Essential Bolivia

New

8 Days Excluding Flights From

0 Days from

~~£ 3299~~ £ 2969

Culture

Activity Level

Moderate

Comfort Level

Classic

Ways to Travel :

Guided Group

Activity :

Culture

Group Size :

4 - 16

Ages :

16+

Trip Code :

APK

Carbon Footprint :

89.1kg CO2e per person per day

The best of Bolivia, picked by local experts to showcase a land of extraordinary diversity in just over a week

The mind-bending Uyuni salt flats. The spouting geysers. The giant cacti of Incahuasi Island. Bolivia is South America at its most spectacular. It’d take a whole lifetime to explore fully, so we’ve distilled the very best bits into this highlights-packed adventure. Guided by an expert tour leader, you’ll witness those extra-extraordinary landscapes, while also digging deep into the culture and history, including two unforgettable nights at a hotel built with salt.

Highlights

Discover the unique landscapes of Bolivia, their secrets unveiled by your tour leader
Journey deep into the Uyuni salt flats, visiting otherworldly natural wonders
Stay in the iconic Palacio de Sal, a hotel built from salt
Learn the tragic history of Potosí from an ex-miner
Marvel at the rusty vintage locomotives in the Train Cemetery

Key Information

Accommodation: 2 Superior nights (salt hotel), 5 Classic nights (hotels)
Group normally 4 to 16, plus leader. Minimum age: 16
Time spent at altitude
Travel by private minibus, 4×4 and two internal flights
Combine this trip with Discover Peru
Some long drives and early starts

Countries visited: Bolivia

What's Included

All breakfasts, four lunches and five dinners
All accommodation
All transport and listed activities
Tour leader throughout

What's Not Included

Travel insurance
Single accommodation (available on request)
Visas or vaccinations

Sustainability and Impact

As a certified B Corp, we’re on a mission to improve our social and environmental impact across all our adventures.

We do this through our innovative Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan.

This ‘nature positive’ approach is designed to help nature and communities thrive in harmony through practical solutions, such as reducing carbon and waste on our trips, supporting conservation projects through the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation, and rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller.

TRIP

APK - Essential Bolivia

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Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.

View Trip Notes

For flights call us on 0203 733 5948 or enquire when booking online

Regional flights available

Competitive flight prices

Specialist Flight Support

ATOL protected

Itinerary

La Paz La Paz

Begin your adventure in the high-altitude city of La Paz, the well-connected start point of many Bolivian adventures.

At 5pm-6pm, say hola to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead.

Your tour leader then ensures a big Bolivian welcome by arranging a group dinner.

Want more time in La Paz? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative. Alternatively, you can join our Discover Peru adventure before this trip begins.

Accommodation: Qantu Hotel (or similar)

Meals included: Dinner

Bid farewell to La Paz and fly to Uyuni, home of the iconic salt flats. Our journey takes us off the well-paved road, so we jump in 4x4s to transfer (five to six hours, including stops) to our hotel in the desert.

En route, we visit the Train Cemetery, a fascinating (and slightly eerie) collection of rusty vintage locomotives strewn in a barren landscape. We also stop in San Cristóbal, once one of the largest silver-mining producers in the country, for a fascinating history lesson.

Accommodation: Tayka Del Desierto (or similar)

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Our hotel’s location means we’re well placed to explore Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve today, a vast landscape featuring some of Bolivia’s great natural wonders.

Travelling by 4×4, our first stop is Laguna Colorada to see its rusty-red waters. Then, we marvel at active geysers, boiling mud lakes and steam pools, before heading to Polques Thermal Baths, where those willing to brave the cold air can enjoy a dip in the warm waters. After, we visit Laguna Verde (Green Lagoon) and Laguna Blanca (White Lagoon) – a scenic end to today’s explorations.

Today’s driving time is approximately 12 hours.

Accommodation: Tayka Del Desierto (or similar)

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We’re back to exploring the incredible landscapes of Bolivia. Start at Laguna Turquiri this morning, an area known for its variety of flora and fauna, and particularly for its diverse bird species.

After, we visit a trio of scenic lakes, Cañapa, Hedionda and Honda, before we travel through the otherworldly landscapes of the Valley of Rocks and Stone Tree.

We arrive around 5pm at our hotel made from salt – it’s sure to be a highlight of the adventure for many.

Today’s driving time is approximately 12 hours.

