Welcome to this Bolivia itinerary that I’ve carefully crafted!
Maybe you’re in the middle of planning a trip to Bolivia? Or, need ideas on where to go, what to see, and how to get into this landlocked nation?
Bolivia is not for the faint-hearted traveler, filled with astronomic altitudes and prominent landscapes that will strain your eye-sockets (in a good way) Bolivia is an adventure backpacker’s dream.
This Bolivia travel guide makes up a section of my 3 months backpacking South America travel route.
Table of Contents
Bolivia Itinerary
Home to the biggest lake in the world! The highest capital in the world, and some of the oldest, pre-Colombian rituals that are still publicly visible to this day.
Bolivia has something for you this guide will be perfect for you.
If you want some ideas on where to go in Bolivia see my itinerary.
Bolivia 2 Week Itinerary
🇧🇴 Route: Lake Titicaca > La Paz > Sucre > Salar de Uyuni
Arriving from Peru, this Bolivia itinerary is designed to guide you on where to go in this fascinating country, and learn more about the distinct culture and gems that you can experience here.
Lake Titicaca
Duration: (4 Days) > Time: Day count: 30
Beginning at the start of the Peruvian side, you will cross over into Bolivia and spend some days on Isla del Sol.
Walk on the Totora reed, which is harvested annually and keeps the floating islands where they are.
Visit Suasi island to see some great views of the lake, and is home to five acres of great flora and vicuña.
La Paz
Duration: (3 Days) > Time: Day count: 34
The highest capital city in the world sits at an impressive 3,650 meters above sea-level, so make sure you are prepared for any altitude sickness which is common here!
The transportation in Bolivia is remarkable, ascend by cable car for some stunning views of the surrounding landscape.
How about getting on a walking tour around the main historical sites? (Pre-warning, the city is very hilly so make sure you are at least a little bit fit!)
Lastly, you should make a trip to The Witches Market, where you fill very strange and unorthodox souvenirs, ranging from potions and trinkets to dried animals.
As if you needed a reason to bring a dried frog along on your travels 🙂
Sucre
Duration: (2 Days) > Time: Day count: 36
After an overnight bus, you will arrive in Sucre, the “official” capital of Bolivia (both La Paz and Sucre are listed as the capital for different reasons!).
When looking for facts about Bolivia know that Sucre is one of the best areas in the world for finding dinosaur remains. There is a park close to the city (Parque Cretácico) that you can visit.
Also, if you haven’t already, try some of the regional foods such as Chorizo Chuquisaqueño and Cuy (not for the faint of hearted!).
Salar de Uyuni
Duration: (3 Days) > Time: Day count: 39
Now we arrive at one of the wonders of South America. In fact, I’d dare say that no backpacking South America itinerary would be complete with this addition.
Starting in Sucre, you will visit the infamous salt flats before then heading onto Chile.
There are two times to visit: to see the famous mirror effect, which happens as a result of water covering the basin of the salt flats.
Between November and March, but still relies on rain happening just before you visit) and the dry season, which makes the area way easier to access. There is simply no one best time to visit Bolivia but November is a good time.
Bolivia: Extremely Useful Links
Are you ready to start booking your trip to Bolivia?
My #1 goal is to help you get deals and discounts no matter where you’re from or where you’re going in Latin America.
In this Extremely useful links section, I share a list of companies, hostels, and tour providers that I’ve personally used or done extensive research on and will be using in the near future.
Why reinvent the wheel? I spend 40% of my current day-to-day planning travel in and around Latin America.
Whether in South America, Central America, or on an island in the Caribbean (usually Jamaica) you can rely on me to give you a great starting point for booking your trips to the continent.
Planning a Trip to Bolivia
Here is my first port of call no matter where I’m going to I start by looking at these sites for ideas:
- Hostel World – A reliable platform for review and booking
- Booking – Great for discounts on accommodation
- World Nomads – Travel insurance market leaders
- Get your Guide – My go-to site for cultural tours
As you begin to refine your Bolivia itinerary you’ll have a better idea of the landmarks and accommodation you’ll visit.
Time is of the essence when backpacking and the idea are to put yourself in the best possible position to see everything you planned for yourself.
As you probably will already know, staying safe in Latin America is a big deal and not to be underestimated.
Safety concerns are one of the main reasons why people shun the idea of backpacking the continent and will choose continents such as Asia or Europe instead.
Safety in South America
Keep all this travel gear locked up and deterring theft is a must.
- For Securing – My backpack gets locked securely with this.
- Hidden Wallets – Carry a wallet that conceals your cash.
- Hidden Pockets Pants – Perfect for hiding cash and phones.
I have created a specific page below for those who are concerned about lugging their belongings around and are in need of a backpack that is designed to conceal valuables.
When planning a trip to Bolivia I recommend you consider packing the following items I have noted below. Some of which you can buy whilst in the country too if you decide to.
What to pack for Bolivia:
You’ll that depending on which countries you visit on your South America backpacking journey the climate will change drastically.
It’s smart to think about this before leaving your hometown!
South America is not all beaches and palm trees, in fact, I have some of the coldest nights in the mountain regions of Colombia or in other countries such as Argentina and Chile.
Winter in the southern hemisphere is not to be underestimated.
Finally, when staying in a hostel, here a few link that I recommend you check out before booking anything:
Bolivia Hostel Checklist:
Travel Insurance for Bolivia
Whilst traveling around Bolivia I recommend World Nomads insurance for an adequate cover. Get a Free Quote below:
On more than one occasion World Nomads has proved to be the best insurance for travel in Latin America.
**This list will get updated regularly: See my Travel Gear Page in the Main Navigation for even more ideas 🙂
Bolivia Itinerary
You have now reached the end of this Bolivia itinerary!
For anyone thinking about traveling to Bolivia this guide aimed to cover some of the best tourist attractions in Bolivia as well as give an insight into what to expect when traveling.
Not only do you now know some of the best tourist attractions in Bolivia you can visit, you’ve got a selection of useful links to be able to do more research.
Regarding your safety in Bolivia, if you stick to the usual travel routes you shouldn’t encounter major problems.
Planning accordingly and you’ll have a wonderful trip, just be sure to exercise caution when traveling around with lots of gear and heavy backpacks.
If you want to see the full South America itinerary I did feel free to see this page for more…
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