How To Spend A Month In Bolivia
If you have a month to spend in Bolivia, this means you can enjoy ‘slow travel’ and spend a bit of extra time in each place.
You will also be able to visit the eastern lowlands, a relatively untravelled area of the country that includes hidden gems such as Torotoro National Park and Sucre.
Here is the complete one-month Bolivia backpacking itinerary:
| Days | Stop | Activities |
|---|---|---|
|
1-3 |
La Paz |
Walking Tour, Death Road |
|
4-6 |
Copacabana |
Lake Titicaca, Isla Del Sol |
|
7-10 |
Coroico |
Death Road, La Selva Wild Life Refuge |
|
11-14 |
Rurrenabaque |
Amazon Tour |
|
15-19 |
Cochabamba |
Torotoro National Park |
|
20-25 |
Sucre |
Walking Tour, Spanish Lessons |
|
26-29 |
Uyuni |
Salt Flats Tour |
|
30 |
Tupiza |
Trekking, Horseback riding |
1-Month Bolivia Itinerary
Days 1-3 - La Paz
La Paz is the thriving capital of Bolivia and your first stop on this one-month Bolivia itinerary. We recommend three days here to see the highlights.
Day 1 - Arrival
Whether you’re flying in from abroad, or taking a bus across the border from Peru, it’s always best to take your first day in Bolivia easy by checking in and adjusting to the altitude.
La Paz is 3640m above sea level and can be a shock to the system, especially if it’s your first time at high altitude.
Day 2 - La Paz Walking Tour, Cable Cars & Cholita Wrestling
For day 2 of this Bolivia itinerary, book yourself onto a Red Cap Walking Tour to explore the sprawl that is La Paz.
La Paz can be a nightmare to navigate, so a walking tour is a great way to get your bearings and see the highlights.
Red Cap offers numerous tours from the standard city centre exploration to foodie tours and even an organised cable car tour if you really can’t be bothered to plan that yourself.
Then in the evening, go and watch the famous Cholita wrestling.
To see these 3 days in more detail along with other options for extending to 5 days in La Paz, head to the post below:
Day 3 - Day Trip Outside Of La Paz
For your third day, it’s time to escape the city to experience the beautiful nature surrounding La Paz. You have several great day tours to choose from:
- Valley De Las Animas – The Valley of Souls, this is a strange and beautiful valley filled with impressive geological formations that are reminiscent of something from a Lord of the Ring’s movie. These formations were named by locals who thought the jagged rocks resembled petrified souls… spooky…!
Valley De La Luna – Another spectacular natural landscape just outside of the city, Valley de la Luna (Valley of the Moon), is less of a valley and more a maze of canyons, strange rock formations and giant spires jutting from the ground.
For more great ideas for what to do whilst in La Paz, check out the post below:
“Joe turned our fragmented ideas into a seamless itinerary. His expert advice saved us time, money, and stress – making our 3-month trip feel easy.”
Sam & Amy – 3 Months In South America
Planning a trip to
Struggling with any of this?
✔ Don’t know where to start planning
✔ Unsure how to pick the best route
✔ Spent hours researching… and still feeling lost
✔ Want freedom, not a rigid tour
✔ Don’t want to spend $5,000+ on a travel agent
You don’t have to figure it out solo.
I help travellers like you plan custom South America trips that are efficient, affordable, and totally personalised.
Days 4-6 - Copacabana
- Bus: La Paz to Copacabana (4h)
Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world at 3,810 metres above sea level.
The town of Copacabana on the Bolivian side is a small but pretty place filled with local markets and artisan restaurants, but it’s the lake itself that is the must-see.
Fun activities include walking up to the summit of Cerro Calvario to get beautiful views of the lake and taking a boat tour to Isla del Sol, the largest island on the lake. You can easily arrange tours through your accommodation or head down to the pier to book.
Day 7-10 - Coroico
- Bus: Copacabana to La Paz (4h)
- Bus: La Paz to Corioco (2h)
An efficieny way to get yourself from La Paz to Corioco is to book onto a Death Road Tour.
The tours start in La Paz and ride down the ‘Yungas Road’, ending in Corioco. So once you finish the tour, you can just stay in the town.
