The Loop

Recommended Travel Itineraries for Bolivia



Although travelling Bolivia has gotten easier in recent it still comes with its hardships.  With the exception of the major highways some of the roads are bumpy and unpaved, and the quality of buses are subpar.  However, things are changing and travel has started to become more comfortable in this mainly Andean country.  There are regular bus routes to nearly every destination in the country, and there are also available flights leaving internationally and nationally from the major cities of La Paz and Santa Cruz.  Those who fight through the minor hardships of travelling Bolivia will be rewarded by their stay in one of the most beautiful countries in the world.  From the wondrous beauty of the salt flats to the hectic city of La Paz, the country has as much to offer as anywhere on the continent.

***Remember, these itineraries are meant as guides for planning and are in no way, shape or form the only way to travel the country.  If you have any questions about alternative routes of travel within the country please feel free to contact me.

Itinerary 1: The Loop

“The Loop” is an itinerary set up in order to give you the greatest range of activity possible in Bolivia while maintaining La Paz as both a start and end point. This itinerary will lead you to the highlands of the Altiplano and down into the heat and humidity of the lowlands, showing you Bolivia at all of its beautiful angles.

The Loop
  • Day 1: Arrive in La Paz
  • Day 2: Explore the City: Valley of the Moon, San Francisco.
  • Day 3: Day trip: The Death Road or Tiahuanaco.
  • Day 4: To Copacabana
  • Day 5: Lake Titicaca Lake Excursion.  Stay on Isla del Sol
  • Day 6: Return to Copacabana and bus to La Paz.  Night bus to Uyuni.
  • Day 7: Free day in Uyuni: Visit the train cemetery
  • Day 8: Day trip over the Salt Flats
  • Day 9: Bus to Potosi
  • Day 10: Postosi: Mine tour
  • Day 11: Morning bus to Sucre and free afternoon
  • Day 12: Free day in Sucre
  • Day 13: Free day in Sucre and Night bus to Santa Cruz
  • Day 14: Santa Cruz
  • Day 15: Santa Cruz
  • Day 16: Bus to Cochabamba
  • Day17: Explore Cochabamba
  • Day 18: Bus to La Paz
  • Day 19: End in La Paz

Itinerary 2: From Peru to Argentina

If you’re planning on visiting Bolivia either to or from Argentina and Peru this is the itinerary for you.  Of course if you’ve flown into, or are flying out of La Paz and not visiting Peru it can be easily modified to account for that change.  I have written the guide from Peru southbound to Argentina, but it can obviously be done the other way as well.

From Peru to Argentina
  • Day 1: Arrive in Bolivia at the city of Copacabana
  • Day 2: Lake Titicaca Lake Excursion.  Stay on Isla del Sol
  • Day 3: Return to Copacabana and bus to La Paz
  • Day 4: Explore the City: Valley of the Moon, San Francisco.
  • Day 5: Day trip: The Death Road or Tiahuanaco.
  • Day 6: Bus to Cochabamba
  • Day 7: Cochabamba with night bus to Santa Cruz
  • Day 8: Santa Cruz
  • Day 9: Santa Cruz
  • Day 10: Santa Cruz with night bus to Sucre
  • Day 11: Sucre
  • Day 12: Sucre
  • Day 13: Bus to Potosi and explore the city
  • Day 14: Mine tour of Potosi, crater hot spring swim in the evening
  • Day 15: Bus to Uyuni
  • Day 16: Salt Flats tour
  • Day 17: Bus to Tupiza
  • Day 18: Tupiza
  • Day 19: Onward to Argentina

Itinerary 3: From Peru to Chile

This is basically the same as the trip to Argentina although the end is different as it takes visitors across the Bolivian Altiplano and end in the desert town of San Pedro de Atacama.  If you want to explore the desert and the Altiplano this is the way to go.

From Peru to Chile
  • Day 1: Arrive in Bolivia at the city of Copacabana
  • Day 2: Lake Titicaca Lake Excursion.  Stay on Isla del Sol
  • Day 3: Return to Copacabana and bus to La Paz
  • Day 4: Explore the City: Valley of the Moon, San Francisco.
  • Day 5: Day trip: The Death Road or Tiahuanaco.
  • Day 6: Bus to Cochabamba
  • Day 7: Cochabamba with night bus to Santa Cruz
  • Day 8: Santa Cruz
  • Day 9: Santa Cruz
  • Day 10: Santa Cruz with night bus to Sucre
  • Day 11: Sucre
  • Day 12: Sucre
  • Day 13: Bus to Potosi and explore the city
  • Day 14: Mine tour of Potosi, crater hot spring swim in the evening
  • Day 15: Bus to Uyuni
  • Day 16: Start the jeep tour to Chile in Uyuni, visit the salt flats on day 1
  • Day 17: Day 2 of the jeep tour takes you across the Altiplano to Laguna Colorada
  • Day 18: On Day 3 you will visit the thermal mud pools and Laguna Verde before being taken to the Chilean border and into the town of San Pedro de Atacama.
  • Day 19: End in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

Itinerary 4: From Peru to Paraguay or Brazil

One of the more popular travel routes among backpackers recently has been to cross into Brazil from Bolivia.  There are also a few that are crossing into Paraguay as well.  Either way is basically the same as you’ll need to board buses in Santa Cruz at the end to make that trip.

From Peru to Brazil or Paraguay
  • Day 1: Arrive in Bolivia at the city of Copacabana
  • Day 2: Lake Titicaca Lake Excursion.  Stay on Isla del Sol
  • Day 3: Return to Copacabana and bus to La Paz
  • Day 4: Explore the City: Valley of the Moon, San Francisco.
  • Day 5: Day trip: The Death Road or Tiahuanaco.
  • Day 6: Free day La Paz with night bus to the Uyuni
  • Day 7: Uyuni
  • Day 8: Salt Flats tour
  • Day 9: Bus to Potosi
  • Day 10: Potosi – Mine tour
  • Day 11: Bus to Sucre and free afternoon to explore
  • Day 12: Sucre
  • Day 13: Sucre with night bus to Santa Cruz
  • Day 14: Santa Cruz
  • Day 15: Santa Cruz
  • Day 16: Onward to Brazil or Paraguay

Back to the Bolivia travel guides