Bolivia does not find it easy to keep up with its neighbors Peru and Chile. Anyone wishing to travel to this remote country should bring time and patience. What the country lacks in splendor and development, it makes up for with its magnificent landscape and captures the hearts of its visitors by watching.
A visit to the great white salt desert Salar de Uyuni is one of the highlights of most Bolivia tours. The largest salt pan on earth is located in the southwest of the country and is known for its salt flats and the surreal images. There are lagoons and mud geysers that are visited by flamingos. The Madidi National Park is one of the places on earth that has the greatest biodiversity and is a worthwhile excursion destination.
According to programingplease, Bolivia has a largely indigenous culture, the lifestyle and handicrafts of which outlived the Spanish conquistadors. Whether it’s the witch’s market in the capital La Paz or breaking bread with the inhabitants of the common on Lake Titicaca – Bolivia is a beautiful country with increasing numbers of tourists.
Best travel time
In Bolivia, the climate basically varies more depending on altitude and topography than it does with the different seasons. Nevertheless, there are clear seasonal differences. Winter lies between May and October and forms the dry season in the country. The dry season is in many ways the best time to visit Bolivia , although it is also the high season for tourism, making prices higher and sights busier. On the plateaus it is much colder at night, especially in June and July. The days are a little shorter but mostly sunny and the skies crystal clear, making this the optimal time of yearfor hiking and climbing is. Winter is also the best time to visit the hot and humid lowlands. Temperatures are usually a little lower, although the dry season is much less pronounced and precipitation can occur all year round. A couple of times a year, usually between July and August, cold winds sweep the country from Patagonia. Towards the end of the dry season in late August and September, some farmers set forest areas on fire, which can cloud the view and cause breathing difficulties.
The salt desert Salar de Uyuni is one of the highlights of a Bolivia vacation. Day or night, the world’s largest salt pan is always impressive.
Summer in Bolivia is the rainy season and lasts from November to March. In the lower parts of the country, the rainy season is much stronger, in the Amazon region it becomes almost impossible to get ahead in road traffic, as huge areas are flooded and everything turns into mud. Rivers are increasingly becoming a good way to get around during this time.
In the plateaus, especially Altiplano, it rains much less and does not make the journey as difficult, but there can still be delays and road closures. Hiking trails are mostly muddy and gathering clouds make the view difficult, especially in the high mountains. Nevertheless, the rainy season is also a very nice time in the Andes, as the parched Altiplano plateau and mountain slopes turn into lush grassland for a short time and wild flowers multiply.
Optimal travel time after months
November – March
With the beginning of the rainy season, the temperatures in the highlands become somewhat milder and in the lowlands more humid. During the heaviest rains it can happen that roads are impassable or it is extremely difficult to continue. For the adventure seeker who doesn’t mind the occasional delay, this time is still a good thing. In the Altiplano highlands and the Salar de Uyuni you can now take spectacular photos of reflections on the salt marshes, even though overland trips take significantly longer than usual.
April – October
Despite the cold weather, the Bolivian dry season is the most popular travel time. Traveling on the road is much easier and more relaxed. In glorious sunshine, you can photograph the salt flats and Lake Titicaca with a clear blue sky. The main travel season is from June to September. You should therefore plan your trip early in order to get the best accommodation. Temperatures in Bolivia are determined by both altitude and time of year. Highland areas such as La Paz, Lake Titicaca, Potosi and Uyuni are cool all year round and extremely cold at night. Nevertheless, there is a lot of sunshine even in these high algae in the dry season, which is why sunscreen with a high sun protection factor is essential.
Most popular sights
Climate in Sucre
The maximum temperature in Bolivia is 21 ° C. In March the thermometer rises to a maximum of 19 ° C. The summer (June to September) with average 21 ° C warm . In the winter months it is around 20 ° C warm . During the day, the average annual temperature in Bolivia is a pleasant 20.3 ° C.
At night it gets coldest at 4 ° C in July. The thermometer rarely falls below 10 ° C in January, February and December. While the nights in summer are averaging a mild 5 ° C, the thermometer drops to a cool 10 ° C at night between November and March. The temperature averages 7.6 ° C at night all year round.
With 6 rainy days, January and February are the rainiest months of the year. From June to September Bolivia is extremely dry with an average of only around 0 rainy days, the winter (November to March) is very dry with only 5 rainy days. On an annual average, rain falls on only 2.3 days per month.
Language
Spanish is the official language and English is rarely spoken. Many indigenous communities in the highlands still speak (sometimes exclusively) the ancient languages Quechua and Aymara as their mother tongue. In everything that has to do with tourism, English is very easy to get to your destination.
Grains and potatoes are the staple foods of the highlands and are often cooked with chilli-like sauces. There are many nutritious types of soups. Small pastries filled with meat are also very popular. In the lowlands, the food is based more on rice, yucca and bananas. The local beers are cheap and tasty. Chicha is a traditional alcoholic drink made from fermented corn.
Money
The Bolivian currency is the boliviano (divided into 100 centavos) and it is relatively stable. Moving outside of the country is practically impossible. Change is usually in short supply. Exchanging euros, US dollars or travelers checks is relatively easy in banks and exchange offices, and ATMs can be found everywhere in large cities and towns. Visa and Mastercard are accepted almost everywhere.
