The Best of Bolivia — Self-Launched (La Paz, Uyuni Salt Flats & Lake Titicaca)
8 days · Bolivia
Simple Bolivia Travel charges £1,650
No-markup version: ~£690 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An 8-day self-launched version of Simple Bolivia Travel's "The best of Bolivia" loop: La Paz, the Tiwanaku ruins, the Uyuni Salt Flats and the lagoons and geysers of the altiplano, then Lake Titicaca and Sun Island. Instead of a private 4x4 and 3-star hotels, you book a shared Uyuni salar tour with a local operator, ride overnight/day buses between La Paz and Uyuni, and stay in hostels and budget guesthouses. Bolivia is one of South America's best-value countries — this version comes in at roughly a third of the operator price.
Day-by-day
Arrive La Paz — acclimatise in the world's highest capital
La Paz
Fly into El Alto International (3,600m+) and take a shared minibus or official taxi (Bs 70–90, ~£8) down into La Paz. Check into a hostel in Sopocachi or the historic centre and take it very easy on day one — altitude is real. Short wander to Plaza Murillo, coca tea, early night. Book your Uyuni tour and Titicaca trip today so the rest of the week locks in.
🚌Airport taxi/shared minibus (~£8); on foot + Mi Teleférico cable car (Bs 3, ~£0.35/ride)
🛏Hostel private twin or dorm, Sopocachi/Centre (e.g. Loki La Paz or Wild Rover, £10–16)
- →Plaza Murillo
- →Mi Teleférico cable car ride
- →Acclimatisation walk in Sopocachi
Tiwanaku ruins day trip
Tiwanaku / La Paz
Pre-Columbian Tiwanaku is 72km west of La Paz. Take a bus from the Cementerio area or book a shared half-day tour (Bs 150–200, ~£18–24) covering transport, entry and an English-speaking guide. Wander Akapana Pyramid, the Semi-Subterranean Temple, Kalasasaya, the Sun Gate, the Ponce Monolith and Puma Punku, plus the ceramic and lithic museums. Back in La Paz for evening.
🚌Shared tour minibus or public bus from Cementerio (Bs 80 return) + entry Bs 100
🛏Same La Paz hostel (£10–16)
- →Tiwanaku Archaeological Complex (entry ~£10)
- →Akapana Pyramid
- →Kalasasaya Temple & Sun Gate
- →Puma Punku
- →Ceramic & Lithic Museums
Overnight/Day bus to Uyuni — salt flats and sunset
Uyuni Salt Flats
Take the early-morning or overnight bus from La Paz to Uyuni (~10–12h, Bs 120–200, £13–22; Tour Perú and Trans Omar run daily). On arrival join a shared 3-day salt flats tour (the local standard, ~Bs 700–900/£75–100 per person excluding park fees). Day one: Colchani salt-processing village, the salt mounds, Eyes of Water springs, Incahuasi Island with giant cacti, and sunset on the endless white — the classic photos.
🚌La Paz–Uyuni bus (£13–22); shared 4x4 salar tour
🛏Basic salt hotel or hostel in Uyuni/Colchani on the salar tour (included in tour price, ~£12–18 value)
- →Colchani salt village
- →Incahuasi Island
- →Eyes of Water springs
- →Salt flats sunset
Altiplano lagoons and Siloli Desert
South Lípez / Siloli Desert
Day two of the shared tour heads south: Train Cemetery, San Cristóbal village, the Ollagüe volcano viewpoint, then the string of altiplano lagoons — Cañapa, Hedionda (flamingos), Honda, Charcota and Ramaditas — and into the Siloli Desert. Nights are in simple refugios (multi-bed dorms, shared bathrooms, no heating) — bring thermals and a sleeping bag liner. Meals are usually included by the driver-guide.
