Bolivia is South America's most overlooked country and, for many travellers, its most memorable. The landscapes are extreme, the culture is deeply indigenous, and the prices are among the lowest on the continent.
Salar de Uyuni is the centrepiece of most itineraries. The world's largest salt flat — over 10,000 square kilometres of blinding white — sits at 3,656 metres on the altiplano. In the dry season it reflects the sky like a cracked mirror; in the wet season (January–March) a thin film of water creates a perfect reflection that dissolves the horizon. Three-day jeep tours from Uyuni town cover the flats plus the coloured lagoons and flamingo-filled volcanoes near the Chilean border. See Salar de Uyuni.
Lake Titicaca and Copacabana — at 3,812 metres, Titicaca is the world's highest navigable lake, and its deep blue against the brown altiplano is startling. The Bolivian shore is less visited than the Peruvian side but arguably more interesting. Copacabana is a laid-back pilgrimage town; from there, a ferry reaches Isla del Sol, the mythological birthplace of the Inca civilisation. Pre-Columbian ruins and simple guesthouses await. See Lake Titicaca.
La Paz is the world's highest administrative capital and one of the strangest cities you'll encounter. Built in a deep canyon in the altiplano, it tumbles down the walls of the bowl it sits in, with the neighbouring city of El Alto perched on the rim above. The Witches' Market (Mercado de las Brujas), the Cholita wrestling bouts, the cable car rides over the city — there's nowhere quite like it. See La Paz.
Sucre is the country's most beautiful city — whitewashed colonial architecture, a warm climate, and a relaxed pace that La Paz emphatically lacks. The Jurassic dinosaur footprints at Cal Orcko, on the edge of town, are genuinely remarkable. See Sucre.
Potosí was once one of the largest cities in the world, built on the silver extracted from Cerro Rico. The mountain still operates as a working mine, and tours inside with the miners are uncomfortable, humbling, and unforgettable. The city's colonial architecture is UNESCO-listed. See Potosí.
The Yungas and Coroico — the road down from the altiplano to the Yungas cloud forest is one of the great landscape transitions anywhere. Coroico sits at 1,750 metres in a subtropical valley, a dramatic contrast to La Paz. The Death Road cycling descent ends here.
Madidi National Park is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth, protecting ecosystems from Andean glaciers to Amazonian lowland forest. Accessible via Rurrenabaque, it's the place to go if you want Amazon wildlife without the crowds of Ecuador or Peru.
Samaipata is a small village in the eastern foothills of the Andes, two hours from Santa Cruz, with a pre-Inca rock fortress (El Fuerte) above it. It's a good base for hiking and a quieter alternative to the highland cities. See Samaipata.