Overview
Landlocked Bolivia is many people’s idea of a quintessentially South American country. It has a variety of dramatic landscapes and a dominant indigenous culture, living alongside the legacy of Spain’s baroque colonial presence. This robust, but economically poor republic has a romantic, often difficult and edgy history, tinged with popular struggles and marked by the influence of over-sized, colourful characters.
The natural scenery is stripped down to the basics: the skeletal slopes of ice-capped Andean peaks, the desolate plains of the altiplano, tree-less, rocky desert, almost vertical valleys and canyons, and unsullied jungle rainforest.
The lifestyle of the majority of the people in Bolivia has changed little since the time of the Conquest. Their haunting panpipe music, florid costumes and the ubiquitous llamas are recognised by most: less familiar is the blanket of pristine rainforest, the most bio-diverse of any similar jungle on the planet; the oilfields and cattle ranches of the friendly lowland oriente and the subtropical valleys brimming with citrus orchards.
High-altitude La Paz, the capital, is possibly one of the most extraordinary in the world, with maze of adobe houses clinging to steep canyon sides, dwarfed by its mountain backdrop, and a theatrical street-life.
To start planning your Bolivia holiday, speak to one of our Travel Experts who can help plan your journey according to your own personal preferences.
Our top holiday styles to Bolivia
Holidays Bolivia
From expertly designed Private Journeys to trail-blazing Group Tours, browse our range of carefully crafted holidays.
Private Journeys
Peru / Bolivia / Lake Titicaca
Active Peru and Bolivia: trekking Andean peaks to tropical rainforest
(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)
Group - Classic
Peru / Lake Titicaca / Bolivia / Chile
Andean Flamingo: Andes laid bare
(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)
Classic holidays
Group - Discovery
Peru / Lake Titicaca / Bolivia
Condor: Peru in depth
(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)
Private Journeys
Argentina / Bolivia
Discover Bolivia and northwest Argentina
(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)
Places To Visit In Bolivia
Discover our guide to the most exciting, memorable and inspiring places to visit.
La Paz and the altiplano
At a dizzying 3,632m above sea level, La Paz is easily the highest capital city in the world. Overlooked by the icy Mount Illimani, the city bustles with quirky street markets.
Lake Titicaca – Bolivian side
Explore Lake Titicaca’s tranquil sapphire and golden islands, as well as the floating reed islands inhabited by the indigenous Uros people.
Santa Cruz and the Oriente
Explore the dynamic city of Santa Cruz and the surrounding eastern lowlands, home to some of the world’s most biodiverse nature reserves.
Sucre and Potosi
Discover the elegant, red-tile-roofed colonial city of Sucre and historical mining city of Potosí, perched high up in the windswept altiplano.
Things to do
We proudly offer the widest range of activities, excursions and one-of-a-kind experiences across all our destinations, tried and tested personally by our travel experts.
Accommodation
Browse our unrivalled portfolio of accommodation . Every option has been carefully chosen by our team of travel experts, so you can rest assured that you’ll relax in utter comfort.
Where to go when - our guide to Bolivia
The weather in Bolivia is wide and varied
Bolivia boasts a variety of dramatic landscapes, from the windswept altiplano in the high Andes to the steamy jungle of the Amazon rainforest. Altitudes range greatly between regions: the higher up areas of La Paz, Lake Titicaca and the Uyuni salt flats experience chillier weather, while the tropical lowlands of Santa Cruz and the Amazon enjoy warm temperatures year-round, reaching highs of 31°C. You’ll find the clearest blue skies and plenty of bright sunshine in April - October, when the least rain falls but nights are very cold in the altiplano. November - March is the summer rainy season, with fewer visitors and muddier roads which can cause delays when driving. Spectacular photography opportunities await in the Salar de Uyuni, where rainwater floods the salt flats and reflects the vast skies above.
View our Bolivia weather guidePapagaio
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