Bolivia - Info & Facts

Suggested length of stay

Bolivia is the highest country in the Americas and it is important to allow plenty of time to acclimatise. For a good overview of the highlands, you will need around 12 days to explore Lake Titicaca and south along the spine of the Andes to the salt-lakes and deserts of Uyuni. For a side trip into the Amazon, you should allow a further 3-4 nights.

La Paz 2-3 nights, Lake Titicaca 2-3 nights, the Amazon 3-4 nights, Sucre & Potosi 3-4 nights, Uyuni 3-4 nights

 

Modes of transport

Road

Boliviaā€™s infrastructure is among the poorest in the Americas and sadly many of the countryā€™s captivating highlights are only accessible by pitted highway. Roads are long, bumpy and ill maintained and you should expect lengthy journeys especially in the south. Outside the key hubs, the roads often deteriorate into gravel tracks and become part of the rugged scenery. However, the landscapes are simply magnificent, quite unique in South America, and will certainly eclipse any discomfort you may endure on the road.

Air

Bolivia has a patchy air network with small, local airlines that link the key hubs of Cochabamba, Sucre, Uyuni and Rurrenabaque to capital La Paz. If you are looking to combine Bolivia with its regional neighbours, flights will more often route through Lima in Peru. Please contact us for more information.

Rail

Historic railroads once criss-crossed the length and breadth of Bolivia, ebbing and flowing with the countryā€™s economy. Today, sadly, most of the tracks lie rusting the sun, the once great locomotives abandoned in isolated rail yards. However, there are still isolated sections in operation. In the highlands, there is regular service between Oruro and Villazon on the border with Argentina and one which runs from Uyuni up to the isolated border with Chile at Avaroa (and sporadically on to Calama). Train-buses have also been introduced to sections between Sucre and Potosi, however all services are subject to regular delays. For this reason, at Oasis Travel, we generally steer away from travelling by train in Bolivia.

Bicycle

For years, hurtling down the ā€œWorldā€™s Most Dangerous Roadā€ has become a rite of passage for backpackers yet today, you neednā€™t travel far from La Paz to experience wonderful (and less-adrenalin inducing) rides. Boliviaā€™s Andes lend themselves beautifully to mountain biking and we offer excellent single- to multi day itineraries catering to both serious and non-serious riders alike.

Boat

Lake Titicaca has long been the sacred heart of the Aymara people and taking a boat trip out on the lake to the Islands of the Sun and Moon is a beautiful experience. The deep blue waters glisten under the distant shadow of the Cordillera Real Mountains while colourful fishing boats flit by. For the adventurous, there is excellent rafting along mountain torrents while in the Amazon, you can paddle up lonely creeks and visit small island communities.

Trekking

Adding a dayā€™s walking is a wonderful addition to any itinerary and Boliviaā€™s glacier-topped high Andes offer some of the finest hiking in the continent. From La Paz, trekkers flock from far and wide to climb Huayna Potosi on a 2 day expedition, dubbed the ā€œeasiestā€ 6000m peak in the Americas. Less dizzying, the beautiful, 4 day Choro trail drops hikers from La Paz down through countless micro-climates into the lush, sub-tropical yungas to reach Coroico. Further afield, Sorata is perched deep in the mountains at 2600m above sea-level and boasts a range of excellent day hikes to reach waterfalls and glaciers alike.

 

Geography

Bolivia lies at the heart of South America, a huge country of over one million kmĀ² bound by the regional giants Brazil, Peru, Argentina, Chile and Paraguay. It is the continentā€™s highest and most isolated country, landlocked having lost access to the ocean during the 19th century ā€œWar of the Pacificā€ with Chile. On its western border, the landscapes are dominated by the high Andes with soaring peaks rising over 6500m above the desolate grasslands of the altiplano plateau. Towards the southern frontiers with Chile and Argentina, the Andes spill across the borders in a spectacular series of canyons, smoking volcanoes and multi-coloured lagoons culminating in the dazzling Salar de Uyuni saltlake, one of South Americaā€™s great natural wonders. East of the Andes, the plateau drops down through the subtropical cloud-forest of the Yungas into the Amazon basin and steamy llanos lowlands. Finally, towards the border with Paraguay, the Bolivian Chaco is one the worldā€™s last great wildernesses, a vast and inhospitable semi-arid, lowland plain.

