“Superlative in its natural beauty, rugged, vexing, complex and slightly nerve-racking, Bolivia is one of South America’s most diverse and intriguing nations.
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lonely planet
Bolivia is one of the most amazing and interesting countries in South America. While economically poor, it is rich in nature and outdoor experiences. It has well-trodden tourist sights with incredible diversity, including La Paz (the highest elevation national capital in the world), Lake Titicaca, the Andes Mountains, and the jungle. Yet the country is one of the least visited in South America, getting only 1/6th the number of visitors as its neighbor Argentina. We’ll visit all these locations on this Bolivia tour as we kayak, cycle, hike, and raft our way through the country.
Bolivia Tour Highlights
We truly do visit all of the amazing locations listed above. All are within a reasonable drive of La Paz. Yet the diversity is incredible – from city to mountains to jungle to desert.
La Paz itself is an enchanting city full of Spanish colonial architecture mixed with indigenous Bolivian culture. In fact, Bolivia has the highest percentage of indigenous people out of any country in South America. We’ll learn about local customs, eat local food, and meet many indigenous people on this tour.
Lake Titicaca is famous as a tourist destination in Peru but almost half the lake and much of the shoreline is actually in Bolivia. We’ll kayak on the lake and hike along its shores. We spend a night in the foothills of the Andes and hike up one of the local peaks. We visit the edge of the rain forest and raft down a (moderate, class III) river. We even have an optional last-day visit to Tiwanaku, a UNESCO world heritage site, if your plane flight allows.
Your Guide
Allan is Zephyr’s owner and founder and has been running adventure vacations around the world since 1997. Allan is a native of Seattle and has lived in eleven cities in four countries on three continents. His visit list is up to 66 countries – as of this writing!
“Allan’s passion for creating an active travel company that is centered around the participants’ wants and needs clearly shows.”
Our Activities
We hike (multiple days) plus kayak, bicycle, and river raft (one day each) on this Adventure. Most of these activities are designed to accommodate travelers of various ability levels and you can always opt out of any specific activity. After all, spending a day relaxing at our hotel or walking the streets of town can be a fantastic break in the schedule. So if there is one activity that just doesn’t appeal to you, feel free to skip it!
At the same time, this Bolivia tour is active and you should be able to hike 4 – 8 miles over rough terrain at a moderate pace. You should be in reasonably good shape.
Altitude
You will fly into the La Paz airport, at 13,325 feet the highest international airport in the world. La Paz itself is at roughly 11,975 feet. This is higher than Breckenridge or Vail in Colorado and you will feel the effects. The key is to stay hydrated, take pain relievers if you get a headache, and don’t do much the first few days you are in the country. You will likely fly into La Paz the day before the tour and we only have a walking tour on our first tour day.
We do have experience with high altitude, including treks in Tibet, on the Inca Trail in Peru, and up Mount Kilimanjaro. We are conservative in how we approach altitude (i.e. we focus on acclimatization) and have had a great success rate on these tours. Hundreds of thousands of people fly into Bolivia every year and do just fine. We’ll discuss this more in your Pre-Departure Packet of information we provide as well as on the first day of the tour.
Bolivia Tour Exploratory Adventure
This is an Exploratory Adventure for two reasons. One is that while Bolivia has a wealth of sights, it receives far fewer tourists than its neighbors and this lack of crowds means things can and do go wrong. Road closures, flat tires, changing restaurant hours – you need to be a patient traveler to succeed in Bolivia. We will also be ensconced within the local culture in terms of Bolivian food and accommodations. The food is based on the traditional Inca and Aymara peoples and features corn, potatoes, quinoa, and beans. The accommodations range from luxurious to simple and include one overnight in basic, community-owned lodging. This is a very real adventure.
