Bolivia

me in the uyuni salt flats, bolivia

me in the uyuni salt flats, bolivia

 

When I came home from Bolivia in 2015, I told anyone who asked me about my trip that Bolivia is one of the most visually stunning countries I’d ever explored. It’s now 2018, I’m traveling around the world currently and I still absolutely feel this way about Bolivia. This country has some mind-blowing landscapes, especially in the southwest part of the country aka the area surrounding and south of Uyuni (where the world famous salt flats are located). My friend Becca and I had a driver and guide take us around this portion of the country in a 4x4. It was FANTASTIC. And Bolivia’s capital, La Paz, also surprised us as a favorite South American city. So much color there. In addition, we spent some time in Lake Titicaca (just west of La Paz). Clearly, there’s a lot to see in this country. And all of it is just so.damn.stunning.

Random notes:

  • Eat with the knife in your right hand and fork in left

  • Carry coins with you for access to bathrooms

  • Bring cash for Uyuni entrance fees (I think it was around $100?)

Food to try:

  • Saltenas (basically empanadas)

  • Frog smoothies

  • Chirimoyas (custard apples)

  • Papas rellenas (stuffed potato balls)

  • Pique a lo macho (meat, fries + veggie plate)

  • Tucumanas (meat or veg pastry)

  • Bunuelos (sweet or savory pastry, w cheese)

  • Choripan (chorizo sammy)

  • Sandwich de Chola (roasted pork)

  • Salchipapa (sausage and fries)

La Paz

What to see and do:

  • Iglesia de San Francisco

  • Prado (walk around)

  • Plaza avaroa (walk around)

  • Mirador laikakota park for lookout

  • Great city view at radisson plaza hotel's top floor restaurant Anansaya

  • Traditional music at the penas

  • Monticulo park

Markets/Shopping:

  • El alto open-air market

  • Mercado Rodriguez (food market, try bull penis soup)

  • Mercado Lanza (main food market, also has flower market and lots of other stuff)

  • Mercado de hechiceria (witches market for fortunes and aphrodisiacs)

  • Mercado negro (food street stalls, on the narrow streets off max paredes)

  • Calle linares (art alley)

  • Mercado Uruguay (eat here)

  • Street markets around av Buenos Aires

  • Mercado Camacho

Restos:

  • Good restos in Sopocachi

  • Pronto (for dinner)

  • Mongo's (for drinks)

  • Helados splendid (for ice cream)

Lake titicaca

  • View it from Capachica Peninsula

  • Day trip to Uros (islands made out of reeds), catch a collectivo boat in Puno (in Peru)

  • Chumi is one of the islands to see

  • We booked a 2-day tour from La Paz that took us to see Lake Titicaca.

Uyuni

  • Eat at Lithium Club or La Loco

  • stay at Palacio de Sal (salt hotel) or Hotel Luna Salada

  • Before your trip, book a 4-5 day guided tour and they will do everything for you — from accommodations each night to cooking food for you each day as you explore the area by 4x4. They will take you to see all the places of note in the region (see some of these places listed below).

Things to see in this region:

  • Laguna Verde

  • Desierto de Dali

  • Laguna Colorada

  • Salar de Uyuni hot springs

  • Isla Incahuasi (in the salar)

  • Isla Pescadoa (fish island, in the salar)