 

Food

Bolivian cuisine is never going to set the world on fire but it does offer an interesting mix of Spanish and settler influences together with traditional highland staples such as corn, potatoes and beans accompanied by tropical fruits and nuts from the lowlands. Soups and stews are popular throughout the country with ā€œFritangaā€ and ā€œFricaseā€ pork stews on every menu. Other dishes worth sampling include ā€œhumitasā€ maize cakes, ā€œsaltenaā€ pasties and llama steaks.

 

Drinking water

Do not drink tap water in Bolivia! Bottled water is very cheap and widely available in all areas of the country.

 

Visas

Visas are currently not required for travel to Bolivia for Australian citizens.

 

Money

The local currency is the ā€œBolivianoā€ though US dollars are widely accepted (sometimes preferred!) in the majority of hotels, tourist shops and restaurants. ATMā€™s are common in the larger towns though do not expect them to always be in service ā€“ it is always advisable to have a ready back-up supply of US dollars just in case. Credit cards are accepted in the more established shops and restaurants though discounts will be offered for payments made in cash. However, once you head into the local villages and markets, it is important to have small denominations of local currency. Travellerā€™s Cheques are still accepted though often prove more of a burden.

Tipping is common throughout Bolivia and as a guideline, you should allow US10 for a half day guided tour (US20 for the full day) while for the driver US5 (US8 full day). Of course, only pay for good service. For general transfers, there is no need to tip unless of course they have gone out of their way to help you (ie stopped at a local pharmacy en route).

 

Inoculations & health precautions

Please consult with your doctor at least 6 week before travel to Bolivia. For visits to the Amazon, both ant-malarials and a yellow fever jab are required.

The standard of medical facilities and care in Bolivia is relatively poor outside the key cities. However, there are foreign private medical clinics and hospitals with services comparable to Australian standards. Most hotels work with a private doctor who will visit you at your room. However, both doctors and hospitals will expect cash payment prior to providing medical services, including for emergency care.

It is vital to have good medical insurance before you travel.

 

Visas

Honorary Consul in La Paz
Av. Montenegro #961
Torre Olimpo, piso 1
San Miguel
La Paz
Bolivia

The Australian embassy in Lima, Peru is responsible for consular matters relating to Bolivia:

Australian Embassy
10th Floor, la Paz 1049,
15074 Miraflores 18,
Lima
Peru ā€Ž
Telephone +51 1 6300500
Facsimile +51 1 6300520
Website http://www.peru.embassy.gov.au/

 

Electricity

Peruvian electrical current is 230 volts at 50 cycles though some bathrooms work off 110V. Plugs are either 2 flat pins or 2 round prongs. In the Amazon rainforest, many of the lodges run off generators and it is recommended you bring along a small torch.

 

Getting there

Peru is best accessed via Santiago, capital of Chile, or Lima, Peru. Qantas offers a direct service from Sydney to Santiago three times a week while Latam (Lan) offers daily flights which touch down in Auckland en route. There are other routes available via the US or even on via Dubai and then Brazil but only one-world partners Qantas and Lan entitle you to discounted fares for the Lan dominated internal flights within South America.

Non-stop flight time Sydney – Santiago approximately 14 hours
Non-stop flight time Santiago – Lima approximately 4 hours
Non-stop flight time Santiago ā€“ La Paz approximately 5 hours
Non-stop flight time Lima ā€“ La Paz approximately 2 hours

Time difference GMT – 4 hours

smiling white male wearing a backpack

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