🇧🇴 Bolivia · Travel Guide
La Paz Travel Guide
The world’s highest capital — cable cars over a canyon city and the gateway to Uyuni.
La Paz is like nowhere else — the world’s highest administrative capital, spilling down a dramatic Andean canyon at around 3,650m, with a network of cable cars (Mi Teleférico) gliding over the rooftops. It’s a raw, vivid, high-altitude city of markets, street food and Aymara culture, and the launchpad for Bolivia’s bucket-list sights: the Uyuni salt flats, Lake Titicaca and the Death Road. Take the altitude seriously and it rewards you richly.
Plan my free La Paz itinerary📅 Best time
May–October is the dry season and the best time to visit, with clear skies — and the prime window for the Uyuni salt flats (the mirror effect needs the wet season, roughly December–March, which is trickier for travel). Nights are cold year-round at this altitude.
💷 Daily budget
$35–70 a day — Bolivia is one of South America’s best-value countries, with cheap food, transport and guesthouses.
🗓️ Ideal length
2–3 days to acclimatise and see the city, as the base for Uyuni and Lake Titicaca.
💱 Currency
Boliviano (BOB) — Bolivia is very affordable; carry cash, as cards are accepted only in larger hotels and restaurants.
🗣️ Language
Spanish, with Aymara and Quechua widely spoken; English is limited, so some Spanish or a translation app helps.
Is La Paz safe?
General safety
The single biggest issue is the altitude, not crime — acclimatise slowly, rest on arrival and go easy on alcohol. Beyond that, use normal city sense: petty theft and the occasional taxi scam are the main risks, so use radio taxis or a trusted app and keep valuables out of sight.
Solo female travellers
Manageable for solo women with sensible caution — La Paz is busy and used to travellers, but it’s a big Andean city, so use registered radio taxis (not random street cabs), avoid quiet areas after dark, and keep valuables discreet. The altitude affects everyone, so plan a gentle first day.
LGBTQ+ travellers
Bolivia legally recognises same-sex civil unions (since a 2020 ruling) and relations are legal, but society is conservative and Catholic. La Paz is the most tolerant part of the country; same-sex travellers are comfortable keeping a low profile, with public affection best kept discreet.
Safety guidance is general and can change — always check your government’s latest travel advice before you go.
Top things to do in La Paz
- Riding the Mi Teleférico cable cars over the canyon
- The Witches’ Market and the bustling street life
- The eerie rock formations of Valle de la Luna
- The launchpad for the Uyuni salt flats and Lake Titicaca
- Coca tea and a slow first day to beat the altitude
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Getting around & essentials
The Mi Teleférico cable-car network is the star — cheap, quick and a sight in itself, gliding over the canyon between La Paz and El Alto. Use registered radio taxis otherwise. El Alto International Airport (LPB) is one of the highest in the world, so you arrive already at altitude — take it easy.
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Plan my trip — freeLa Paz FAQs
Is La Paz safe for solo female travellers?
It’s manageable with sensible city caution — use registered radio taxis rather than random street cabs, avoid quiet areas after dark, and keep valuables out of sight. The bigger challenge for everyone is the altitude, so plan a gentle first day to acclimatise.
How do you deal with the altitude in La Paz?
La Paz sits around 3,650m and you fly into an even higher airport, so acclimatise slowly: rest on arrival, drink plenty of water, go easy on alcohol, and try coca tea, which locals use for the altitude. See a doctor about altitude medication before you travel if you’re concerned.
How do you get from La Paz to the Uyuni salt flats?
Most travellers take an overnight bus or a short domestic flight to the town of Uyuni, then join a multi-day 4x4 tour of the salt flats. La Paz is the usual base for arranging it.
Is La Paz worth visiting?
Yes — the cable-car city in its Andean canyon is unlike anywhere else, with vivid markets, Aymara culture and dramatic scenery, and it’s the natural base for Bolivia’s highlights. Just respect the altitude.
Beyond La Paz: top places in Bolivia
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