| Bolivia is sometimes called the Tibet of the | | | | Yungas valleys. With more time, you could |
| Americas, for its arid, high-altitude | | | | explore the remote corners of the Southern |
| desert-like plateau, more vivid when called | | | | Altiplano. Old colonial Potosi is said to be |
| by its Spanish name altiplano. This is one of | | | | the most interesting of Bolivia's cities and |
| the toughest inhabited environments on earth | | | | the site of the Spanish silver mines. Nearby |
| from shimmering Lake Titicaca, the only lake | | | | is the official capital, Sucre, with its |
| to give birth to an empire, to the surreal | | | | fascinating colonial architecture. Southwest |
| Salar de Uyuni, the biggest and highest salt | | | | of Potosi is Uyuni, which sets you off on a |
| lake in the world - 12,000 sq km of blinding | | | | 3-4-day tour to the Salar de Uyuni, the |
| white, completely flat nothingness. Bolivia | | | | world's largest salt lake. Further south, |
| has also been called the Nepal of the | | | | near the Chilean border, are deserts, |
| Americas, for its Cordillera Real with almost | | | | volcanoes and multi-colored soda lakes |
| a thousand peaks soaring over 5,000 meters | | | | carpeted with flamingoes. The south is also |
| and matching anything the Himalayas can offer | | | | home to the vineyards of Tarija and the |
| in climbing and trekking, but with much less | | | | graveyards of dinosaurs. The Sajima National |
| of the human traffic. The major attraction | | | | Park, near the Chilean border, includes the |
| tourists have for Bolivia is its wild, | | | | highest peak in Bolivia. East of La Paz, you |
| unexplored natural beauty. The country, or | | | | escape the cold of the altiplano and go down |
| the greater part of it, lies off the beaten | | | | the Amazon jungle towards Brazil. The |
| track; a vast wildness waiting to be seen and | | | | Torotoro National Park is full of fossils, |
| appreciated. This land-locked country at the | | | | dinosaur footprints, caves and waterfalls, |
| heart and peak of South America offers | | | | the real trip for those who love the unbeaten |
| magnificent trekking, especially around | | | | paths. Bolivia's newest attraction is the |
| Coroico and Sorata in the Cordillera Real. | | | | Chalalan Eco-lodge, in the Madidi National |
| You can go to the Amazonian rainforests in | | | | Park, right in the Amazon jungle. This is |
| its eastern parts by breath-taking airplane | | | | ecotourism in capital letters, and the place |
| flights or by hair-raising, or rather, | | | | has the greatest biodiversity in the whole |
| heart-stopping bus rides. Special Treats Some | | | | planet. There are over 300 types of birds, |
| travel companies offer the adventurous a | | | | 1,200 butterfly species, monkeys, jaguar, |
| one-week ice-climbing and biking vacation. | | | | tapir, caiman, and other wildlife. Best time |
| After a day of training on the mountain bike, | | | | to go Bolivia's roads are notoriously poor, |
| you pedal away on a mountain road ringed on | | | | so you'll want to avoid the rainy season from |
| the sides with 800-foot drops. If that's not | | | | November to March, if you want to visit the |
| enough, another route will pass by a section | | | | jungles. The Altiplano does not get much |
| with a 14,000-foot drop. The route takes you | | | | rain, so timing is not so crucial although |
| from the peak of the Chacaltaya Mountain and | | | | hiking trails can get muddy. June and July, |
| goes down into the impenetrable jungles of | | | | the winter months, are colder but the nights |
| the Zongo Valley. A brief rest, and then you | | | | are clearer, and these are the best months to |
| undergo one more day of training prior to a | | | | visit the Salar de Uyuni. June to August are |
| two-day climb up Huayna Potosi, one of the | | | | the busiest tourism months and hotels will be |
| highest peaks in the world at 20,000 feet. | | | | full. The best festivals (Carnival and Holy |
| What Else to Do Most parts of the country are | | | | Week) happen during the rainy season. |
| remote, and can be reached only by long bus | | | | Planning your trip Airlines are busiest from |
| rides. Vacations lasting a few weeks would | | | | early December to mid-January and July to |
| hardly be enough to see what should be seen. | | | | September. The best connections to La Paz are |
| You may have to fly to other destinations. La | | | | through Sao Paolo, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos |
| Paz is the jump-off point for Bolivia's | | | | Aires or Miami. The main cities have their |
| sites. From the capital La Paz, you could | | | | hotels, but away from them, there are |
| take a trip north to the city of Tiahuanaco, | | | | suitable hotels for every budget, which offer |
| which preceded the great Inca Empire; further | | | | excellent value - not luxurious but clean and |
| north is Lake Titicaca. On the lake is the | | | | popular with travelers. |
| beautiful Isla del Sol, where legend says the | | | | |
| Inca empire was created. You can also go down | | | | Alex J Smith writes for where travelers can |
| a terrifying but spectacular road to Coroico, | | | | host their own travel blogs, upload photos |
| a popular resort town in the sub-tropical | | | | and find unbiased travel information. |