The 17 best experiences Bolivia has to offer

13.11.2023 - 12:01 / lonelyplanet.com / Lake Titicaca

Landlocked Bolivia is an exciting country with unmatched travel experiences for its visitors.

While it's true that the sheer scale of opportunities on offer can be overwhelming, such variety is a gift to travelers looking for true adventure.

Long overshadowed by the tourism juggernauts that are its neighbors, local initiatives are rocketing Bolivia to the top of the list of global destinations. From snow-topped mountain peaks to lush Amazon rainforest, Bolivia has something for everyone, if you know where to look.

Filled with the best secret (and not-so-secret) surprises this country and its people have to offer, our round-up of the best things to do in Bolivia is perfect for wanderers in search of the most authentic travel adventures.

Arguably Bolivia’s biggest tourist attraction, the Salar de Uyuni’s white expanse confounds the senses as the sky and earth blend and erase the horizon.

If you visit just after the rains in March or April, the effect is amplified by water reflecting the sky at your feet, a photo op like no other on the planet.

The journey becomes truly otherworldly at night, and you will never forget the way the stars and the Milky Way are mirrored on the ground, creating a life-changing floating effect.

Planning tip: Many visitors jump on the tours leaving early in the morning from the center of Uyuni, but it's worth considering multi-day tours with stops at Isla Incahuasi and the many hot springs and colored lakes nearby.

The jungle town of Rurrenabaque is the starting point for any Bolivian adventure through the Amazon. This is the doorway to Madidi National Park, an expansive reserve that just happens to be the world’s most biodiverse protected area.

Pink river dolphins, portly capybaras, elusive jaguars and more bird and insect species than any other national park accompany daring visitors as they explore the untamed wilderness.

Agencies host wildlife-filled, three-day tours of the pampas (plains) or the selva (jungle). The magic here lies in the tour agencies owned and operated by indigenous communities.

Both Madidi Jungle and Chalalán ecolodges, located three and six hours by boat from Rurrenabaque respectively, are the best places for bushwhacking, community-driven adventures. Both are run and guided by Uchupiamona peoples, who have called these lands their home for centuries.

Anyone looking for world-class flyfishing excursions, cast your lines out for golden dorado with the team from Tsimane Lodge.

Any trip to Bolivia is incomplete without a visit to sacred Lake Titicaca. The highest navigable lake in the world at 3812m (12,506ft), Titicaca’s waves kiss picturesque farming villages and envelop legends of ancient civilizations lost in the water’s depths.

Take the less-traveled