5 Reasons to Travel to Bolivia

Have you ever been to a country where it takes your breath away in every level? Bolivia may fall into that category. It is the poorest and most isolated nation in South America. But their cultural heritage and unique landscape are really something special you have to experience in your lifetime.

Flying into La Paz, the highest administrative capital city in the world at 12,000 feet above sea level is an experience in itself. In fact, La Paz’s airport, El Alto International Airport, the highest international airport in the world is located at 13,325 feet.

It takes 10 hours five minutes to fly from Los Angeles and six hours 32 minutes from Miami to La Paz. Nine airlines fly into La Paz’s El Alto International Airport including American Airlines and LAN Airlines.

Here are Travelmath’s 5 reasons to travel to Bolivia:

One: Food and Culture
Fast food restaurants are a thing of the past in Bolivia. Bolivia is the only McDonald’s-free country in South America. McDonalds was in Bolivia for 14 years and the fast food chain closed all eight restaurants in Bolivia in 2002.

Somehow pizza and pasta are very popular in Bolivia and served throughout Bolivia even in Tupiza a town 491 miles from La Paz.

While in Bolivia, try salteñas and at least one dish that include llama or alpaca meats. Salteñas are Bolivia’s empanadas filled with chicken or other types of meat, vegetables, raisins and hard-boiled eggs.

Women in traditional clothing and bowler hats remain one of Bolivia’s greatest cultural attractions. On the streets of La Paz, Potosi or Tupiza you will see cholas and cholitas wearing bowler hats, colorful shawls, traditional skirts, layers of petticoats, braided hair tied with beads, woolen knee high socks and flat shoes or sandals. Find out more here.

Two: Cholitas luchadoras – the fighting cholitas
Bolivia’s wrestlers wear skirts and jewelries. The highlight of El Alto’s gym is the women wrestlers who show up every Sunday to a crowded audience comprising of the locals and tourists.

These women not only fight with women, they fight with men twice their size. You can read more about this on National Geographic.

Three: History
332 miles south of La Paz is the historical city of Potosi. The Spaniards established Potosi as their silver mining and commercial capital in 1545. Besides Cerro Rico the silver mining mountain, Potosi is filled with colonial buildings, churches, domes, arches and squares. It was declared a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 1987.

In the 16th century it was the world’s largest silver producer and industrial complex. Today after years of mining, silver is almost depleted, many lives were lost in Cerro Rico and tourism is thriving in Potosi.

The main attractions are Casa de la Moneda (House of the Mint), church of San Francisco, the first church built in the colonial period and a mining tour of Cerro Rico.

Many tourists visit Potosi because of Cerro Rico mining tour. Here you will be led by an experienced tour guide into the underground tunnels, small holes and caves to experience life in appalling working conditions inside the active mining facilities.

Note: Don’t go on the mining tour if you are claustrophobic.

Four: Landscapes
Bolivia’s landscape is diverse and unique. A road trip in Bolivia will take you amongst endless arid, uninhabited and moon-like landscapes. This landlocked country has the highest average altitude, the highest navigable lake- Lake Titicaca (shared with Peru) and two thirds of its land is in the lowlands bordering Brazil and Paraguay. Which means you can experience the Amazonian jungle in Bolivia usually at a much cheaper price compared to Amazonian tours in Peru and Brazil.

About 80 percent of the population lives in the highlands and they still hold tightly to their traditions. Two thirds of its lowlands are sparsely populated. If you don’t like the highlands, Santa Cruz, which is located at the Andean foothills would be the best alternative.

It is the tropical lowland city in Bolivia and accessible by air or road from La Paz. It takes about 1 hour 11 minutes to fly from La Paz to Santa Cruz.

Five: The Largest Salt Flat in the World
The Uyuni Salt Flats (Salar de Uyuni) is the largest salt flat in the world. Located 335 miles from La Paz, Uyuni Salt Flats is one of the top attractions in Bolivia. It is touristy and can be expensive compared to other parts of Bolivia.

Tours are done by a guide/driver accompanied by a cook on a SUV. A typical tour to the salt flats would include a tour of the salt producing plant, photo stops, driving endlessly on the vast salt flat, lunch at Isla Pescado and a hike at Isla Pescado.

Isla Pescado is a rocky island in the middle of the salt flats with hundreds of cacti of various sizes.

Tips to traveling to Bolivia:
1.   A visa is required for American citizens. Visas are issued at the borders and airport. You must have 2 photos and US$135 cash in hand.
2.   Take it easy in the first few days if you tend to have high altitude sickness unless you are only planning to travel to the lowlands of Bolivia.
3.   Don’t take photos of the locals. Only take photos with permission.
4.   Bolivia’s currency is the Bolivian boliviano.
5.   For Bolivia health information check out CDC Traveler’s Health.

Are you planning a trip to South America? Try Bolivia.