Secondly, this will be our first trip to Bolivia; while we work with an outstanding local operator, we have not ironed out all the fine points of this Bolivia tour. We have run Exploratory Adventures before and it is exactly this lack of refinement that appeals to some travelers. You will be the pioneers on this tour and we’ll involve you in the decisions our local and American guides make as we go. You’ll have the opportunity to weigh in on changes to the itinerary, both on the spot and for future tours. You’ll get an unfiltered look at Bolivia and its people. So if you are a seasoned traveler, tolerant of local cultures, and easygoing about the difficulties that travel sometimes offers, this is the tour for you. Learn more about the Exploratory Adventures >
For a truly exciting Bolivia tour, join us in 2026 on this Multisport Exploratory Adventure.
Private Tours
Choose your own date with your own private group of as few as four participants! Private tours of fewer than 8 people will not include an American guide but will be led by our local Bolivian guide.
Start planning your private tourDetails
- Dates: August 18 - 25, 2026
- Cost Per Person: $4,400
- Single Supplement: $500
- Private Tour Minimum: 4
- Activities: Hiking, Kayaking, Biking, River Rafting, and Cultural Visits
- Difficulty: Moderate
Other Info: > There is an additional cost of $175 for the optional Tiwanaku excursion on the final day.
> We are not able to offer Private Adventures for Bolivia until after the Exploratory Adventure has run.
Trip Highlights
- Walk with a lustrabota guide through El Paz, actual shoeshine boys hired to show the real aspects of this amazing city
- Kayak on the waters of Lake Titicaca, considered the highest navigable lake in the world
- Spend a day in the village of Tuni and get to know the traditions and customs of the local Aymara people
- Hike to the Chiarkhota lagoon in the Cordillera Real, the Andean foothills, and continue up Pico Austria if you wish
- Raft down the Class III (moderate) Coroico River as it comes down out of the Andes and into the jungle
Day 1
We meet at our La Paz hotel in the morning for an exploration of the city. We hire a lustrabota, an actual shoeshine boy, to take us around and show us the real sights of La Paz, part of an economic development project to give marginalized locals opportunities in tourism. We pass by the Calle de Los Andes, street of the carnival costume makers; sample mate de coca leaves that are said to help adapt to the altitude; and visit the Mercado de Las Brujas market. We eat lunch at a basic stall in the market and then cross over to the historical district walking down Calle Jaen, one of the last colonial streets of the city, with its cobblestones and its colorful houses. We take a cable car ride to see the city from above and end our day with dinner in a local restaurant.
Day 2
We depart La Paz this morning for the small city of Copacabana, the main hub on the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca. No, this is not the famous Copacabana, neither the beach in Brazil nor the nightclub in New York City. Our route to our Copacabana takes us next to a mountain range, along the shores of the lake, and across a strait on a ferry. Once we arrive, we'll do a walking tour to explore the city and then hike up Cerro el Calvario (Calvary Hill) for views above the city. Lunch is included today but since we are right on the edge of town with many nearby restaurants, dinner is on your own.
Day 3
After breakfast we take a boat along the shores of Lake Titicaca. When we reach the sheltered bay of Sicuani, we disembark and get into kayaks for the paddle to the Isla del Sol. As we approach, we see and then get out to explore the stone ruins of Pilkokaina, ancient ruins of the Incans including the two-level Palacio del Inca, thought to be have constructed during the reign of Emperor Túpac Inca Yupanqui. After our visit, we get back into our kayaks to continue paddling along the shoreline to reach our hotel. Those interested can continue our paddle to Chinkana, another and much bigger set of ruins. According to Incan tradition, it was here the sun made its first appearance on earth. To reach our isolated hotel, we need to climb up 500 steps from the shoreline. Your bag will be carried by mules!
Day 4
In the morning we do a bit more exploration of Inca ruins. Our boat (not the kayaks) takes us to Inca de la Luna (Moon Island), much smaller and very sacred to the Incas. We visit Iñak Uyu, where Incan priestesses spent their lives in seclusion - sort of like a modern-day nunnery. We'll enjoy a traditional apthapi lunch, an Aymara celebration preserved through the centuries. We boat back to Copacabana and then depart the lake, heading for the tiny village of Tuni in the heart of the Cordillera Real mountains. This will be a very real experience where we will learn about life in an Aymara village in Bolivia. We can participate in daily tasks, which depending on the time of year can be harvesting potatoes or shearing llamas. We can even help with the cooking, the specialty being Huatia, cooking in an oven dug in the ground. Dinner tonight is with our local hosts.
