Bolivia travel itinerary

Bolivia was a country I had heard amazing things about and was one I thought I would skip through. I’d heard it things like it’s a bit of a shit hole, it’s very poor, the locals aren’t that welcoming to tourists, the food is awful and you’ll most definitely get sick here from the food and water.This could have been further from my Bolivian experience. Some of my best memories from South America are in Bolivia. From summiting a 6000 m plus peak, making friends for life on the world’s largest salt flats, escaping death on the world’s most dangerous road and swimming with pink dolphins and alligators in the amazon, Bolivia is not for the faint hearted. The poverty, inequality, slow economic development and corruption can be seen in everyday life but if you can look past this you will be rewarded with adventure, kind people who take pleasure in the simple things in life and a rich cultural experience.

Bolivia is the country the the highest indigenous population in South America. I had been warned about Bolivians being the least friendly South Americans and not to take it personally. I found Bolivians to be some of the most curious and kind people. We got invited into their homes and they shared their traditions and stories about their culture and history with us, invited to share meals and given recommendations and countless directions. Life is not easy for most Bolivians, it’s actually very tough, especially for highlanders who tend to be extremely hard working and less open minded.

Unlike its neighbours, Bolivia only gives 30 day tourist visas at no cost but it can be extended in the immigration office in any major city with a letter requesting an extension. US citizens will have to pay $135 for a visa. I spend almost a month in Bolivia and as always, (shocker) could have spend longer. Bolivia is not a massive country in size compared the surrounding countries of South America but the infrastructure and roads are woeful so be patient, buses can take a while.

The highlights of Bolivia can be seen easily in two weeks. Here’s a example of a months itinerary and I will outline a shorter 2 week itinerary for those on the a time budget.

One month:

Copacabana (1 night)- Isla del Sol (1 night)- La Paz (5 nights)- Rurrenabaque and the amazon- (1 week)- Cochabamba and Toro Toro National park (4 nights)- Sucre and the maragua crater (4 nights)- Potosi (1 night)- Uyuni and the salt flats (3 nights).

Two weeks:

Copacabana (1 night and day trip to Isla del Sol)- La Paz (3 nights)- Rurrenabaque and the amazon- (3 nights)- Sucre ( 2 nights)- Potosi (1 night)- Uyuni and the salt flats (3 nights).

Getting there by land

From Chile, a popular way to enter is via a 3 day salt flat tour finishing in Uyuni.

From Peru, there are plenty of buses from Puno, Arequipa or Cusco to Copacabana or direct to La Paz. There are connections from Villazon in Argentina to Tupiza in Bolivia.

By air

Most international flights arrive into Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz has several domestic flights a day to La Paz, Sucre, Cochabamba, Uyuni and Rurrenabaque.

I came from Puno in Peru to Copacabana in Bolivia. Bolivia and Peru share Lake Titicaca. Perivans will say 60 % of Lake Titicaca is in Peru and 40% is in Bolivia. Bolivians will say the exact opposite. From Puno I left on a 8 am bus and reached Copacabana with an hour to spare before the 1.30 pm ferry to Isla Del Sol. Bolivia is one hour ahead of Peru so keep that in mind. The border crossing from Peru to Bolivia had to be the most relaxed crossing I’ve done. We left all the bags on the bus, got my exit stamp, walked across the border, stamped into Bolivia and got back on the bus to go onto Copacabana.

Lake Titicaca /Copacabana

This is a small little town worth a stop off in and the gateway to visiting Lake Titicaca’s Isla del Sol. It’s a gringo trail cross roads on the southern shore of Lake Titicaca. Lake Titicaca is one of the highest lakes in the world situated between Peru and Bolivia at an impressive 3808m. The lake can be visited from both Peru and Bolivia, both giving such different experiences so I would say visit from both sides if you have the time.

