Pass The Passport

Places / South America

Bolivia

Visited

At a glance

Region
South America
Capital
Sucre
Population
12.6 million (2025)
Area
1,098,581 km²
Languages
Aymara, Guaraní, Quechua, Spanish
Currency
Bolivian boliviano (BOB)
Drives on the
right
Calling code
+591
Visited: Bolivia

Country visited City visited Still to go Click a pin or country to read more. Zoom with + and −, a double-click or a pinch.

Before you go

Overview

Bolivia is a landlocked country spanning the high Andes, the Altiplano and the Amazon basin. More than half of its people are of Indigenous descent.

History

The area was part of the Inca Empire before Spanish conquest, and its silver mines at Potosí made Spain rich. Bolivia became independent in 1825 and lost its coastline to Chile in the War of the Pacific.

Food & culture

Salteñas (baked pastries), api (a hot purple-corn drink) and llama meat are local favourites.

Wildlife

Madidi National Park is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth, and flamingos gather on the high Andean lakes.

Festivals & events

The Oruro Carnival, recognised by UNESCO, is famous for its devil dances.

Things to see

The Salar de Uyuni, Lake Titicaca, La Paz and its cable cars, Potosí, Sucre and the Death Road.

Interesting facts

The Salar de Uyuni is the largest salt flat in the world. La Paz is the highest seat of government in the world.

City guides

Cities & towns I’ve visited

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Bolivia

1 of 7 visited. See every site I've been to.

My videos from Bolivia

  • Cycling Bolivia's Death Road
    Death Road, Bolivia

My photos from Bolivia

December 2015 Overlanding South America - Tucan

The Death Road La Paz, La Paz, Coroico, Ciudad Potosi, Salar De Uyuni, Cementerio De Trenes, Uyuni

Whole trip gallery
  • A rusting steam locomotive in the train cemetery on the edge of the Uyuni salt flats
  • A man kneeling between two white alpacas decorated with colourful tassels on a city street.
  • A man crouching between two alpacas with pompom decorations on a street in La Paz.
  • A group of travellers sitting in an open-sided tourist vehicle on a colourful street in La Paz.
  • Two people in harnesses and helmets standing on a jungle hillside before a zipline.
  • A man in an orange helmet and sunglasses taking a selfie while hanging from a zipline.
  • A man in a cycling helmet on a ledge above a deep green valley on the Death Road.
  • Two men drinking from plastic bags of tea through straws at a roadside stall.
  • A man in a helmet pointing at a winding mountain road far below in the Andes.
  • A man in a helmet and riding gear standing with a mountain bike on a gravel mountain road.
  • A smiling man in a white helmet and sunglasses above a green valley with a winding road.
  • A man in a hard hat and overalls pushing a wheelbarrow of rock at a mine in Potosí.

Plan your trip to Bolivia

Some of these are affiliate links: if you book through them I may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. More about this.

Neighbours

Bucket List goals in Bolivia