Bolivia Experience

La Paz, fascinating city high in the Andes

Advantages: stunning location, interesting people
Disadvantages: Car fumes and general pollution

La Paz is famously located at 3660 metres above sea-level and is the highest capital city in the world (that even beats Lhasa, Tibet!). Furthermore, it's setting in a crater makes this one of the most impressive cities in the world to bus into- as you pass out of El Alto the road suddenly drops down from the altiplano and there are stunning views over the whole city as the bus winds down the side of the canyon before finally descending into the chaos ...
...to see La Paz is just to wander around the centre and explore for yourself. The markets are colourful, hectic and give a good slice of this largely indigenous city. In particular el mercado de los brujos, or the witches' market is chaotic and fascinating-you can buy anything from tourist souvenirs, fake DVDs to local charms such as a llama foetus. The market is off Saganaga calle at Linares. The second market which is definitely worth a visit is ...

flyingllamas 08.07.2009 · Read full review
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Review of La Paz

Bolvia is one great place!

Advantages: The whole country is breath taking
Disadvantages: Not being able to bargin!

I travelled South America at the beginning of last year. Bolivia was my last port of call and most definitely the best port of call. When you first arrive there you literally feel like you are stepping back in time. Most of the population are Indigenous people with long plated hair, and bowler hats and skirts. The scenery in is breath taking, and the high altitude is something not to be tackled lightly, take your time when travelling through this ...
...a couple of days! Never fly directly to La Paz! The difference in altitude will make you very sick. The highlights of Bolivia is as follows: 1. Salt Flats in and around Urunyi, you can book yourself a cheap jeep tour to take you round, the tour guides will also give you something to help with the altitude sickness: You'll see - Salt flats, a hotel made of salt, beautiful lakes, beautiful scenery Flamingos, other wild life, thunder storms, old indigenous ...

Na7aliek 27.10.2009 · Read full review

Review of General: Bolivia

Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia-entrancing

Advantages: the scenery, unusual experience.
Disadvantages: arranged tours mean little personal choice, many hours of driving in a jeep between sites

Salar de Uyuni, the salt flats of Uyuni is some of the most impressive and unusual scenery I have seen in a long time travelling. It is virtually impossible to see the salar without joining a tour, unless you have your own transport, equipment and possibly backup team too, so most people join a tour group in Uyuni. Many tours leave every day from the town and it is cheaper to book on the spot rather than in advance from La Paz or abroad. The most ...
...the salt flats and the lagoons and geisers of south-east Bolivia although since the salt flats are only visited for one day it is also possible to see them on a simpler one day tour. It seems a little pointless to come all the way here without seeing all the sites available though so doing the full 3 days is recommended. Starting from Uyuni most jeeps wind through a few minor sites such as the train cemetery before arriving out to the salt. This ...

flyingllamas 03.07.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Salar De Uyuni

Titicaca - Visitng the world's highest navigable lake (allegedly)

Advantages: Local people, local culture, Tranquility, Beauty, Location, Adventure
Disadvantages: Altitude sickness

Lake Titicaca is situated on the border between Peru and Bolivia and is famous for being (arguably) the highest navigable lake in the world (3812m above sea level). Even though that definition may be a tiny bit subjective, (there are higher lakes in the world and some boats can navigate in only a few inches of water), you shouldn't question that claim too loudly it if you visit - this lake is home to the flotilla of the Bolivian Navy (pretty impressive, ...
...the second out onto the lake must have been superb! There is no transport on the island, so you have to walk everywhere. As we were still adjusting to the altitude, this is an extremely slow and painful process, particularly since this place is very hilly. We wandered around slowly being shown the sights and spent sunset visiting pre-Columbian ruins of local religious significance. As in the rest of Peru, the religion here is a mixture between Catholisism ...

beckyXX 08.10.2009 · Read full review
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Review of Lake Titicaca

A spiritual pole of the Earth

Advantages: Idillic location; very relaxing; plenty of trekking
Disadvantages: Hard to get to; very few creature comforts

...as a village square. Sorata is centered around this square with a couple of shops several café/resatuarants and a few hotels dotted around it and (along with one internet café, which costs around 15p for an hour - a slight contrast from the $4 for 15mins in miami airport on the way over). Trekking: The primary activity in Sorata is definately the trekking and there is cerntianly plentiy of opportunity in the surrounding area. We were embarking ...
...through the valleys. In sorata itself, there are most things that any trekker would need, and if you look around then you can find shops selling fresh fruit, cheese and eggs, as well as plenty of centres to hire guides and mules for the more arduous portions of some of the treks. Trekking up to just over 6000m was truly breathtaking and if you have the time it is well worth doing. It is also worth climbing half way up, as there is space to camp ...

Garth87 08.02.2006 · Read full review
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Review of Sorata