As it turns out, the salt flats were amazing, but La Paz was also a fun, interesting city where three days goes by in an instant. There is plenty to marvel at, consume, and imbibe. I highly recommend spending at least three days in La Paz before heading to the flats. Not only will you get to enjoy La Paz but taking time to acclimate is very helpful…the altitude in Bolivia is no joke!

Where to Stay

Hotel Rosario La Paz: Located in the center of town, close to a teleferico line (the city’s aerial cable car urban transit system), this hotel was clean, comfortable and accommodating. It has a colonial style architecture, with an open-air courtyard and a restaurant which serves a great breakfast, complete with fresh-squeezed juices. Hotel Rosario La Paz also has 24 hours a day front desk staff who are helpful with directions and calling taxis.

What to Do

Red Cap City Tour: I always recommend kicking things off with a walking tour to orient yourself with the city. Our tour started off with a visit to Lanza market, where we visited small local shops serving freshly fried empanadas and apo, a warm breakfast drink made of purple corn. From there we went to San Pedro prison, a jail run as a small city by the inmates.

Afterwards, we hit up the famous witches market, calle jean which is a colorful colonial street, Murillo square, the central plaza of the city, and the famous San Francisco church. We walked through local street food markets, different neighborhoods and really got a feel for La Paz. One warning: it is a hilly city! Combined with the high altitude you may find yourself out of breath. Drink plenty of coca tea to ward off altitude sickness.

Cholita Wrestling: Historically, indigenous Bolivian men and women were treated poorly, disenfranchised and discriminated against throughout Bolivia. When President Murillo was elected in 2006 that began to change because of his role as a champion for the indigenous people. As such, cholitas were empowered to showcase their culture and they developed a theatrical type of wrestling called cholita wrestling. It is a must-see if you’re spending three days in La Paz, Bolivia. 

It involves cholitas as luchadores or fighters where they are dressed in their traditional garb and engage in wrestling and fighting with men dressed as monsters. The cholitas fight back when thrown and beaten by the monsters, and symbolically defeat their oppressors. It is as comedic and entertaining as it sounds. You will laugh, cheer and scream throughout the show, which of course includes snacks and plenty of beer. I highly recommend this uniquely Bolivian experience. We booked our tickets through Red Cap, which provided us with transportation to the show as well as tickets and coupons for drinks.

Coca Museum: This museum is dedicated entirely to the study of the coca leaf. Learning about the medicinal uses, as well as the illicit uses, of the coca leaf was deeply interesting, as we understanding the impact of the coca leaf on the Bolivian economy. The museum also has a café where you can enjoy coca tea, coca ice cream, and even coca brownies.

Ride the Teleferico: We bought tickets and just rode around on the cable cars for hours. It is a fantastic way to see the city from a bird’s eye view. This is probably the most cost-effective way to get some amazing views while spending three days in La Paz.

Where to Eat and Drink

This is always the most important question! Bolivian food is simple, with an emphasis on potatoes, corn, bread, and vegetables that can grow in difficult terrains such as carrots and corn.

Gustu: For a local fine dining experience, Gustu is the place to go. The venue offers exquisite dishes such as locally foraged mushrooms with a poached egg, native potatoes roasted and served with pickled onions, a dulce de leche inspired mango custard dessert and an impeccable local wine list. Prepare to dine for hours and if you are lucky, the staff will treat you to a tour of the kitchen and pantry, where you can learn about local Bolivian herbs, plants, and spices.

Ali Pacha: This is another fine dining option, but with a twist – it is plant-based. Truly, it is one of the most creative meals I have ever had.

Berlusca: We loved this little Italian joint that served fresh bread, light vegetable soup and delicious dishes like homemade pasta with zucchini and a sweet Pomodoro sauce. A local specialty is pasta with fava beans and cheese: unusual but divine.

Café del Mundo: This fun, travel-themed café has an extensive international menu where there is something for everyone. From falafel burgers to nachos to pasta, you won’t be short of options. They also have cocktails, milkshakes and coffee drinks, and you can choose from oat milk or quinoa milk.

Popular Cocina Boliviana: One of the more interesting spots in La Paz, this casual restaurant serves a set menu that focuses dishes made with quintessential Bolivian ingredients like potatoes, quinoa, fresh fruit, and bread. The menu will include an appetizer which could be a creamy vegetable soup, an entrée such as a stuffed potato, a local potato stew, a savory quinoa dish, or Bolivian empanadas called salteñas. Dessert, complete with local fruits, is also included.

Café Sol Y Luna: Stop by for a Singani cocktail. Singani is Bolivia’s national liquor, a grape brandy which you can drink on the rocks or in a cocktail.

Three Days in La Paz, Bolivia: The Verdict

South America is truly a fascinating continent to explore. I highly recommend visiting Bolivia, including La Paz. Three days in La Paz only scratches the surface but it’s worth the trip!

