Activities in Bolivia
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AndesXtremo
Offers climbing, rafting, canyoning, trekking, and paragliding excursions.
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San Miguel del Bala
San Miguel del Bala is a glorious community ecolodge in its own patch of paradise right on Madidi’s doorstep, 40 minutes upstream by boat from Rurre. Accommodations are in cabins with mahogany wood floors, separate bathrooms and beds covered by silky mosquito nets. There are several guided walks, including a visit to the San Miguel community. This Tacana community consists of around 230 inhabitants who’ll be happy to show you their traditional agricultural methods or weaving and wood-carving. Guests can also chill in hammocks in the communal hut. What the guides lack in English, they make up for with their enthusiasm and knowledge. If you go for the three-days/two-nights…
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Tupiza Tours
Based in Tupiza, runs reliable tours from there to Uyuni or vice versa.
It's impossible for us to reliably recommend Uyuni agencies, and we strongly suggest that you speak to several companies after doing some research of your own in town. This company was performing well in travelers' eyes when Uyuni was researched.
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Michael Blendinger Tours
Based in Samaipata, biologist Michael Blendinger specializes in tours to the southern Amboró and surrounding region. Also does birding tours as well as trips along the Ché Trail and all around Bolivia. English and German spoken.
reviewed
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Ben Verhoef Tours
Ben Verhoef Tours, run by Dutch couple Ben and Susanne, can organize a variety of tours around Samaipata, such as a six-hour 'Condor Hike'. It also offers a Ché Guevara tour.
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Adventure Climbing & Trekking of South America
Carlos Escobar is a UIAGM/UIAA certified international mountain guide (who climbed Mt Everest) and runs serious climbing expeditions to Illampu, Huayna Potosí and others.
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Aqualand
For a real splash, dive into this water park near the airport, north of the city center. The best way to get here is by taxi (around B$30).
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Sustainable Bolivia
Cochabamba-based nonprofit organization with a variety of volunteering programs, both short and long-term, through 22 local organizations.
reviewed
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Academia Latinoamericana de Español
The Academia Latinoamericana de Español has a comprehensive program featuring cultural classes and home-stay options.
reviewed
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Güembe
A great place for a day out of Santa Cruz, Güembe has a butterfly farm, orchid exhibitions, 10 natural pools, fishing and trekking in the surrounding forest. There’s a restaurant with international cuisine, so you won’t go hungry, and cabins if you wish to stay the night. The best way to get here is by taxi from Santa Cruz; expect to pay around B$30.
reviewed
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Escuela Runawasí
The Escuela Runawasí offers a recommended program that involves linguistic and cultural immersion. It also includes a trip to a relaxing Chapare rainforest hideout.
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Ruta Verde
Great for local information and tours to the Pantanal, Jesuit missions, Amboró and Noel Kempff Mercado national parks, plus Amazon riverboat trips and more.
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Instituto Cultural Boliviano Alemán
The Instituto Cultural Boliviano Alemán offers recommended Spanish lessons with home-stay options; they also run Quechua classes.
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Solarsa Tour
Reliable travel agent; also run culturally-sensitive trips to Jalq'a villages.
reviewed
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Alasitas
During Inca times the Alasitas ('Buy From Me' in Aymará, in Spanish it's Comprame) fair coincided with the spring equinox (September 21), and was intended to demonstrate the abundance of the fields. The date underwent some shifts during the Spanish colonial period, which the campesinos weren't too happy about. In effect they decided to turn the celebration into a kitschy mockery of the original.
