Question 1

Bolivia entry requirements

Accepted Answer

To enter our country it is necessary to have a valid passport or a visa granted for 30 or 90 days according to the agreement with the country of origin. The citizens of the Andean Community countries (Peru, Ecuador, Colombia) can move around the community only with their personal identification card in accordance with current international agreements.

For more information, enter the link of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the following link: https://bit.ly/3zXjM6q

Europeans are granted a 30-day tourist visa on arrival that can be extended free of charge to 90 days. Most other nationalities including US citizens must ask for a visa.

To enter Bolivia, the following is required: 1) Certificate of vaccine against COVID-19 in physical or digital format with a complete two-dose scheme or a single dose with at least fourteen (14) days before the date of entry or Test Certified negative RT-PCR or certified nasal antigen for people over five (5) years of age, up to seventy-two (72) hours before boarding in the country of origin, for nationals or foreigners coming from outside the country by air, land or lake that do not have the vaccine.

Question 2

Local currency and use of US dollars

Accepted Answer

The Bolivian currency is the BOLIVIAN (Bs 1 = 100 cents), the official currency cuts are 10, 20 and 50 cents and 1, 2 and 5 Bolivianos which have the number of amount of money on the obverse with the inscription “Union is strength” and on the reverse the coat of arms of Bolivia with the inscription “Plurinational State of Bolivia”, the bills have the denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 Bolivianos.In all the capital cities of the country it is possible to change the main foreign currencies (dollar, euro, Argentine peso, real, yen, Chilean peso and pound sterling, among others) and at the border points with the country it is possible to change the currency according to the entry border. Although there are street exchange points at the border posts as well as in some streets of the capital cities called “free exchangers” it is advisable to use these services only in case of urgency or exchange of little money, it is advisable to use authorized exchange houses and existing banks.To have a reference of the price of your currency in relation to the Bolivian you can visit the web portal of the Central Bank of Bolivia where you will find the daily prices of foreign currencies with respect to the Boliviano.On the other hand, the ATMs of the vast majority of financial institutions and banks have ENLACE and REDBANK ATM networks, which accept debit cards: PLUS and CIRRUS, and VISA, MASTERCARD and AMERICAN EXPRESS credit cards. It is important to consider that you can withdraw bolivianos or dollars from these ATMs at the official exchange rate.You can access banking services nationwide in its different types, depending on the town where you are:Bank Service Hours NationwideFrom 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (continuous hours).

Question 3

Vaccinations for entering Bolivia

Accepted Answer

In the altiplanic regions it is not very frequent that the visitor requires a vaccine, except medical prescription, the most common is the possibility of suffering from altitude sickness for which it is recommended not to make physical efforts, take coca infusions and pills that you will find at any pharmacy. However, when you decide to visit the Eastern region, especially the Bolivian Amazon that shows hot and tropical climates, the traveler can be a victim of mosquito bites, so it is very important to have the yellow fever vaccine, which must be applied 10 to 14 days before traveling.

Among the most important vaccinations that the visitor should take into account when traveling to hot climates are the following:

Compulsory vaccinations: against yellow fever, compulsory for all travelers and visitors coming from a country where yellow fever exists (endemic).
Vaccines generally recommended regardless of traveling: Hepatitis A, Tetanus-diphtheria, Triple Viral.
Vaccines recommended in special situations: Yellow Fever, Typhoid Fever, Hepatitis B, Rabies, Influenza, Pneumococcal.
For those who visit tropical areas (Brazilian border) anti-malaria tablets are recommended.

You must go to a specialized vaccination center for the prescription of vaccines.

Question 4

Altitude and climate

Accepted Answer

The altiplano, located at an average altitude of 4,000 meters, extends over an elongated band delimited by two imposing mountain ranges, the Occidental to the west, and the Cordillera Real to the east. The cold and dry climate reigns over the altiplano, taking into account that the humidity that comes from tropical regions is blocked by the Cordillera Real. The southern regions are considered arid, since they are frequently affected by drought, dry winds and temperatures that drop to -20°C in winter. However, in the middle of the altiplanic plain, two large bodies of water show their singular beauty: Lake Titicaca (to the north), and Lake Poopó (in the center).

