Who does this Bolivia round trip suit?
Over 15 days this trip combines the colonial cities of Sucre and Potosí with the Salar de Uyuni, La Paz and the Isla del Sol on Lake Titicaca. It is aimed at travellers who want to experience culture and highland landscape at a calm pace. The best months are May to October, the dry season: the days are sunny, the nights on the Altiplano frosty.
It is an unhurried highland round trip: 13 nights across seven stops, eleven of them above 2,700 m. The longest drives take 3 to 4 h, with no overnight bus rides. Many programme items are walks in thin air: the old town of Sucre, the lanes of Potosí, the Inca staircase on the Isla del Sol. In between sits a day on the Salar de Uyuni, at 10,582 km² the largest salt flat on Earth.
The trip suits people who enjoy walking, cope well with small towns and simpler hotels, and take schedule changes in stride. It is less suited to travellers with heart or lung conditions without medical clearance, to anyone seeking beach and warmth, and to anyone with firm commitments right after returning. According to the Federal Foreign Office, the risk of protests and road blockades has remained elevated nationwide since the state of emergency declared on 20 June 2026.
The three fixed points are the Salar de Uyuni, the Isla del Sol and Sucre. Other elements can shift: Potosí can be shortened if there's a blockade, and the last day in La Paz deliberately serves as a reserve. The BMEIA currently rates La Paz, El Alto and Santa Cruz at security level 3 (as of September 2026); ordered taxis and travel in daylight are therefore a fixed part of the plan.
Sources: Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA), Austria · Wikipedia · Wikipedia · Wikipedia
Why does the route climb slowly from Santa Cruz into the highlands?
Anyone flying directly to La Paz lands in El Alto at around 4,070 m and sleeps the very first night at around 3,600 m. This trip begins at around 400 m in Santa Cruz, spends three nights in Sucre at around 2,800 m, and only reaches the high plateau on day 6. Flying is used only where the road would be very long; the overland stages take 2.5 to 4 h.
| Stage | Transport | Duration | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arrival – Santa Cruz (VVI) | Flight from your own departure airport; nonstop e.g. from Madrid, Miami, Panama City, Lima or São Paulo | from Madrid on average 11 h 15 min | Madrid: 4 flights a week |
| Santa Cruz – Sucre | Nonstop flight BoA | around 45 min | 6 flights a week |
| Sucre – Potosí | Car, shared taxi or scheduled bus on Route 5, around 170 km | 2.5 to 3 h | scheduled bus around 3 h according to TicketsBolivia, around 13 departures daily |
| Potosí – Uyuni | Car or bus on Route 5, around 210 km | bus 3 to 4 h | arrive before dark |
| Uyuni – La Paz | Nonstop flight BoA | around 1 h | around 16 flights a month |
| La Paz – Copacabana and back | Car or bus, crossing at the Strait of Tiquina | around 3.5 h each way | passengers cross by boat |
| Return flight from La Paz (LPB) | via Santa Cruz, Lima, Bogotá or Santiago de Chile to your own departure airport | La Paz–Santa Cruz 1 h 5 min | from Santa Cruz nonstop to Madrid and Miami, among others |
| Place | Altitude | Nights |
|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz de la Sierra | around 400 m | 2 |
| Sucre | around 2,800 m | 3 |
| Potosí | around 4,070 m | 1 |
| Uyuni | around 3,700 m | 2 |
| La Paz, centre | around 3,600 m | 1 and 2 |
| Copacabana | around 3,840 m | 2 |
The order follows CDC recommendations: don't climb to a sleeping altitude of 2,750 m or more in a single day, add an extra night for every 1,000 m of altitude gained, and above 3,000 m increase the sleeping altitude by no more than 500 m per night. The jump from Santa Cruz to Sucre is around 2,400 m, which is why three nights are spent there.
The maths cannot fully work out: from Sucre (around 2,800 m) to Potosí (around 4,070 m) is around 1,270 m of elevation gain in a single day – significantly more than the CDC's recommended maximum of 500 m per night above 3,000 m. This is openly a compromise: the route absorbs it by planning only one night in Potosí and dropping around 370 m the next day to Uyuni. Anyone who notices headaches, dizziness or poor sleep on this day is better off skipping the mine visit in Potosí and resting instead. From Uyuni onward, all nights sit between around 3,600 and 3,850 m.