Day 8 - Death Road
Death Road is the main highway that connected La Paz to the north of Bolivia.
The narrow winding road carved into the cliff face has been the scene of hundreds of fatal accidents over the years.
Fortunately, the government built a new road for trucks and buses in 2006, and Death Road is now mainly used for tourism.
Riding down the newly built highway is exhilarating as you reach high speeds. Then riding down the old Death Road is more challenging but still great fun.
You stop several times on the way to take in the incredible views of the valley and take pictures underneath the waterfalls that are falling down onto the road from the cliffs above.
Day 9-10 - Corioco
The jungle own of Coroico is the perfect place to relax for a couple of days and escape from the high-altitude chill of La Paz.
Although the area has some fun activities such as hiking and ziplining, I recommend taking the time to chill, sit by the pool with a beer and enjoy the subtropical climate.
One place I recommend checking out is the La Senda Verde Animal Refuge which has helped to rescue and care for hundreds of wild animals that have been affected by illegal animal trafficking and deforestation.
The refuge is home to over 60 species including monkeys, bears, jaguars and many birds of paradise.
Day 11 - Rurrenabaque
- Bus: Corioco to Rurrenabaque (20+ hours)
Your next step on this one-month Bolivia itinerary is to visit the Amazon Rainforest. To do that you need to get to the town of Rurrenabaque, which is where most Amazon tours start.
You can either return to La Paz and fly (a short 20-minute flight) or take the overnight bus from Corioco to get to Rurrenabaque.
Flying From La Paz To Rurrenabaque
Return flights from La Paz cost anywhere between $100-200 if booking yourself. Although make sure you read our Amazon Tour guide for tips on how to find great package deals.
The flight takes around 30 minutes, and you will be treated to some fantastic views as you fly over the snow-covered mountains of La Paz followed by the rivers of the Amazon.
All flights to the Amazon are via a small plane (60 seaters) so just a word of warning if you are a nervous flyer, you can feel the turbulence more on these things and bad weather can cause them to be delayed or cancelled – although both of our flights were fine.
The main company to book with is Amaszonas.
Taking the Bus From Corioco To Rurrenabaque
This bus takes around 20 hours and travels along the old Death Road – great for budget travellers as it’s cheap but we know which one we would choose. The journey is a bumpy one.
Book at the Coroico bus terminal just downhill from the main plaza. Daily buses depart towards Rurrenabaque and cost 120 BOB ($17).
Day 12-14 - Amazon Tour
Visiting the Amazon in Bolivia is much cheaper and easier compared to other countries in South America.
The standard Amazon tour is 3 days and two nights, and you will be picked up in Rurrenabaque. On the tour, your days will be spent on a longboat winding through the tributaries of the Amazon searching for caimans, anacondas, and exotic birds.
There are two types of tours to choose from. The Pampas tour sticks to the rivers and you see a lot more animals. The jungle tour takes you into the actual Amazon rainforest where you will learn more about the plants and tribes.
I recommend the Pampas tour as you see a lot more wildlife.
My complete guide to booking an amazon tour and getting to Rurrenabaque can be found here:
“Joe turned our fragmented ideas into a seamless itinerary. His expert advice saved us time, money, and stress – making our 3-month trip feel easy.”
Sam & Amy – 3 Months In South America
Planning a trip to
Struggling with any of this?
✔ Don’t know where to start planning
✔ Unsure how to pick the best route
✔ Spent hours researching… and still feeling lost
✔ Want freedom, not a rigid tour
✔ Don’t want to spend $5,000+ on a travel agent
You don’t have to figure it out solo.
I help travellers like you plan custom South America trips that are efficient, affordable, and totally personalised.
Day 15 - Cochabamba
- Bus: La Paz to Cochabamba (8-9h)
Cochabamba is best used as a base to escape into the wild Bolivian landscapes surrounding the town.
There isn’t much to do here accept organise your bag and plan the next day’s journey to Bolivia’s Jurassic Park – Torotoro National Park.
Hostal Running Chaski is the best hostel in town, with bunkbeds dorms, private rooms and free breakfast. The staff spoke great English and were incredibly helpful.
They gave us a guide to Torotoro National Park, helped us book taxis and also let us leave our big bags in their locker for when we visited the park.
