Gringo Trail in Bolivia: 5 Places to Escape the Usual Tourist Route

Guest Post by Stephen of factsandfootsteps.com

The standard Bolivia route is easy enough to recognise. La Paz, the Salar de Uyuni, Sucre and Lake Titicaca tend to show up again and again, and for good reason. They’re some of the places I’d still tell anyone travelling through Bolivia not to miss. The standard route is popular for good reason, but after a while it can all start to feel a bit familiar. 

I’d rather find a few places that change the pace and give the trip something different. Maybe you want a warmer climate, completely different scenery or a day that involves horses rather than another long bus journey. These five stops give you a way to do that without turning your trip into an expedition.

Need a Break from High-Altitude Bolivia? Try Samaipata

If Bolivia’s altitude and long bus rides are starting to wear you down then Samaipata can be a very good excuse to slow things down. It sits in Santa Cruz Department where the climate is milder and life feels less rushed than further west. El Fuerte de Samaipata gets most of the attention but you’d be missing a bit if you treated the town and surrounding countryside as somewhere to sleep and leave.

That change in elevation is part of the appeal. Samaipata sits at around 1,650 metres, which is still high by plenty of standards but considerably lower than La Paz. After several days at higher elevations the difference can feel rather welcome.

What Makes Samaipata Different?

Samaipata also works well when you fancy slowing the trip down a bit. There’s no need to spend the whole day ticking off sights. You can walk around town, explore some of the surrounding countryside or make your way to the archaeological site and just take your time with it.

That’s what gives the place some of its appeal. El Fuerte is certainly worth seeing, but Samaipata doesn’t feel like a destination built around one attraction.

Want a Complete Change of Scenery? Head to Tupiza

Tupiza is where I’d go when I wanted Bolivia to look completely different. The scenery around the town is all dry valleys, colourful rocks and dramatic canyons. It feels rugged and open rather than anything like the white expanse of the Salar de Uyuni. If you’re travelling through the south, it’s an easy way to add a very different landscape to the trip.

There’s also more to do than just admire the scenery. You can explore the valleys on foot or try horse riding which gives you another way to see the area. You don’t need to be an experienced rider although I’d still use a reputable operator and explain your experience level before you set off.

Why Tupiza Deserves More Than One Night

Tupiza can easily become a quick stop between other destinations if you let the itinerary dictate everything. I’d avoid that.

The landscape is the reason to slow down here. Even a simple day spent exploring the valleys gives you something completely different from the usual Bolivia highlights and El Sillar adds another unusual geological sight to the area.

Interested in Bolivia’s Past? Make Time for Tiwanaku

Tiwanaku is a good reminder that going beyond the usual route doesn’t always mean travelling somewhere remote. It’s fairly close to the classic tourist itinerary but can still get dropped when travellers are trying to fit Lake Titicaca and everything else into a limited number of days. The site offers a chance to look much further back into the region’s history with remains that predate the Incas by centuries.

The trick is giving it a bit of context before you arrive. Otherwise, there’s a danger of wandering around looking at enormous stones and wondering what you’re supposed to be seeing. At roughly 3,850 metres, the altitude is also worth remembering.

An Easy Detour From La Paz

Tiwanaku is one of those places that can work nicely alongside the rest of your route. With Lake Titicaca already featuring on many Bolivia itineraries, adding Tiwanaku doesn’t necessarily mean making a separate trip just to get there. You get another dose of history while keeping the rest of the journey more or less on track.

Curious About Oruro Beyond the Carnival?

Carnaval de Oruro gets most of the attention, but that’s only one part of what makes the city interesting. When the festival is happening, the streets are full of colourful costumes, dancing, music and religious traditions and there’s a real sense of occasion everywhere. The rest of the year is far quieter, so it’s easier to look beyond the carnival and notice the mining history and local way of life. I’d definitely keep the timing in mind.

There’s More to Oruro Than One Weekend

If the carnival is your main reason for going then obviously, you’ll want to plan around it. If you’re more interested in seeing Oruro itself, I’d be tempted to travel outside the busiest period. Checking the local calendar before you go is worth doing anyway because larger festivals and events can affect accommodation and transport.

Want a Proper Challenge? Climb Huayna Potosí

Unlike some of the other places here, Huayna Potosí isn’t particularly unknown. The mountain is well established on the La Paz travel circuit, but climbing it feels like a completely different type of trip. Instead of spending a few hours looking around a city or historic site, you’re heading properly into the Andes. Instead of visiting another viewpoint you’re actually climbing into the Andes with the mountain rising above 6,000 metres. The climb takes several days with an experienced guide and the final ascent involves snow and glacier conditions.

Easy to Reach Doesn’t Mean Easy to Climb

It might be considered one of the easier climbs at this altitude, but Huayna Potosí is still a serious undertaking. The extreme altitude alone makes a difference, then you’ve got freezing temperatures and a demanding summit day to deal with as well.

Acclimatisation matters and so does choosing a reputable operator with proper equipment and experienced guides. There’s really no prize for trying to prove how tough you are on a mountain.

Which Detour Fits Your Trip?

These places aren’t all trying to solve the same problem. Samaipata makes sense when you want a slower pace and a break from the highest parts of Bolivia. Tupiza is the one for completely different scenery. Tiwanaku suits anyone who wants more history while Oruro gives you a different look at Bolivian culture outside its famous carnival. Huayna Potosí is for when you want the trip to become considerably more adventurous.

That’s why I wouldn’t try to visit all five just because they’re on a list. Pick the one that actually adds something your existing itinerary is missing.

How to Add These Stops Without Ruining the Itinerary

The hardest part of seeing more of Bolivia isn’t necessarily choosing the places. It’s working out how to fit them in. Distances are bigger than they can seem at first and long journeys can quickly take over a short trip. You don’t want to spend two weeks ticking destinations off a list while barely having time to enjoy any of them.

I’d keep things fairly simple and look for places that fit the route naturally. Samaipata goes nicely with Santa Cruz, Tupiza works on a trip through the south and Tiwanaku is easy to combine with La Paz. Oruro suits an Altiplano journey, whereas Huayna Potosí is better given its own space in the itinerary rather than added as another stop.