'Abundance' was redefined to apply not only to crops, but also to homes, tools, cash, clothing and, lately, cars, trucks, airplanes and even 12-story buildings. The little god of abundance, Ekeko ('dwarf' in Aymará), made his appearance and modern Alasitas traditions are now…
reviewed
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Mapajo Lodge
Mapajo Lodge, an outstanding example of community-run, responsible tourism, offers all-inclusive overnight visits to the Mosetén-Chimane community of Asuncíon, three hours upriver from Rurre inside the Reserva de la Biosfera Pilón Lajas. The project takes in six traditional communities of Tacana, Chimane and Mosetén peoples. Since lumbering was stopped in 1998, the ecosystem is relatively intact and wildlife is quickly returning. The visits include bow-and-arrow fishing, rainforest hiking and unchoreographed community visits. The cost is around B$500 per person per day. The individual cabañas are comfy, the hosts are friendly and the food is good and plentiful.…
reviewed
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Chalalán Ecolodge
Chalalán Ecolodge is Bolivia’s leading community-based ecotourism project. Built entirely from natural rainforest materials by the enthusiastic San José youth, the lodge’s simple and elegant huts surround the idyllic oxbow lake, Laguna Chalalán. Chalalán is Parque Nacional Madidi’s only formal visitor accommodations and it provides the opportunity to amble through relatively untouched rainforest and appreciate the richness of life. While the flora and fauna are lovely, it’s the sounds that provide the magic here: the incredible dawn bird chorus, the evening frog symphony, the collective whine of zillions of insects, the roar of bucketing tropical rainstorms and, in the…
reviewed
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Termas de Obrajes Hot Springs
The Termas de Obrajes hot springs, 25km northeast of town, are a popular destination. It’s a well-run complex, with a pool and, around the edge, private bathrooms, which you reserve for half an hour and gradually fill up with the magnesium-rich water. You can buy (but not rent) towels here; make sure you have a swimming costume to enter the public pool. There’s an unspectacular restaurant adjacent to a modest hotel. From the corner of Caro and Av 6 de Agosto, catch an Obrajes micro (B$5, 30 minutes) from 7:30am to 5pm daily, which also passes the grungier Capachos hot springs,10km east of town. The last micro to Oruro departs at 4pm.
reviewed
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Gravity Assisted Mountain Biking
Many different operators offer a range of rides. One of the best known is Gravity Assisted Mountain Biking, a knowledgeable, highly regarded and professional outfit that has an excellent reputation among travelers. In addition to the trip to Coroico (B$600 per person), it offers a Ghost Ride ( whooo! in every respect – think riding to a ‘castle’ in the jungle at night; B$680) plus several rides around La Paz, including road and single-track trips around the Zongo Valley, Sorata and beyond (from B$600). Discounts are offered on second rides.
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Cerro Uchumachi Walk
For pretty views head uphill toward Hotel Esmeralda and on up to El Calvario, an easy 20-minute hike. At El Calvario the Stations of the Cross lead to a grassy knoll and chapel. There are two good trailheads from El Calvario. The one to the left leads to the cascadas, a trio of waterfalls 5km and two hours beyond the chapel. The trail to the right leads to Cerro Uchumachi, which affords terrific valley views.
reviewed
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Siria León
Coroico is a relaxed place to learn Spanish. A recommended teacher is Siria León who charges B$35 an hour for private lessons. Her house is at the junction behind the soccer field. With Hotel Gloria Coroico down the road to your left, head through the tiny black gate to the right of the building that immediately faces you. The first door on your left is Siria’s.
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Club de Montañismo Halcones
On weekends you can practice your skills with the friendly local climbing club, Club de Montañismo Halcones. There’s a range of routes with protection already in place. Try your hand at the challenging overhanging routes of the Angel sector, with the wonderful 7-rated route known as Sueño Lejano. For softer routes, try the Vieja Palestra sector.
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Spanish Courses
Cochabamba is a popular place to hole up for a few weeks of Spanish or Quechua lessons. Several cultural centers offer courses.
There are plenty of private teachers who offer instruction but not all are experienced. You may have to try several before finding one that brings out the best of your abilities. The Centro Boliviano-Americano has a list of recommended teachers.
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Viajes Planeta
Viajes Planeta runs tours of the city and Zona Sur in a red, double-decker, city-tour bus. Short stops include Mirador Killi Killi, San Miguel in Zona Sur, and the Valle de la Luna. The recorded narration is in seven languages and is a bit of a promotional pitch (at one stage it highlights the bonuses of investing in Bolivia) but you'll see a lot in four hours.
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Centro Cultural Franco Alemán
Houses the Alliance Française ( [tel] 333-3392) and Goethe Institut ( [tel] 332-9906; icbasc@sccbs-bo.com), and offers courses in French, German, Spanish and Portuguese. Facilities include a trilingual multimedia library, the outdoor Kulture Café and an art exhibition gallery; it also sponsors lectures and screens foreign films.
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