When visiting South America, one great place to see is Bolivia.
You’ll experience a unique culture and with so many undiscovered Bolivia tourist attractions to pick from, where do you start?
You probably have some idea already as there is no shortage of travel guides for Bolivia online.
If you’ve not heard about attractions in Bolivia such as Salar de Uyuni you can read about them here.
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Bolivia Tourist Attractions
Some of the places to go in Bolivia that I’m going to show are unique and there is a chance you may not have heard of yet.
Amongst the places, are some that fellow backpackers have shown me and are guaranteed off the beaten track locations.
If you’re new to the idea of backpacking in Bolivia or simply visiting the main tourist attractions or cities.
Let’s firstly look at a few quick reasons why you may choose to visit Bolivia over other South American countries.
Why Visit Bolivia?
If you choose to come to a country like Bolivia, you will probably want to know what you will find waiting for you here.
Some reasons to visit Boliva as a backpacker or traveler include:
- An incredibly diverse and rich culture which is made for you to enjoy.
- Compared with neighboring countries Bolivia is safe with low crime rates.
- Amazing landscapes, with all manner of geographical challenges.
- Impressive architecture all across the country, both new and old.
This, though, just scrapes the surface. So now you’ve got some reasons to start traveling to Bolivia, what are you waiting for?
Tourist Attractions in Bolivia
Without further ado, let’s take a look then at what some of the most important Bolivia tourist attractions you must see await you here.
La Paz
Probably the most famous of all Bolivia tourist attractions, though, is La Paz. The great part of Bolivian life and heritage brings people from all across the world to see this amazing part of the country.
If you wish to see Bolivia at its best, then you must come here.
A major reason why a lot of people come to this country, then, is to come and see the amazing sights.
Places to stay in La Paz:
- Wild Rover → Super fun hostel
- Adventure Brew → Close to bus station
- Loki La Paz → Friendly atmosphere
However, just be aware that the altitude in La Paz is very different from where you likely hail from; it can be quite hard to get used to the tightness of the air, so be prepared for that if nothing else.
In fact, I added La Paz to one of the first places to visit in my Bolivia travel itinerary so be sure to give that a read too.
Yungas Road AKA Death Road
Also, I recommend you take the time to go and look at Yungas Road. Otherwise known as Death Road, it’s quite a special place to visit.
It is, though, named Death Road for good reason.
Space is extremely tight, and there is ample chance to put yourself at risk. I recommend taking on Yungas Road with a guide if you can.
There’s many books on South America that have written about this location. You must still keep your wits about you in a place like this.
The people are friendly and welcoming, but there will be many an opportunist looking to ‘help you explore’ but in reality put you in a lot of danger.
Keep your wits about you, and pay attention to who you are talking to; if they seem even slightly off, renege on the deal and move on.
Be sure to see it for yourself, though; few parts of nature/geography are quite so impressive as Yungas Road.
Copacabana
To a more peaceful place, the beautiful Copacabana is well worth coming to see.
I just recommend that you take the time to enjoy some of the local cuisine and the local drinks.
People here are very friendly, so you should have no problems at all in feeling good when visiting here.
As ever, just make sure you keep an eye on your pockets: you never know who is hanging around, even in tourist-friendly places like here!
Tarija
If you choose to come to Tarija, you will get to enjoy a really peaceful and friendly little city.
It’s a good place to turn out the local Bolivian wine, too; some of the most beautiful in the world.
This is the moment you realize that it’s not just the Argentines that produce fine wine.
Make sure you come here if you are a fan of trying out local cuisine; you would struggle to find a more satisfying range of foods to try out that if you were to come here.
It’s a good place to come and visit, with some amazing food to be enjoyed and experimented with that you won’t find elsewhere.
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Salar de Uyuni
As I mentioned in my backpacking South America guide, if you intend to see the full of Bolivia, you must see Salar de Uyuni.
Among all the Bolivia tourist attractions, this is an interesting one to see.
The largest salt flat in the world, it’s a special place to get some shots and snaps of; the unicity is almost immediately noticeable as soon as you arrive.
Sucre
If you choose to come to Bolivia, then come to the capital of Sucre.
You will soon find there is much to enjoy about this city, with a very easy living atmosphere and a friendly overall culture.
Where to stay in Sucre:
- KulturBerlin → Close to the main square
- Villa Oropeza → Located in The Historic Center
- CasArte Takubamba → In the historic center
There are so many things to do in Sucre so just be prepared to get a lot of requests from locals to ‘show you around’; something I recommend that you avoid if you are sensible!
Santa Cruz de la Sierra
If you choose to come to this part of Bolivia, you’ll want to bring the most comfortable clothes you have.
The amazing climate here means that you get to rest and relax in total comfort and confidence in the surrounding area.
It’s great for those who just want to relax and take in the pleasure of life in Bolivia; especially if you want to work.
Lake Titicaca
If you want to get photos of some amazing sights in Bolivia, here is your ideal inspiration.
The amazing shots that you will get at this natural lake is amazing, and it’s definitely a place to make sure you bring a camera and get as many shots as you can.
It’s definitely a place for photographers and creative types!
Cochabamba
This booming city is easily one of the best to come and visit in the country – but just beware of where you step foot.
