The highland circuit
The classic route links three places. La Paz is where most visitors land, a city of cable cars, markets and mountain views at around 3,600 metres. A few hours away by road, Lake Titicaca offers the lakeside town of Copacabana and the walking trails of the Isla del Sol. Far to the south, the Salar de Uyuni is the largest salt flat on earth and the start of multi-day jeep journeys to flamingo lagoons and geysers.
The valleys
Lower and milder, Sucre is Bolivia's constitutional capital, a whitewashed colonial city that many travellers use for Spanish lessons and a rest from the altitude. The silver mining city of Potosí sits between Sucre and Uyuni and makes a natural stop on the way.
The lowlands
Santa Cruz is the country's largest and fastest growing city, with a warm climate, a modern airport and easy access to the cloud forest village of Samaipata, the Jesuit missions of Chiquitos and Amboró National Park.
Putting it together
With ten days, combine La Paz, the lake and the salt flats. With two weeks, add Sucre and Potosí. With three weeks, fly to Santa Cruz or the Amazon town of Rurrenabaque for a complete change of scene. Our free trip planner helps you pace the altitude and the long distances, and the places to visit list has our picks in each base.