Nobody flies nonstop from Santa Cruz to Uyuni, and from Uyuni there are scheduled flights only to La Paz. That's why the road connects the colonial cities with the Salar, and the flight afterwards gets you to La Paz in one hour instead of a 12- to 15-hour bus ride. Before every overland stage it's worth checking Transitabilidad, where the road authority ABC reports closures. The FDFA advises never trying to drive through a blockade, because that can trigger a violent response.
Sources: FlightConnections · FlightConnections · FlightConnections · FlightConnections · FlightConnections · FlightConnections · Wikipedia (español) · Wikivoyage · Wikivoyage · Wikivoyage · CDC Yellow Book · Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Switzerland · Administradora Boliviana de Carreteras (ABC) · Wikipedia · Wikipedia · Wikipedia · Wikipedia · Wikipedia · FlightConnections · FlightConnections · TicketsBolivia
Day by day
- 01
Day 1 · Overnight: Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Arrival in Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Arrival → Santa Cruz de la Sierra
The destination of the journey is Viru Viru Airport (VVI) north of Santa Cruz. According to FlightConnections it has 17 international nonstop destinations in nine countries (as of September 2026): Madrid in Europe, Miami in North America, Panama City plus Lima, Bogotá, São Paulo, Buenos Aires and Santiago de Chile. Anyone starting elsewhere connects at one of these hubs. From Madrid, Air Europa and BoA fly nonstop, on average in 11 h 15 min and four times a week; depending on the day of the week you land with BoA at 19:45 local time (departure Madrid 14:45) or with Air Europa's night flight at 04:50. That's why the first hotel night is already booked from day 1: this way the room is ready even for a landing before sunrise. According to the Federal Foreign Office, taxis are not hailed on the street but ordered; the transfer waits at the terminal. Practical note: within 48 hours of entry, according to the FDFA, the migration authority requires online registration in the SIGEMIG system.
- 02
Day 2 · Overnight: Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Santa Cruz: arriving at 400 m
Santa Cruz de la Sierra
The first full day serves to recover from the long-haul flight, and at around 400 m, where altitude does not yet play a role. Santa Cruz, with 1,606,671 inhabitants (2024), is Bolivia's largest city, laid out in ten rings around the centre. There lie the Plaza 24 de Septiembre and the San Lorenzo Cathedral with its painted wooden vaults. Anyone seeking greenery visits the 24-hectare Biocentro Güembé or the white sand dunes in the Lomas de Arena regional park. In the morning you eat salteñas, filled pastries, and at midday majadito, a rice dish from the lowlands. Practical note: the CDC has reported a chikungunya outbreak in Santa Cruz department since February 2026; mosquito protection therefore belongs on the skin from day one, and in the evening you travel by ordered taxi.
- 03
Day 3 · Overnight: Sucre
Flight to Sucre
Santa Cruz de la Sierra → Sucre (flight)
BoA is the only airline flying nonstop from Santa Cruz to Sucre: around 45 min, six times a week, with departures between 05:45 and 17:10 (as of September 2026). Alcantarí Airport lies 30 km southeast of the city. This flight gains around 2,400 m in altitude. Sucre sits at around 2,800 m, just above the 2,750 m the CDC cites as the limit for a sleeping altitude after a single ascent day. So there is nothing on the agenda today except a short walk through the white old town and an early dinner. In the first 48 hours the CDC advises avoiding alcohol and moving only gently. Practical note: headaches are common at this stage; according to the CDC they usually begin 2 to 12 hours after arrival and subside within 1 to 3 days.
- 04
Day 4 · Overnight: Sucre
Sucre, the white city
Sucre
Sucre was founded in 1538 as La Plata, remains the constitutional capital to this day, and has been World Heritage since 1991. The Republic was founded in the Casa de la Libertad, built in 1621; the Declaration of Independence is kept there. The cathedral was built between 1559 and 1712 and houses the country's first religious museum. In the afternoon a climb leads to the Franciscan monastery of La Recoleta, founded in 1601, with a view over the rooftops: a good first test of how the body reacts to altitude. Lunch is at the Mercado Campesino, the city's largest market, or at a restaurant in the old town. Practical note: walk slowly, drink regularly and bring a jacket for the evening, because at around 2,800 m it noticeably cools down after warm Santa Cruz.