Things to do:

• Hike up El Calvario. It’s well worth the climb at sunset for panoramic views of the town and Lake Titicaca below. It takes about 30 minutes to walk up.
• Visit the impressive sparkling cathedral with its bright domes colourful tiles.
• Rent a kayak or pedalo. From the shore you can rent all sorts of boating crafts to get out on the lake.
• Visit Isla Del Sol. This is easily the highlight of any trip to Lake Titicaca. This large island is about 1.5 hours on the ferry from mainland. Several traditional communities live on this island between the main settlements at the  Northern and southern parts of the island. The North of the island is closed to tourists since 2017. There are a few ruins on the islands, more pizza restaurants than in Rome, plenty of good sleeping options, great hikes, unforgettable sunsets, breathtaking views (literally) and loads of sun, as the name suggests.
• Ferries depart copacabana twice daily for isla del Sol. 8.30 am and 1.30 am. I got the ferry for B$20 (€2.50) . There are plenty of agents selling ferry tickets on the way over but on the way back the lads at the port in Isla del Sol have a monopoly on it and it’s B$30 (€3.80). Ferries return at 10 am, 3 and 4 pm. One day is enough on the island. There are a few trails to hike and viewpoints to visit. Apart from this and the ruins there isn’t a lot and everything shuts down after the sun sets. But the sunsets are worth doing stay a night for and the chance to slow down and switch off on this quiet island.

Food is a bit more expensive here, most restaurants do a set menu for dinner and you pay around B$30 (€3.80) for a soup, a drink and main course.

Accommodation: There are loads of option on the island. There are a few hotels and guesthouses but only one hostel in the traditional sense of dorms and common hang out areas. Don’t book in advance, you’ll get it cheaper by walking in and asking for rooms. I got a double ensuite private room for B$35 (€4.50) in Hostal del Sol. There is good WiFi but no indoor common area to hang out. The courtyard outside has stunning views of the lake and is lovely to sit out in during the day when the sun is shining.

Tip: there are a lot of steps to climb once you get off the ferry. There’s no vehicles on the island so you’ll have to carry your bags. The ground is uneven too and at almost 4000 m, these do not make for easy backpack carrying conditions. Leave your big bag in a hostel, hotel or travel agent in Copacabana and just take valuable and your day bag for a night on the island. It’s also freezing at night here and central heating hasn’t yet reached Bolivia so bring warm clothes for night time.

Hiking and admiring the scenery the main thing to do here. Spend the day hiking and get to the sunset point to watch the sunset.

Getting there and away

Buses and collectivos leave every hour or every half hour in the evening to La Paz and it takes about 4 hours. I paid B$20 (for the bus but I did see prices up to B$50 so shop around.

Approximately 45 minutes from Copacabana is a body of water separating the town from the rest of Bolivia.

Arriving at the Tiquina Straint, all passengers are required to exit the bus, taking any valuables and hand luggage with them. At this point you’ll be taken to a small kiosk where you’ll be instructed to purchase a ticket (Bs 2 / $0.30 US) before climbing aboard a small boat which will transport you across the strait. After 10-15 minutes you’ll meet your bus – which is ferried across on a separate barge – and continue onward to your destination.

La Paz

This is a busy grimy city and the world’s highest capital, however it’s not technically the capital of Bolivia. Bolivia is thought to have two capitals- La Paz is the administrative capital and Sucre the constitutional capital. A lot of people I met along the way really didn’t like la Paz or felt it was dangerous and just stayed in the hostel. I really liked it. It’s not the prettiest city by a long shot but there is a lot to do there and from it. It’s a good place to use as a base and come and go from for activities.

Things to do

• Ride the teleferico system and see La Paz from above. This huge city is made more accessible by the telecabins connecting the different areas. Spend an afternoon or morning hoping on and off the telecabins viewing the street art from above.

• Do the red cap walking tour. This is one of the best walking tours I’ve been on. It was really informative about Bolivia as a country and its history. Tours are not allowed to be for free in Bolivia so there was a small fee of B$20 for the tour. It leaves from san pedro Square at 11am and 2pm daily.

• Hear Crazy Dave’s story- Before you go to Bolivia, if you get a chance read the book Marching Powder. It’s the story of an English guy locked up in a Bolivian prison that produces cocaine, has no guards and is pretty much lawless in the center of La Paz. It details the corruption in Bolivia. Crazy Dave is an American who was imprisoned in San Pedro prison for 14 years. The prison is now closed to tourists and you cannot enter but everyday at 1 pm you will find crazy Dave recounting stories of his days in San Pedro prison and what led him to end up a convict in Bolivia’s lawless prison. The chat lasts about an hour and it’s free, but Dave does expect some tips. He’s had a hard life and this is very apparent from his unkempt appearance, unwashed clothes, toothless smile and wasting body. I found him unintelligible and to be honest, I thought it waste of time but maybe I caught him on a bad day. If you’ve read Marching Powder and you’re lucky enough to find Dave on one of his less high-as-a-kite days, you may find it interesting.

