Places to discover

Best places to visit in Bolivia

To travel to Bolivia is to choose a destination in which mass tourism and all-inclusive package deals have no role to play. And so much the better! Most travellers do, however, combine a trip to Bolivia with a trip to Peru and are happy enough just to visit the area around La Paz. That's such a shame! With its virgin Amazon rainforest, the huge mountains of its Altiplano, and the arid plains in its east, Bolivia has scenery and landscapes unlike anything else in the world to offer. And that's without even mentioning its indigenous culture, which is so much in evidence everywhere in the country and so highly respected. It really is delightful!

What better way is there to get the most out of a travel destination than by swapping tips and ideas about what to see and do there? Evaneos' community of seasoned travellers have provided reviews of both the essential places to see and visit in Bolivia and their favourite off-the-beaten-track and out-of-the-way places.

La Paz, Bolivia's capital, is a charming, atypical and cosmopolitan city, and well worth spending several days exploring. The 4x4 tour of the Uyuni salt flat and Sud Lipez Province is definitely something every self-respecting adventurer should have on their to-do list. On your return, make a stop at Potosí mines, which were once a source of great wealth for Latin America.

To finish off this high-altitude excursion, spend some time in the Amazon rainforest atRurrenabaque, where you'll have the opportunity to see all kinds of jungle animals, including everything from caimans and monkeys to pink river dolphins. And why not reach to this region via the famous 'Death Road', Coroico, perhaps even descending it by bicycle?

Those with enough time on their hands should definitely go to see the giant tree ferns of Amboró National Park in the east of the country, which so many tourists miss the opportunity to visit. Something tourists normally don't miss, however, is the chance to let their hair down and enjoy themselves to the sounds and rhythms of the Diablada at the Oruro Carnival, the most famous in South America after that of Rio de Janeiro, and the opportunity to tour round the Jesuit missions of Santa Cruz de la Sierra.

And when you've done all this, you will no doubt head next for Lake Titicaca and Peru, to visit an area which, with its wonderful landscapes and scenery, really is one of the essential places to see in South America.

What a programme! We'll leave you to browse the Evaneos website and find out more about all these sites for yourself. A word of warning however: they are all so wonderful that you might have difficulty deciding which to visit!

Whether it's from the Bolivian or Peruvian side, Lake Titicaca's islands are enchanting. Everyone will love a cruise on Lake Titicaca.
Halfway between La Paz and Lake Titicaca, Sorata village is less than 10 000 ft high in altitude and acts as a base for hiking in the surroundings. Trekking lovers beware !
Kunu Pampa Glacier is located in the Cordillera Real, the "Himalayas of the New World", in the heart of the La Paz region.
Nicknamed the "lagoon of birds", Ajwani Lagooncan be explored during a trek in the Cordillera Real.
Laguna Chiarkhota is a high-altitude lake located in the Cordillera Real mountain range.
Laguna Chiscacalliuni is a high altitude lagoon located in the Cordillera Real.
Laguna Jist'aña Quta is a high-altitude lake located in the majestic Cordillera Real mountains in the La Paz region of Bolivia.
Laguna Jurikhota is a high altitude lagoon that you can explore while trekking in the Cordillera Real, Bolivia's most impressive mountain range.
Laguna Wari Warani is a high altitude lagoon located in the Cordillera Real, in the region of La Paz.
The city is famous for its mines.
The Purapurani is a high-altitude river located in the Purapurani Valley.
Sucre is a predominantly white-walled former colonial city.
Tuni is an Andean village located deep within the Cordillera Real mountain range.
In the middle of nowhere, lost amidst an area of unrelenting nothingness in Bolvia's Sur Lípez region , lies Laguna Colorada, one of the most unusual natural marvels that exist. It is quite simply magical.
The magnificent Laguna Verde can be found in the Sur Lipez provence in Bolivia. In the heart of this fantastic region, at the foot of Licancabur Volcano, you'll find the green and salty water of the lake enchanting.
Chulumani is the capital of Bolivia's Sud Yungas region and is situated three hours by road from La Paz. As it's located in a zone which gradually merges into the Amazon rainforest, Chulumani reaches an altitude of 'only' 5700 ft, making it a much hotter place than La Paz.
A city with colonial architecture and a green heart.
Concepción is a former Jesuit mission located in the region of Santa Cruz, in eastern Bolivia.
Yumani is an indigenous village located on Isla del Sol at the southern end of the legendary Lake Titicaca in Bolivia.
200km from La Paz, Oruro is a horrible mining town in the Altiplano which is often windy and freezing cold.