Bolivia is a poor country in Latin America, with tourism accounting for 40% of its GDP and industry (mostly extractive) accounting for only 37%. It is the highest mountainous region in South America, but part of the country is located in the lowlands, in tropical forests. Many indigenous people consider themselves direct descendants of the Incas and carefully preserve their folk traditions.
Why go?
Bolivia is a country of active recreation. Hiking and cycling, jeep tours in the desert, boat trips on Lake Titicaca – there are options for both extreme sports enthusiasts and those who prefer organized trips.
The main thing about the country
Bolivia is an inexpensive country. Even in the unofficial capital La Paz, $30-60* per day for accommodation, food and travel is enough, depending on the cost of the hotel: middle-class establishments have a fairly wide range of prices.
There are 43 languages in Bolivia, 37 of which have official status. The majority of the population (77%) speaks Spanish. 21.2% speak Quechua, 14.6% speak Aymara. English is spoken mainly in large cities, and not very well.
The main religion in the country is Catholic Christianity. It is professed by 77% of the population. 16% are Protestants, the rest are non-religious.
Bolivia is a highland country, so the weather here is changeable, and the temperature drops are significant. But it is close to the equator, so the difference in temperatures in different months is small. In summer (December-February) on the plains the temperature reaches +24 degrees, and on the mountain slopes – only +3, and frosts are possible. In winter (May-August) on the plains it is slightly cooler – up to +19 degrees, and in the mountains on average -1 °C, but can drop to -20.
The rainy season lasts from October to March and can be very intense.
Bolivians treat tourists kindly. The intrusiveness that is typical for residents of poor countries is not particularly pronounced here. To be left alone, it is enough to politely refuse a service or product once.
*all prices are valid for January 2022
Vaccination against yellow fever is recommended for travelers planning to visit the southern subtropical regions of the country or the departments of Santa Cruz, Beni, Pando, Cochabamba.
Customs
You can bring any amount of used items into Bolivia, and the value of new items must not exceed $1,000. However, you cannot bring in non-canned food.
To export souvenirs and products made of wool and leather, you will need store receipts.
When to go
From October to March, Bolivia has a rainy season. This can make traveling much more difficult. From April to September, the weather is much better, and the most comfortable temperatures are from late June to mid-September.
You won’t need very light clothing. Jeans and a T-shirt will be enough on the plains during the day, but you should definitely take at least a windbreaker with you, and if you’re going to the mountains, warm clothes too.
Currency
The currency of Bolivia is the boliviano (BS), which locals sometimes call “peso”. Small money is called centavos. It is better to enter the country with US dollars: they are easily exchanged for the local currency, and besides, they can be used almost everywhere without any exchange.
Prices
Bolivia is not a rich country, and therefore it is cheap. A bus or minibus ride costs $0.2–0.6, a funicular costs $0.5, a hotel room for two costs from $30*.
You can have lunch for $2, but coffee is expensive here, it costs almost as much as lunch.
* all prices are valid for January 2022
How to get there
Since Bolivia is a highland country, it is not recommended for lowlanders to arrive straight to the country’s brightest city and its unofficial capital, La Paz (it is located at 3,593 m above sea level). Otherwise, there is a risk of severe acclimatization with dizziness and other signs of oxygen deficiency.
To adapt comfortably, it is better to start with an arrival in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, located 416 m above sea level. Incidentally, it is also cheaper: in La Paz there is an increased fee for the airport’s altitude (4058 m above sea level).
The second option is to fly via Brazil or Peru and get to Bolivia by bus.
The next point is Sucre (2904 m above sea level), and then you can travel throughout the country, the problems of acclimatization will not be so noticeable.
Beaches
There is no beach holiday in Bolivia
Resorts
Health tourism in Bolivia is represented by thermal springs and therapeutic mud, but the service in local sanatoriums is at a low level. Health improvement will also be complicated by the altitude, which will cause more harm than good to an unaccustomed and not very healthy person.
Attractions
When you arrive in Santa Cruz, visit the Guarani Museum. It is dedicated to the culture of the Indians who resisted the Spanish conquistadors for a long time, forcing them to move the already founded and inhabited city several times.
The pearl of Bolivia is Lake Titicaca (meaning “stone puma”), which is a bit like Lake Baikal. You won’t be able to swim here: the water temperature is only 6-12 degrees, but the views are great. From Copacabana there are boat routes to the sacred islands of the Incas – Isla del Sol and Isla de la Luna.
The Uyuni Salt Flats and the volcano-dappled Altiplano plateau are unique landscapes that can only be reached by jeep. This is an introduction to the wild nature of Bolivia. You will be able to see at least alpacas and flamingos. In the city of Uyuni there is a hotel built from pink salt, which is mined here. You can stay there overnight, it is not too expensive.
Bolivia is the site of the death of Che Guevara’s unit, and although he is not a national hero here, there is a walking tour of the memorial sites. To get there, you need to go from Santa Cruz to the town of Vallegrande.
Entertainment
The main entertainment in Bolivia is festivals, carnivals and other mass celebrations. They happen several times a month.
