Bolivia

semifinalist

hi,

wanting to go to Bolivia (and perhaps machu pichu also) next year and was wondering if people could answer the following. it would really help

1. What's the best way to get from lima to la paz? (if not doing machu pichu) flight? bus it over a few days?

and if one was to do m.p? is there a beaten track from lima to la paz that takes in m.p. on the way?

2. is spanish compatible with what they speak in bolivia? would lessons be worthwhile?

3. Inca trail: what length trail would you guys recommend? 4 days, 7days, more?

4. Cost of living? e.g. how much is a night's accomodation, basic dinner, bottle of beer?

5. Finally, if you could go back to Bolivia but could only go to 3 places, where would you go?

thanks very much,

any info would be much welcomed!

breadmonkey

Go to search and type "if you're planning a driving holiday":)

semifinalist

Huh?

breadmonkey

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055016322&referrerid=&highlight=driving+bolivia
Scroll down to the last post (mine).

semifinalist

Very scary stuff! thanks for that.

you been to bolivia?

breadmonkey

No sorry, all I can offer is the scaremongering!:D

Balmed Out

wanting to go to Bolivia (and perhaps machu pichu also) next year and was wondering if people could answer the following. it would really help

1. What's the best way to get from lima to la paz? (if not doing machu pichu) flight? bus it over a few days?

id fly it took us over 24 hours to get from nazca to cuzco by bus (and nazca as 5 or 6 hours from lima in the right direction), might not look very far but your going round treacherous mountain roads. Cuzco is still ages from la paz but you can go via puno (check out megadisco) lake titicaca uros floating islands and bolivias coco cobano.



and if one was to do m.p? is there a beaten track from lima to la paz that takes in m.p. on the way?

as above. some take arequipa (dont know spelling) in on the way.

2. is spanish compatible with what they speak in bolivia? would lessons be worthwhile?

they speak spanish and nice and slowly too

3. Inca trail: what length trail would you guys recommend? 4 days, 7days, more?

i did the 4 days tough but worth it

4. Cost of living? e.g. how much is a night's accomodation, basic dinner, bottle of beer?
fair few years since i was there but bargain for everything including accomodation - more of ye the better, accomodation was 5 to 12 euro bottle of beer 1 euro meals 3/4 euros

5. Finally, if you could go back to Bolivia but could only go to 3 places, where would you go?

spent most time in peru but did enjoy coco cobano and la paz

semifinalist

Thanks for that B.O. Very helpful.

Do you know which airlines fly from lima to la paz?

Haven't ruled out taking in some of Peru also.

Would you highly recommend it?

Also, does anyone know if there are flights from la paz to santa cruz?

Thanks again.

bringitdown

AFAIR Lloyd Aero Bolivia (LAB) fly Lima to La Paz:
http://www.labairlines.co.uk/lab/index.cfm

So do LAN Peru:
http://www.lan.com/index.html

semifinalist

So would you guys recommend Bolivia or are there better countries to go to in S. America?

DubOnHoliday

I was there about 4 weeks ago. Went to Santa Cruz... You get a meal for 2 in a five star hotel for 20 dollars.
I'd recommend going there for a few days. Has a Irish pub in the main square too!
Visited the inca ruins at samipata and the cuevas waterfalls...
Its pretty hot this time of year and watch out for the mosquitoes.
LAB fly direct from Madrid to Santa Cruz... takes 10 hours, not too bad!

bleary

Bolivia
Top3
Pampas tour from Ruranbeqque The most amazing wildlife more than I thought possible -pink dolphins anacondas alligators

Tupiza & Uyuni- Fantastic horse riding you stay up in villages in the hills with the stunning rock colours red rock puuple etc , completely wild and beautiful
If you ever wanted to be in Butch cassidya nd the sundance kid this is the place to try it! then on to Uyuni salt lakes

Isla del sol & copacabana
Copacabana mainly because the people and the place were so friendly and laid back after constant hassle in peru then over to the isla del sol to see untouched island beauty

semifinalist

thanks for that Bleary.

Heading to Bolivia and SE Asia next year but there's a chance i might only make it to one or the other.

If i have to choose i'll be tearing my hair out cause i can't decide right now.

Is Bolivia to be recommended as far as you're concerned? where else have you been in S. America?

Thanks again.

jabberwock

Bolivia is a pretty cool place. and your money goes a long way there.
I´m doing a trip around SA for 6 months, 3 months in, and found Bolivia to be in general my favorite.
I´ve been in Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Paraguay, Bolivia and Peru so far and I´m on my way to Ecuador tonight.

Samipata, Potosi, Sucre, Uyuni-Salt Flats, La Paz -- All good spots
Santa Cruz has alot more money floating around it so is a bit more expensive.

4. Cost of living? e.g. how much is a night's accomodation, basic dinner, bottle of beer?
5euro, <3euro, 1 litre= 1-1.50euro

semifinalist

That's brilliant info Jabber. Thanks for that.

Good to hear from someone who's there at the moment.

Also contemplated flying to B.A and heading up through Argentina and into Bolivia that way. Argentina nice?

What other highlights have you had? Are Copacabana and Lake Titicaca worth seeing aswell?

Hope you're enjoying the trip!

thanks again.

s.