Read our city guide for more activity and restaurant recommendations:
Day 16-18 - Torotoro National park
Famous for its incredibly well-preserved fossils and dinosaur footprints, surreal rock formations and sprawling network of underground caves, this national park has something for nature lovers and natural history nerds alike.
You can only reach the park from Cochabamba and it’s a 4-5-hour via mini-bus. The town is small and is mainly used as a base for trekking into the park. On the day you arrive, you can take it easy and get your bearings.
Then for days 17 and 18 you can book on to tours into the national park. There are three main tours you can book which range from taking you bouldering in the underground caves, to trekking through deep canyons in search of waterfalls and dinosaur footprints.
For more on the best tours and how to get to the park, check out our full guide to visiting Torotoro National Park:
Days 20-25 - Sucre
- Bus: Cochabamba to Sucre (8-9h)
Known as Bolivia’s ‘White City’, the beautiful colonial-era architecture of Sucre and its warm climate make it a wonderful place to visit.
Take two of your days here to enjoy the artisan cafes, amazing chocolate shops and beautiful views of the colonial-era buildings and terracotta rooftops. It’s also the perfect place for a night out with lots of lively bars catering for the university student population.
We’ve turned this part of this one month Bolivia itinerary into an extended stay because Sucre is one of the best and cheapest places in South America for language schools.
With group classes costing on average $5 and private lessons c.$8, many people end up extending their stay in Sucre for longer to continue learning.
Me Gusta Spanish School have a variety of classes on offer and a group class (20 hours) for one-week costs 700BOB
For more great things to do in Sucre including the best bars and restaurants, check out our complete Sucre city guide:
Day 26 - Uyuni
- Bus: Sucre to Uyuni (9-10h)
Unfortunately, another long bus is needed to get to your next destination. Best to try and take an early morning bus so you get to Uyuni for the early afternoon or a night bus if you prefer.
Then you can spend your first day in Uyuni booking onto a tour for the next day and organising your stuff for the epic adventure out on the salt flats starting the next morning. It’s best to book a salt flat tour in person rather than online so that you can haggle and find the best price.
For more articles like this on other great countries in South America and why you should visit them, head to the posts below:
Days 27-28 - Uyuni Salt Flats Tour
We are nearing the end of this epic one-month Bolivia itinerary, and topping it off with one of the best tours in all of South America.
The Uyuni Salt Flats tour is two incredible days of exploring one of the most surreal landscapes in the world. Day one of the tour is spent on the actual salt flats taking the all-important perspective and reflection photos before spending a night in the famous salt hotel.
Day 2 takes you out onto the high-altitude desert to see even wilder landscapes such as volcanoes, geysers, and beautiful high-altitude lakes full of flamingos.
Everything you need to know about the town of Uyuni and booking a Salt Flats tour can be found in our guide:
“Joe turned our fragmented ideas into a seamless itinerary. His expert advice saved us time, money, and stress – making our 3-month trip feel easy.”
Sam & Amy – 3 Months In South America
Planning a trip to
Struggling with any of this?
✔ Don’t know where to start planning
✔ Unsure how to pick the best route
✔ Spent hours researching… and still feeling lost
✔ Want freedom, not a rigid tour
✔ Don’t want to spend $5,000+ on a travel agent
You don’t have to figure it out solo.
I help travellers like you plan custom South America trips that are efficient, affordable, and totally personalised.
Day 29 - Travel to Chile, La Paz or Northern Argentina
The salt flats tour will drop you off in the Atacama Desert on the morning of the third day or take you back to Uyuni for the late afternoon.
So, after the Salt Flat tour finishes, you have several options to choose from for where to travel next:
- Return To Uyuni then travel to La Paz
- Return to Uyuni, then travel to Tupiza before crossing the border to Argentina
- Travel into Chile and to the Atacama Desert
Option 1 – Return To Uyuni Then Travel To La Paz
On the final day of the salt flats tour, you have the option to return to Uyuni or get dropped off at the Chilean border.
The return journey to Uyuni takes around 8-9 hours and there are a couple of stops along the way, but most of the day is spent driving.
If you have return flights booked from La Paz to your home destination, then this is the best option for you.
Once you return to Uyuni you can take an overnight bus or a short 1-hour flight to get back to La Paz.