- 05
Day 5 · Overnight: Sucre
Dinosaur tracks or the market in Tarabuco
Sucre
Around 4.4 km northwest of Sucre lies Cal Orck'o, an almost vertical limestone wall in a quarry. Across around 65,000 m², 12,092 individual dinosaur tracks in 465 trackways are mapped there, formed in the late Cretaceous; among them are prints of sauropods, theropods and ankylosaurs. If the day falls on a Sunday, the weekly market at Tarabuco is the alternative. The town sits at around 3,290 m and thus offers a trial run for the altitude before you sleep again in Sucre in the evening; in March Tarabuco celebrates the Pujllay festival with traditional costumes and chicha. In the evening you repack: from tomorrow you need a hat, gloves and warm layers. Practical note: before leaving for Potosí, check on the road authority ABC's Transitabilidad website whether Route 5 is clear.
- 06
Day 6 · Overnight: Potosí
Via Route 5 to Potosí
Sucre → Potosí (road, around 170 km)
The stretch along Route 5 measures around 170 km. The major bus lines Trans Emperador and Transtin Dil Rey take, according to ticket portal TicketsBolivia, around 3 h, with around 13 departures daily between 6 am and 8 pm; in a private car or shared taxi, Wikivoyage reckons 2.5 to 3 h. You depart in the morning, because the FDFA and the Federal Foreign Office advise against overland travel at night. Potosí sits at around 4,070 m and counts among the highest large cities in the world; above it rises Cerro Rico at 4,824 m, where silver has been mined since the 16th century. The day thus brings around 1,270 m of elevation gain since Sucre – more than the CDC recommends with a maximum sleeping-altitude increase of 500 m per night above 3,000 m; anyone feeling unwell in Potosí is better off skipping extra exertion and resting rather than pushing the programme to the limit. In the afternoon a roughly two-hour visit leads through the Casa de la Moneda, the colonial mint; according to Wikivoyage, tours start at fixed times, including 14:30. Potosí has been World Heritage since 1987 and has been considered endangered since 2014. Practical note: the Senamhi weather service names June and July as the frostiest months in Potosí department, so a heated room matters.
- 07
Day 7 · Overnight: Uyuni
Potosí in the morning, then down to Uyuni
Potosí → Uyuni (road, around 210 km)
The morning belongs to the old town with the Church of San Lorenzo and the view of Cerro Rico. According to Wikivoyage, mine visits take 2 to 3 h and lead through dust said to cause silicosis; anyone still feeling the altitude should skip it. Towards midday you head along Route 5 for around 210 km to Uyuni, according to Wikivoyage 3 to 4 h by bus, arriving before dark. Uyuni sits at around 3,700 m, around 370 m lower than Potosí: the trip's first descent. The town is a railway junction where four lines meet and receives around 60,000 visitors a year. Practical note: the nights are harsh, with a mean daily low of −9.7 °C in July. The Federal Foreign Office also notes that the tourist police have been withdrawn from Uyuni.
- 08
Day 8 · Overnight: Uyuni
A day on the Salar de Uyuni
Uyuni → Salar de Uyuni → Uyuni
The day tour begins at the Train Cemetery, 3 km outside town on the old tracks, where decommissioned locomotives stand. It continues to Colchani, where a cooperative extracts fewer than 25,000 tonnes of salt a year, and out onto the salt flat: 10,582 km² at 3,656 m, the largest on Earth. The programme includes Isla Incahuasi with giant cacti and viscachas, ending with sunset on the salt. When choosing an operator, quality matters more than price: Wikivoyage reports drunk drivers and breakdowns, and according to the Federal Foreign Office there are barely any ambulances outside the major cities, explicitly including Uyuni. Practical note: bring sunglasses, sunscreen, a hat and a down jacket for the evening, plus enough water for the whole day.
- 09
Day 9 · Overnight: La Paz
Flight to La Paz
Uyuni → La Paz (flight)
Only BoA flies from Uyuni, and only to La Paz: around 1 h instead of 12 to 15 h by bus. With around 16 flights a month (as of September 2026), there is not a connection every day; if the flight schedule doesn't fit, a night is swapped between Uyuni and La Paz. Landing is at El Alto at around 4,070 m; the centre of La Paz lies 13 km away at around 3,600 m. After two nights at around 3,700 m, this is no longer a jump, unlike an international arrival landing directly in El Alto. In the afternoon a ride on Mi Teleférico, running since 2014 and now with ten lines over 30.6 km, shows the valley basin and the snow-capped Illimani. Practical note: in the evening you travel by ordered radio taxi and leave valuables at the hotel.
