La Paz
Although it’s a relatively recent addition to La Paz’s religious structures, the 1835 cathedral is impressive – mostly because it is built on a steep…
Must-see attractions in Bolivia
La Paz
As in many Latin American cemeteries, bodies are first buried in the Western way or are placed in a crypt. Then, within 10 years, they are disinterred and…
Parque Nacional Serranía del Aguaragüe
Bolivia
The long and narrow 1080 sq km Aguaragüe National Park takes in much of the mountains of Serranía del Aguaragüe, which divide the vast Gran Chaco and the…
Amazon Basin
Created in 1988, this 622,600ha park has some of Bolivia’s most easily explored cloud forest. It skirts a large portion of the road between Cochabamba and…
Reserva Nacional de Flora y Fauna Tariquía
Bolivia
The lovely and little-known 2470 sq km Tariquía Flora & Fauna Reserve (created in 1989) protects a large portion of cloud forest and a smaller area of…
Sucre
It seems that 65 million years ago the site of Sucre’s Fabrica Nacional de Cemento SA (Fancesa) cement quarry, 5km north of the center, was the place to…
Bolivia
About 10km down the canyon of the Río Choqueyapu from the city center, Valle de la Luna is a slightly over-hyped place, though it’s a pleasant break from…
Bolivia
A worthwhile trip, this site consists of a series of rock paintings of llamas and humans in red and orange tones, dating to the 1st millennium BC. It’s…
Cochabamba
If you haven’t already had your fill of Simón Patiño’s legacy in Oruro and Cochabamba, you can visit Villa Albina in the village of Pairumani and tour the…
Sucre
Next door to Sucre's cathedral, this museum holds one of Bolivia’s best collections of religious relics. There are four sections, ritually unlocked as…
Bolivia
About 3km northwest of Tupiza is Quebrada Palala, a broad quebrada (wash) lined with some very impressive red formations known as fins. During the rainy…
Reserva Privada de Patrimonio Natural de Corbalán
Bolivia
This private 18 sq km reserve on the Paraguayan border was established in 1996 to protect a choice piece of Gran Chaco – its northern section is…
Bolivia
El Sillar (the Saddle), located 17km northwest of Tupiza, is where a road straddles a narrow ridge between two peaks and two valleys. Throughout this area…
Cochabamba
Sprawling, chaotic and claustrophobic, Cochabamba's main market, while lacking an attractive mise-en-scène, is nevertheless a colorful place to wander…
Sucre
Overlooking the city from the top of Calle Polanco, La Recoleta was established by the Franciscan Order in 1601. It has served not only as a convent and…
La Paz
For a great view of La Paz, head in a taxi to the Tupac Katari Mirador, situated right on the edge of the rim that plunges down the valley to La Paz. It…
Bolivia
The stunning blue-green Laguna Verde (4400m) is tucked into the southwestern corner of Bolivian territory, 52km south of Sol de Mañana. The incredible…
Bolivia
Laguna Colorada is a rusty-burnt-orange-hued lake (4278m) that covers approximately 60 sq km and reaches a depth of just 80cm. The rich red coloration on…
Templo Nuestra Señora de la Merced
Sucre
After several years of restoration work (the completion date was still unknown at the time of research), this church's interior is still mostly bare, but…
Sucre
The view from the bell tower and tiled rooftop of the San Felipe Neri convent more than explains Sucre’s nickname – the ‘White City of the Americas.' In…
Amazon Basin
This savanna lake, a 2km walk from El Porvenir, is the reserve’s most popular destination. The sight of one of the world’s largest populations of crawling…
Salar de Uyuni
Located right on the edge of Salar de Uyuni, Colchani is the easiest place to access the great salt flat and the place to go if you just want a glimpse of…
Bolivia
In a side gully, an hour’s walk southwest of Torotoro on the Cerro de las Siete Vueltas (Mountain of Seven Turns; so called because the trail twists seven…
La Paz
In the lively La Ceja (Eyebrow) district, which commands one of the highest real-estate prices in El Alto for its commercial value, you’ll find a variety…
Museo Sacro, Folklórico, Arqueológico y Minero
Bolivia
An excellent double museum attached to Santuario de la Virgen del Socavón. Access is by guided tour only, beginning with a descent down from the church to…
Museo Casa Arte Taller Cardozo Velasquez
Bolivia
A family of seven artists – Gonzalo (sculptor), his wife María (potter) and their five daughters – open their whimsical house and art studio to visitors…
Sucre
Housed in a beautifully restored 17th-century building with a picture-perfect colonial courtyard, the Museos Universitarios consist of three separate…
Bolivia
A challenging 19km hike around the Cerro Huayllas Orkho, or more commonly a drive in a 4WD vehicle from Torotoro, will take you to the ruins known as the…
Bolivia
Cañon del Inca, 8km west of Tupiza, makes a great destination for a half-day hike via Quebrada Palmira, a normally dry wash flanked by tall and precarious…
Amazon Basin
North of town at the large Laguna Isirere, you can go fishing and swimming, observe the profuse birdlife and watch the gorgeous sunset. It’s accessible on…
Amazon Basin
A stone’s throw from the road and a 40-minute walk from El Porvenir is Totaizal. This friendly and well-organized village of 300 people is the closest to…
Amazon Basin
This 37-hectare wildlife refuge houses more than 200 free-range poached or injured critters, and another 300 or so in enclosures. Those who run free …
Museo Antropológico Eduardo López Rivas
Bolivia
Located south of the city center, this anthropological and archaeological museum is worth the hike. The fascinating hodgepodge of exhibits includes…
Museo Costumbrista Juan de Vargas
La Paz
The Museo Costumbrista Juan de Vargas contains art and photos, as well as some superb ceramic figurine dioramas of old La Paz. One of these is a…
Santa Cruz
Although the original cathedral on Plaza 24 de Septiembre was founded in 1605, the present structure dates from 1845 and wasn’t consecrated until 1915…
Uyuni
The only real attraction in Uyuni, Cementerio de Trenes is a rusty collection of historic steam locomotives and rail cars dating back to the 19th century,…
Sucre
Sucre’s cathedral dates from the middle of the 16th century and is a harmonious blend of Renaissance architecture with later baroque additions. It’s a…
Monumento Escultérico Virgen del Socavón
Bolivia
Oruro's teleférico zips passengers on a three-minute journey from Plaza del Folklore up to the towering statue of Virgen del Socavón, perched atop Cerro…
Las Cuevas del Rio San Cristobal
Bolivia
A short 3km round-trip hike down the road past Altai Oasis takes you to these small caves by the river where rural farmers used to sleep before market…
Salar de Uyuni
Although it is now closed to overnight visitors, you can still check out the salt sculptures inside and the Dakar Rally and Flag Monuments outside (add…
