BOLIVIA
About Bolivia
Bolivia is a landlocked country in central South America. It is bordered by Brazil on the north and east, Paraguay and Argentina on the south, and Chile and Peru on the west.
More than eight million people live in Bolivia, of which 56 percent is part of one of the 32 ethnic groups that maintain their beautiful Andean traditions.
Why visit Bolivia?
Bolivia may be one of the poorest countries in South America, but its cultural wealth, the vastly differing Amazonian and Andean landscapes and the remnants of mysterious ancient civilisations make it a rich and exciting destination to visit.
Best time to visit
March to November is recommended, but no matter when you go, be prepared for warm days and cold nights. Summer is the wet season from December to February.
Places to see
La Paz
La Paz is the highest capital city in the world at just over 4000 m.a.s.l. The city has a dramatic setting within a canyon floor surrounded by beautiful mountains in the background.
The tour of La Paz, capital of Bolivia, includes many highlights including a visit to Moon Valley, featuring stunning geological formations and a visit to the native markets where you can buy excellent handicrafts and witch craft medicine.
A favourite tour from La Paz is mountan biking down the "World's Most Dangerous Road".
Incredible scenic variety and a spectacular descent of more than 3,600m/11,800 feet, from snow-covered plains and mountain ranges down to the steaming Amazonian Jungle, makes this trip our most popular tour in Bolivia.
After the ride you can relax pool-side in the quiet sub-tropical jungle town of Coroico. Then continue from here to Rurrenabaque and the Amazon Jungle, or return at your leisure to La Paz.
Lake Titicaca
Lake Titicaca, the cradle of Incan civilization, and the origin of the Inca Empire is the largest lake on the South American continent. It is reputed to be the highest navigable lake in the world (about 3810 m/12,500 ft above sea level), extending from southeastern Peru to western Bolivia.
The lake has waves, testament to its size and not surprising the waters are cold. At that altitude and fed from snow-clad Andes Mountains the lake does not invite swimming.
Copacabana is a friendly little town and is the main access from Bolivia to Lake Titicaca. It is most famous for its cathedral containing a 16th-century carved wood figure of the Virgin of Copacabana, the Christian guardian of the lake.
The statue, finished in 1853, was the work of Indian sculptor Francisco Tito Yupanqui, nephew of Inca Huayna Capac. Except for during Mass, the statue stands with its back to the congregation - but facing the lake so it can keep an eye out for any approaching storms and earthquakes.
From Copacabana, you can sail on Lake Titicaca to Sun Island, the legendary birth place of the Inca Empire. During the cruise, you can also enjoy a visit to Moon Island with fabulous views of the highlands and the Andes mountain range.
On the mainland, you can enjoy a tour of Tiwanacu Ruins, home to the Aymara culture, one of the oldest American civilizations.
One of the loveliest outings in Copacabana is a dawn or dusk walk along the waterfront, watching the sky explode into color with sunrise or slip into the blue black of night at sunset.
Salt Flats - Uyuni
In the department of Potosi is located the impressive Salar de Uyuni that has become one of the main tourist attractions in Bolivia.
The Uyuni Salt Pan covers 12,000 square kilometers - the largest concentration of salt on the planet. The surface crust is 10 meters thick and the amount of salt in the pan is estimated at 64000 millions tons.
There are islands on the Uyuni Salt Pan which are spectacularly beautiful. One of these, Incahuasi, has calcareous rock formations including remains of coral and seashells and is populated with cactus plants up to seven meters in height.
The Salt Pan is transitable via 4WD and a four-day tour can be started from the town of Uyuni or from San Pedro in the north of Chile.
During the four days, the color of deserts, snowcapped peaks of extinct volcanoes and fabulous lagoons are not only attractive but incomparable.
The lagoons are part of the Eduardo Avaroa National Park and have the singular characteristic of changing color according to the time of the day.
In the Laguna Colorada or Nido de los Andes, there are more than 30,000 flamingos of three varieties; and also, vizcachas, geisers and volcanic wells.
Sucre
Sucre is a charming city that has preserved its original colonial atmosphere and is a haven for university students.
The city of Sucre was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991 and it doesn't take long to see why. The city has a rich, varied history and a wealth of historical architecture. Beautiful colonial architecture abounds, with many original buildings still intact.
All buildings within the central core of the city are either whitewashed or painted white allowing locals to claim that Sucre is Bolivia's most beautiful city.
Relatively small, Sucre is an easily walkable city and the older sections, with the white colonial buildings with their distinctive red-tiled roofs and distinctive balconies offer nooks and crannies to explore.
Home to a large indigenous population who maintain their traditional clothing and customs, and sell their crafts and goods available in the markets and fairs, Sucre is more than a charming colonial city.
Potosi
In 1987, Potosi (4,070 m.a.s.l.) was declared Cultural Patrimony of the Humanity by UNESCO.
During the colonial time, the silver extraction in the Cerro Rico of Potosi, transformed this city into the biggest in the Americas with more than 160,000 inhabitants. A tour of the richest silver mine in history, Cerro Rico of Potosi is possible.
The city is characterized by its Baroque architecture, its profusion of exquisite churches, monasteries and temples, elegant palaces and mansions that adorn the narrow and paved streets.
