If you’re going to Bolivia to see the Uyuni Salt Flats but you’re not sure what to do after that, let us help take the stress out of planning your trip. This 2-week Bolivia itinerary will show you all the best things to do in Bolivia, in what order you should do them, and how to get around between cities!
This Bolivia Itinerary includes:
- The best things do in Bolivia
- Where to stay in Bolivia
- The best way to travel between cities
- How to get a visa on arrival at the airport
I really wish I’d had something like this when planning my trip, so I wanted to share it with you!
Things To Know Before You Go
- If you’re a US citizen, you need a visa to enter Bolivia. It’s relatively easy to get a visa on arrival at the airport, but you need to be prepared and bring the proper paperwork with you. Scroll down to the bottom of this post for everything you need to get your visa on arrival in Bolivia.
- Cell Service — If you want to stay connected in Bolivia, you can get a SIM card from an Entel Multicentro store. There are locations all over Bolivia. You will need to show your passport. They will install the SIM card and set up the plan for you. They offer multiple plans. I got a 5 GB data plan for around $30 USD. It’s valid for 30 days. I was super impressed with how good the cell service in Bolivia was!! Make sure your phone is unlocked before you leave the United States.
- Always make sure to ask the price of a taxi before you get in, and never accept the first offer. Always have cash for the taxis, and since you agree on the price beforehand, tipping is not customary.
- Is it safe? Yes! Bolivia is very safe. No one bothered us in Bolivia. We didn’t run into very many panhandlers and no one approached us trying to get us to buy a selfie stick or go in their restaurant.
- Bring toilet paper with you everywhere you go. I brought 2 rolls from the United States and I used all of one roll and most of the second!
- Have headache medicine on hand in case of altitude sickness.
- When you first arrive in Bolivia, you can exchange money at the airport in La Paz. The exchange rate was very good. There was a huge line at the money exchange booth at baggage claim, but after you exit baggage claim there is another booth on the other side and there was no line.
12-Day Bolivia Itinerary
Day 1 — La Paz
From the United States we first flew to Lima, Peru. Flights from the United States generally arrive to Lima late in the evening, and the next flight to La Paz wasn’t until the next morning. We booked our ticket to Lima with a US airline, then booked our flight to La Paz separately with Peruvian Airlines. There are short, 1-hour flights from La Paz to Uyuni for the salt flats tour.
We arrived to La Paz around mid-day, checked into hotel, then spent the afternoon exploring. A taxi from the airport to La Paz center should cost 70 bolivianos.
See this post for: The Bests Things to Do in La Paz
Where to Stay: Hotel Presidente
Day 2 — Uyuni
We arrived by flight to the Uyuni airport around mid-morning. The airport very small, but there will be a few taxis waiting to take you into town. You might share with someone. There is not much to do in Uyuni itself. We grabbed an empanada from the main square (near the clock tower) for lunch. There’s a small outdoor market on the street.
We were looking for something to do in the afternoon, so our hotel suggested to visit some local hot springs. We thought they were only 20-30 minutes away. But after an hour in a taxi we finally arrived and the hot springs were a total letdown. The pool is man-made with a wall around it so there’s no view, and the water doesn’t circulate so it was really dirty and a bit gross. We didn’t get in.
My recommendation is to just relax for the afternoon. You’ll see hot springs the next day on your 3-day Uyuni Salt Flats Tour.
How To Get To Uyuni:
There are two flights a day from La Paz to Uyuni with BoA (Boliviana de Aviación). We took the morning flight. When we went (March 2018) the price of the ticket was $137 USD one way.
Alternatively you can take an overnight, 11-hour bus from La Paz for around $15-$25 USD. There are bathrooms on the bus and supposedly on some buses the seats lie flat.
You can purchase bus tickets online from ticketsbolivia.com.
See this post for: More info on Uyuni, visiting the salt flats, and restaurant recommendations.
Where to Stay: La Petite Porte
Day 3 — Uyuni Salt Flats Tour
The next morning we left at 7 AM for our 3-day Uyuni Salt Flats Tour with Bolivia Trip Tours. For the next 3 days / 2 night everything is taken care of on the tour including all meals and accomodations.