Accommodation: Palacio de Sal (or similar)
Upgrade to a suite today – speak to your sales representative for more details

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today is the moment many will have been waiting for – our exploration of the largest salt flats on Earth. Jumping into 4x4s, we witness this incredible landscape up close, with the chance to see salt pyramids and, during the dry season, hexagonal salt tiles on the ground, which stretch as far as the eye can see.

There are wonderful photo opportunities throughout the year, and we have time to create some fun pictures.

In the middle of the salt flats, we come to Incahuasi Island, known for its giant cacti and unusual fossils. This small island is an amazing sight, and we can walk across it for 360-degree views from the top.

After more photo opportunities, we watch the sun set, with the light casting shadows and reflections on the water.

Today’s driving time is approximately five to six hours.

Accommodation: Palacio de Sal (or similar)
Upgrade to a suite today – speak to your sales representative for more details

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Bid farewell to the salt flats as we transfer (four hours) to Potosí. It was here the Spanish colonial empire made their riches, forcing thousands of indigenous people to extract huge quantities of silver through slave labour.

At the entrance to the Cerro Rico mine, we hear from a former miner about its world-changing legacy and tragic past. Our experience takes us to a mining market, where vendors sell dynamite and chemical products used in the extraction process. Then, we visit an ingenio, a factory in which minerals are extracted, separated and processed. Finally, we see an active mine to learn how the workers get in and out (though we’re not allowed in there ourselves!).

After, embark on a walking orientation tour of the city itself, seeing the colonial structures funded by the 16^th-century silver rush.

Accommodation: Hotel Santa Teresa (or similar)

Meals included: Breakfast

Leaving Potosí in the morning, we head to Sucre, the capital of Bolivia, to catch our flight to La Paz, which typically includes a connection in Santa Cruz or Cochabamba.

The evening is free to celebrate the adventure – your tour leader can arrange a group dinner where you can relive your favourite moments together.

Accommodation: Qantu Hotel (or similar)

Meals included: Breakfast

Our Bolivia trip ends in La Paz after breakfast, and we begin our return journeys home. Alternatively, if you’d like to explore more, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.

Continue your South American adventure on Discover Peru, which you can join after this trip. Speak to your sales representative to book.

Meals included: Breakfast

Essential Info

Is this trip for you?

This trip is graded Activity Level 3 (Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings, visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip, please contact us.

Fitness and altitude: Sightseeing and some tours may involve walking up and down steep streets or on uneven steps/ground. As such, you should have a good level of mobility and reasonable fitness levels. The high altitudes can make even leisurely activities feel more tiring than at sea level. As this trip spends considerable time at altitude, we ask you to refer to the Altitude Warning within the Trip Notes for more information and advice on how to limit the effects of altitude sickness.

Temperatures: Expect some low temperatures, particularly in the Uyuni salt flats, where it regularly falls well below freezing at night.

Drives: There are some long drives. In Uyuni, you spend considerable time in the 4×4 vehicle (four people in each vehicle), although there are plenty of stops to enjoy the landscape, take photos and explore on foot.

Facilities: Bolivia is less developed than many South American countries and things do not always happen as planned; expect the unexpected and approach travel here with an adventurous spirit.

Strikes: Strikes are not uncommon in Bolivia; while these are generally peaceful protests, they can result in roadblocks and disruption to travel. In this event, your tour leader may amend your itinerary to minimise any impact on the itinerary.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as not suitable for full wheelchair users, but it may be suitable for other persons of reduced mobility. Please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.

Joining Instructions

Key information

Start point: Qantu Hotel, Av. Illampu 740, La Paz, Bolivia
Phone: +591 2 2451694
Arrival time: You can arrive at any time today. There will be a welcome briefing in the evening, but if you miss it the leader will update you separately
Airport: El Alto International Airport (LPB)

Getting to the start hotel

The start hotel is approximately 35 minutes’ drive from the airport. We provide one group transfer from the airport to the hotel, which you can join at no extra cost, provided you can be at the airport before the transfer leaves. Speak to your sales representative for the transfer times or to arrange a private transfer.

Catching your return flight

There’s one group transfer to the airport, which you can join at no extra cost. Please speak to your sales representative for the time of the transfer. If the group transfer does not suit your flight time, speak to your sales representative to arrange an alternative.

Full joining instructions including local emergency numbers will be sent to you as part of our Final Joining Instructions. If you do not receive these at least a week before departure, or require them earlier please contact our office or your travel agent.