The cold, arid and dry climate of the altiplano region is compensated by its singular beauty, by its mineral wealth (copper, silver, tin, tungsten, lithium, gold, among others.), by its extraordinary vegetation whose products were cataloged by the World Health Organization among the most complete foods (quinoa real, potato, etc.) and for its fauna, which provides inputs to the best fashion designers in the world (vicuña, alpaca, llama, etc.)

Another region that includes the sub-Andean zone is the Valleys, which are located in a strip from north to south of the country, between the Andes mountain range and the Amazon basin, at an intermediate altitude of 2,000 meters above sea level. It comprises most of the Department of Cochabamba, the eastern side of the Department of Potosí, the western halves of the Departments of Chuquisaca and Tarija, as well as a part of the Department of La Paz, and the westernmost portion of the Department of Santa Cruz (in the region where Valle Grande is located). Cochabamba is the city of the valley par excellence, although Sucre and the beautiful Tarija also stand out as important cities in this geographical area. The main characteristic of this area is the temperate climate and the diversity of crops, being the main suppliers of fruits and vegetables in the country. The hospitality of its people is well known, since pre-Hispanic times they moved to that area from different regions of the country to become agricultural and livestock producers.

WHAT IS THE CLIMATE LIKE IN BOLIVIA?

Bolivia’s climate encompasses a variety of temperatures and weather conditions: generally cold in the highlands, temperate in the valleys, and warm in the plains. In addition to the variability of weather conditions, many parts of the country experience irregular weather throughout the year or large and unpredictable variations.

The autumn-winter season is a cold, dry and sunny period in the valleys and highlands, especially in the latter, where low temperatures are recorded at the end of June and beginning of July, during these months in the east the days are cool with possible precipitation.

The spring-summer season is a hot and rainy period in the months of December, January, February and March. The rainy season also has its charm and the vegetation is more abundant.

Most of the destinations in Bolivia can be visited all year round, but certain places are more appreciable and accessible in certain seasons. In the Amazon zone there is a greater probability of inaccessibility during the rainy season than in the dry season, while the valleys and highlands are accessible practically all year round. Many say that the best season to visit Bolivia is from March to November. In general, the days are hot, the afternoons can be very cool in the Altiplano, in general, sun and blue skies. From December to March, the rainy season occurs, it is difficult to carry out activities, extreme sports and, above all, it makes internal mobilization by road difficult.

Question 5

Public holidays

Accepted Answer

If you want to spend a few days in Bolivia, take into account the following dates. Well, you need to recognize the right day for your plans:

• January 1: New Year.

• January 22: Plurinational State.

• February 20: Carnival.

• February 21: Carnival.

• April 6: Holy Week.

• April 7: Holy Week.

• May 1: Labor Day.

• June 8: Corpus Christi.

• June 21: Aymara or Andean New Year.

• August 6: Independence Day.

• November 2: All Souls’ Day.

• December 25: Christmas.

Question 6

Car hire

Accepted Answer

Minimum age to rent a vehicle is 21, and the maximum rental age is 75 years.

For visiting regions with rugged terrain, the most frequently requested vehicles are four-wheel drive SUVs.

To drive in Bolivia, you must carry with you:

Driving license
Copy of passport
Vehicle documentation (SOAT – Compulsory Traffic Accident Insurance, Certificate of Roadworthiness, and Ownership Card)
Vehicle hire contract, if the car is rented
International driving license valid for one year.

CATEGORY	INFORMATION
Capital	La Paz & Sucre
Surface	1098580 Km2
Parts	Andean zone, Sub-Andean zone and Llanos zone
Population	9 millions
Languages	Spanish, Aymara, Quechua, Guarani and other 33 indegenous languages
Religion	Catholic 90%, but law guarantees freedom of worship.
Government	Democratic Republic
Currency	Bolivian Boliviano (BOB). The symbol used for the Boliviano is Bs.
Current weather	www.weather.com
News	https://eldeber.com.bo/
Tourism	https://boliviatravelsite.com/
Time zone	-4 GMT
Electric power	In Bolivia the common voltage is 230 V. The frequency is 50 Hz. The plugs and sockets are of the A/C type.

Bolivia Tours

Most Popular Tours

Titicaca Lake & Sun Island

Uyuni Salt Flat & Colored Lagoons

La Paz – Lago Titicaca

La Paz – Salar de Uyuni

La Paz – Salar de Uyuni – (S. Pedro Atacama)

Peru And Bolivia, Two Countries, One Destination

General Information

Interesting facts

We invite you to read these frequent inquiries (FAQs)