in July. Carnival in Oruro in February is the cultural highlight of the calendar, a UNESCO-listed folk parade that takes over the mining town for a long weekend of brass bands and water balloons.

Getting Around

Domestic flights on BoA and Amaszonas are the sane way to cover long distances — La Paz to Sucre in 45 minutes versus 12 hours by overnight bus. For shorter hops between Andean cities, the buses are cheap and frequent, with cama class on the better companies giving you a near-flat seat. Trains are limited; the Uyuni–Tupiza–Villazón line is a leftover scenic ride worth taking for its own sake. Within cities, taxis and radio-taxis are cheap and safe when booked through a hotel or app. Roads into the Amazon and the salt flats require 4x4s, which you hire with a driver rather than rent.

Cost & Currency

Bolivia uses the boliviano (BOB) and remains the cheapest country on the South American gringo trail by a comfortable margin. Expect 15–25 BOB (around $2–$3.50) for a set-menu lunch of soup, main, and juice in a neighborhood almuerzo, 150–300 BOB for a clean mid-range hotel room, and 1,000–1,400 BOB per person for a three-day Uyuni tour including transport, lodging, and meals. Cards work in nicer hotels and restaurants in La Paz, Sucre, and Santa Cruz, but the rest of the country runs on cash — pull out bolivianos at ATMs in the cities and carry small bills. Tipping is modest: round up at cafes, 5–10% at sit-down restaurants, and a few bolivianos per bag for porters.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I handle the altitude in La Paz?: Arrive, check in, and do almost nothing on day one — no alcohol, no heavy meals, no climbing hills for sunset photos. Drink coca tea, hydrate hard, and consider starting in Sucre or Santa Cruz and flying up to La Paz so your body acclimatizes gradually rather than all at once.
Do I need a visa to visit Bolivia?: Most European, Australian, and Canadian passport holders enter visa-free for 30 to 90 days. US citizens need a visa, which can be obtained on arrival at La Paz or Santa Cruz airport for around $160 with a yellow-fever vaccination certificate, passport photos, and proof of onward travel — easier in advance through a consulate.
Is it safe to travel in Bolivia?: Generally yes, with standard South American street smarts. Petty theft is the main concern in La Paz's crowded markets and bus terminals, so keep your phone out of sight and use official radio-taxis at night. Protests and road blockades happen periodically and can strand you for a day — build some buffer into your schedule.
Can I drink the tap water?: No — tap water is not considered safe to drink anywhere in Bolivia. Stick to bottled or filtered water, including for brushing your teeth in smaller towns, and be cautious with ice and raw salads outside of higher-end restaurants. Most hotels provide bottled water in the room.
What's the best way to book a Uyuni salt flat tour?: Book in person once you arrive in Uyuni or La Paz rather than online — prices are significantly lower and you can compare operators face to face. Look for reputable companies like Red Planet or Quechua Connection, confirm the 4x4 is well maintained, and insist on seeing a written itinerary and accommodation list before you pay.