You can move from prosperity into poverty within a street.
Don’t stray too far into the poorest parts of the city, or you could have a few locals wondering what you are doing straying so-far.
Potosi
If you want to make the most of a trip to Potosi, then grab your best travel camera and be sure to book yourself in a hotel for a couple of days.
There is much to see here, so make sure you go sight-seeing one day and then spend another day touring around seeing the local nightlife hotspots.
Just remember that on a Sunday the majority of the city is shut down, so don’t expect much activity on Sundays.
Bolivia Travel Tips
With every travel guide, I write on layer culture my aim is to give some practical travel tips that you can make use of right away.
Books about Bolivia
Interested in learning more about Bolivia and its culture? Here are some books that may interest you:
- The Bolivia Reader: History, Culture… – A fascinating journey through five hundred years of history covering all of its richness and complexity.
- Bolivia tried to kill us: A year trekking and travelling in South America – This is an intresting tale of two travellers. You’ll find loads of practical stuff useful for when backpacking Bolivia.
- A Concise History of Bolivia – This book provides a thorough understanding of Bolivia’s history and development. Dubbed as the best book ever written on Bolivian history.
- Bolivia in Focus: A Guide to the People, Politics, and Culture – Required reading for anyone planning a trip to Bolivia and looking to learn more about the politics and peoples of Bolivia.
- The Fat Man from La Paz – A great collections of short stories, if you like South American litrature you’ll love this.
There you have some great reads if you wish to learn more about the Bolivian culture before you head out on your adventure.
Backpacking in Bolivia
If your plan is to go backpacking in Bolivia which I highly recommend that you do.
You’ll be interested to know there are some places to visit in bolivia that are still off the beaten track for most visitors to Bolivia.
Yes, there are some great cities in Bolivia, however, you have to escape the urban areas to really get a feel for the beauty the country has to offer.
Tiwanaku
This archaeological site is definitely something and it’s actually one of the largest you’ll find in South America.
That makes it an amazing option to add to your list of places to see in Bolivia.
You’ll want to see all of the amazing finds. From ceramics to blocks to actual structures.
You can explore some of the museums nearby that have amazing finds from the site.
There’s more than enough for the entire family to explore and there’s enough to really understand how the culture used to live.
Many areas are still being excavated and much has been restored to its former glory as well.
Madidi National Park
Located in the Amazon river basin, this park is filled with amazing variety.
If you’re looking for something more extreme you can hike through the glacier-covered regions of the Andes Mountains.
If you want something a little warmer then check out the tropical rainforests and the region along the banks of the Tuichi River.
There’s something for everyone to enjoy and explore in this park and you can even check out the passenger ferry if you want to travel to Rurrenabaque.
Enjoy the culture and the myriad of different languages and trails throughout to really make your experience one of a kind.
Oruro Carnival
Carnival is different everywhere you go but Bolivia has their own options for it as well.
You’ll find plenty of amazing experiences here and you’re definitely going to love the festivities.
Costumes, parades, music, and celebrations carry on all day and all night and the club atmosphere is something that adults are really going to love.
If you’re traveling with a family you will still find plenty of family-friendly festivities as well, just make sure you’re aware of everything that’s going on around you.
Noel Kempff National Park
Another national park, this one is actually right on the Brazilian border.
So, if you’re interested in a little longer trip it’s a good time to cross over and check out an entirely new country.
You’ll find dry forests and savannas bordered alongside Amazonian rain forests and a whole lot more. In fact, you’ll find five different habitats.
These include forest wetlands, savanna wetlands, deciduous forests, evergreen forests, and upland cerrado savanna.
Each of these areas is going to be an amazing experience on its own and make it even more fun on your list of places to see in Bolivia.
Samaipata
Keep adding to your list of places to see in Bolivia because Samaipata is a beautiful little area with a slightly cooler climate than other regions of Bolivia.
It’s actually south of the foothills to the Andes mountains and it’s actually a popular resort area so you’ll find a lot of tourists here.
You’ll also be able to check out some of the more old-style colonial buildings and cobbled streets that create a very unique atmosphere.
There are still plenty of guided tours and tourist attractions that include waterfalls, vineyards and even rapids and lagoons. So you won’t have a boring moment here.
Travel Insurance for Bolivia
Whenever you travel in South America it is wise to ensure you are covered by a reliable insurer.
I always recommend backpackers and travelers (no matter who you are) use World Nomads Insurance for fully comprehensive cover.
If you are due to travel soon, you can get a Get A Free Quote by clicking the link or the image above and filling out your details – that way you’ll get instant cover from the exact date that you choose.
On many occasions World Nomads has provided me with reliable insurance cover for travel in Latin America and the rest of the world.
Attractions in Bolivia
So, now that you can see the quality of all these Bolivia tourist attractions, where will you choose to go first?
You should have a close think about this.
Depending on what your travel itinerary is you’ll have a really good opportunity to explore this amazing county closer.
With so much to see and enjoy in Bolivia, you’ll find even more things to in wider areas outside of the tourist hotspots.
I recommend that you arrive in Bolivia with an ambition to travel and to look around; there’s plenty to see outside of the obvious!
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