Bolivia is a country of many contrasts and is a wonderful place to visit on any trip through South America. This land locked country may be one of the poorest in South America, but from the exquisite natural beauty to the stunning and varied landscapes throughout the country that might be a detail you don’t even notice. What type of landscapes you ask? Well, from the Atacama Desert in the west to the high Andes mountains and finally to the jungles of the Amazon in the east, there is an immense amount of natural beauty and diversity throughout the entire country.
This diversity not only includes mother nature, but also the many different cultures that developed in those very diverse regions of the country. Bolivia is one of the highest countries on Earth and even its very own capital, La Paz, has the designation of being the highest capital in the world! From the highest capital city in the world, to the unworldly landscape of the largest salt flats in the world, to the Island of the Sun located on Lake Titicaca, which happens to be the highest navigable lake in the world, there is some type of record setting natural wonder to explore or adventure to experience in Bolivia.
Salar de Uyuni (Salt Flats)
Salar de Uyuni is the largest salt flat in the world with almost 11,000 square kilometers (a little over 4,000 square miles), along with an elevation of about 12,000 feet above sea level, which might actually make it the highest salt flats in the world as well! These gigantic salt flats were formed by multiple prehistoric lakes, which has caused the entire area to be covered by what they call a salt crust. The Salt Flats are a must visit on any trip to Bolivia. Learn more about these salt flats here.
La Paz
La Paz has become a major destination for many backpackers and adventure travel enthusiasts as there are many great things to see and do in the capital city of Bolivia and the surrounding area around La Paz! It’s one of the many treasures of traveling in Bolivia! When arriving on my bus from Copacabana after visiting Isla del Sol, I was amazed by the enormity of La Paz! Our bus rounded the corner of the last crest of the high mountains of the Altiplano, where La Paz city skyline came into view and it took my breath away. I just wasn’t expecting such a large city located in a huge valley surrounded by so many snow capped mountains. As our bus worked its way down the side of the mountain we passed through the sprawling outer limits of La Paz that were full of chaotic traffic. The city’s official name is Nuestra Señora de La Paz, which in English means, Our Lady of Peace. It has a population of about 2.3 million people and is the highest capital city in the world, located 11,975 feet above sea level and it’s a city full of things to discover! Take a look at the 10 must see things in La Paz!
Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley)
A short bus ride from the central part of La Paz you will find an unworldly landscape. Something you might expect to see on the moon; hence the name of the park, Valle de la Luna or Valley of the Moon in English. This lunar landscape of bizarre geological formations is located only six miles away from the city center of La Paz, so you can take a short bus ride to view them. These rock formations are composed of clay and sandstone and have been created by mother nature over time with strong winds and rain over hundreds of years. These bizarre formations remind me of the rock formations of Huancayo, located in Peru along with a valley by the same name in San Pedro de Atacama in Chile! Read more about exploring Moon Valley here.
Copacabana
Copacabana is a beautiful town on the southern shore of Lake Titicaca, which is actually the highest navigable lake in the world. The word Copacabana comes from the Aymara language ‘Kota Kawana’ which means ‘view of the lake’, and was viewed very highly by the Inca, but when the Spaniards came, they turned this lake town into a pilgrimage site for Catholics. Which brings us to one of the first things you must see in Copacabana. Read more about Copacabana and the different things to see and do in this unique lakeside resort town.
Isla del Sol
One of my favorite treasures of traveling in Bolivia was the peaceful island of Isla del Sol! The best starting point to explore Isla del Sol is from Copacabana where there are many tour companies practically begging you to come on their half day or full day tour of the famous Inca Island called Isla del Sol! It is the largest island on Lake Titicaca and it is a great day trip from Copacabana. You can also visit Isla del Luna on a tour as well. I didn’t have a chance to visit Isla del Luna, but I really enjoyed the natural beauty of Isla del Sol! Read about visiting Isla del Sol.
Tips: Lessons Learned From a Border Crossing
We were thankful to arrive in Copacabana, Bolivia after having a mix-up at immigration on the border of Peru and Bolivia. When we got off the bus at border control we thought everything was in order with our documents, but on the Peruvian side, they would not let us leave the country. You can read more about that in our post about Lessons Learned From a Border Crossing! Just make sure that when traveling you have all your visa and travel documents in order.
Bus Journey
I have had a few sad travel experiences, but my most devastating travel experience was when I was traveling by bus between La Paz and Uyuni. It was one of the most sad days of my life. You probably are thinking, it couldn’t have been that awful and you might be right. It was just a devastating day to me and let me tell you why! Read about this bus journey here.
These are just five of the hundreds of different treasures of traveling that exist in the South American country of Bolivia. I hope you are able to explore many more than what I was able to.
Check out the map below to see where Bolivia is located at!
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