The tourist season opens with the Festival of the Sun, Inti Raym. It takes place on June 21, the winter solstice. It is a good time to celebrate it in La Paz.
On July 1st, rural areas celebrate Pentecost in a unique way: peasants make sacrifices to Mother Earth Pachamama. This day is worth spending in Cochabamba.
August 6 – Independence Day. You can see a military parade, carnival processions, bullfights, games, folk dances.
The last Sunday of August is Traditions Day in Santa Cruz. This is a festival where you can see traditional Indian crafts, folk dances, and try national dishes. On September 14, a similar festival takes place near La Paz.
There are many carnivals and mass celebrations in Bolivia, and they are organized all year round. The occasion may be a Christian holiday, a national holiday, or the day of the formation of a department.
Kitchen
In Bolivia, the guinea pig is not a pet, but a farm animal, a source of meat. This is important to keep in mind for lovers of rodents. But here they also cook the usual beef.
The traditional dish is uminta. It is sweetened corn flour. It is cooked in corn leaves and served in them. The leaves themselves are inedible, but the dish is very tasty. Although similar dishes are prepared throughout the Andean region, in Bolivia it has a specificity: it is more of a dessert.
Plateau paseno is a signature dish in La Paz and other highland regions. It is a piece of fried meat garnished with boiled potatoes, beans and corn.
Pique macho is a challenge for those who think they can eat a lot. The dish includes beef, sausages, eggs, potatoes, peppers and sauces. The dish is quite spicy. It can fill up a small company, but if you don’t plan on overeating, you can order a smaller version, simply called “pique”.
Souvenirs
Bolivia has a rich selection of souvenirs. These are:
- clothes, blankets, throws made of alpaca, llama or vicuña wool;
- crafts made from bolivianite (a type of amethyst) or pink salt from Uyuni, silver jewelry;
- elements of national costume – aguayo fabric for carrying things and children, chullo hats;
- musical instruments such as the Andean reed flutes siku;
- dolls in traditional costumes;
- Amulets and charms from the witches’ market in La Paz.
Transport
Public transport is in poor technical condition, as are the roads. Drivers do not follow traffic rules. Both pedestrians and drivers need to be prepared for any surprises on and near the roadway.
City buses are not popular with tourists: they are always crowded, and it is difficult to understand the routes. An alternative is a taxi. You can only take an official one with a radio. There are several apps for calling a car in the country, including Uber.
In La Paz, the funicular is used as a means of public transport. Cable cars are also available in other cities in the country.
You can rent a car in any major city, it costs (with limited mileage) from $75 per day and $1000 – insurance. It is better to rent a car with diesel fuel, gasoline AI-95 is easy to find only in large cities. There are enough parking lots, they are not very expensive. Most highways are toll.
Safety
For Latin America, the crime rate in Bolivia is considered average. It increases slightly when the economic situation in the country worsens.
Theft and violent crime are not common here, as this is contrary to the mentality of the local Indians. But fraud and begging are common.
The police have broad powers. They are loyal to tourists, but their requirements must be followed. In order to avoid trouble, you must always carry your passport with you, as it may be checked.
Hotels and public transport periodically undergo thorough searches with inspection of personal belongings. During such procedures, some things may disappear, so it is worth inviting someone as a witness.
Tourists should avoid visiting the Chapare department: in its rural areas, white people may be mistaken for drug dealers, which guarantees problems with the police. Drug trafficking is extremely intolerant in the country, suspects in this type of crime are not treated with ceremony, and prison terms are long.
To combat drug trafficking, the police, army and local residents set up roadblocks. If you are checked, you must strictly follow all instructions from the authorities and under no circumstances provoke them: this could end in shooting.
Medicine
Healthcare in Bolivia is in its infancy, so the best thing a tourist can do is try not to get sick there. To do this, it is worth refreshing the tetanus vaccination if more than 10 years have passed since the vaccination, get vaccinated against hepatitis B and C, and undergo preliminary immunization against rabies. Prevention against malaria is also recommended.
Despite the low level of healthcare, it is better to buy medical insurance just in case. If you plan to go to remote places, it is better to take out insurance with the amount of $50 thousand, and for sparsely populated mountainous areas – $100 thousand, to definitely cover medical evacuation.
Traditions
Almost 60% of Bolivians are Indians or mestizos who perceive themselves as bearers of Indian culture, especially in rural areas. Most families honor traditions and observe local rituals. Tourists are expected to respect them, although Bolivians easily forgive ignorance of customs.
Internet
A local SIM card is a must in Bolivia. In the lowlands, providers Entel SA and Nuevatel provide decent coverage by local standards. In the mountains, there may be no signal at all, and even in the cities it is sometimes quite weak. When buying a SIM card, it is worth asking the seller to set it up right away.
Public internet access is difficult: there are always queues of locals at internet cafes. WiFi in most hotels and hostels is weak.
Useful facts
- It is not worth calling the local inhabitants Indians; they prefer the neutral term campesinos (peasants).
- Indians value sincerity and do not trust people who behave tensely. In such a case, the interlocutor will most likely close off.
Local laws
There are illegal bars in Bolivia. Tourists can be detained if they are caught in one of these places.