Planning a 3-Week Backpacking Route Through Bolivia
Stick to a loop starting and ending in La Paz to minimize travel time and altitude shock. Focus your three weeks on the highlands and the Amazon basin, using night buses for long hauls to save on accommodation costs.
- Acclimate in La Paz. Spend your first 3 days in La Paz. Do not rush to do heavy hiking; the 3,640-meter elevation is brutal. Use this time to book your bus tickets and organize tours.
- Head to Lake Titicaca. Take a 4-hour bus to Copacabana. Spend 2 days here to explore Isla del Sol. It is the best place to ease into the country's rhythm.
- Traverse the Salar de Uyuni. Take an overnight bus to Uyuni. Book a 3-day, 2-night 4x4 tour of the salt flats. This is a non-negotiable highlight of any Bolivian trip.
- Head to the Southern Highlands. From Uyuni, move to Potosí for 2 days to learn about the mining history, then continue to Sucre for 4 days of relaxation in Bolivia's most beautiful city.
- Experience the Amazon. Fly from Sucre or La Paz to Rurrenabaque. Spend 4 days in the Pampas or Madidi National Park. This provides a necessary contrast to the dry, cold highlands.
- Finish in the Yungas. Return to La Paz and take a final 3-day detour to Coroico to experience the semi-tropical cloud forests before heading home.
- Is it safe to drink the tap water?
- Absolutely not. Only drink bottled or filtered water, and use it for brushing your teeth as well.
- How do I deal with altitude sickness?
- Drink plenty of coca tea, stay hydrated, and avoid alcohol for the first 48 hours.
- Are buses reliable?
- They are functional but often delayed. Always book 'cama' (flat-bed) seats for long distances.