Bolivia

Bolivia: a land of salt flats, rainforests, high-altitude towns and massive lakes. We had some of our best South American travel experiences during our month-long trip to Bolivia. Starting in La Paz, we flew to Rurrenabaque for an adventure in the Amazon Rainforest. We stayed at an eco-camp and saw all kinds of wild animals before heading on to the Capital, Sucre. Next up was an incredible three-day tour of the Bolivian salt flats, one of the most unique landscapes we’ve come across. Our Bolivia trip ended with a peaceful stay in Copacabana on the shores of Lake Titicaca.

Our four-month South America trip was filled with incredible experiences. We trekked through the Amazon rainforest, rode a bumpy jeep across the largest salt flat in the world, climbed up Machu Picchu mountain and watched the sunset from an eco-retreat in the Colombian mountains. It wasn’t all smooth sailing and there were definitely some things we weren’t prepared for though, including the high prices, freezing altitudes and meat-heavy menus.
Getting lost in the Amazon Rainforest, driving across the world's largest salt flats, boating on Earth's highest navigable lake, we did all these bucket-list activities in Bolivia, but were they expensive? What about Bolivian food and accommodation? And how much does it cost to get around Bolivia? Read on to find out all about our Bolivia travel costs.
Our Lake Titicaca trip was one of the best we've had in South America. We fell in love with Copacabana, a quiet town where we relaxed in hammock-studded gardens accompanied by alpacas, soaking up the sun and views of the never-ending lake. To explore Titicaca's treasures, we took boat trips to Isla del Sol and visited Peru's floating islands made of reeds, where families in neon outfits live in thatched houses. 

Picture a carpet of white salt stretching off into the horizon, a desert of crystals left behind by a prehistoric dried-up lake. Welcome to the Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia, one of the most inhospitable and unique landscapes we’ve ever visited. To explore this striking wilderness, we took a bumpy, three-day Bolivian salt flats tour in a 4x4 jeep. Along the way we saw cacti-studded islands, thermal springs and red lagoons spotted with hundreds of flamingos.

Meat, fried meat and more meat, including guinea pigs and llamas. That’s been our experience of the South American diet so far. We definitely haven’t been living the vegan dream while travelling through Colombia, Peru and Bolivia this year, so how exactly have we been coping? From renting apartments with kitchens to stuffing our faces with avocados and surviving travel days on Ritz crackers, here’s how we’re managing vegan South America travel.
“I don't really feel safe continuing...” says our guide, Cheo, lowering his machete. He is chopping through a patch of dense Amazon rainforest, looking for an elusive trail leading back to our boat. I stop and look around the small clearing, which way had we just come from? Everything is a mass of tall trees and snaking vines, branches and leaves, and I'm totally disorientated. For the first time on our three-day Amazon adventure, I appreciate the full, epic power of the rainforest.