[LA PAZ] Budget and Itinerary

WEDNESDAY: 29 June 2016

Airbnb (2 Nights) - 36.00

Bolivia Hop (Cusco - La Paz) - 59.00

Isla del Sol Tour (Bolivia Hop) - 10.00

USD105.00

Las Playas (Lasagna + Water) - 40.00

Tips (Isla del Sol) - 10.00

Restaurant Totod (Ham & Cheese + Hot Choco) - 30.00

BOB80.00

[POTOSÍ] Budget and Itinerary

SATURDAY: 2 June 2016

Todo Turismo (La Paz - Uyuni) - 39.00

Altitude Travels (Uyuni Day Trip) - 80.00

Todo Turismo (La Paz - Uyuni) - 39.00

USD158.00

[UYUNI] Once an Island, Still Full of Cactus

Most itineraries set by tour companies in Uyuni include three more destinations aside from the salt flatS. Your first stop is not that far from the town center, a place they call the Train Cemetery. No need to be afraid! There were no ghosts when we went there, just tourists. The place is just a junk yard in the middle of the desert where Bolivia’s national railway aspirations have been put to rest, in the form of scrap metal that used to be the chassis of their trains.

[UYUNI] Purely White and Blinding Bright

What is now referred to as Salar de Uyuni wasn’t always pure salt. It used to be a huge lake similar to Titicaca, except that not both of them had the same fate. But whatever, at least they both have world titles tied to their names now. As Titicaca went on to become the world’s highest navigable body of water, Salar de Uyuni is now the planet’s biggest salt flats. Unlike Titicaca, though, Potosi’s number one tourist destination falls entirely within the jurisdiction of the Bolivian state.

[LA PAZ] It's the Climb

Don’t be sad if you can’t find the cable car stations. It’s not the end of the world. Given the hilly topography of La Paz, you are bound to end up somewhere high enough for you to appreciate a panoramic view of the city. At least this is what happened to me after I braved a few uphill climbs here and there until I reached the top of Mirador Killi-Killi. My only suggestion is that you do this before you check out so your baggage won’t weigh you down. I know mine did, and it was just a backpack!

[LA PAZ] Literally High

Bolivia’s capital is the highest in the world, which is why most tourists usually take a day or two to acclimatize or risk getting altitude sickness. In my case, it was a combination of altitude AND sickness. Having climbed Huayna Picchu two days prior and then having a full-day trip of Lake Titicaca the next day where I slipped on the boat and fell flat on my ass, I already convinced myself that La Paz would be nothing more than a bed rest pit stop for me to totally recover if I wanted to enjoy Uyuni’s salt flats come weekend.

[COPACABANA] Isla del Sol

Crossing the border is simple, really. The Peru Hop bus will drop you off at the Peruvian border where you can go to the toilet and change your remaining Nuevo Sols before heading towards the Peruvian immigration center to get your exit stamp. The Bolivia Hop guide from the other side then leads you on a five-minute walk uphill for your Bolivian entry stamp. This part might cause delays if there are Americans in your group, as they require visas to get in. After that, you transfer to your new bus, a smaller one.