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Getting to Salar de Uyuni

After arriving in La Paz, where we spent two days becoming acclimated to the high altitude, we took a quick 45-minute flight to Uyuni, the small town where we would begin our Salar de Uyuni flat adventure. Note that you can take a treacherous, overnight bus to Uyuni but to save time and energy, we jumped on one of the daily La Paz- Uyuni flights, which was not only fast but inexpensive.

All the Sights to See

Upon arrival in Uyuni, we took to an airport taxi (really the only mode of transportation available to you!) and checked into our hotel. We had booked a tour with Ruta Verde Tours, in advance, and with them designed a three-day tour to visit the Salar de Uyuni flats and the surrounding areas. We chose the “comfortable” versus “basic” options, which allowed us to stay in hotels rather than hostels, and have a private car and driver, as there is quite a bit of travel involved and we didn’t want to be uncomfortable. Our driver, Rodrigo, picked us up the morning after we arrived in Uyuni and our adventure began!

Salar de Uyuni

After a good night’s sleep and a hot breakfast, the first day of our tour was spent touring the salt flats. Salt flats are lakes in a desert that have dried up. The salt and minerals in the dried-up lakes form a solid layer of salt when it rains, which also happens to create a mirror-like effect, which is stunningly beautiful. The salt flats are uninhabited and massive, spanning nearly 11, 000 sq-km.

The bright salt, when covered in water, reflects the surrounding sky and mountains, causing an effect where you can’t tell where the earth ends and the sky begins. It is the most magical, mind-blowing landscape I have ever laid my eyes on. We spent hours wandering around marveling at the landscape. Our guide set up a table in the middle of the salt flats for lunch, complete with Bolivian food and wine. We dined quite literally in the middle of nowhere.

Lagunas

On our second day, we drove from Salar de Uyuni along the Chile-Bolivian border through the Andean Altiplano and visited a series of lagoons, each one more beautiful than the last. There is the Laguna Hedionda, teeming with gorgeous pink and red and white flamingos, the Laguna Colorada which is a bright red, Laguna Verde which is a marvelous sea green, as well as Laguna Ramadita, Laguna Honda, and Laguna Negra.

Surrounded by the Andean mountains as well as volcanos, the lagunas are unbelievably picturesque. We also stopped at the Valley of Rocas, where we scrambled over a massive rock formation, developed over hundreds of years of volcanic activity and wind erosion.

Siloli Desert

On our third day, we woke up in the Siloli desert, which has a whopping 16,000 feet altitude. The terrain is sandy, beautiful, and full of sights to visit. We drove through different rock formations such as the Arbol de Piedra and Dali’s Desert and then stopped at the Termas de Polques, the most beautiful hot spring you could ever imagine. After three days visiting the Salar de Uyuni and the desert, which are extremely cold, there is nothing as divine as getting into the hot water while marveling at the mountains, volcanoes, and lagoons around you. It was truly breathtaking.

Where to Stay at Salar de Uyuni 

Luna Salada Hotel: The first two nights we stayed at this magnificent salt hotel. Located on a hill in the middle of the salt flats, it is constructed entirely of salt. The spacious venue has gorgeous rooms, where you can look out through huge windows at the flats, as well as large bathrooms and super cozy beds. The hotel has a spa, complete with a hot tub, as well as dozens of comfy pockets of indoor and outdoor seating where you can have a drink or a coca tea while enjoying the views. I booked a massage both nights! There is also a lovely bar where you can have a pre or post-dinner beverage.

Hotel Tayka del Desierto: The third night we stayed at this hotel in Potosi, Bolivia, one of the only hotels in the Siloli desert and the highest altitude hotel in the world! Keep in mind the altitude means less oxygen, so drink as much coca tea and water as you can to fight off fatigue, nausea, and headaches. The hotel has comfortable rooms, but electricity is turned off at 10pm. Don’t worry – you will be so tired you will be asleep before then!

What to Eat

Tanupa: While staying Luna Salada, we enjoyed breakfast and dinner at the hotel’s restaurant. Breakfast is a series of breads, spreads, eggs and fruit, while the buffet dinner offers a variety of dishes including eggplant baked with melted cheese, quinoa salad, veggie patties, rice, roasted tomatoes, and more. I highly recommend the soup, it was warm, creamy and exactly what you need after a long day of sightseeing.

Takya del Desierto Hotel Restaurant: Dinner at this restaurant includes a three-course meal, a warm fideo soup, followed by a baked vegetable and cheese dish, heaps of warm, freshly baked bread, and fresh fruit with chocolate for dessert. Breakfast included more fresh bread, as well as eggs and fruit, and api, a classic warm Bolivian breakfast drink made with purple corn, cinnamon, and cloves.

The Verdict

This was one of the most epic trips of my life. I will never forget the sights, which reminded me of how wondrous our planet can really be and how small I am in such a huge world. The best tips I can offer are to travel light but bring warm clothing, sunscreen, comfortable shoes and a sense of adventure.  I always want to travel because it gives you the opportunity to truly marvel at something beyond what you see in your everyday life. In Salar de Uyuni, I marveled at the world we live in and was reminded of how truly lucky I really am to be able to see something this awe-inspiring.

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