Bolivia Tours & Holidays

Bolivia is a highly stratified nation where lifestyle and wealth vary greatly with geography. Cities tend to be wealthy and enjoy modern luxuries like art, theatre and international cuisine. Conversely, life in the rural highlands is tough. Many live without running water, heat and electricity. The highland population is almost entirely indigenous (the Quechua and the Aymara are the two largest groups) and most earn a living through farming.  

What unifies many Bolivians is a love of family, soccer and religion. About 80% are Catholic, and practice with a mixture of indigenous customs and beliefs. This is how a place like the Witches Market, which sells tokens and trinkets meant to appease the Aymara gods, can coexist right next to the historic Church of San Francisco in La Paz. In fact, the church itself features carvings of masked figures, snakes, dragons and other indigenous symbols.

Regardless of wealth or socioeconomic status, Bolivians are taught to be well-mannered and to respect their elders. Visitors should remember to mind their p’s and q’s – say ‘por favor’ (please), ‘gracias’ (thank you) and remember to call anyone older than you ‘senor’ or ‘senora’. Just don’t expect a local to be punctual for an appointment – the nation as a whole is almost always fashionably late.

Bolivian cuisine varies with altitude. Spicy, carb-heavy Aymaran cuisine featuring potatoes, rice, quinoa and meat dominate the highlands, whereas lowland dishes are typically lighter, milder and focus more on yucca, fruit, vegetables and seafood.

Things to try in Bolivia

1. Saltenas

These baked hand-held pies are filled with meat, vegetables, eggs and olives. A popular breakfast choice, you’ll see vendors selling them on almost every corner in the morning. For a midday snack, opt for a tucumanas instead, which is similar to a saltenas but deep-fried instead of baked.

2. Sandwich de chola

This sandwich stuffed with roast pork, pickled vegetables and salsa is a food stall favourite in La Paz. Wash it down with a refreshing beer for the perfect cheap meal.

3. Anticuchos

Skewers of grilled cow heart, lathered in spicy peanut sauce and accompanied by a potato is the late-night snack of choice for most Bolivians.

4. Tea

Tea made from coca leaves (mate de coca) is a popular drink that doubles as an antidote to altitude sickness. Bolivians also drink a lot of trimate tea, a fragrant combination of chamomile, coca and anise

This landlocked South American nation shares its border with Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile and Peru. The Andes Mountain range, containing dormant volcanoes and snow-capped peaks, occupy the western half of the country. A wide range of landscapes can be found within the high plains of these mountains, where flamingos, llamas and vicunas wander deserts dotted with lakes.

Dried up ancient lakes have produced several salt flats – including Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt flat in the world, containing 10 billion tonnes of salt. Lake Titicaca, the world’s highest navigable body of water, is located at the border with Peru, and the country’s largest city, La Paz, is nestled here 3,500 m above sea level. Mountains give way to rolling hills, narrow valleys and numerous rivers in the east. Fertile, semitropical valleys characterise the north-east, whereas semi-arid plains cover the southern region.

Traditional handicrafts are the primary goods on offer in Bolivia. Weavers from Sucre produce quality textiles in red and black designs. Artisans in Cochabamba are known for producing ceramics, whereas the lowlands around Santa Cruz, Trinidad and the Amazon Basin excel at crafts in tropical woods. Prices are generally cheaper at the point of original production, but in the absence of that, visit Calle Sagarnaga in La Paz for all your shopping needs. You’ll find thousands of stores here selling everything from alpaca sweaters to leather bags to good-luck charms. Or visit the Sunday market in Tarabuco – located about an hour outside of Sucre, it’s considered one of the best markets in Bolivia.

Keep in mind that bargaining is not part of the Bolivian culture, so prices are usually fixed, and most markets and vendors deal only with cash. When possible, try to carry small bills and coins as many vendors have difficulty making change for bills larger than BOB 10, especially in smaller towns.

Copacabana Festival de la Virgen de Candelaria

This normally sleepy town on Lake Titicaca celebrates its patron saint (also known as the Dark Virgin of the Lake) with a big and boisterous bash each February. Parades, colourful costumes, music, traditional Aymara dancing and a whole lot of drinking and celebrating are part of this three-day affair.

Tarabuco Pujllay Festival

Each March, Tarabuco hosts a two-day fiesta to celebrate Bolivia’s 1816 victory over the Spanish. Whether you choose to take in the parade of musicians and dancers in colourful traditional costumes, shop the town’s famous Sunday market, or take a swig from the shared chicha gourd – there’s a lot going on at this important annual event.

Fiesta del Gran Poder (Festival of Great Power)

Part act of religious devotion, part riotous party, this massive annual event is all Aymaran. Each May or June, thousands of dancers decked in elaborate embroidered costumes dance and drink their way through the city to commemorate El Senor del Gran Poder (also known as Jesus Christ).

Oruro Carnival

Take all of the spectacle of Brazil’s famous carnival, add the dizzying heights of the Altiplano plains, and you have Oruro’s Carnival – Bolivia’s biggest cultural event and the best carnival party in the country.