Bolivia

One of the many amazing scenes Bolivia has to offer-Isla del Sol in Lake Titicaca

Overview

Lunar.  Mars. Other-worldly.  These are just a few words I overheard other travelers use to describe the scenery and landscape in different parts of Bolivia.  The views in this country are truly the most unique of any I have ever visited, and a trip to landlocked Bolivia should be high on the list of any trip to South America.

First, let’s dispel any rumors you may have heard.  Is the poverty in Bolivia as bad as you’ve heard?  In short, yes, it is a very poor country.  Is it the cleanest?  Not exactly.  Is it easy to travel in?  Well, why don’t you google “bus la paz to rurrenabaque” and just glance at the results.  Safe?  Hmmm, what exactly do you mean by safe?  The food has to be good, though, right?  I wouldn’t necessarily say good, and chances are that you’ll end up with a case of the Bolivia’s (a not so distant cousin of the dreaded Dehli-belly).

Now that I’ve done absolutely nothing to eliminate any of your concerns, let me tell you why I wouldn’t hesitate for a split second to return to Bolivia tomorrow if someone offered me a flight to La Paz.  Despite the difficulties of traveling in Bolivia, and there are plenty, the rewards for visiting one of the most spectacularly beautiful countries in the world are many.

Highlights-What to Do

A view of the Yunga Valley as seen from our hostel balcony in Coroico

Coroico-Another one of my hidden treasures of South America, Coroico is recommended for anyone wanting to kick back and relax for a few.  Set in the Yungas, Coroico is a quaint little town with gorgeous scenery all around.  It’s the perfect place to unwind after biking the World’s Most Dangerous Road and before the hellacious bus trip to Rurrenabaque.

La Paz- This bustling metropolis is the highest capital city in the world, and it will have your head spinning and lungs piercing with pain if you’re not careful.  The setting of La Paz is superb, lying at the bottom of a canyon and surrounded by snow-capped mountains.  La Paz is the exception when it comes to food, as the culinary opportunities are abundant.

View from Isla del Pescado on the Salar de Uyuni

Salar de Uyuni Tour-A Salt Flats tour is always high on the list of must-sees for travelers to Bolivia.  It was no different for us, and it became a highlight of not only our time in Bolivia, but all of South America.  If you haven’t done much research yet, fear not for post about tips for visiting the Salar de Uyuni, along with the two part recap, has everything you will need to know.  The biggest thing most tourists don’t know is that the tour, which is typically four days long, is actually a tour of southwestern Bolivia, with the Salt Flats themselves  only visited for a day.  But don’t worry, the rest of the tour is equally brilliant and offers some of those other-worldly landscapes I wrote about earlier.

Catching (and then eating) pirahnas is just one of the many highlights of a Pampas Tour

Pampas Tour-A trip into the jungle is up there on most itineraries when visiting South America.  The advantages of  doing it in Bolivia are many, with the cheap cost being the biggest draw.  Putzing down the river in a dugout canoe, piranha fishing, anaconda hunting, and if you’re lucky, a futbol game between the Gringos and the Bolivianos will all be on the schedule on this tour originating out of Rurrenabaque.  The options are many, so make sure you check out the Pampas page for more information and this post for tips to taking a Pampas Tour.

Budget

Bolivia is cheap, probably the cheapest country in all of South America.  If you’re really looking to shoestring it, you can get a private room for less than $10/day, with a private bathroom.  Meals are also cheap, especially if you hit up some markets and cook for yourself in the hostel kitchen from time to time.  Activities are abundant in Bolivia, and they will add up, but they’re still much cheaper than most other countries.  We spent $75/day total for Bolivia.  As always, check out the budget page for more detailed information.

When to Go/Weather

High season in Bolivia is June to August, which is wintertime.  That means cold weather at higher elevations, which comprises a good part of the country.  But it’s also dry season, which means clear, blue skies, making the remarkable scenery in Bolivia that much better.  December to March is the rainy season, and traveling can become problematic as roads get washed away.

The Yungas north of La Paz (where Coroico is) and the jungle area north of there (where Rurrenabaque and jungle/pampas tours originate) have a different climate because of the low altitude.  Average temperatures in this region are in the 90′s Fahrenheit (32-35C), and it’s usually humid.

Transportation

Transportation in Bolivia is, well, challenging to say the least.  The infrastructure is simply not there in most of the country, making travel bumpy, rough, and just plain unpleasant much of the time.  If you can afford to fly, do it.  If not, buses are your main option (there is one train line, which is a bit better than the buses, but make sure you get 1st or 2nd class–we got 3rd, not any better, and perhaps worse, than a bus).  As long as you know what you’re in for, it does make it easier.  The good thing is that bus travel is dirt cheap, and booking in advance is rarely necessary.  To give you an idea of how cheap it is, we paid $6/person to go take the infamous 18 hour bus to Rurranabaque (dubbed by some as the worst bus trip in the world, and I’m not arguing).  We were more than happy to pay the $75/person airfare to fly back to La Paz.

Click on any of the links on this page for more information, or click below to get a more in depth description of each city/region, complete with hostel, restaurant, tour guide, and activity information:

• Copacabana
• Isla del Sol in Lake Titicaca
• La Paz
• World’s Most Dangerous Road
• Coroico
• Rurranabaque
• Crazy Falafel Guy
• Tips for booking/going on a Pampas tour
• Recap of Pampas Tour
• Tupiza
• Tips for booking/going on a Salar de Uyuni tour
• Recap of the first three days of a Salar de Uyuni tour
• Recap of the Salt Flats themselves