The ultimate backpacking in Bolivia guide
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Loading... - Fernanda Barbosa
- 26 Jul 2022
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When you say the words “South America”, Bolivia’s probably not at the tip of your tongue.
There’s no arguing that its capital, Sucre is a world away from bohemian Buenos Aires or that its high-altitude cities and absence of coastline means it lacks the vibrancy of Brazil’s sun-soaked beaches and spirited cities.
Despite this, backpacking in Bolivia is a rewarding, exhilarating experience – but only for those looking for a real adventure.
Before you go, you need to realise that Bolivia is unique compared with all of the other countries in South America.
It’s a place where you can find into some of the most diverse, untouched parts of the Amazon Rainforest, hikes through mind-boggling landscapes in the Andes Mountains and days exploring its elegant, colonial towns – all while getting your head around Spanish and the country’s heritage.
Of course, there’s no escaping the fact that Bolivia is one of the poorest South American countries.
But by backpacking in Bolivia as a conscientious, responsible foreign tourist is an important way of boosting tourism and the local economy, while seeing a part of the continent that a surprisingly small number of other travellers ever do.
So whether you’ve been considering travelling in Bolivia or the thought of discovering this beautiful, traditionally South American country hasn’t yet crossed your mind, let me introduce you to the basics with this Bolivia travel guide.
Discover the places you need to visit, the adventure activities you can’t miss and other important considerations for safe and unmissable travel in Bolivia.
A Guide to Backpacking in Bolivia
Bolivia is an outstanding place to explore and, as someone who lived there for close to a year both volunteering and travelling, I am constantly trying to persuade unconvinced travellers of the rewards of going there.
No, the buses aren’t the most comfortable, yes, it’s sometimes dirty and smelly and if you go in expecting everyone to speak English, you’ll be rudely awakened.
But if you go in with a little bit of Spanish, respect for the local people and a sense of adventure, you’ll have an incredible experience.
General Advice for Backpacking Bolivia
Languages
1. People don’t speak English, except in tourist agencies and some shops and restaurants in La Paz, Uyuni, Sucre and Copacabana. Elsewhere, you’ll have to dredge up college-level vocab or rely on a phrasebook – but that’s half the fun of backpacking in Bolivia.
2. People in Bolivia may come across as rude, often because if you don’t speak Spanish, they can’t communicate with you. For a lot of local people, their first tongue is an indigenous language such as Quechua or Aymara, so communicating in Spanish can be difficult.
3. Get by travelling in Bolivia by learning a bit of Spanish before you go or hang around in backpacker central and language learning utopia, Sucre (the capital city) to get the basics. You’ll find them invaluable.
Staying Healthy
1. Yes, you will get ill in Bolivia, as will likely happen to you at least once anywhere in South America.
To minimize the damage, never drink tap water or any water-based drinks in the markets or on the streets.
2. Don’t completely ignore street food, such as delicious salteñas (the Bolivia version of the traditional South American empanada), tucumanas (a deep friend salteña) or papas rellenas (mashed potato stuffed with meat and deep-fried). Buy them fresh in the morning rather than ones that have sat around all day, and at stalls when there are plenty of other people buying food. Expect to pay between 3-5 BOB/ 50-70 cents.
3.But still take a good stock of Imodium with you if planning to travel in Bolivia. You’ll thank me at some point for this advice.
4. Don’t go backpacking in Bolivia without travel insurance! We recommend World Nomads. Get your free quote here.
Food And Accommodation
1. Markets are excellent places for a cheap breakfast, lunch and early dinner. They’re also incredible for people watching (this is real South America) and good for a chat with a friendly local if you can muster up a bit of Spanish. What’s more, you can normally get a three-course lunch or dinner menu for around 10 BOB/1.5 USD.
2. As with street food, always pick the market stall with the most locals eating there.
3. Markets are also a cheap place to buy vegetables and more types of fruit than you probably knew existed if you’re planning on self-catering when backpacking in Bolivia. Be aware that few hostels and alojamientos (like a hostel, but normally cheaper, with individual rooms) have cooking facilities.
4. As mentioned, street food is delicious, if always deep-fried.
5. Accommodation will be far more basic than what you will experience in other countries across South America. It’ll also be cheaper. Expect to pay a maximum of 50 BOB/$7 USD per night.
6. Don’t be fooled by the options on hostel booking websites; there is always a lot more accommodation available than online would suggest. Get recommendations from other travellers and be open to not always booking in advance. Arriving and wandering the streets a little (if it’s during the day – this isn’t a great idea at night) can see you finding excellent places to stay. Always ask to see the room, bathrooms and the prices before committing.
Safety
1. There are a lot of misconceptions about Bolivia and its cities, primarily being that backpacking in Bolivia is unsafe – particularly in cities like La Paz. Of course, every city in every country in the world has parts where you shouldn’t go at night; La Paz and other Bolivian cities are no exception.
2. To stay safe, stick to the main tourist areas in cities and seek advice from other travellers and local people about where you can venture further afield. Read More...
