Bolivia travel guide
From mountain to jungle and the wide Altiplano, Bolivia is truly at the heart of South America
Bolivia: where flamingos feed from red and green lakes rimmed by volcanoes, where Dali-esque rock structures dot the Altiplano, and where waterfalls crash down on one of the world's most dangerous roads.
In Bolivia's breathtakingly high capital, La Paz, indigenous women in traditional bowler hats and brightly-coloured skirts sell absolutely everything you could possibly need. Much of Bolivia is tropical lowland, a lush carpet stretching all the way to Brazil. Twisting roads thread their way down from the snowy peaks of the high Andes to steaming jungles, providing excellent – if dangerous – mountain biking.
In Bolivia's north, Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world. The old colonial town of Potosí; hosts a silver mine, while a train graveyard lies on the edge of the Salar de Uyuni, the world's highest and largest salt flat. Amboró National Park encompasses three ecosystems – the Amazon basin, the foothills of the Andes and the Chaco plain, and is home to thousands of species of insects, birds and plants.
Wanderlust recommends
- Track jaguar in the Bolivian Amazon
- Follow the 400-year-old Mission Circuit in Bolivia's little-known Oriente region
- Drive in the clouds – cross the Salar de Uyuni which, when flooded, acts as a giant mirror
- Stay in luxurious Amazon lodges in remote Noel Kempff Mercado National Park
- Catch the blessing ceremony for new cars in the little town of Copacabana on Lake Titicaca
Wanderlust tips
US citizens have to pay a hefty entrance fee and deal with plenty of paperwork at the borders going into Bolivia. Non-US travellers in a rush and choosing between a local or a 'gringo' bus might save time travelling with the locals. If you fancy helping to care for orphaned monkeys or big cats, consider volunteering at a wildlife refuge. Parque Machí is always grateful for volunteers.