The Millennium Experience

Bolivia is most noted for the Andes, which take up a large chunk of the west, and, to a lesser extent, the vast jungle regions of Amazonia that extend from the Andes’ boundary all the way east into Brazil. But Bolivia has a surprisingly varied series of ecosystems within those two major regions.

Mountain areas vary from cool and dry (as in the high-altitude cities of La Paz and Potosí), to temperate (the cities of Cochabamba and Sucre), to warm and pleasant almost year-round (the fertile, grape-growing lands near the southern city of Tarija). In addition, Bolivia has the world’s largest salt desert, near Potosí. Jungle areas also vary: from humid and wet, as in Santa Cruz, to the more temperate climates in the northwest province of Pando. In the northeast province of Beni, encompassing the city of Trinidad, the wet, jungle climate is occasionally broken by cold spells, called surazos.

Though it has been increasing steadily over the last few years, Bolivia’s relatively slow trickle of tourism has been a curse for the country’s economy — and a blessing for those few who arrive to find many places relatively unaffected by the touring masses. In Bolivia you can find the most authentic local festivals in remote towns. While the presence of tourism can be strongly felt in larger cities, Bolivia still remains somewhat indifferent to the fuss over all the foreigners. What Bolivia lacks in sophistication, it more than makes up for in stunning natural beauty. Within the country’s boundaries is a surprising variety of flora and fauna, much of it unspoiled by humans. For nature lovers Bolivia is the perfect place to hike the peaks and valleys of the Andes or a jungle trail, or visit the vast salt desert, or cruise an Amazonian river. Because many of these natural areas are relatively undiscovered by tourists, visitors may find they have these places almost all to themselves.