My top ten travel moments from Bolivia
I adored my time in Bolivia and have written about it a lot on this blog. Therefore, I’ve written this list of my top moments from my trip – I couldn’t resist!
I hope it gives you some inspiration for your own visit, or at the least is an entertaining read.
My itinerary through Bolivia
Before I jump in, here’s a brief summary of my three-week trip to Bolivia, so you know what this list is based on.
I visited Bolivia as part of my four month trip through South America in spring 2023, during which I also visited five other countries.
I entered Bolivia on a three day tour from San Pedro de Atacama in Chile, visiting the Salar de Uyuni before being dropped off in Uyuni. Next, I went to Potosí, a city four hours away. I then continued with a week in Sucre, taking Spanish lessons in the afternoon and exploring in the morning.
After, I headed to Torotoro to explore the gorgeous national park, via Cochabamba, the nearest city. I followed this with a long bus ride to reach Copacabana, on the shores of Lake Titicaca.
After a stopover on Isla Del Sol, one of Lake Titicaca’ largest islands, I finished my trip in Bolivia with a few days in La Paz, one of its capitals, before I flew to Ecuador.
My top ten moments in Bolivia
1. Going to a family party in Sucre
Whilst I was in Sucre, my Spanish teacher invited me to attend his sister’s graduation party. My sister and I went to his family’s house and met his family, drinking with them for the night.
It was so nice and possibly the most charming and welcoming evening we had in all of Bolivia. We practised our Spanish with the cousins; had dinner with them; and listened to their music. It was so special to be part of their night, and I won’t forget it!
2. Visiting the Salar de Uyuni
If you ask anyone who’s visited Bolivia what their top ten moments in the country were, undoubtedly they would all point out the Salar de Uyuni. As the world’s biggest salt flat, this is something to behold. You’d have to be stupid to visit Bolivia without taking a trip there.
I visited the Salar de Uyuni as part of a tour from San Pedro de Atacama, which meant I visited it at sunrise. As it had recently rained over the Atacama, there was a fair bit of standing water on the salt, which lended itself to some incredible mirror images of the surrounding mountains.
When the sun rose, the light spread out across the salt in an explosion of colour. After that, we drove across the salt in a four by four for around two hours; the vast landscape was immense and something that’s hard to forget.
It ranks as one of my top experiences throughout my trip to South America.
3. Hiking across Isla del Sol
Towards the end of my time in Bolivia, visiting Isla del Sol was a treat. This island in the middle of Lake Titicaca has the kind of tranquility and spirituality about it that immediately put me at ease.
Lou and I spent our day on the island hiking from one side to the other, following an undulating stone path across the hill. Partway through, we explored Incan ruins. Another part, we saw farmers leading their sheep along the hillside. The views were stunning, and they’re well worth being on this list of the top ten moments.
4. Cooling off beneath El Vergel
Midway through my trip to Bolivia, I took a detour to visit Torotoro National Park. One of the days I spent there was a hike into the stunning Torotoro Canyon.
At the bottom of the canyon, we saw El Vergel. This waterfall wasn’t too much to look at to be honest – it was just a few trickles over a mossy cliffside – but after the hot journey down, showering beneath it was a treat.
The day continued along less favourably, as we bouldered our way out of the canyon. Let’s just say, I will not be signing up to go bouldering anytime soon!
5. Exploring La Paz by cable car
La Paz is a super unusual city, not in the least because it sits at 3,600 m, making it the highest capital in the world. Its hilly nature means that, instead of a metro, it has something much cooler: a network of cable cars.
Lou and I bought a ticket to take us on a round trip through the city. The views were stunning. There’s nothing like seeing the landscape from above!
At one point, we got off and stumbled upon a local market with all sorts of food and entertainment stalls. It was wholesome and one of my highlights from the end of my trip.
6. Seeing flamingos across the south-west of Bolivia
If I had a totem animal, one of the contenders for sure would be the flamingo. Since they were the symbol of my eighteenth birthday party, my mum and I have always shared an appreciation for these birds. So I was super excited to see them in the wild in Bolivia.
During the tour between San Pedro in Chile and Uyuni in Bolivia, I saw plenty of flamingos on gorgeous lakes. Laguna Colorada in the Eduardo Avaroa Andean Fauna National Reserve was a particular moment to remember; this lake is red due to sediments and algae, with salty stripes of white, and with its healthy flamingo population, it sticks in my mind vividly.
7. Exploring the Convento de San Felipe Neri in Sucre
Elsewhere in Sucre, I had the best time exploring the Convento de San Felipe Neri.
Sucre is known for being the White City due to its white washed buildings set against terracotta rooftops. The convent was the first and only time I went on one of these rooftops. In this situation, literally on a building, I felt like I was close to the heart of the city. It was quiet, as though I had stumbled on a hidden gem. (I hadn’t; I saw it online!)
8. Trying salteñas in Potosí
One of the reasons why I loved Bolivia so much was its authenticity. Never did I feel this more keenly than in Potosí, a high altitude city in the south of the country.
I visited Potosí at the start of Carnaval – not my smartest move, although it meant the local market was particularly vibrant and a lot was going on. The walking tour I took through new parts of Potosí showed me a lot.
The best bit? Trying salteñas, empanadas containing sweet meat stew, from a street stall. (Normally I’d avoid, but our guide swore by them – and he was right!) I hope I get to eat these again one day.
9. Seeing dinosaur footprints in Sucre
Whilst I saw a lot of dinosaur footprints in Torotoro, I remember most fondly the first time I saw them, at Cal Orck’o in Sucre.
To get up close to the fossil bed, we donned hard hats and walked down. The footprints almost looked unreal – especially being able to get so close to them. It felt like being on one of my uni geology field trips again!
10. Watching the sun set over Copacabana
I can’t resist a sunset, and one of the prettiest moments I had was at Copacabana, the largest town on Bolivia’s side of Lake Titicaca.
I walked up to Cerro Calvario, on the edge of the town – an exhausting walk by the way, especially with the altitude. But it was worth it to take in the views of the lake and town in the golden hour glow from such a high vantage point.
Conclusion
I loved travelling through Bolivia. The three weeks I spent in the country were packed with exciting moments and new experiences, so narrowing it down to the ten best was hard.
Still, I hope this list gives you a flavour of why I enjoyed visiting Bolivia so much.
Do you have any questions about visiting Bolivia? If you’ve been, what did you like most? Let me know in the comments.
