On one end, Bolivia stretches into Atacama Desert and on the other, it borders Lake Titicaca. There’s a huge diversity of landscapes to explore in this adventure driven country for everyone who loves to travel. Go to Bolivia to explore the less explored paths and set on adventures few have dared to travel. Bolivia is a very safe place to travel and the people are warm and community led, regardless of what popular media platforms say. I would say go to Bolivia and develop your own opinion about the place. Till you go and see, you will never know.

 

 

Salar De Uyuni
Salar De Uyuni is a desert path starting at Atacama Desert and ending at Uyuni salt flats – the largest salt flats in the world best known after monsoons to spectate a lake like reflection in the salt flats. It’s almost like seeing clouds in the skies and on land. Salar De Uyuni is beautiful. On the way, you can see llamas, vicuñas and other animals. You cross pink lagoons with numerous flamingoes and structures that look like Mars.

 

In Uyuni, you can explore a massive cactus field and see the four wheel drives in the salt flat. The clarity of the scenery and the visibility almost looks like another planet. There are many tour operators on this route from Atacama to Uyuni. Though it’s a fair warning that vegan food is not easily available on the Uyuni paths and the stays are fairly moderate. A discarded railways graveyard makes for interesting sightseeing and attracts various influencers from across the world.

 

An interesting experience is to swim in hot lagoons in Salar de Uyuni. No matter how cold it is outside, the volcanic region has hot water springs in the middle of nowhere that you can enjoy. In Uyuni, most hotels are designed using salt, creating a unique experience of living in a salt themed hotel.

 

Salar De Uyuni is one of the best things about Bolivia and is not to be missed at all. The unique topography of the region is captivating. The sunsets from Salar over the salt flats are beautiful and worth every bit of discomfort you will go through on the journey.

 

Coca leaves are found easily across the Salar De Uyuni path. The car drivers are normally chewing it because the coca makes them feel sleepy and the coca leaves keep them awake. If you have never tried coca, you can try it because it has medicinal properties.

 

 

Culture in La Paz Wrestling Cholitas
Bolivia has a unique culture of cholitas – street fighter women who wrestle performatively in stunningly designed arenas as tourist attractions. I saw a cholitas wrestling match in the stadium by popular artist Mamani Mamani in the city of La Paz. There’s a bustling culture of exploring artworks and museums in Bolivia. Since gold was an important metal during prehistoric times in Bolivia, the museum of oro has a lot to see in the city.

 

 

Museum of Precolombian Artefacts
The city of La Paz also has a Museum of Precolombian Artefacts where they have over 100 unique masks from prehistoric times which were used during traditional ceremonies and rituals. Locals in La Paz travel using gondolas. Gondolas are a form of public transport in the city and there’s a well developed network of gondolas. La Paz is the country with one of the highest elevations in the world.

 

 

Museum of Traditional Clothing
Other museums in Bolivia includes museum of traditional clothing where you can see the traditional clothes worn by the nomadic tribes in the region. The local market is also worth exploring even though it’s too crowded.

 

 

Local Markets
La Paz also has several antique instruments you can explore while walking in the market. They’re made well using local wood and look really beautiful. Beyond this, there’s street musicians playing music on the streets and looking to charm travelers. Also, there’s a lot of street food in Bolivia and you can walk around and see it.

 

 

Cafe Culture
In the cafés, there’s a culture where strangers sit and talk to each other. Chance travelers from Europe are there on long stays and are always looking to strike conversations. Most travelers in Bolivia are well travelled and have explored other parts of South America before reaching Bolivia so they have many interesting stories.

 

 

Places to see near La Paz

Valle De Las Animas
Valle De Las Animas is a popular spot to spectate some interesting mountain structures. Valle De Las Animas is not too far from the main city of La Paz and it can be explored easily.

 

 

Cochabamba
Tourists also visit towns like Cochabamba which include an interesting lake ride to see beautiful views of mountains in the distance beyond the lake and understand community living in the area. Cochabamba has some interesting cafés to explore which overlook the lake. Not too far from Cochabamba is Lake Titicaca in Peru. If your visa allows you to cross the border, it’s a must visit.

 

 

Death Road
There’s also Death Road near La Paz, one of the highest motor-able roads with a valley on one side which tourists like to cycle on. The cycling route is almost 65 kilometers and tourists love the adventure and gain bragging rights from it. While death road is popular, it’s also strenuous and suggested only if you’re an avid cycler. Out of everything I did in Bolivia, death road was one of my most memorable experiences. Some death road packages also come with swimming pool access after the ride.

 

 

Witches market
Walking around in the centre of La Paz is an experience like no other. I came across a witch market where people trained in witchcrafts conduct rituals, do tarot reading, shamanic healing etc. It was a slightly creepy experience but one you can explore with an open mind. They had teas with all kinds of herbs. Though I did not indulge in the experience, walking around gave me insights into their culture and traditions.