See this post for: More pictures of everything you’ll see and do on the tour.
Where to Stay: Your lodging is included with the tour at the Tayka del Desierto hotel.
Day 4 — Uyuni Salt Flats Tour
Another full day exploring the devastating beauty of the Bolivian desert.
See this post for: Tips for what to bring on your 3-Day Uyuni Salt Flats Tour.
Where to Stay: Your lodging is included with the tour at the Tayka de Piedra hotel.
Day 5 — Uyuni
This is the day you’ll actually visit the salt flats. The tour arrives back to Uyuni around 5 PM. We spent the night in Uyuni and left for Potosi the next day.
See this post for: Everything You Need To Know About Visiting The Uyuni Salt Flats.
Where to Stay: La Petite Porte
Day 6 — Potosi
Potosi is on the way from Uyuni to Sucre. It’s right in the middle. You can go directly from Uyuni to Sucre, but it’s about 8 hours by bus. We decided to cut the trip in half and spend one night in Potosi.
How to Get To Potosi:
The best way to go to Potosi from Uyuni is by bus. It’s around $9 USD per person and takes around 4 hours on a very recently paved highway. The buses leave Uyuni every day at 7:30 AM, 8:00 AM, and 4:30 PM. You can purchase bus tickets online from ticketsbolivia.com.
See this post for: Best Things to Do in Potosi, Bolivia
Where to Stay: We stayed at Hotel Santa Teresa, although this was not my favorite place we stayed in Bolivia. The rooms and bedding were very old (think old floral motel comforter) and the breakfast was very light — although they did have freshly squeezed orange and pineapple juice, that was basically it. The room did have a nice view and they arranged a private taxi for us to Sucre the next day. It was fine for one night.
Day 7 — Sucre
Sucre is the capital of Bolivia and the historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We arrived to Sucre around lunchtime and spent the afternoon exploring and setting up our hike the next day. One afternoon is enough time to see all the highlights in Sucre.
How to Get To Sucre:
You can take a taxi from Potosi to Sucre for 150 bolivianos (about $20 USD).
See this post for: Best Things To Do in Sucre
Where to Stay: Hotel de Su Merced
Day 8 — Maragua Crater Hike
From Sucre you can take an overnight hike to the Maragua Crater. It’s a challenging hike, but the scenery is gorgeous. Visit the Condor Trekkers tour office (one block from the main square in Sucre) the day before you want to go to book the tour.
See this post for: Everything you need to know about the Maragua Crater Hike
Where to Stay: Overnight accommodations provided on the hike.
Day 9 — Sucre
The hike arrives back to Sucre around 3-4 PM. We were exhausted so we didn’t do much the rest of the day except have dinner.
See this post for: Where to Eat in Sucre
Where to Stay: Hotel de Su Merced
Day 10 — Copacabana
The next morning we took a flight from Sucre to La Paz. You can take a 12-hour overnight bus, but the 1-hour flight with BoA (Boliviana de Aviación) was only $40 USD, so we definitely opted to fly.
Sucre Airport Note!
The Sucre airport on Google Maps is NOT correct if you just Google “Sucre airport”! I started having the biggest panic attack of my life when after about 20 minutes of driving, I noticed our taxi driver was going in the OPPOSITE direction. He assured me he was taking me to the new airport, but I was so nervous until we actually got there. Thankfully, he was right. Good thing he knew where he was going, lol! The new airport for Sucre is Alcantari International Airport.
How to Get to Copacabana:
We landed at the La Paz El Alto airport around noon. From the airport it takes around 3.5 to 4 hours to get to Copacabana. You can take a bus, but you can’t get a bus directly from the airport. You have to take a taxi to the bus station in El Alto on Avenida Juan Pablo II, then take a bus from there. I couldn’t find bus schedules online. I wanted to get to Copacabana in time to do the Cerro Calvario hike before sunset.
