Discover Bolivia

Departments and destinations

The tourist departments par excellence of Bolivia are La Paz, Potosí, Sucre and Santa Cruz. However, there are increasingly more circuits and services in the departments of Cochabamba, Oruro, Tarija, Beni and Pando. The most visited tourist destinations are the Salar de Uyuni, the Eduardo Avaroa National Reserve, the Madidi National Park, Lake Titicaca, the Jesuit Missions and the cities of La Paz, Sucre, Potosí and Santa Cruz.

Located in the heart of South America, Bolivia borders the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Republic of Paraguay, the Republic of Argentina, the Republic of Chile and the Republic of Peru.

Nothing better identifies our country than its diversity, its culture surrounded by living traditions that have endured over time, and places where nature offers magnificent settings and contrasts of incomparable beauty.

Live the unique experiences of incomparable natural wealth and ancestral cultures that still persist in our country. We invite you to feel the heartbeats of Bolivia, the heart of South America!

Geography and Biodiversity

Bolivia is a landlocked country that borders Brazil to the north and east, Argentina to the south, Peru to the west, Paraguay to the southeast and Chile to the southwest. With an area of 1,098,581 km², Bolivia is the fifth largest country in South America. The feature that makes Bolivia unique is its topography, formed by the contrast between the Altiplano (at 4,000 meters above sea level) and the warm lowlands of the east (at 200 meters above sea level). This is due to the Andes Mountain Range, which in Bolivian territory divides into two chains: the Western (occidental) and the Eastern (oriental) or Royal. The Yungas —the transition zone between the dry highlands and the humid lowlands— is where the Andes descend towards the Amazon rainforest, the Brazilian Pantanal and the Chaco region.

Bolivia is divided into 9 departments: La Paz, Santa Cruz, Cochabamba, Chuquisaca, Potosí, Oruro, Beni, Pando and Tarija; which, in turn, are subdivided into provinces.

Megabiodiversity of Bolivia

Bolivia is among the 8 megadiverse countries of the world, which shelter more than 70% of the known species on the planet. Its altitudinal gradient, which varies from 90 to 6,500 meters above sea level, forms 4 types of biomes, 32 ecological regions and 199 ecosystems.

The most outstanding ecosystems that Bolivia possesses are the Yungas region, the Amazon, the Chiquitano forest, the Gran Chaco and the inter-Andean forests. Bolivian territory represents 0.2% of the world surface and its forests cover around 3.5% of the planet's forests. However, Bolivia shelters between 30 and 40% of all biodiversity on the planet.

Bolivia has more than 2,900 species of vertebrates, distributed in 398 species of mammals, more than 1,400 species of birds (seventh place worldwide), 204 species of amphibians, 277 species of reptiles and 635 species of freshwater fish. In addition, more than 3,000 species of butterflies have been identified (occupying fourth place worldwide).

Festivities and gastronomy

Bolivian cuisine

Bolivian cuisine is known mainly for its variety. With deep Hispano-Moorish and indigenous roots and transformed by mestizaje and the different historical moments that the country has lived, Bolivia's gastronomy has been adding more dishes, mixes and preparations to a long list of recipes. Although Bolivian cuisine does not cover all varieties of foods, it offers a good sample. Bolivia has several traditional and interesting dishes and drinks. As in most South American countries, in Bolivia lunch is as important as dinner. Two of the main ingredients of Bolivian gastronomy are meat and potato.

Most Bolivian dishes are not characterized by being spicy, although some are the exception and can be made with chili peppers as the main ingredient. The spiciest dishes found in Bolivia are fricasé, fritanga, ají de lengua and spicy chicken. Among the non-spicy dishes are majao, chairo paceño, salteñas, changa de pollo, llama charque, chola sandwich and empanadas.

Practical tips for traveling to Bolivia

Climate and Altitude

Bolivian territory presents a variety of climates according to the geographic region. The plains are hot and humid, with average temperatures of 25°C (77°F) and altitudes ranging between 200 and 400 meters above sea level. The climate in the valleys is warm and dry, with an average temperature of 15°C (50°F) and an altitude between 1,000 and 3,000 meters. In the Altiplano the average temperature is 10°C (40°F) and the average altitude is 3,500 meters.

Regarding its biodiversity, 65% of the territory is composed of plains, 15% of valleys and 20% of Altiplano (high plateau). The feature that makes Bolivia unique is its topography, formed by the contrast between the Altiplano (4,000 m) and the warm lowlands of the east (200 meters). This is due to the Andes Mountain Range, which in Bolivian territory divides into two chains: the Western (occidental) and the Eastern (oriental) or Royal. The Yungas —the transition zone between the dry highlands and the humid lowlands— is where the Andes descend towards the Amazon rainforest, the Brazilian Pantanal and the Chaco region.

Safety

We recommend that you exercise caution during your travels and stay in the cities. Try to travel only with essentials; do not leave your backpacks and cameras unattended and always be careful when carrying your money, airplane tickets and passport. Some places are more dangerous than others, particularly bus or train stations, restaurants and, in general, all public spaces frequented by tourists. Beware of fake police officers and taxi drivers.

Practical Tips

• Carry a valid passport with at least six months of validity after the expected period of stay in Bolivia. Consult the list of countries that require a visa. Before traveling, contact the Bolivian consulate in your country.
• Essential documentation and contacts: passport and photocopies, insurance company phone numbers and a copy of the policy, driver's license (to rent vehicles), cash, credit card (in US dollars), phone numbers, address and contacts of Late Bolivia.
• Electricity and batteries: 110V and 220V. Plan to carry an adapter compatible with American standard plugs.
• Mobile phones: you will only be able to use tri-band devices if you wish to communicate from or to abroad. However, you can make calls from your hotel or from the numerous long-distance telephone booths found in several areas of the main cities and almost in all rural towns.
• For greater comfort while traveling, it is recommended to travel "light" and carry only what is necessary, as compactly as possible (a large suitcase and a smaller backpack for the day).
• If you decide to do hiking or mountain climbing, it is important to limit the weight of your luggage to 15 kg to avoid overloading porters or mules.