The Bolivian side of the main border crossing to Argentina is a sprawling, dusty, chaotic sort of place crammed full of stalls selling cut-price goods, many of which are contraband. Around the railway station are numerous warehouses stocking smuggled produce; it tends to be brought across by campesinos, who form a human cargo train across [...]
Seemingly built in defiance of the desert-like landscape, Uyuni stands desolate yet undaunted in Bolivia’s southwestern corner. Mention Uyuni to a Bolivian and they will whistle and emphasize ‘harto frío’ – extreme cold. Yet despite the icy conditions, which are compounded by the fact that, no matter how you plan it, you always seem to [...]
In the background looms the Tupizan range, very red, or better, a ruddy sepia; and very distinct, resembling a landscape painted by an artist with the animated brilliance of Delacroix or by an Impressionist like Renoir… In the tranquil translucent air, flows the breath of smiling grace…
Trinidad’s the place you’ll come to if you’re after a trip down the long and deep Río Mamoré, or on your way between Santa Cruz and Rurrenabaque. The town’s massive, green, tropical main square (Trinidad is only 14 degrees south of the equator) greets you with a freshness that, unfortunately, doesn’t extend to the rest [...]
Nowhere tantalizes the senses as much as Bolivia’s southwest. Picture windswept basins, white-capped volcanic peaks and blinding white salt deserts. Feel indeterminable distances. Taste red dust. Further east, enjoy silence as the altiplano drops into ethereal and spectacular rainbow-rock surrounds. And as you head lower again, breathe in the scent of the region’s magical orchards [...]
The vast lowlands of the Bolivian Oriente are rich and varied, and home to much of the country’s natural resources. Numerous cultural highlights include stunning Jesuit missions and natural wonders like Parque Nacional Amboró and the more remote Parque Nacional Noel Kempff Mercado. Che Guevara fans can follow his footsteps, while stalwart travelers can venture [...]
The Amazon Basin is one of Bolivia’s largest and most mesmerizing parts. The rainforest is raucous with wildlife (the flora and fauna include rare species), and spending a few days roaming the sweaty jungle (and minding the bugs) is an experience you’re unlikely to forget. This is where you’ll find the deep and mysterious lushness [...]
This little city is as laid-back as they get, with palm-lined squares, sizzling Argentine barbecues, sprawling bar and café terraces, and local vocal talents wailing from karaoke bars. Nothing much happens in Tarija, but the city does have some interesting, colonial architecture that can warrant a day’s walking around. If you have time, go around [...]
Proud, genteel Sucre is Bolivia’s most beautiful city, and the symbolic heart of the nation. It was here that independence was proclaimed, and while La Paz is now the seat of government and treasury, Sucre is still Bolivia’s judicial capital. A glorious ensemble of whitewashed buildings sheltering pretty patios, it’s a spruce place that preserves [...]
Bolivia’s southwestern corner is an awe-inspiring collection of harsh, diverse landscapes ranging from the blinding white Salar de Uyuni salt flat to the geothermal hotbed of Los Lípez, one of the world’s harshest wilderness regions and an important refuge for many Andean wildlife species. The ground here literally boils with minerals, and the spectrum of [...]