Day 5
Today we depart for a hike in the Cordillera Real mountain range. Our vehicles drop us off at La Rinconada, well up a dirt road, where we begin our trek. We start along a gently ascending path, passing various lagoons and their bofedales, high-altitude peat bogs where llamas, donkeys, and sheep graze. After an hour's walk, we reach the Chiarkhota lagoon, where there are various refuges and base camps for climbing the various peaks in the massif. Those wishing to call it a day can do so here. Passing the lagoon, the path becomes steeper until it reaches a steep, rocky trail made of broken slate. We reach the first pass before continuing for another half-hour to the summit of Pico Austria. We're at 5320 meter or 17,454 feet! The views are exceptional. After a long hike down, we'll meet up with our driver and head back to our hotel in La Paz. Dinner tonight is on your own.
Day 6
After breakfast, we depart La Paz for La Cumbre, the start of our biking expedition. We will be on mountain bikes and on a paved or gravel road the entire time. Plus, it is all downhill as we go from the cooler heights of western Bolivia down to the warmth of the Yungas, the tropical forest. We lose an astonishing 3,400 meters or 11,150 feet on our day's ride. While this ride is colloquially called the Road of Death due to the many car accidents that happened in previous years, before a wider bypass road was built in the valley below, it is more like the Road of Descent for us. You do need to be a competent biker and should not be afraid of heights, as the road twists and turns down the mountain. Those who want can shorten the biking distance or even skip it entirely and just make your way via our luggage bus. After our ride, we shuttle to our forest lodge, the Uma Experience Hotel, in the outskirts of Coroico for well-deserved luxury and a nice dinner.
Day 7
All the rivers of the Amazon originate in the Andes mountains and we put on life vests and helmets and raft down the Coroico River this morning. A class II and class III (ie moderate) river, we'll get some thrills from rapids but also get to admire the surrounding forests and sub-mountains on our flanks. We'll have lunch after our river ride and then return to La Paz - our final night stay in our La Paz hotel. We will have our final dinner together as a group to celebrate a wonderful adventure.
Day 8
This morning the tour officially ends after breakfast. Flights from La Paz can be at all hours of the day. If you have a morning flight, you’ll want to go straight to the airport and we will arrange this transportation for the group. If you have an afternoon flight, we suggest you spend extra time in La Paz. If you have an evening flight, our suggestion is you book a spot on a group tour to Tiwanaku. Tiwanaku is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the most important pre-Columbian ruins in Bolivia. Tiwanaku was a spiritual and political center of the Andean world between 500 and 900 AD. Buildings were laid out according to spiritual beliefs, making the area one of the most important spiritual centers of the Inca empire. You can easily find such excursions on GetYourGuide.com by searching for Tiwanaku Town. You can wait to do this until we are in Bolivia together so you can see who else in the group is interested.
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Trip Accommodations
Bolivia is a special place but to really see the country, it is necessary to get off the main tourist track and into the local, indigenous villages that are the heart of the Bolivian people. And this means stay, some nights, at simple hotels. All our hotels are clean and with en suite bathrooms. We also try to alternate between rustic and luxury. We think the hotels we have chosen will be a huge part of your experience.
NIGHTS 1, 5, & 7: Hotel Rosario / La Paz
This three-star, highly-rated hotel is located in the center of the city, perfect for exploring. We are walking distance from most of the sights of the city. Yet you'll love the interior courtyards and your comfortable room when you need a respite from the activity. You can book extra nights at the hotel if you plan to arrive early or stay after the tour ends.
NIGHT 2: Hotel Las Olas / Copacabana
This simple hotel is located on a hill with a breathtaking view of Lake Titicaca. Our host, Martin, will warmly welcome us to his small oasis. Each cottage was individually designed by two local artists and built of local materials.The suites have a kitchenette, private bathroom, and a relaxation area with hammock. The hotel is located on a quiet edge of town, so easily walkable into the center.
