Road Trip in Bolivia

Published on 21 août 2018

Road Trip en Bolivie

Small new feature on the blog. We are going to give the floor to the Blue Valet team! Each in turn, we will share our favorite trips: accommodation tips, food, activities, must-see places but also places to avoid, you will know everything! Reading pleasure and/or inspiration, the first one to start is Maëva, our international recruitment officer!

👤 Which destination would you like to talk about?

Bolivia. I did a one-year Working Holiday Visa in Argentina. It was the opportunity to travel to Latin America and discover very diverse landscapes and cultures.

paysages Bolivie

👤 If there is one thing to do or see, what is it?

Without hesitation, the Salar de Uyuni: the largest salt flats in the world. 4 days of excursion in a 4x4 through the South Lipez to reach the Salar de Uyuni.

Agency I went through for the tour in Salar de Uyuni: tupizatours.com

On the last day, wake up at 3 am after a short night in a small salt hotel at -8°, departure in the dark for a sunrise from Incahuasi Island (nicknamed the cactus island) which offers a panoramic view of the desert. A magical moment!

Salar d'Uyuni

👤 What are your accommodation, food, and activities tips in this country/region?

👉 Accommodation: No particular tips, ask for advice from other travelers, stop when you like a place, ask to visit the place and decide!

👉 Food: Bolivian street food is not amazing, the food is often rich and greasy, but it is really cheap and I have had some pleasant surprises, especially with delicious meat skewers! I loved to walk around the local markets: so many fruits, vegetables, colors, animation. I had a fresh fruit juice every morning and often went back at noon for lunch. Bolivian mamas prepare large pots of typical dishes. I must admit that on several occasions I didn't know exactly what was in my plate, but every time I enjoyed it!!

👉 Activities that impressed me:

Travel for 4 days through South Lipez, reach 5000 meters altitude and finally arrive at the expected Salar de Uyuni
Unintentionally get lost in the largest open-air market in Latin America in Cochabamba
Swim in a volcanic lake naturally heated to over 30°
Enter an active mine in Potosi at 4000 meters altitude, meet miners and chew coca leaves with them (tourdumonde5continents.com/visite-de-de-potosi-bolivie-germinal-2017/)
Descend on a mountain bike the Death Road in La Paz (a-ticket-to-ride.com/bolivie-route-de-la-mort-vtt/
Hitchhike in Bolivia, on the back of a pickup truck and admire a beautiful sunset
Discover that the world's largest statue of Christ is not in Rio de Janeiro, but in Cochabamba, Bolivia!

👤 How do you organize a trip (alone, travel agency, all-inclusive, last minute stay...)?

I organize alone, I never go through an intermediary.

I look on the internet, I search for information and tips on blogs to get an idea of things to do/see, and then I decide on the spot.

In Bolivia, for example, I didn't book anything in advance, whether it was for accommodation, transportation, or even the activities mentioned above. I decided where to go and what to do there from day to day!

transports Bolivie

👤 What are the must-haves for your trip (app, object, book, lucky charm...)?

A deck of cards (a very good way to meet new people in youth hostels and essential during the excursion to Salar de Uyuni where we had no network or electricity in the evening!), a good book for long bus rides, a battery charger, and a notebook to write down anecdotes!

👤 An anecdote to share?

I participated with 2 friends in an official race in the city of Sucre, located at over 2500 meters altitude. It was the most painful 10 km of my life!!

alpaga Bolivie et cochabamba

Also read | 5 tips to avoid losing your luggage on a plane