We decided to take a taxi directly from the La Paz airport to Copacabana. After trying our skills at haggling with 3 different taxis, no one would go under 700 bolivianos ($100 USD) for the 4 hour drive. Seems a bit ridiculous since the taxi from Potosi to Sucre was the same distance (4 hours) and only cost 150 bolivianos. I really wanted to just get there, so we paid the fare. If you decide to go this route, make sure to confirm the fee for the Tiquina ferry is included! It’s not much at all, but for 700 bolivianos, they can at least include the ferry.
See this post for: What to do in Copacabana
Where to Stay: Hotel Rosario Lago Titicaca
Day 11 — Isla del Sol Day Trip
Take a day trip to visit the Isla del Sol. This is one of my favorite memories from Bolivia, just spending a warm, sunny day hiking around a tiny island in the middle of the highest lake in the world!
See this post for: How to take a day trip to the Isla del Sol
Where to Stay: Hotel Rosario Lago Titicaca
Day 12 — La Paz
I really, really wanted to spend one more day in Copacabana. The weather was so nice, and the lake was so beautiful! After traveling nonstop for almost 2 weeks, a relaxing day at the lake would’ve been so nice. Also I felt like we didn’t get to really explore Copacabana itself. We got there late in the afternoon, immediately did the hike until sunset, had dinner, went to bed, then spent all day the next day on the island.
I think even just spending the morning there and taking an afternoon bus back to La Paz would’ve been enough, but we also really wanted to get back to La Paz in time to do the walking tour… So we took a 9 AM bus back La Paz and got there just in time to do the 2 PM walking tour after dropping our luggage off at the hotel. By the way, the bus was around 20-30 bolivianos per person ($3 to $5 USD) — much better than the taxi!
How to Get to La Paz from Copacabana:
When you return from Isla del Sol you’ll be dropped off right in front of the main street in Copacabana (Av 6 de Agosto). As you walk up the street from the beach, you’ll immediately see many, many bus companies offering buses to La Paz. They have big signs with the bus schedule right out front. Most buses leave Copacabana at 1:30 PM, but we did find one that left at 9 AM to get us back to La Paz in time for the walking tour.
See this post for: Tips for Copacabana
Where to Stay: Hotel Presidente
Day 13 — Depart La Paz
How to Get a Visa On Arrival
at the La Paz Airport
If you’re a US citizen, you need a visa to enter Bolivia. But there’s no need to send off your passport. If you have all the proper paperwork, you can get a visa on arrival at the La Paz airport. This is how it worked when I was there in April 2018:
What You Need to Get a Visa On Arrival
- A photocopy of your passport
- Copies of your hotel reservations for every night in Bolivia
- Copies of your flight confirmations all the way back to the United States (not just from Bolivia to another country in South America, for example)
- $160 USD in new, crisp, unmarked $20 bills
When you get to customs go to the line all the way to the left. The passport control stations are numbered. The visa on arrival line is the one to the left of #1. The agents were very friendly, helpful, and laid back. They didn’t go over my paperwork or bills with a fine-tooth comb. As long as you have everything, you’ll be fine!
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Hi Amanda, was the weather ok the whole time? What were your travel dates? I plan to go in May and am curious if it’s a good time to go.
We were there end of March/beginning of April. We had great weather the entire 2 weeks! Have a great trip!! :)
Sounds like a great trip! We are following a similar route soon. How was the bus from Uyuni to Potosi? Once you reached Potosi was it easy to get to the centre? I’ve read it’s a 30 minute taxi ride out. Thanks
We actually took a very expensive taxi from Uyuni to Potosi because we didn’t know about the bus! If I could do it again, I would take the bus. In our experiences, the buses in Bolivia were totally fine. Have a great trip! :)
What a great post. We’re planning 3 or 4 weeks in Bolivia this summer (coming from Cuenca, Ecuador, where we live) and you gave a great guideline. Thanks,Teresa
Have a great trip!!
This is wonderful. It is amazing to see someone make such a long itinerary in Bolivia. I’ll keep on coming back here for inspiration.
Oh my gosh. Just love to read about your travels and see your pictures. I learn so much from you.