And now for something completely different… La Paz is not what you expected but also exactly what you expected at the same time. Doesn’t make sense right? Trust me, when you go, you’ll know what I mean. A crazy city of hills, witch-craft, and oh so many markets. You really don’t know what to expect with Bolivia because you just don’t hear to much about it. I tired to research Bolivia but even online it is hard to find the right information, we pretty much guessed our way through this wonderful country but it definitely had me wanting more.
Accommodation: Wild Rover La Paz
Wild is an understatement. Just like Wild Rover in Cusco, there is an Irish bar with delicious food and way too much alcohol. We stayed in a Private room because we were at that point of the trip where we just needed some space and honestly it was the best idea. When we came home after a night out it was so nice to be able to go back to our room and just die haha. The location of the hostel was pretty good, a quick walk to the main square and the markets however as with everything in La Paz, be prepared to climb the monstrous hills.
How to get there: We were supposed to be taking the scenic route from Cusco to La Paz via Lake Titicaca however with 1. the Brazil visa being an absolute drama, and 2. the Brazil visa being free during the olympics… we decided we would head to Bolivia after doing Brazil and Argentina. If you do take the bus there (which i really wish we did) your hostel should have plenty available for you to do so. We stayed at Wild Rover in both Cusco and La Paz and I know that they have a hop-on-hop-off bus that goes between the two and to various other locations. You can of course fly to La Paz but if you’re coming from Cusco, really the bus is the only way to go! I really wish I had have seen the lake.
What to do:
Witches Market: creepy and cool. The markets are quite similar to Cusco with lots of alpaca jumpers/hats etc, heaps of vibrant colours and cool souvenirs, the only difference is… dead llama foetus’ erryyyyywhere, and other witch related memorabilia. Really gross and creepy but also interesting to see how witch-craft is still prominent in Bolivia.
Markets: La Paz is basically one huge market. The regular market area takes hours to look through but there are some cool items that you can get really cheap, including shoes and leather jackets. You can buy a custom made leather jacket for like $50 and they are great quality. They do take a few days to get made so make sure you give yourself enough time.
Party: Yes, the main theme of all of my advice but this developing city has a lot to offer in terms of a good time. Staying at Wild Rover things were bound to get messy and they did. Most cab drivers that wait outside hostels and will know where the best nightlife is. Similarly to Cusco again, La Paz has ridiculously high altitude so if you drink you need to be careful as the altitude can effect your tolerance.
Travel Guide 