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BOLIVIA TRAVEL GUIDE
Landlocked Bolivia is perhaps the most “authentic” of the South American countries with approximately 60% of its population being of native South American ancestry. Its two capitals (yes, unusual!), La Paz and Sucre offer modern amenities as well a prime shopping, excellent museums, and lovely parks. The rest of Bolivia is pretty much undeveloped with long bumpy rides between attractions. What draws most people to this country is the incredible biodiversity represented in its many parks from imposing mountains to rainforest jungles. There are plenty of outdoor activities to be enjoyed too such as hiking, horseback riding and water sports.
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BOLIVIA WEATHER - When to Go
Bolivia’s climate is fairly temperate. November through March can be very wet and travellers very often find themselves confronted with floods and mudslides. Higher elevations are cool during the day and can become quite cold in the evening so plan on packing an extra thick sweater and other warm clothing regardless of the time of year. During the summer, December, January & February temperatures average 22 degrees Celsius and winter, June, July & August temperatures average 15 degrees Celsius.
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BOLIVIA HIGHLIGHTS - Places to Visit
La Paz: The national seat of government, downtown La Paz is filled with skyscrapers, four and five star hotels and plenty of night-time entertainment. One of the most popular daytime activities is shopping. Sagarnaga Street is best known for its souvenir stores. The Witches Market sells some of the most bizarre items including dried frogs and llama fetuses. Other markets include Mercado Negro for clothing, liquor and home goods, Eloy Salmon for electronics, and El Alto a large flea market. La Paz is also known for its museums. Museum San Francisco is home to some of Bolivia’s most important historical artefacts. The Museum of Contemporary Art houses exhibits from local artist and the Coca Museum displays the history of the cocoa plant. There is also the Museum of Precious Metals with incredible Pre-Columbian exhibits. A tour of San Pedro Prison or visiting one of the lovely local parks is also recommended.
Sucre: is home to the judicial branch of the government - making it the constitutional capital of Bolivia (while La Paz is where the president and congress are stationed – making that the administrative capital). Most people visit Sucre simply to relax and laze the days away. Plaza 25 de May is at the heart of downtown and is surrounded by government buildings, the main cathedral as well as bars and restaurants. You can plan on spending an afternoon at an outdoor café and take advantage of the free wi-fi and people watching. Or hop on the Dino Truck and visit Cal Orcko, a top-notch display of genuine dinosaur footprints only 3km out of Sucre (with guides in English available).
Santa Cruz: is the country’s second most largest city and considered its wealthiest. It sits in a lower altitude and can be quite warm during the day. One of the most popular sites in Santa Cruz is the Jardin Zoologico. This zoo focuses on providing natural habitats for all its animals and birds. It is a great way to get an introduction to the natural wildlife that can be found throughout the country. Santa Cruz is also a good jumping off point for some of the sights in the area including Park Amboro, a boat trip up the Amazon and a visit to the Jesuit Missions.
- Park Amboro covers 630,000 hectares and 3 different ecosystems. It is especially popular with bird watchers as over 700 species have been discovered and the number is still growing. Camping is available in the park but plan on crossing a few rivers, riding a horse and then hiking into the main camp.
- There are also quite a few overnight boat tours available along the Amazon. Plants and animals are in abundance.
- The Jesuit Missions consist of 6 separate towns founded in the 17th and 18th centuries. They are all considered UNESCO World Heritage sights and lie in a loop around Santa Cruz. You can plan on a few days to see them all.
Madidi National Park: Located northwest of La Paz this park is considered one of the most biologically diverse in the world. There are over 1000 species of birds as well as monkeys, otters, wolves, wild cats and bears to name a few. There are some eco-Lodges so travellers can stay in the park. Hiking, photography, bird watching, horseback riding and rafting are some of the most popular activities.
Noel Kempff Mercado National Park: By far the country’s largest national park at over 1.5 million hectares in size and also the most remote, Noel Kempff has several different types of forest as well as the Caparu Plateau, a sandstone mesa that rises above the rainforests. There are also two waterfalls, Arco Iris and Ahlfeld that are quite popular with visitors. Eco-lodges are available for travellers inside the park who wish to spend some time exploring the beauty of the area. Hiking, bird watching and photography are the most popular activities.
Other Highlights: There are two other parks that are also quite popular with visitors. Sajama National Park contains the country’s tallest mountain and Salar de Uyuni is famous for its salt flats. Tiwanaku, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a pre-Incan city of ruins. The truly courageous can take a drive or bike ride along Yungas Road considered the most dangerous road in the world (it runs from La Paz to Coroico and the views are spectacular). Cruise Lake Titicaca, the highest lake in the world and visit some of the quaint towns located on the lake’s islands. Stop in at Cochabamba to marvel at the gigantic statue of Jesus Christ.
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BOLIVIA HOSPITALITY - Eat, Drink, Sleep
Food and Eating Out: Bolivia is a meat and potatoes country. Beef, chicken and llama are the most popular “papas” and deep-frying is the most popular cooking method. Outside of the city expect to eat Guinea Pigs (cuy) and rabbits (conejo). Llajhua, a sauce similar to salsa is the most popular condiment. Gourmet restaurants can be found in the larger cities, especially La Paz. Otherwise expect smaller cafes and eateries.
Entertainment and Nightlife: The traditional drink in Bolivia is chicha, fermented corn drunk from a round bowl. Singani, a grape liquor is popular mixed with ginger ale. There are also several local beers such as Pacena and Huari. The large cities have plenty of bars, nightclubs and discos to dance the night away. Smaller more remote towns may have a bar or two but do not expect a party every night.
Accommodation: There are plenty of four and five star hotels to be found in the larger cities. Most national parks have eco-lodges or camp-sites, but these are usually booked in advance so plan ahead. Smaller towns have mostly low-end motels and guesthouses and there are hostels scattered throughout the country.
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BOLIVIA FLIGHTS - Flying from the UK
There are no direct flights between the UK (or Europe) and Bolivia. You will need to fly to another South American country first (try Brazil or Argentina) and get a connecting flight from there to Bolivia’s main airports at La Paz or Santa Cruz.
For flight options from the UK to Bolivia, try Expedia.co.uk, Netflights or ebookers.
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