Things not to miss

Rough Guides Editors

5/14/2019

#01 Parque Nacional Madidi

#02 Salar de Uyuni

A vast, perfectly flat expanse of dazzling white surrounded by high mountain peaks, the Salar de Uyuni is the world’s biggest salt lake and, perhaps, Bolivia’s most extraordinary attraction.

© Helen Filatova/Shutterstock

#03 Tiwanaku

One of the cradles of Andean civilization, and once the centre of a massive empire, Tiwanaku is among South America’s most intriguing archeological sites.

© marktucan/Shutterstock

#04 Potosí

The highest city in the world, the legendary silver-mining centre of Potosí boasts some of the finest Spanish colonial architecture on the continent.

© Rafal Cichawa/Shutterstock

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#05 Folk music and dance

Far more than just panpipes, Bolivian folk music and dance is as vibrant and varied as the country itself.

© NRuArg/Shutterstock

#06 Oruro Carnaval

One of South America’s most colourful fiestas, during which thousands of costumed dancers parade through the streets and revellers indulge in heavy drinking and indiscriminate water fighting.

© Dario Diament/Shutterstock

#07 La Paz

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Nestled in a deep canyon at an altitude of over 3500m, Bolivia’s de facto capital is the highest in the world, and a fascinating melting-pot of modern urban and traditional Aymara cultures.

© Jess Kraft/Shutterstock

#08 Reserva de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa

This starkly beautiful reserve is a haven for rare Andean wildlife.

#09 Mercado de Hechiceria

La Paz’s Witches’ Market offers a fascinating insight into the secretive world of Aymara mysticism and herbal medicine.

#10 Biking down the world’s most dangerous road

The perilous highway from La Paz to Coroico is among the world’s most spectacular, plunging from the Andes to the lush upper Amazon

#11 Salteñas

Pastry parcels filled with a rich stew of meat and vegetables, salteñas are an ideal mid-morning snack.

#12 Inca trails

The Choro, Takesi and Yunga Cruz trails – the three so-called “Inca trails” – descend from the icebound peaks of the Cordillera Real to the subtropical Yungas.

#13 Andean textiles

The traditional weavings of indigenous highland communities are among the finest expressions of Andean culture

© Vivia-Futuraico/Shutterstock

#14 The Jesuit missions of chiquitos

The Jesuit mission churches offer a splash of incongruous splendour and historical intrigue in the wilderness.

© Noradoa/Shutterstock

#15 Isla del Sol

Isla del Sol is the spiritual centre of the Andean world, revered as the place where the sun and moon were created.

#16 Sucre

Known as the White City, Bolivia’s capital is a jewel of colonial architecture and a lively university city that combines serene dignity with a provincial charm.

© gary yim/Shutterstock

#17 Mountain climbing

With six peaks over 6000m Bolivia is a paradise for experienced mountaineers. Novices can arrange a guided climb up 6090m Huayna Potosí.

Travel advice for Bolivia

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