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Tailor-made holidays in Bolivia

Tailor-made holidays in Bolivia

Imagine Bolivia and you must think of Lake Titicaca, the so-called Road of Death, the Uyuni Salt Flats and the highest capital city in the world, La Paz.

Bolivia, referred to by some as ‘The Tibet of South America’, was named after Simon Bolivar, the Venezuelan-born liberator of northern South America and is one of the least explored of Latin America’s countries. A perfect tailor-made destination.

Land-locked Bolivia, is a diverse country boasting the largest salt flats in the world, the Salar de Uyuni; one of the highest cities in the world, Potosi at 4,090 metres and also the world’s highest administrative capital, La Paz at 3,600 metres. Not to mention the dense swathes of Amazonian rainforest as well as the mystical Lake Titicaca. Combine all this with a fascinating people living in these high cities and you have an unforgettable and intriguing destination.

Bolivia offers a very authentic South American experience - much more so than many of its more prominent and better marketed neighbours. It is an evolving, authentic and exciting destination; made all the more fascinating by its unique blend of cultures partly due to its long isolation from the rest of the world.

Infrastructure is not quite as ‘obvious’ as in other places and accommodation favours the more practical and adventurous traveller, rather than those looking for luxury. We think that adds to its appeal!

Due to the silver mining in Potosi, Bolivia was once one of the richest countries in Latin America, but today while it is one of the poorest in fiscal terms, it more than makes up for this in the richness of its culture. Today it is a much smaller country, now land-locked having lost territory in bitter disputes with Chile, Brazil and Paraguay between 1879 and 1935 in the War of the Pacific and the Chaco War.

Bolivia has much to offer those who like a bit of adventure and activity with hiking, mountain-biking and rafting all on the menu. Budding photographers will delight in Bolivia’s extreme variety of landscapes and its unique history; captivating images abound with the stark salt flats, snow-capped peaks, giant rainforests and floating islands.

We recommend visiting Bolivia as part of a combination holiday with Chile, Peru and Argentina.

Visas
Travellers with UK passports do not need a visa to enter Bolivia, but you should ensure that your passport is in date and has at least six months to run from the day you return.


US Citizens do require a visa to travel to Bolivia and you will need to organise this yourself.

When to go
Bolivia has a wet and a dry season. The wet season runs from November to March. The best time to visit Bolivia is from April to October. This is their dry season.

In the highlands, the dry season is between May and October, but even the wet season in the mountains isn't always really wet and the dry season sees its fair share of showers.

The weather in La Paz is usually bright and sunny all year round, but in summer (wet season) rain occurs in showers most afternoons. Temperatures year round are cool to mild, the average in summer being 72°F (22°C) and in winter (dry season), 59°F (15°C), perfect for a light fleece and some travellers even try to sneak in a day with wearing shorts.

In the winter (dry season) Uyuni and Potosi, however, can be chilly in the middle of the day, and temperatures can drop below freezing at night – so bring lots of layers!

The average daytime temperature in the Amazon (Madidi National Park) is 30-32º C (85-90º F), while nights can cool down to 20º C (68º F). They do have a wet and wetter season with the wet (dry) season corresponding with the dry season in the highlands.

Getting there
Flying time from the UK: 16 hours via Madrid or the USA.

The best way is to fly to La Paz is with British Airways direct to Miami from London and from there you connect with an American Airlines flight to La Paz. This is a daily service.  Alternatively you can arrive by land transfer from Chile, Peru & Argentina. All these countries combine well with visiting Bolivia.

Time Difference
GMT – 4



 

Click here to see a map of Bolivia
Click here to read more about the awesome Uyuni salt flats
Lake Titicaca is where you need to head for myth and legend
Click here to see details of all our special offers.