Bolivia

Traveling

Bolivia is not as visited as neighboring Peru, but they are still very well prepared for tourists. There are many travel agencies, especially in La Paz and Uyuni. The road network is also gradually improving. Overall, the country is one of the easiest to travel.

The country is divided into nine regions around the most important cities such as La Paz, Santa Cruz, Oruro, Potosi, Cochabamba, Sucre, Tarija, Trinidad and Cobija. Each of these cities is accessible by air.

Andy and Yungas: the most dramatic scenery and the biggest changes in the landscape In Bolivia, you will find in the highest mountains of the country – the glaciated Cordillera Real and a little further north the Cordillera Apolobamba. The western slopes of these mountains fall into the Altiplano plateau and the eastern ones a few kilometers lower into the misty Yungas and further into the Amazon lowlands. To the west, it ends with a belt of high volcanoes of the Cordillera Occidental. Here you will find amazing lagoons, llamas and gigantic salt flats. This is the main destination of foreign tourists. Amazonia (selva): a large part of Bolivia is occupied by the hard-to-reach Amazon jungle, where you can go watching animals, forest vegetation and mighty rivers. Here you will find the sacred islands of the Incas and a very picturesque coast where you can even swim. „Wild West“ Bolivia: In the south of the country, the mountains between the Altiplan and the Amazon are not nearly as high as in the north. For this you will find eroded mountain ridges of strange colors with amazing rock formations.

Bolivia is an ideal country for both tourist and especially large travel circuits. You will need between three weeks and a month to get to know the country roughly. You will enjoy mainly the natural beauty in the form of volcanoes, lagoons and salaries on the Altiplano, but also the colorful wildlife if you go to the Amazon. Few people can go through all the most beautiful places in the country on their first visit.

A typical trip to Bolivia includes a trip to Lake Titicaca with the town of Copacabana and the islands of the Sun and Moon, where you can take short but beautiful hikes. The historic ruins of Tiwanaku, the capital of La Paz with popular star trips to the Moon Valley, Mount Chacaltaya or the descent along Death Road to the misty Yungasu. Then a visit to the mining Potosí, or the capital Sucre, and finally an amazing jeep route along the southwestern Altiplán.

They include a visit to the beautifully situated Sorata under Cordillera Real, a visit to the Zongo Pass overlooking Huyana Potosi and Milluni Lagoon, the amazing Palca Canyon, the Bolivian Amazon and the Pampas with animals, Tupizu with its wild west landscape, Sajama National Park with beautiful Parinacota Volcano.

The most frequent travel combination is Bolivia with Peru, or the circuit of Bolivia Peru and northern Chile. Of course, you can also make nice circuits with Argentina or Brazil. Circuit of Bolivia and Peru: very popular is the circuit connecting the most interesting places in Peru (Macu Picchu, Cuzco, Nazca, Arequipu, Colca Canyon, or Cordillera Blanca) with a classic Bolivian excursion circuit (length three weeks and more) Circuit of Bolivia, Peru and Chile: more interesting itineraries also lead through the north of Chile, either through San Pedro de Atacama or through Chungara and Arica. Circuit of Bolivia and northern Chile: it is little business in itself. Long journeys across the continent are more likely to take place here. The circuit of Bolivia and Brazil: an interesting connection is the journey from Bolivia to Brazil via Santa Cruz, the Pantanal and then to Rio De Janeiro. Ideal for those who want to combine the natural beauty of Bolivia with relaxation on Brazilian beaches

The most classic journey through Bolivia leads through South America, starting in Colombia's Bogota and further through Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia to Chile, where it ends in Santiago or Buenos Aires, Argentina. Less common is the branch continuing from Bolivia to Brazil. It is often stretched as far as the south of South America to Patagonia (length 3–6 months)

Bolivia is changing its landscape in the belts from west to east. To the far west is the border zone of the volcanoes, then the Altipláno plateau. It borders the ridge of the glaciated Cordillera Real to the east. From there further east, the landscape changes as fast as the altitude falls into the Amazon Basin. The difference between the highest point of the country Nevado Sajamou (6,542 m above sea level) and the river Paraguay is 6,460 meters above sea level.

Bolivia is not very ideal for traveling with children – the high altitude bothers them even more than adults, long bus transfers will bore them and the cold and short day of the season will not add to it.