If Bolivia is on your travel radar, you’re probably wondering, “What do I need to see in Bolivia?” We wondered the same thing, so we went there to find out.  As a result, we’ve come up with 7 things you must do in Bolivia, along with 3 things you shouldn’t.    If you want a more comprehensive look at our time in Bolivia, please check out my husband’s post here.

Itinerary Musts

Visit Rurrenabaque and tour the Amazon Jungle or Las Pampas (my preference).

I put this first because even after visiting the Salar de Uyuni and other incredible sights of Bolivia, we are in agreement that our tour of Las Pampas was the highlight of Bolivia.  To get to Rurrenabaque, you will need to travel about 260 miles from La Paz.  This can be accomplished via a 12-30 hour bus ride.  The variation there is really the luck of the draw, road conditions, weather, etc. I’ve met few people that had a pleasant bus ride and the road is known to be very hazardous.  The alternative is to take the 25 minute flight offered by Amaszonas or TAM for around $80/pp each way (Less with TAM).

Fly if you can at all swing it in your budget.  Fly and pay for the cheapest tour available to make up the difference and you’ll still have a much better experience.

Once you are in Rurrenabaque you have to choose the jungle tour or Las Pampas.  The jungle will introduce you to the way of life of the local peoples and you’ll see beautiful flora.  If you want to see animals, take the Pampas tour, which sticks to the River Yacuma.  You’ll come face to face with monkeys, capybara, alligators, cayman, beautiful birds, frogs, piranha, anaconda and more.  Most importantly, you’ll be out in the boat every day experiencing the beauty of this tropical environment.

• TIP- Only book ahead if you are willing to pay extra for the comforts you absolutely require. Otherwise, just show up in town, interview a couple of tour operators, and safe 100s of dollars.  We paid $100 US for the same tour (but no private bathrooms in our ecolodge).  Great food, great animals, great companions.

Spend Time Relaxing in Copacabana

If you come into the country from Peru, you’ll be close to Copacabana.  If time allows, you can make a nice little visit of this lakeside town.  Get off the beaten path of the waterfront and wander through the local markets.  I strongly recommend staying at Hotel la Cúpula.  They are incredibly friendly, have gardens with roaming Alpaca, have a German/Bolivian restaurant on site, and offer a hot tub, fireplace in common area, and hot water bottles for your room at night.  Stay here, bask in the views, and get used to the climate of Bolivia.

See the Famous Salar de Uyuni

The 3 day tour of Salar de Uyuni in southwestern Bolivia is the number one tourist activity in the country for a reason.  The salt flats are magical.  They seem to never end, which makes sense when you realize this entire area used to be under the Pacific Ocean.  The salt layers are over 90km deep and encompass over 6,500 square miles.  In the right season (March-April), the salt will be covered in a thin layer of water and you can get the famous reflective photos.  Even later in the season, water can be found, so let your tour company know you want to see it.  You’ll take your silly tourist photos (sooo fun), experience freezing nights in a salt hotel and other hostel, and see the arm of the milky way at night if you have clear skies.  Choose your tour company carefully, as they are not all created equal, but in the end, they will all take you to see the same sights.  If you are on your way into or out of Bolivia via Chile, you can add the transfer to/from San Pedro de Atacama and make it a one way tour.

Spend Several Days in Sucre

Sucre is the capital of Bolivia, although the government has been moved to La Paz.  The supreme court still sits in Sucre, and it is also home to the University of Sucre.  Foreigners come here to stay a week or more and take intensive Spanish language classes, since there are plenty of teachers and the accent is quite easy to follow.  In Sucre, the white city, you’ll find beautiful European buildings, history all around, and one of my favorite sights, the Cal Orck’o cliff at Parque Cretácico.  This park is home to one of the largest collections of preserved dinosaur footprints in the world.  They were preserved in clay which was gradually pushed up over the years of geologic activity, and now show the footprints of the past on near vertical sheets of stone. 

Enjoy Fresh Pressed Orange Juice on the Street

I’ll be the first to say the street food in Bolivia didn’t grab my fancy as much as that in Peru, Chile, etc.  However, you will find many carts with baskets full of oranges which they peel and press right in front of you for anywhere from $0.50 to $1.00 US.  Stop, sip, savor.

Pick up Alpaca Wool Souvenirs

Coming from other countries in South America, you’ve probably already had the chance to agonize over buying that Alpaca sweater, scarf, or blanket.  What about souvenirs?  Well, search no more. The wool used in Bolivia is the same as that in Peru, but the prices are much lower.  Don’t be afraid to negotiate, but make sure you come prepared with cash, since they will most likely not take credit cards.

Cycle the Death Road

Near La Paz is the famed Death Road.  No longer used as a regular route for vehicles, it has turned into an adrenaline rush for tourists looking for adventure in a 3rd world country.  The road was named the “World’s Most Dangerous Road” by the InterAmerican Development Bank in 1995 and locally is called el “Camino de la muerte!” or the “Death Road”.  You will experience incredible scenery, and descend more than 11,800 feet from snow covered plains down to the steaming Amazon Jungle.  The tour can be accomplished in one long day from La Paz, or you can make an overnight Coroico.  If you are headed to Rurrenabaque and really want to take the bus, you can catch the bus from here, breaking up the long journey.

Just Don’t…

Don’t Take Long Bus Trips (or at least lower your expectations)

The busses are hit or miss, even from the same company.  You don’t know for sure what you will get until you are standing not he platform and the bus rolls in.  We paid for one direct route full cama (180 degree reclining flat seat) bus that ended up with stops and reclining seats somewhere comparable to coach on an airplane.  On top of this, the availability of bathroom on the bus…ok, working bathrooms…stops for the bathroom, heat, blankets, etc. are all unreliable and should only be considered big perks.  Finally, be prepared that you might run into a roadblock.  In a recent conversation with an ambassador from Bolivia, we were told that roadblocks are common when the local communities on the roads don’t feel their voices are being heard. They can last for days, be dangerous to pass, and your bus company may choose to re-route or may just hunker down and wait.  Always, check the possibility of flying first, or at least research the history of roadblocks along the road you are taking.

Don’t Spend Much Time in La Paz

La Paz is big, busy, interesting, and just a little nuts.  From the historic district you will be told NOT to walk around at night.  Drivers are not interested in sparing your life, pollution is strong, the altitude is uncomfortable, and more than anything, the locals didn’t seem particularly happy to see tourists.  You will experience Bolivia’s highs and lows in this city.  When we’ve polled numerous other travelers, the consensus was the same.  See it, travel through it, but don’t make La Paz a central part of your time in Bolivia.

Don’t Believe the Tour Operators

Any time you’re negotiating for services in a country that doesn’t post prices or guarantees, you know you need to take what you’re told with a grain of salt.  Or in Bolivia’s case, a whole Salt Flat full of salt.  In the 4-5 different tours, bus rides, and other experiences where we had to depend on the honesty of the person selling to us, we were disappointed and lied to 100% of the time.  So, for your sake, in order to have a better experience,  just assume that:

• if they say the guide speaks English, they probably don’t, unless you are paying significantly more money. (our co-travelers in the Salt Flats paid that extra money and still didn’t get an English Speaking guide.)
• you will not have a toilet on the bus or get to stop to use the bathroom
• you will not have heat on the bus
• you will need to bring snacks because food will not be provided as often as they promise
• you should bring extra money to pay for things like toilet use and extra water/beer/snacks
• there will not be seat-belts

Bolivia is a beautiful country full on natural resources, amazing landscapes, and variety of climate.  Visit, explore, embrace it, but also be prepared to take care of yourself.