Trip readiness checklist for Bolivia
Bolivia is the high, wild one: the salt flats, the altiplano, and La Paz clinging to a canyon at 3,600 metres. Here's the trip-readiness checklist for Bolivia: what to pack, when to go, entry rules for your passport, and the official sources to confirm before you fly.
Build my checklistWhat to pack
Bolivia is high-altitude drama — the salt flats, the Andes, and thin mountain air. Pack serious warm layers, sun protection, and time to acclimatize before you exert yourself.
Warm layers for extreme altitude
La Paz and Uyuni are very high (3,600m+) and cold, especially at night. Layer heavily.
Strong sun protection and sunglasses
High-altitude sun and salt-flat glare are intense.
Broken-in shoes
Cobbled cities and rough terrain; new shoes will punish you.
Altitude remedies and bottled water
Acclimatize slowly; coca tea helps. Ask a doctor about altitude sickness; drink bottled water.
When to go
The dry season (May–Oct) is best and busiest — clear skies, accessible roads. The wet season (Nov–Mar) turns the Uyuni salt flat into a mirror — worth seeing, harder to reach.
Money & getting around
Bolivia uses the boliviano (BOB). It's very cash-based — carry plenty, as cards are accepted only at bigger hotels and ATMs can be scarce outside cities. Bring smaller notes. Tipping is modest — round up or ~10%. Drink bottled water.
Local quirks worth knowing
Bolivia is the high, wild one: the salt flats, the altiplano, and La Paz clinging to a canyon at 3,600 metres. Pace yourself.
Altitude comes first
La Paz is one of the highest capitals on earth. Arrive, rest, drink coca tea if offered, and give strenuous plans a day or two.
Carry small change
Bolivianos come in notes few small shops can break. Coins and tens keep taxis, markets and market stalls happy.
Sunday is dead quiet
Shops shut, transport thins, and in La Paz the Prado closes to cars for a morning of bikes and families. Plan the salt flats, not errands.
The cable car is the transit
La Paz's Mi Teleférico is public transport, not a tourist ride, and the views are the best in the city for the price of a bus.
Book Uyuni with a real operator
The salt-flat tours vary from superb to dangerous. Pay a little more for a company with reviews and a sober driver.
A week in Bolivia, the list starts here
Quantities scale with your dates, the weather groups arrive once we have your travel days, and your own plans add their gear on Trip Pass.
- Passport & travel documents1
- Phone charger & adapter1
- Wallet, cards & some local cash1
- Toiletries bag1
- Any daily medicationsenough for the trip
- Underwear7
- Socks7
- T-shirts / tops5
What am I forgetting?
A real answer from Trip Happens for a sample week in Bolivia, departing in five weeks with a checked bag and nothing packed yet. Yours is built from your own trip.
La Paz sits high. Five weeks out, here's what's missing.
- 1.
Altitude time built in
You land in La Paz at serious elevation with a week to work with. Plan the first day or two as slow ones, and talk to a doctor now about altitude sickness before the trip gets closer.
- 2.
Bolivianos in small notes
Bolivia runs on cash, and ATMs thin out fast once you leave the city. Sort out how you'll get bolivianos and break them into smaller notes early — big bills are a daily nuisance.
- 3.
Warm layers for the checked bag
October is dry season, but nights in the Andes are cold and the sun at altitude is brutal. Your bag is empty and you have room, so pack real layers, a hat and strong sunscreen rather than trusting the daytime forecast.
Entry, advisories & health
These change. Confirm at the official source before you book.
Entry and visa requirements depend on your nationality. Confirm the current rules for Bolivia with the official source below before you book.
U.S. State Department travel advisory for Bolivia — check the current level and any alerts before you go.
CDC traveler health page for Bolivia — recommended vaccines, health notices, and a packing checklist.
Get the full Bolivia checklist
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