- 10
Day 10 · Overnight: Copacabana
Via Tiquina to Lake Titicaca
La Paz → Copacabana (road and ferry)
The drive to Copacabana takes, according to Wikivoyage, around 3.5 h. At the Strait of Tiquina everyone disembarks: passengers cross in small boats while the vehicle follows on a barge. Copacabana sits at 3,841 m on Lake Titicaca, which spans 8,372 km² at 3,812 m. In the afternoon the 17th-century basilica and the climb up Cerro Calvario are worthwhile, according to Wikivoyage around 30 min past 14 Stations of the Cross, for sunset over the lake. Church festivals with dancing take place on 2 February and 6 August, with the August festival attracting especially large crowds. Trout from the lake suits dinner well. Practical note: the FDFA lists Copacabana among places with particular crime risk; do not walk alone to remote viewpoints after dark.
- 11
Day 11 · Overnight: Copacabana
Isla del Sol
Copacabana → Isla del Sol → Copacabana (boat)
Boats for the full-day tour depart, according to Wikivoyage, around 08:30 and stop at both the north and south of the island. On the Isla del Sol around 800 families live from farming, fishing and tourism; there are no cars and no paved roads. More than 80 ruins are known, including the Inca staircase at Yumani and Pilko Kaina at the southern end. Yumani sits at around 3,980 m, the paths climb, and at this altitude you deliberately walk slowly. Anyone wanting a calmer day chooses the afternoon half-day tour, which visits only the south. Practical note: which parts of the island are currently accessible is best asked the day before in Copacabana. Water, sun protection, a warm layer for the return trip across the lake, and cash in small denominations belong in the backpack.
- 12
Day 12 · Overnight: La Paz
Back to La Paz
Copacabana → La Paz (road and ferry)
In the morning you return the same way, again crossing at the Strait of Tiquina, around 3.5 h in total. Before departure it's worth checking Transitabilidad; the Federal Foreign Office advises carrying food, drinks, warm clothing and any needed medication for longer delays. In the afternoon there is time for the centre: the Basilica of San Francisco from 1743, the colonial Calle Jaén with ten museums, and the Plaza Murillo with the government palace. The witches' market sells traditional Aymara goods. Practical note: drink coca tea only locally. Switzerland prohibits the import of coca products of any kind, and in Germany even attempting to bring in mate de coca violates the Narcotics Act; anyone travelling on to another country should check that country's customs rules.
- 13
Day 13 · Overnight: La Paz
Reserve day: Tiwanaku or La Paz
La Paz → Tiwanaku → La Paz (optional)
This day is deliberately kept free. If a blockade delayed the return from the lake, it is made up here without jeopardising the return flight. Otherwise an excursion leads around 70 km to Tiwanaku, World Heritage since 2000. Around 800 AD, 10,000 to 20,000 people lived there; on view are the 16.5 m high Akapana, the Kalasasaya courtyard with the Gate of the Sun, and the Pumapunku platform. Anyone staying in the city visits the Valle de la Luna on the city outskirts with its earth pillars, or rides the cable car to El Alto once more. Practical note: return in good time, since overland travel after dark should be avoided. In the evening pack and lay out warm clothing for the early drive to the airport.
- 14
Day 14
Return flight from El Alto
La Paz → Return flight
Early in the morning you head up to El Alto. The FDFA advises allowing enough time for trips to the international airports, because blockades can also close the access roads. According to FlightConnections, only Lima, Cusco, Bogotá and Santiago de Chile are served nonstop abroad from La Paz; the densest connection, however, runs via Santa Cruz, with around 154 flights a month and 1 h 5 min flying time. From Santa Cruz, Air Europa and BoA fly nonstop to Madrid five times a week, on average in 10 h 50 min, with departures between 12:15 and 20:30; BoA also flies to Miami, and Copa to Panama City (as of September 2026). Via Lima (LATAM, around 2 h) or Bogotá (Avianca, around 3 h 45 min) you reach further long-haul connections, since both hubs are connected nonstop with Madrid, Paris, Miami and New York. The generator searches live for whichever combination fits your own airport.
- 15
Day 15
Arrival after the return flight
Return flight → Arrival
When you arrive depends on your own departure airport: anyone living in South America is often back the previous day; flights from Santa Cruz land in Madrid between 05:05 and 12:15, and anyone flying via Lima or Bogotá connects there onto the long-haul leg. Bolivia sits on UTC−4 year-round with no daylight saving; depending on where you live, you set the clock forward or back after returning. Anyone who develops a fever in the weeks after the trip should mention the stay in the lowlands of Santa Cruz to their doctor.
What is the best time for this route?
Best between May and October, the dry season. Then it hardly rains in the highlands, and the overland stages can be planned reliably. The price for this is cold nights: in Potosí department, June and July are the frostiest months according to the Senamhi weather service, and in Uyuni the thermometer dropped to −21.2 °C in July 2024.
