Discover Bolivia

Bolivia is known as the ‘Tibet of the Americas’, the highest and most remote of the countries in South America. It is a landlocked country with two Andean mountain ranges binding the Altiplano, or High Plain, between them. This plain has an altitude ranging from 9,000ft to 13,000ft (3,000m to 4,000m) and is where the majority of the population live.

Bolivia is the only landlocked Andean country. It has a largely indigenous Indian population that has preserved its native languages and much of its traditional way of life. It borders Peru and Chile in the west, Brazil in the east, and Paraguay and Argentina in the south.

The Republic of Bolivia -that receives its name in honor to the liberator Simón Bolivar- is a bastion of the cultural diversity in the center of South America. In its territory of 1'098.581 square kilometers, inhabit around 8 million people, of which, 56% is part of one of the 32 Andean ethnic groups that maintain alive their beautiful traditions.

In the Bolivian territory, the Cordillera de los Andes is divided in two chains of mountains: the Occidental Volcánica and the Oriental or Real. Both determine the dissimilar geography of the country that is characterized by the presence of plateaus of great altitude and severe climatic conditions, temperate and productive valleys and a vast forest area, suffocating paradise for a great quantity of flora and fauna species.

Getting There

By Air
Lloyd Aereo Boliviano has regular weekly flights to La Paz from Buenos Aires, Salta and Cordoba in Argentina, plus flights from Rio de Janerio, Sao Paulo and Manaus, Brazil. Many of these flights stop in Santa Cruz. It flies also from Arica, Iquique and Santiago, Chile. It also flies to many destinations within the country. A LABPass allows you four flights between the main cities of La Paz, Cochabamba, Sucre, Santa Cruz, Tariaja, and Trinidad. There are many other international airlines serving Bolivia. By Land
Many travelers find it easier and cheaper to fly to Chile or Peru and then take a bus to Bolivia, preferring a bad road to the uncertainties of flying.

By Bus
Flotas, the long distance buses are generally newer, in better condition, and travel the main roads. Reserve a ticket in advance, and plan to travel by night. Some major routes offer daylight trips. Smaller busses are buses and travel the secondary routes. The smallest busses are micros, and do the local routes.

By Train
There are four types of train travel, and each will test your endurance and patience. The national railroad, ENFE, maintains two separate, geographic lines. The Red Occidental serves the western cities of Oruro, La Paz, Cochabamba, Sucre, Potosi and others. The Red Oriental serves the eastern cities of Santa Cruz, Quijarro and Yacuiba.

The best train is the ferrobus, not always available, but is fast, usually reliable and comfortable. You can buy tickets up to a week in advance. Next, the express train, known as tren expreso, tren bala or tren especial.