Adventure World

Bolivia

Located in the heart of South America, Bolivia is landlocked by five other South American nations. The people of Bolivia have remained the most cultural of all in the continent due to their relative isolation, with over half of the country’s population either Quechua or Aymara. The richness of this culture can be seen throughout the country from the traditional Andean folk music, colourful markets and street-sellers to the historical cities of Sucre and Potosi.

Top Highlights

La Paz: A walking tour is the best way to see La Paz, and a good place to start is Iglesia de San Francisco (an imposing church whose architecture reflects the mestizo style, emphasising natural forms), Calle Sagarnaga is lined with handicraft shops and street stalls selling Indian weavings, musical instruments and silver antiques.

Tiwanaku is Bolivia’s most significant archaeological site, 72km west of La Paz. This ceremonial centre on the southern shore of Lake Titicaca is strewn with large stone slabs, a ruined pyramid and more ruins.

Salt Pans (Salars) & Deserts: The Salar de Uyuni, an immense saltpan at an altitude of 3653m, stretches over an area of about 12,000 sq km. It was part of a pre-historic salt lake, which covered most of south-western Bolivia.

A maze of tracks criss-cross the salar and connect settlements around it. Isla de Pescadores, in the heart of the salar, bears amazing stands of cactus and a stranded colony of vizcachas (long-tailed rabbit like rodents related to chinchillas). Isla Cascara de Huevo is known for its rose-like salt formations.

Lake Titicaca: More than 230km long and 97km wide, it is one of the world’s highest navigable lakes. Isla del Sol (Island of the Sun) is the legendary site of the Incas’ creation, has several small villages and the Island’s Inca ruins include Pilko Kaina and the Chincana complex. Isla de la Luna (Island of the Moon) is smaller and the less visited of the two.

There is a network of walking tracks which make exploration of the Islands easy, but the altitude and strong sun may take a toll. The 17km walk from Copacabana to Yampupata takes about 4-5 hrs and the scenery is superb.

Potosi: Renowned for its history and splendour, the city is inextricably tied to silver. The discovery of ore in the silver-rich Cerro Rico (the hill that overlooks the town), led it to become the world’s most prolific mine. The entire central area of Potosi contains a wealth of colonial architecture. The Casa Real de la Moneda, the Royal mint, is the star attraction and one of Bolivia’s best museums.

More highlights: Sucre and Amazon Basin.

Fact Sheet

• Country Dialling Code: + 591
• When to Go: Bolivia has a wide range of altitude-affected climatic patterns. The rainy period lasts from Nov-Mar (summer). On the Altiplano and in the highlands, subzero temps are frequent at night. The Amazon Basin is always hot and wet, with the drier period falling between May-Oct (winter).
• Official Language: Spanish
• Currency: Boliviano (B$), divided into 100 centavos
• Tipping & Bargaining: Tipping is a way of life in Bolivia. Bargaining is expected in markets.
• Electricity: 220V, 50Hz except La Paz that use 110V at 50Hz.
• Geography: Landlocked Bolivia is South America’s fifth largest country, 1,098,000 sq km (the area of France and Spain combined).
• Gateway Airport: La Paz (LPB)
• Air: Only a few airlines offer direct services to Bolivia and fares are high. Lloyd Aereo Boliviano offers domestic and international flights.
• Coach: The road network is improving as more and more kilometres are paved. Unpaved roads range from good-grade dirt to mud, sand or potholed gravel. Modern coaches use the best roads, while older vehicles cover the minor secondary routes. Most buses depart in the afternoon or evening to arrive at their destination early morning.
• Train: The Bolivian railroads have been privatised and the passenger services have been cut back, so are virtually non existent.
• Food: Generally the food is palatable and filling and potatoes come in dozens of varieties. Freeze-dried potatoes called chuno or tunta often accompany meals. Beef, chicken and fish are the most common meats. Popular dishes include chairo (a kind of lamb or mutton broth with potatoes, chunos and veges), sajta (chicken served in hot pepper sauce), and saice (a spicy meat broth). A tasty snack is the saltena (meat & vege pasty).