South America

Bolivia

A white salt plain running to the horizon, pink lagoons beneath volcanoes and a city where people commute by cable car.

Photo: Giacomo Buzzao / Unsplash

Bolivia is one of the highest inhabited countries on earth, and you feel it from the first minute. The Altiplano plateau stretches out at around four kilometres above sea level: the light is sharp, the sky a deep blue and the air smells of dry grass and cold. In the markets, women in bowler hats and layered skirts lay out little piles of potatoes, quinoa and coca leaves each morning.

In the far south-west lies the Salar de Uyuni — a white, cracked surface where all sense of distance disappears. Beyond it, 4×4 tracks lead through a country of coloured lagoons, geysers and red rock, where flamingos wade beneath volcanoes and the night sky holds so many stars that the Milky Way seems to cast a shadow.

Yet Bolivia is more than landscape. La Paz is fast, loud and inventive; white Sucre is calm and gracious; and Potosí tells a hard story of silver that shaped the whole colonial world. Pace is everything here: with a gradual ascent and time to rest, the country opens up far more deeply.

Why go

01
Uyuni and the southern Altiplano
The world's largest salt flat, with cactus-covered Isla Incahuasi at its heart. In the rainy season a thin layer of water sometimes turns it into a mirror, though that depends on the weather. Beyond lies the Eduardo Avaroa reserve: the red Laguna Colorada, the green Laguna Verde beneath Licancabur volcano and steaming geyser fields.
02
La Paz
A city in a canyon, with snow-capped Illimani standing guard above it. A network of cable cars links it to the plateau of El Alto and opens views you'd never see from the street. The Witches' Market, the eroded spires of the Valle de la Luna and a mid-morning salteña give you the taste of daily life.
03
Titicaca and the Isla del Sol
On the Bolivian shore lie the town of Copacabana and the boat to the Isla del Sol, where stone paths lead past Inca terraces and ruined shrines. A night on the island lets you see the lake at rest: no day visitors, just terraces, stone paths and evening light on the water.
04
Sucre and Potosí
Sucre is white colonial houses, shaded courtyards and a softer, lower climate that makes a welcome pause between days in the highlands. Nearby Potosí was once among the richest cities on earth, and the silver of the Cerro Rico cost countless lives. The old mint, now a museum, tells that story honestly and without gloss.

Ways to travel

Ways to experience it

Ways to travel aren't separate paths — the best journeys often bring several together.

Tailor-made journeys
A route that climbs gradually — from lower Sucre or Titicaca up to the Altiplano — with rest days and a flexible pace across long distances.
Adventure & active travel
A multi-day 4×4 journey across the salt flat and lagoons, treks in the Cordillera Real or horse riding through the red canyons of Tupiza.
Culture & discovery
Aymara and Quechua markets, colonial Sucre, the silver history of Potosí and the Inca legacy of the Isla del Sol — with guides who help you understand the present too.
Wildlife & nature
Flamingos on the lagoons, vicuñas on the Altiplano and, in the lowlands, the rainforest and rivers of Madidi National Park. Wildlife is never guaranteed.
Exceptional stays & escapes
Lodgings built from salt blocks on the edge of the salar, colonial courtyard houses in Sucre and small lodges by Lake Titicaca.
Small-group adventures
The salt-flat and lagoon route in a small group with an experienced driver-guide — and shared evenings in remote lodgings.

Bolivia

Journey inspiration

Illustrative ideas for how a tailor-made journey could look. Not bookable packages: no prices, dates or inclusions are implied.

0112–15 days
From Sucre to the salt flat
A start in lower-lying Sucre, Potosí and its history, a few days on the Salar de Uyuni and the lagoons, then La Paz and Lake Titicaca to finish.
Culture & discovery · Tailor-made journeys
Plan something like this
0214–18 days
Across the Altiplano to the Atacama
La Paz and Titicaca to acclimatise, then the salt flat and the Eduardo Avaroa reserve by 4×4, crossing the border to San Pedro de Atacama in Chile.
Adventure & active travel · Small-group adventures
Plan something like this
0316–20 days
Mountains, canyons and the lake
A few days by Titicaca and on the Isla del Sol, treks in the valleys of the Cordillera Real, then, in the south, riding through Tupiza's canyons and on to Uyuni.
Adventure & active travel · Exceptional stays & escapes
Plan something like this

Planning your journey

When to go

The dry season generally runs from around May to October: sunny days and clear skies, but very cold nights in the highlands. December to March is usually the wettest period; the salt flat may then turn to a mirror, though some routes can become harder going. Conditions vary from year to year.

How long to allow

For a first visit we suggest at least 12–14 days. High altitude asks for time, so it's worth ascending gradually, keeping the first days gentle and leaving rest days. It's wise to speak to your doctor about high-altitude travel before you go.

Natural combinations

Bolivia connects naturally with Peru across Lake Titicaca and with Chile over the Altiplano to the Atacama Desert. On a longer journey it also pairs with north-west Argentina.

Areas to explore

La Paz and the Cordillera Real
The country's high-altitude seat of government, with snow peaks close at hand.
Lake Titicaca
Copacabana, the islands of the Sun and Moon, and Inca paths above the water.
Sucre and Potosí
Colonial heritage, museums and the story of the silver mines.
Uyuni and the Eduardo Avaroa reserve
The salt flat, coloured lagoons, geysers and volcanoes.
Tupiza
Red-rock canyons in the south, for riding and hiking.

General guidance only. Weather, seasons and wildlife are never guaranteed, and travel requirements are always worth checking before you go.

Sample journey