Location start: La Paz
Location end: La Paz

Vaccinations and Health

Bolivia

There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Typhoid, Hepatitis A.

A Yellow Fever certificate is required for travellers over 1 year of age arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission.

There is a risk of yellow fever transmission in parts of Bolivia. Vaccination is recommended for travellers aged 9 months and older travelling to areas below 2,300m east of the Andes Mountains. These areas include the entire departments of Beni, Pando, and Santa Cruz, and some areas in the departments of Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, La Paz and Tarija.

Malaria is present throughout the year however, with the exception of the northern provinces of Beni and Pando (the Amazon region), and Nor Cinti province in the south, the risk of Malaria is low and antimalarial tablets are not usually recommended, although may be considered for certain higher risk travellers. If visiting the Amazon region in the north, Malaria precautions are essential. If visiting Nor Cinti province, Malaria precautions may sometimes be recommended for certain travellers.

You should be aware that Dengue Fever and Yellow Fever are present in the Amazon region in northern Bolivia – these are non-preventable diseases caused by daytime biting mosquitoes. You should always apply insect repellent and wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers while in the rainforest to avoid being bitten.

Zika fever is a mosquito‐borne viral disease and a known risk in places visited on this trip. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, we therefore strongly recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Visa

Bolivia

British Citizens, most Western European nationals, Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, South Africans and most other nationalities do not require visas. US citizens who are not of Bolivian origin need a visa of which full details are available on www.boliviawdc.org. If you are in any doubt, please contact the nearest Bolivian Embassy.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/americas/bolivia
Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/bolivia
United Kingdom: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/bolivia
USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Bolivia.html

Please note: You also need to fill out the Bolivian customs declaration form (formulario 250) before arriving in Bolivia and before leaving.

Food & Drink

Bolivian cuisine is a fusion between Spanish and Andean traditions and varies from one region to another. Common street food and snacks include salteñas (baked pastries filled with spiced meat or vegetables), buñuelos (sweet or savoury bread, often stuffed with cheese) and papas rellenas (deep-fried battered stuffed potatoes).

Popular main dishes include pique a lo macho (a kind of beef stir-fry, served with chunky chips), picante de pollo (spicy chicken) and tucumanas (a sort of pasty).

Drinking water is provided in large containers to reduce the amount of single-use plastic bottles; please bring a refillable bottle with you.

Weather

Differences in topography and climate separate the lowlands and highlands of Bolivia into distinct areas. Weather conditions vary significantly from region to region.

Altiplano (highlands), including Sucre and Uyuni: Climate varies from cool and humid to semi-arid. The average annual temperature ranges from 15C to 27C (60F to 80F) but in the dry season it’s more likely to be 10C-15C (50F-59F) with the coldest temperatures occurring in the southwestern portion of the Altiplano during June and July. Nights can drop to around freezing point. In Uyuni, night-time temperatures in the dry season may fall as low as -15C (5F), particularly from May to August. Between April and September, there is a chance of snow, especially to the north of the highlands, but it is not very common. The unrelenting rainy season occurs between December and March, but we do not run any departures at that time as getting around can be difficult and treacherous.

TRIP

APK - Essential Bolivia

Departure Date

Number Of Passengers*

Message*

To enquire about an existing booking click here

First Name *

Last Name *

Email *

Phone *

Keep me up to date with news and offers from Exodus by email.

Thank you for contacting Exodus Travels.

Find out more about how we use your data

Request a Brochure

Trip Notes

Click on the button below for detailed Trip Notes containing all the particulars about this trip, including kit lists and practical information.

Note: these can vary by departure; you can check out the specific Trip Notes for your chosen adventure on the dates & prices page.

View Trip Notes

Salt hotel and Classic hotels

We aim to secure locally owned accommodation that is well located, offers good value for money, and plenty of comfort. To help you find your ideal adventure, each trip is given a Comfort Level rating, which indicates the overall standard of accommodation. For more on our ratings, see our Comfort Level guidelines.

Upgrade your room on Day 4 and 5 of the itinerary – speak to your sales representative for more details.

Tailor your trip: Extend your adventure by securing extra hotel nights before or after the main itinerary. Speak to your sales representative to book.

Private rooms: Like most tour operators, we pair solo passengers together in a room. If you’d prefer to have a private room, it’s normally possible to do this for a supplement. Speak to your sales representative to book.