La Paz and surroundings
(Bolivia)
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La Paz
La Paz is the capital and is the highest in the world in altitude. Downtown is situated on approximately 3.600 meters. The highest parts of El Alto are circa on 4.100 meter altitude and the lowest on 3.100 meters. So it means hard working because La Paz isn’t flat. In Bolivia, it’s next to Sucre the city with the best restaurants.
Apart from delicious food, La Paz is the place for buying souvenirs. There’s plenty of choice on the Witches Market. As in every big city also in La Paz, you can find free city walks which are based on tips. A very atmospheric place which is skipped by the guided tours in Calle Jaen with its colonial buildings. Tours from La Paz to different places around the city are easy to find, cheap and in majority depart daily.
Chacaltaya
On many places, day tours to Chacaltaya and Valle de la Luna are offered. Chacaltaya is a former ski area and is located 5.300 meter height so a visit the first day when you arrive from lower areas, is not advisable. The bus drives until 5.100 meters and the last part is for hiking to the viewpoint. The hike takes about 20 minutes because there can be snow and with less oxygen in the air so it’s quite exhausting.
Valle de la Luna
The second part of the day trip will be spent in Valle de la Luna. This scenic spot is just outside La Paz and has fantastic stone formations and well-prepared trails where you can walk around. When I was there it was advised to do this by a group because of the risk of a robbery.
Death Road
The day trip from La Paz is the downhill by mountain bike from the Death Road. This road is known as the most dangerous road on the world and the downhill starts at just over 4.700-meter altitude and ends on 1.200 meters. The downhill is 64 kilometre and the road goes down about 90 % of the trip. About 8 kilometres the road rises quite steep but this part will be done by bus, the rest by bicycle. Every participant with some experience in driving a bicycle will survive. When you want to go too fast, you’ll be the one who wins the trip every year. Then a flight back home is included in your trip.