Average highs and lows and monthly rainfall at three stops along the route: La Paz, Potosí and Santa Cruz de la Sierra
| La Paz | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | 18 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 19 |
| Low °C | 7 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 1 | -1 | -1 | -1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 7 |
| Rainfall mm | 136 | 114 | 79 | 35 | 13 | 9 | 16 | 22 | 24 | 48 | 44 | 107 |
| Potosí | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | 15 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 18 | 18 | 16 |
| Low °C | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | -0 | -2 | -2 | -2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Rainfall mm | 107 | 99 | 62 | 23 | 4 | 14 | 4 | 4 | 12 | 36 | 35 | 89 |
| Santa Cruz de la Sierra | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °C | 32 | 31 | 31 | 29 | 26 | 25 | 26 | 29 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 |
| Low °C | 23 | 23 | 22 | 21 | 18 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 21 | 22 | 22 | 23 |
| Rainfall mm | 169 | 150 | 115 | 92 | 85 | 70 | 38 | 40 | 48 | 84 | 112 | 136 |
Average daily highs and lows, and monthly rainfall. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station EL ALTO INTL (5 km, 4062 m), auf 3640 m umgerechnet. Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station CAPITAN NICOLAS ROJAS (6 km, 3936 m), auf 4090 m umgerechnet. Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020. Temperaturen: Mittel der täglichen Höchst- und Tiefstwerte 2010–2024 der Station EL TROMPILLO (3 km, 418 m). Niederschlag: NASA POWER, Monatsmittel 2001–2020.
The table shows the contrast of this trip: Santa Cruz stays warm all year, while La Paz and Potosí average night frost from June to August, with mild days. September and October bring somewhat milder nights and still little rain; for travellers who want to avoid the cold, they are the most pleasant months.
Even Santa Cruz can turn cool in winter, when south winds from the Argentine pampas, the surazos, drop the temperature noticeably. Towards the end of the dry season, fires occur regularly according to the Federal Foreign Office, and their smoke can affect air traffic.
From November to April is the rainy season, with flooding and landslides mainly in the mountains. Between December and April, a thin layer of water can turn the Salar into a mirror. Anyone travelling for that needs more reserve days, because the roads between Sucre, Potosí and Uyuni are then less reliable.
Sources: Federal Foreign Office, Germany · eju.tv · Los Tiempos · Wikipedia · Wikipedia
Where do you stay overnight on this route?
Planned are 13 nights in city hotels and smaller properties with breakfast: two in Santa Cruz, three in Sucre, one in Potosí, two in Uyuni, two in Copacabana and three in total in La Paz. In the highlands, working heating matters more than star rating, since nights during the dry season in Potosí and Uyuni fall below zero, in Uyuni in July averaging almost −10 °C.
Santa Cruz: hotels in the centre around Plaza 24 de Septiembre have short distances to the cathedral. Anyone landing at 04:50 needs the room ready on arrival, which is why the booking starts on the departure day. A pool is welcome given the daytime heat.
Sucre: in the old town, part of World Heritage since 1991. From there, the Casa de la Libertad, cathedral and market are reachable on foot, which eases the first days at altitude.
Potosí: central, within walking distance of the Casa de la Moneda. The city sits at around 4,070 m; a room with heating and extra blankets matters more here than any other amenity.
Uyuni: either in town near the tour agencies, or on the edge of the Salar in a salt hotel, whose walls, roof and furniture are made almost entirely of salt blocks. The town has the advantage of short distances to the airport on departure day.
La Paz: in the centre at around 3,600 m, not in higher-lying El Alto, within reach of Plaza Murillo, Calle Jaén and the witches' market; the airport is 13 km away. The FDFA names the city centre and the area around the bus terminal as particularly risky, so evenings are best travelled by ordered taxi.
Copacabana and Isla del Sol: nights are planned in Copacabana on the lakeshore, where the boats depart. Anyone preferring to sleep on the island, for example in Yumani at around 3,980 m, carries luggage up on foot, since there are no cars or paved roads on the Isla del Sol.
Sources: Wikipedia · FlightConnections · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · Wikipedia · Wikipedia · eju.tv · Wikipedia · Wikipedia · Wikipedia · Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Switzerland · Wikipedia
How can the trip be shortened, extended or done with children?