• Shop for artesanias Witches market- despite the name there is no witchcraft on sale but local handcraft items and some herbal and folk remedies.

• La Paz cemetery- not a typical tourist activity but visiting this huge cemetery was an interesting experience. In most Latin American cemeteries, bodies are first buried or out into a crypt. Then within 10 years they are cremated. The families rent windows in the cemetery walls and put items in the window box along with the ashes for their loved ones that they will need in the after life. I saw alot of teddies, photos, flowers, small toys which isn’t surprising but I also saw an awful lot of coca cola bottles. I cant see why coke would be important to take to the after life with you but maybe they’re preparing in the event heaven or hell doesn’t sell coca cola.

• Watch El Cholitas wrestling- Every Thursday and Sunday in El Alto you can see indigenous Bolivian women hop into the wrestling ring and take each other down. A cholita refers to a Bolivian indigenous women, usually seen wearing traditional long skirts, fringed shawls and long black hair in braids topped with a bowler hat. Since the election of the first indigenous president, Cholita’s have been making a comeback.

• Mountain bike down the world’s deadliest roads- from La Paz this is a major attraction now. There are lots of agencies organising day trips to mountain bike the narrow gravel road that’s 3.2 m wide and has drops up to 600 m off the side. The road is no longer used as the main La Paz to Corico route and is mostly used by cyclists now. Prior to this it had the title of the world’s most dangerous road with an average of 26 vehicles going off the side annually. I booked through altitude in the Wild Rover and paid B$380 (€49) for the day which included safety equipment, transport, photos, bikes, snacks, water, buffet lunch and time to chill out on Corico at a hotel with a pool and showers. It was a brilliant day out and really not dangerous once you’re not an idiot. There are so many sand flies though in Corico so bring repellent. We were all eaten alive here.

• Climb a 6000 m plus mountain- Huyana Potosi is supposedly an easy over 6000m summit. I’d like to disagree but anyone who’s relativly fit and take on the challenge, even with no climbing prior  experience. It can be done in 2 or 3 days from La Paz. Click here to read about my experience summiting Huyana Potosi and reaching 6088m.

Where to stay

The Wild Rover: a place 20 somethings will love and 30 somethings will loath. Depending on what bracket you fall into or your mental age I’d either recommend staying here or staying far away. The hostel itself is lovely and the dulux dorms have privacy curtains, lamps and sockets, big lockers. The bathrooms are always spotless and the showers are mighty. It’s very social and loud but to be fair it’s kept to the bar only so if you don’t want to join in, the shit show doesn’t spill over into the dorms. The food is decent in the bar too. The staff are the best there and it’s a guaranteed night out. If having shots poured down your throat and dancing on the bar isn’t your thing, I stay clear and head to Hostal Republica for a quieter stay.

Where to eat

Check out this post on eating your way around La Paz. Here are a quick list of my favourites:

• Cafe del Mundo
• Bolivian Green Kitchen
• Tomate
• Popular Cocina Boliviana
• Writers cafe
• The Carrot Tree

Getting there and away:

Buses from all other Bolivian cities and tourist hubs serve La Paz. Night buses to and from Sucre, Rurrenabaque, Cochabamba, Uyuni and Santa Cruz leave La Paz’s main bus terminal several times a day.

Domestic flights to major cities go from La Paz’s Airport in El Alto but they are usually a lot more expensive as buses in Bolivia are durt cheap.

Rurrenabaque

This is where you can access the Amazon from in Bolivia. This is my favourite place in Bolivia. I organised a tour from La Paz through Fluvial Tours in the Inca Rooms hotel for 3 days, 2 nights. I opted for the pampas tour, but you can also do a jungle tour from here. Click here to read all about how to get to Rurrenabaque, the difference between pampas and jungle tours, what the pampas tour includes, prices and photos of alligators, monkeys and snakes.

Cochabamba

This is one city in Bolivia I wasn’t overly impressed with. There wasn’t a whole lot to do here but enough to fill a day in the city. It’s close to several national parks. The most famous one being the Torotoro national Park where you can see real dinosaur footprints. I didn’t make it here but I went on to Tunari National Park for a day to climb Pico Tunari. Click here to read about Climbing Pico Tunari (5035m) without a guide from Cochabamba.

