First-time visitors
Start with La Paz’s historic Witches’ Market and a full-day trip to Copacabana and Isla del Sol on Lake Titicaca. Add a multi-day tour of the Uyuni Salt Flats to experience Bolivia’s natural landmarks.
See suggested experiences
Preview travel guide
Things to do in Bolivia
Bolivia offers salt flats, highland lakes and Andean cityscapes for outdoor and cultural visits. Below are bookable tours and tickets via GetYourGuide, plus a brief trip-planning guide while full editorial coverage is developed.
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Editor’s preview picks
Bookable experiences in Bolivia
Bolivia offers a range of activities suited to various interests, from high-altitude trekking to cultural visits in colonial cities. This page highlights practical options for spending your time, focusing on well-established sites and tours across the country.
4.0(120)
via GetYourGuide
From La Paz: Uyuni Salt Flats 2-Day Tour with Bus Transfers
From £153
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4.5(129)
via GetYourGuide
Uyuni Salt Flat 1-Day and Sunset Experience
From £64
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4.8(338)
via GetYourGuide
La Paz: Charquini Mountain Guided Hike
From £33
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4.3(3)
via GetYourGuide
Uyuni: 3-Day Salar de Uyuni, Laguna Colorada, and Laguna …
From £243
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4.2(172)
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La Paz: 5-Day Uyuni Salt Flats by Bus
From £406
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4.5(436)
via GetYourGuide
La Paz: Full Day Trip to Copacabana and Isla del Sol
From £43
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Plan by travel style
How are you travelling?
A starting point for shaping the trip around the way you actually travel — not a fixed itinerary.
Families
Families can visit Copacabana’s lakeshore for accessible activities and take gentle guided hikes like the Charquini Mountain near La Paz. The Uyuni Salt Flat 1-Day and Sunset Experience offers a manageable introduction to the region’s landscapes.
See suggested experiencesCouples
Couples may prefer evening walks in La Paz’s Sopocachi neighborhood and sunset tours on the Uyuni Salt Flats. Small group trips offer a quieter way to see Laguna Colorada and other remote sites.
See suggested experiencesCulture lovers
Visit La Paz museums such as Museo Nacional de Etnografía y Folklore and Tiwanaku archaeological site tours. Copacabana’s colonial churches add historic interest alongside indigenous cultural experiences.
See suggested experiencesFood & local flavour
Try street food around La Paz’s Mercado Lanza or Mercado Rodríguez. Sampling salteñas and quinoa-based dishes complements visits to local markets offering regional Andean produce.
See suggested experiencesEasy wins / short stays
In 2–3 days, combine a La Paz city tour with a day trip to Copacabana and Isla del Sol. Add a shorter Uyuni Salt Flat 1-Day and Sunset Experience for iconic landscapes within a brief itinerary.
See suggested experiencesTop experiences by type
Browse by what you want to do
Landmark tickets
Look for tickets to Uyuni Salt Flats tours, Tiwanaku archaeological site visits, and Copacabana excursions.
See optionsMuseums & culture
Tickets for Museo Nacional de Etnografía y Folklore and Museo de la Coca provide cultural insights in La Paz.
See optionsWalking tours
Guided walks around La Paz neighborhoods like Sopocachi offer urban cultural experiences.
See optionsFood & wine
Food tours around La Paz markets and tastings of regional dishes such as salteñas and api.
See optionsRiver & boat tours
Boat tours on Lake Titicaca, including trips to Isla del Sol, are notable water-based activities.
See optionsDay trips
Day trips from La Paz to Copacabana, Isla del Sol, and nearby hiking routes are common options.
See optionsFamily activities
Family-friendly options include gentle hikes near La Paz and accessible salt flat tours.
See optionsTransfers & practical travel
Airport to La Paz city center transfers and bus connections to Uyuni are essential logistics.
See optionsTrip-planning notes
A short guide to Bolivia
What should you book ahead in Bolivia?
For major landmarks, limited-capacity museums and popular day trips, advance booking is usually the safest option in Bolivia — the queues at headline sites in peak season are real, and the cheapest timed slots tend to sell out first. Anything ticketed where the visit depends on a specific date or time should be locked in two to four weeks ahead when possible.
What can usually wait until you arrive?
Neighbourhood wandering, casual food stops and most flexible sightseeing rarely need to be booked in advance. The same goes for transport you only commit to once you've seen the weather and the queues. Leave room in the itinerary for the small discoveries — they're often what people remember a year later.
Tickets, guided tours or passes?
Single tickets work when you know what you want and you're happy to navigate independently. Guided tours buy you context — useful at sites where the story matters more than the views. Multi-attraction passes only make sense when you'll genuinely use three or more included tickets in the time window. Do the maths before you buy.
A simple first-trip plan
Morning at the headline landmark with a skip-the-line ticket. Lunch in a neighbourhood you haven't planned. Afternoon at a museum or one guided walk. Evening at a relaxed viewpoint, food spot or short cruise. That single pattern, repeated across two or three days in Bolivia, handles 80% of a first visit without burning anyone out.
Quick answers
The short version
Direct answers to the questions most travellers actually ask before they book.
- Best things to do in Bolivia for first-time visitors
- First-time visitors should see the Uyuni Salt Flats via a 1- or 2-day tour, visit Copacabana and Isla del Sol from La Paz, and walk La Paz’s Sopocachi neighborhood combined with markets and museums.
- What should you book ahead in Bolivia?
- Book Uyuni Salt Flats tours especially in dry season, full-day trips to Copacabana and Isla del Sol during peak months, and Tiwanaku archaeological site tours well in advance.
- Best Bolivia experiences by travel style
- Families benefit from gentle hikes and accessible salt flat tours; couples enjoy Uyuni sunset trips and La Paz evening walks; culture lovers focus on museums and Tiwanaku; food enthusiasts seek markets in La Paz and local dishes like salteñas.
- How to choose tours and tickets in Bolivia
- Guided tours add value in remote areas like Uyuni and Tiwanaku, providing transport and expertise, while standalone tickets suit city museums and markets where independent timing is possible.
- Simple first-trip plan for Bolivia
- A practical plan: day one in La Paz museums and markets, day two on the Copacabana and Isla del Sol day trip, day three on a short Uyuni Salt Flat tour or local hike near La Paz.
Compare booking partners
Compare more Bolivia tours and tickets
Each partner has a different sweet spot. Use this as a shortcut to the right catalogue for what you're trying to book.
Headout
Best for La Paz city tours
Headout offers convenient bookings for La Paz neighborhood and museum tours with flexible cancelation.
Browse HeadoutGetYourGuide
Best for Uyuni Salt Flats tours
GetYourGuide provides extensive Uyuni multi-day tours and transfers with detailed descriptions and user reviews.
Browse GetYourGuideTiqets
Best for museum tickets in Bolivia
Tiqets specializes in timed-entry tickets for museums in La Paz, streamlining access to cultural sites.
Browse TiqetsViator
Best for day trips and variety
Viator offers a broad selection of day trips from La Paz including Copacabana and Tiwanaku with multiple operator options.
Browse ViatorFAQ
Frequently asked questions about Bolivia
- Visit between May and November for dry conditions that allow driving across the salt flats. December to April sees seasonal flooding that creates a reflective surface but restricts access.
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