Shorter than 13 days makes the route tight, because the nights in Sucre serve the altitude adjustment and the reserve day in La Paz absorbs blockades. Extending it is worthwhile especially with the multi-day lagoon tour from Uyuni, a detour to the Jesuit Missions of the Chiquitos, or an extension to Peru, for example with the nonstop flight from La Paz to Cusco.
Shorter: 13 days
The second night in Santa Cruz and one of the two final nights in La Paz can be dropped. But then the buffer before the return flight is missing. If you also shorten Copacabana, the Isla del Sol shrinks to an afternoon half-day tour that, according to Wikivoyage, visits only the south of the island. The three nights in Sucre should stay.
Longer: 18 to 21 days
The classic extension leads from Uyuni through the Reserva Nacional de Fauna Andina Eduardo Avaroa, which lies between 4,200 and 5,400 m, to the Laguna Colorada at 4,278 m. You spend the night in the reserve in hard frost; Wikivoyage recommends thermal underwear, a scarf, hat and gloves. Because the Laguna Verde lies right on the border, the tour can also be combined with Chile.
In the lowlands, the Jesuit Missions of the Chiquitos (World Heritage since 1990) and the Fuerte de Samaipata (since 1998) are options from Santa Cruz. Anyone wanting to see the rainforest flies from La Paz to Rurrenabaque, around 7 flights a month according to FlightConnections (as of September 2026). Peru is reached via Lake Titicaca, whose western shore with Puno belongs to Peru, or by flight from La Paz to Cusco, around 16 connections a month.
Other season
In the rainy season, the mirror effect on the Salar beckons between December and April. For that, at least two additional reserve days should be planned, and the road stages between Sucre, Potosí and Uyuni are subject to reservation. Anyone wanting dry roads should travel from May; the coldest nights then last until August.
With children
Several things appeal to families: the Cal Orck'o dinosaur tracks in Sucre, the Train Cemetery in Uyuni, the cable car in La Paz and the boat trip on Lake Titicaca. Whether small children should sleep above 3,500 m is best clarified medically before booking. The CDC recommends the yellow fever vaccination from 9 months of age for Santa Cruz department and states a vaccination requirement on entry from age one. Anyone travelling with minors without the second parent needs, according to the FDFA, an exit authorisation from the juvenile court.
Sources: Wikivoyage · Wikivoyage · Wikipedia · Wikipedia · Wikipedia · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · UNESCO World Heritage Centre · FlightConnections · Wikipedia · Wikipedia · Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Wikipedia · CDC Travelers' Health · Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Switzerland
What does TalkTravel book, and what do you pay for on site?
Booked are the flights from your departure airport to Santa Cruz and back from La Paz, the domestic flights Santa Cruz–Sucre and Uyuni–La Paz, 13 hotel nights with breakfast, and transfers and overland journeys with a driver. On site you pay entry fees, most meals and tips. The generator calculates the price from live offers at the time of the request.
- Flights: from your departure airport to Santa Cruz de la Sierra and back from La Paz, nonstop or with a connection depending on origin, for example via Madrid, Miami, Panama City, Lima or Bogotá; domestic flights with BoA. Travel days follow the flight schedule: from Madrid, Air Europa and BoA fly to Santa Cruz four times a week, from Uyuni there are around 16 flights a month (as of September 2026).
- Hotels: 13 nights with breakfast across seven stops, starting from the arrival night in Santa Cruz.
- Transfers and drives: airport–hotel at every stop, plus Sucre–Potosí–Uyuni and La Paz–Copacabana–La Paz by car with a driver, as recommended by the Federal Foreign Office for overland journeys. Driving takes place in daylight.
- Excursions: day tour across the Salar de Uyuni and boat trip to the Isla del Sol, where available in the offer.
On site you pay entry fees, for example for the Casa de la Moneda, the Cal Orck'o dinosaur tracks and Tiwanaku, plus lunch and dinner, tips and mine visits in Potosí. A small stock of cash, water and snacks helps with delays; the Federal Foreign Office advises carrying food, drinks, warm clothing and medication for blockades.
You handle yourself the online registration SIGEMIG, due according to the FDFA within 48 hours of entry, and the insurance: the BMEIA cites proof of comprehensive health insurance, and the Federal Foreign Office additionally recommends evacuation insurance. This page deliberately does not state a price; the «from» amount follows from the generator's live trial run with real-time flights and hotels.
Sources: FlightConnections · FlightConnections · FlightConnections · Federal Foreign Office, Germany · Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, Switzerland · Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs (BMEIA), Austria · Wikivoyage · Wikipedia · FlightConnections