Getting there and away

I got an overnight bus from La Paz which took 8 hours and cost B$45. The buses aren’t guaranteed to be as nice as the ones in Peru, Chile or Argentina so when getting a bus in Bolivia it’s worth paying that bit extra for the good buses. Safety isn’t a top priority in Bolivia either and I’ve heard stories flying about regarding drunk drivers so definitely pay that extra €4 for the decent company. The bus terminal is about a 20 min walk from the main plaza or a B$10 taxi.

Things to do:

• Climb the steps to see the world’s largest Christ statue. Cristo de la Concordia is 44cm larger than Rio’s famous Christ Redeemer. It has the best 360 views of the city.

• Visit the Palacio Portables. This Palace was inspired by the Palace at Versailles. B$15 entrance includes a guide. The gardens are only open in the afternoon from 3-6.30 pm during the week and in the mornings at the weekend. They run English tours at 4 and 5 pm during weekdays and 11.30 am and 12.30 pm at the weekends.

Where to stay:

Running Chaski Hostal is easily the best hostel option in Cochabamba. The staff are lovely, beds very comfy, good hot showers, sockets in the lockers, reading lights, a well equipped kitchen which is so rare in Bolivia and free breakfast. They also have a restaurant and bar downstairs. A night in a dorm costs B$60 (€8).

Where to eat

Cochabamba was once of the cheapest places I thought for food in Bolivia. There are plenty of menu del dias being advertised for $B10 (€1.20).

• Gopal: this is a veggie restaurant doing a buffet lunch for B$20 but once the salads are gone, they’re gone. Food seems to disappear before 2pm.

• Menta Restobar: This veggie restaurant does pizzas, salads, veggie burgers, budhuda bowls and vegan ice cream. It’s a bit more expensive than your menu del dia out of the back of someone’s house but you’re paying for quality food and fresh vegetables.

Sucre

Sucre is easily Bolivia’s most beautiful city and is the recognised as the capital in the constitution. It sits a bit lower at 2810 m and is a comfortable climate year round. This whitewashed walled city was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991. Sucre is a place you could find yourself staying longer than planned with its cafe culture, temperate climate and colonial feel. It’s a popular place to take Spanish classes.

Getting there and away

I didn’t take my own advice above and braved the local night bus to Sucre which takes 8 hours from Cochabamba. This is one of those times where you just stop being a scabby bitch and an extra €4 for a calma or even semi calma seat with a reputable bus company. I decided I could that €4 to better use on drinks or a nice meal and bought a ticket for the local bus. The seats didn’t recline, there was no toilet on board, there was children sleeping and pissing in the aisle and I was the only gringo on the bus. I sat upright surrounded by the smell of piss, petrified of being robbed for 11 hours. The journey ended up being 3 hours longer than planned due to the bus breaking down at 2am for 2 hours.

Where to stay

Kultur Berlin was a brilliant hostel. After arriving traumatised and sleep deprived from the night bus, the staff very kindly showed me to a dorm that i was the only one in so i could get some sleep. Usually places don’t let you check in even if they’re empty until the designated time but the staff here were so lovey. The free breakfast included was the best free breakfast i’ve had so far. It’s social and the night club in the hostel opens on saturday nights. Its free for guests but otherwise you’ve to pay B$25 in. Its for nothing at B$44 (€5.50) a night.

Things to do

• Go on a walking tour. A walking tour leaves Condor Cafe daily at 11 am and 3 pm and costs $B50 (€6.40). Our guide Daniel was brilliant and brought us to a fair that happens annually, it just happened to be on that day of the walking tour. He was really knowledgeable in the history of Sucre and the country.

• Wander around Plaza 25 de Mayo. This is a beautiful plaza to enjoy an ice cream around or a coffee.

• See dinosaur footprints in Parque Cretácico. It is the world’s largest site of dinosaur tracks. They run daily tours in English and Spanish however the footprints tour is only at 12 and 1 pm. The center is open Tuesday to Sunday 9am to 5 pm. The park is about 7 km outside of the city centre but a bus runs from Plaza de 25 de Mayo at 9.30, 11.00, 12.00, 14.00 and 15.00. Entrance costs B$30 (€3.90).

• Museum hop around Sucre. Casa de Libertad is an interesting museum paying homage to the most important moment in Bolivia’s colonial history. The Folklore museum is also worth a visit displaying artifacts of some of the ancient native indigenous peoples of the area.