🚌Shared 4x4 Land Cruiser (up to 6 passengers per jeep); ~250km
🛏Refugio in Siloli/Huayllajara (included in tour, basic dorm, ~£10 value)
- →Train Cemetery
- →Ollagüe Volcano viewpoint
- →Cañapa & Hedionda lagoons
- →Siloli Desert & Stone Tree (next morning)
Geysers, hot springs, Red and Green lagoons
Eduardo Avaroa Reserve / Uyuni
Pre-dawn start for Sol de Mañana geysers, then a soak in the Polques hot springs, the Red Lagoon (Laguna Colorada with its flamingos) and the Green Lagoon beneath Licancabur volcano. Park entry (Bs 150, ~£16) is paid separately. Return to Uyuni by late afternoon/evening; if you'd rather stay 3-star, pre-book Cielo y Sal or Casa de Sal in Uyuni for the night. Overnight bus back to La Paz or sleep in Uyuni.
🚌Shared 4x4; Uyuni–La Paz overnight bus (£13–22)
🛏Overnight bus, or budget hotel in Uyuni (£15–22)
- →Sol de Mañana geysers
- →Polques hot springs (Bs 10)
- →Red Lagoon / Laguna Colorada
- →Green Lagoon & Licancabur Volcano
La Paz city highlights
La Paz
Free walking tour (tip-based, ~£5) covers Plaza Murillo, the Cathedral, the Legislative Palace exterior, the Witches' Market and views over the city. Add the Precious Metals Museum (Bs 20), Killi Killi viewpoint and a Teleférico hop up to El Alto. In the afternoon take a local bus or shared taxi to Moon Valley (Valle de la Luna, entry Bs 15) for the eroded clay spires — best around golden hour.
🚌Teleférico (Bs 3/ride); local bus to Mallasa/Moon Valley (Bs 5)
🛏La Paz hostel (£10–16)
- →Free walking tour (tip ~£5)
- →Witches' Market
- →Precious Metals Museum
- →Killi Killi viewpoint
- →Valle de la Luna (Bs 15)
Copacabana and Sun Island (Isla del Sol)
Copacabana / Isla del Sol
Catch the 7am tourist bus from La Paz's Terminal de Buses to Copacabana (~3.5h, Bs 30–40, £4–5); a motorboat ferries you across the Tiquina Strait. From Copacabana take the afternoon boat to the south of Sun Island (~1.5h, Bs 25–30). Walk the ridge path through Yumani to Pilkocaina Palace, the Inca Garden and the Sacred Fountain, down the Yumani stairway. Sleep on the island in a lakeside guesthouse — cheaper and far nicer than returning same-day, and catch sunrise over the lake.
🚌Tourist bus La Paz–Copacabana (£4–5); Tiquina ferry (Bs 2); boat to Isla del Sol (£3)
🛏Lakeside guesthouse in Yumani, Isla del Sol (£10–15)
- →Tiquina Strait crossing
- →Pilkocaina Palace
- →Yumani community walk & Inca Garden
- →Sacred Fountain of the Incas
- →Yumani Stairway
Copacabana church and market, return to La Paz
Copacabana / La Paz
Morning boat back to Copacabana, visit the Moorish-style Basilica (home of the Virgin of Copacabana) and the local market. Browse the waterfront, then take the afternoon bus back to La Paz (~3.5h, £4–5). If you're flying out tonight, allow buffer time for traffic down into the city and up to El Alto airport; otherwise overnight in La Paz and fly the next morning.
🚌Boat back to Copacabana (£3); bus Copacabana–La Paz (£4–5); airport transfer (£8)
🛏La Paz hostel, or onward flight
- →Copacabana Basilica
- →Local market in Copacabana
- →Lakeside walk
Self-launched vs. Simple Bolivia Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Simple Bolivia Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£690 | £1,650 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £960 per person (58%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Simple Bolivia Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£690
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does The Best of Bolivia — Self-Launched (La Paz, Uyuni Salt Flats & Lake Titicaca) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £690 per person for 8 days in Bolivia. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Simple Bolivia Travel?+
Yes — Simple Bolivia Travel charges around £1,650 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £690 — a saving of roughly £960 (58%) per person.
How long is the Bolivia trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Bolivia.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, backpacker trip through Bolivia, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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