NIGHT 3: Ecolodge La Estancia / La Isla del Sol
The ecolodge is built on an island in Lake Titicaca that we reach by canoe. That itself would make it a worthy destination! But the three-star, highly-rated hotel will reward our efforts. Built on restored pre-Incan agricultural terraces and designed to mesh with the local environment, you will love your rustic but comfortable cabin but will be more likely be outside enjoying the incredible views of the lake or eating the delicious food in the hotel's restaurant.
NIGHT 4: Ecolodge Tuni / Tuni
Built by the community of Tuni itself, with the help of our local operator in Bolivia, this simple hotel is located between the west face of Huayna Potosi and the famous Condoriri, in the heart of the Andean mountain range. Tuni is a very small village of only about 10 families that was based on subsistence living until the 1970s when the first foreign trekkers came through the area. The ecolodge is simple but well cared-for. Our hosts are Jaime and Marisol and they will help show us what life is really like in a Bolivian village populated by the Aymara people.
NIGHT 6: Uma Experience Hotel / Coroico
This hotel is located in the Yungas area of Bolivia, a tropical forest that lies between the mountains and the jungle. Coroico is the main town in the area and the Uma Experience Hotel is a luxurious stop on our trip. Each room is individually and creatively designed: the Thaya room is actually suspended in the air, the Zen room is an a-frame construction, and the Yaku room has huge windows looking out into the forest. With an outdoor pool, you will be tempted to while away the hours.
Arrival & Departure
Our arrival city is La Paz, Bolivia. You can arrive at any time of the day and because we start our tour in the morning on Day One, you very likely will need to arrive the day before the tour. You can book additional nights directly on the website of our La Paz hotel, the Hotel Rosario, but there are many other options in the area. We end in the morning of Day 8 in La Paz. You have the option of paying an additional $175 to do the final day excursion to Tiwanaku, in which case we will drop you back at the airport (or downtown) before dinner.
What's Included?
- One local guide and one professional Zephyr guide except on smaller private tours, in which case there will just be a local guide.
- Double occupancy lodging is included. If you are coming on a trip solo, you have two options: 1) Pay the single supplement to receive your own room. 2) Ask us to try to find you a roommate of the same gender to share a room with; if we are not successful you will be charged the single supplement and receive your own room.
- All breakfasts, seven lunches, and five dinners are included. Some dinners are not included when we are in cities with many restaurant options within walking distance.
- All your transportation is included once you meet your guides on the first day until we say goodbye in La Paz on the last day.
- All scheduled visits are included.
- NOT INCLUDED Beverages with meals, gratuities to your guide, personal expenses, the optional final day excursion, and travel to and from the destination.
Weather
Like other South American countries not too far from the equator, Bolivia does not so much have a summer and winter as a wet and dry season. High Temperatures in La Paz average in the mid to upper 50s year round - there is variation but it is not predictable by the calendar. However, there is little rainfall from May through August, with most of the rain falling from December through March. When we are in the tropical forest of Coroico (just for one night), we can expect high temps around 70 degrees (on average) with a similar rainfall pattern but just a bit more of it.
Ability Level
This tour involves multiple activities: hiking (many days) plus kayaking, biking, and river rafting (once each). You should be prepared for hikes of 5 - 8 miles on mountain trails. No technical skills are required. If you wish to skip out on any of the activities, you are welcome to do so.
Changes to the itinerary
While everything under “What is Included” will remain the same, the actual restaurants, hotels, and activities listed in our itineraries are subject to modifications. Changes that are out of our control are common – a restaurant closes or loses its awesome chef, a brewery changes its visiting hours, a hotel gets remodeled, a road or trail undergoes construction. You are entrusting us to create an outstanding vacation for you and so it is possible we may take the liberty of making necessary changes to the itinerary that will improve your overall trip experience. If there is any one experience that is going to make or break your trip, please discuss this with us in advance! We will attempt to keep our website itinerary as current as possible and communicate any major changes with you in the weeks prior to the tour.
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