Option 2 – Return To Uyuni Then Travel To Tupiza
If you are on a longer South America backpacking itinerary, then you may wish to travel to North Argentina instead of Chile.
If you want to do this, then you need to return to Uyuni on the last day of the tour. From Uyuni, you then need to take a bus (4 hours) to the town of
Tupiza is close to the north Argentina border and you can spend a day or two here.
Tupiza is known as the wild west of Bolivia, and this small town is famous for its incredible red coloured cliffs and canyons which are full of great trekking routes.
Then from Tupiza, it’s a 1-hour journey to the border at Villazon, and once you’ve crossed the border, it’s another short journey to the first town you will want to check out in Argentina – Humahuaca.
For more on Tupiza and the town across the border Humahuaca, check out our guides below:
Option 3 – Travel To Chile
As mentioned, on the final morning of the Salt Flats tour, you can be dropped off at the Chilean border.
From here you take a 45-minute bus to the town of San Pedro De Atacama. If you are continuing to travel around South America, and Chile is your next destination then this is the best option. The Atacama Desert is also an incredible place worth exploring.
For more on Atacama and how to turn your visit to Bolivia into a longer itinerary with more countries, check out the posts below:
How Many Days Do You Need In Bolivia?
Bolivia is one of the smallest and least travelled country in South America, so travellers tend to spend less time there.
Here are my recommendations:
| How Many Days In Bolivia? | What Can You See In This Time? | Perfect For... |
|---|---|---|
|
1 Week |
La Paz and Uyuni |
People coming for the Salt Flats mostly |
|
10 Days |
La Paz, Copacabana and Uyuni |
People who want to see the highlights on a fast schedule |
|
2 Weeks |
La Paz, Copacabana, the Amazon and Uyuni |
People who want to see the Amazon |
|
3 Weeks |
La Paz, Copacabana, the Amazon, Sucre and Uyuni |
Same as previous itinerary but at a slower pace |
|
1 Month |
The whole country |
People who want to do a deep dive and see everything! |
Bolivia is one of the smallest and least travelled countries in South America, so travellers tend to spend less time there.
You need 7 days minimum in Bolivia to make the necessary trip to the highlights of La Paz and the Uyuni Salt Flats.
However, 10-14 days is ideal to fit in a trip to the Amazon and Lake Titicaca and give yourself a bit of extra time in each place so you aren’t rushing.
Three weeks is the perfect amount of time in Bolivia to tick off the highlights whilst giving yourself a little extra time in each city and without having to rush.
Check out our three week Bolivia itinerary here if you don’t have a full month to spare:
How Much Does A Month In Bolivia Cost?
With everything included, hostels, food and activities, you should budget between $28-40 day whilst in Bolivia.
For an entire month in Bolivia, budget travellers should take $800.
Flashpackers who prefer private rooms and eating out once a day at a restaurant rather than a market should aim for $1100.
| Expense | Average Cost (Per Day) | Monthly Spend |
|---|---|---|
|
Accommodation |
$6 – 9 |
$180 – 270 |
|
Food |
$5 – 8 |
$150 – 240 |
|
Transport |
$2 – 3 |
$60 – 90 |
|
Activities |
$15 – 20 |
$370 – 470 |
|
Total |
$28 – 40 |
$760 – 1070 |
Remember that the popular tours like Uyuni and the Amazon will add to your expenses (but these have been factored into the table above).
Here’s a rough estimate of what they cost:
- Uyuni Salt Flats Tour (3 Days) – $100-$150
- Flights and 3 Day Amazon Trip – $150-200
For more information on the cost of food, accommodation and transport in Bolivia and South America, head to the posts below:
“Joe turned our fragmented ideas into a seamless itinerary. His expert advice saved us time, money, and stress – making our 3-month trip feel easy.”
Sam & Amy – 3 Months In South America
Planning a trip to
Struggling with any of this?
✔ Don’t know where to start planning
✔ Unsure how to pick the best route
✔ Spent hours researching… and still feeling lost
✔ Want freedom, not a rigid tour
✔ Don’t want to spend $5,000+ on a travel agent
You don’t have to figure it out solo.
I help travellers like you plan custom South America trips that are efficient, affordable, and totally personalised.