• Hike to the Maragua Crater in one or two days and see more dinosaur footprints. This hike can be done with a guide, Condor Trekkers are a non for profit organisation running one, two or three day treks if you don’t trust yourself with maps.me. If you’re feeling a it more adventurous, I will be putting up a post on how to hike the crater in two days without a guide.

• Walk up to La Recoleta. At the top of the hill this tranquil lookout has the best views of Sucre.

• Admire the pretty colonial churches. Sucre has loads of churches, the most famous being the Metropolitan Cathedral of Sucre.

Where to eat

• Joy ride cafe: Known as a gringo hang out, this restaurant does local and international favourites. It’s slightly pricer but big portions and the vegetarian options are great.
• Condor Cafe: vegetarian restaurant doing great breakfasts, a very good menu del dia for B$25 and they also run a non for profit company running walking tours and treks from here.

Potosi

Potosi is one of the highest cities in the world standing at 4090 m. It came into existence after the discovery of silver in the 1500s. I had heard that Potosi isn’t worth a visit but with the tours to visit the mines and it’s colonial charm, I thought Potosi was a good way to break up the journey to Uyuni.

Getting there and away

Buses go from Sucre every hour to Potosi and it takes about 4 hours. I paid B$20 for the bus but I met people who shared a taxi between 4 for B$70 altogether so it might be worth checking a taxi price out either if there’s a group.

Things to do

• A tour to the mines. The mining tours divides people into two parties. The silver mines tour in Potosi is one of Bolivia’s most controversial tours and left me in a bit of an ethical dilemma. Potosi’s mines offer a unique chance to experience and witness the horrific conditions miners are subjected to on a daily basis for up to 12 hours with as little as a 15 minute break. I was torn between seeing the mines and conditions and watching the workers suffering. After checking out the companies I decided to go with a company, Potochij Tours, run by a former miner and who invests the profits of the tour into improving the working conditions for miners. Make up your own mind on it but I was assured it was safe. Seeing the horrendous working conditions in the mines was a very humbling experience and made me appreciate more than ever the privileged position I am fortunate enough to be in.

• Admire the view of Potosi from San Francisco Church. You can climb to the top of the building and get a birds eye view of Potosi for B$10.

• Visit the Mercado Central. Shop for fresh fruit and vegetables, animals hanging by their hoofs, warms clothes and a very cheap local meal.

Where to eat

There is really only one vegetarian restaurant in Potosi, Magic Manzana. The food was great here, they do a very cheap menu del dia for lunch. I went for dinner and the food was delicious however, don’t be in a hurry. It took 45 minutes to arrive.

Uyuni

Uyuni has got to be one of the grimmest places on earth and one of the worst places I’ve been to. It felt like the end of the earth. It is so cold here and no shelter from trees or flora. That said, it is where we embarked on an amazing 3 day tour to explore the Salar de Uyuni and cannot be avoided if you want to visit the world’s largest salt flats. Uyuni is double the price of everywhere else in Bolivia so if you plan on bringing alcohol on the salt flats tour, bring it from elsewhere in Bolivia. The streets are lined with tour agents selling tours to the salt flats, restaurants, shops selling snacks and artisan products and souvenirs. My advice- do your alpaca jumper shopping elsewhere in Bolivia and just pick up the necessities like water and toilet paper for the salt flats tour.

Things to do

Absolutely nothing apart from visiting Salar de Uyuni. Check out this post on the 3 day tour of the salt flats finishing in Chile. Avoid booking the salt flats tour before you arrive, it’s cheaper to book it the morning of arrival if coming off a night bus or the night before you start. I paid B$870 (€113) for the 3 day tour and my transfer onwards to San Pedro de Atacama in Chile. We went with Salty Adventures and highly recommend them.

Where to eat and sleep

• Donna Isabella- excellent pizza and for those who aren’t sick of quinoa, you can get the pizza base made from quinoa flour which is actually much better than normal flour.
• Hostel El Catu- hot water (yes, actually hot), plenty of blankets and good WiFi for B$50 (€6.50) for a single private room or B$ 45 per person in a double room.

A few other places I would have loved to visit in Bolivia and will definitly add to my list if I return.

• Samaipata- a small town completely different to anywhere else in Bolivia due to its temperate climate, hippish vibes, chilled out atmosphere and provides easy access to nearby national park for hiking.
• Tarija- where 90% of Bolivia’s wine is produced.
• Torotoro- Torotoro National Park is home to foot prints of pre-historic creatures and great hiking.