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!

Moon Valley is a large expanse of honey-coloured rocks carved into pointy peaks as a result of erosion.
Laguna Pampalarama is a mountain lake and a key area for outdoor sports and activities located around 12.5 miles north of La Paz.
A village on the shores of Lake Titicaca, Yampupata lies between Isla del Sol and Copacabana.
Laguna Tres Picos is a high mountain lake located a few hours' walk from Laguna Khota Pata at the heart of the Cordillera Real mountains.
Refugio Santos is located in the Chiqapa Jawira valley at the heart of the Cordillera Real mountains.
Pulacayo is a town located very close to the Salar de Uyuni salt flat and is home to train cemetery, formerly used to transport silver to Chili.
Challa is a village on Isla del Sol, on the banks of the mythical Lake Titicaca.
Curahuara De Carangas is a Bolivian city known for its beautiful colonial church. It's located in the Sajama province, 200km from the town of Oruro.
Challapampa is a village located in the north of Isla del Sol, on the banks of the mythical Lake Titicaca. It's the entrance point for the ruins of Chincana.
Quetena is a volcano located in the vicinity of the tiny town of Quetena Chico in Bolivia's Sud Lipez Province, which lies in the country's Potosi region. 
Irruputuncu is a volcano with two nationalities, located on the border of Chile and Bolivia.
Salar de Coipasa is a salt desert located north of Salar de Uyuni, in the department of Oruro.
The Tunupa volcano is north of Salar de Uyuni and south of Salar de Coipasa
Surrounded by giant cacti, Isla Incahuasi is a must-see stopping place during a visit to Salar de Uyuni.
Atulcha is a little Bolivian hamlet located on the edge of the Salar d'Uyuni salt flat.
The Siloli desert is one of the most beautiful parts of the South Lípez region. An incredible rocky, red sand. It's amazing.
Jirira is a village which sits on the north bank of Salar de Uyuni.
About 56 ml from La Paz, in the heart of the Yungas region, the town of Coroico is a sort of link between the Andes and Amazonia .
Laguna Sorapata is a lake located in Sajama National Park in Bolivia's Oruro region.
The Congelada Lagoon is a lagoon at high altitude located in the heart of the Cordillera Real, not far from the Jurikhota Lagoon.