Bolivia La Paz and the altiplano

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At a dizzying 3,632m above sea level, La Paz is easily the highest capital city in the world. Overlooked by the icy Mount Illimani, the city bustles with quirky street markets.

Overview

Driving along the flat, windswept plains of the high-altitude altiplano, you are taken by surprise when you find yourself on the lip of a broad canyon brimming with the colourful, closely-packed buildings of Bolivia’s capital.

At a dizzying 3,632m and overlooked by the ice-jacketed Mount Illimani, La Paz is a busy place with a compact historic centre from which endless quirky street markets fan out. There are also modern boulevards with cool bars and ice cream parlours, where Aymara Indian ladies shuffle by in their traditional ponchos and bowler hats.

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Holidays La Paz and the altiplano

From expertly designed Private Journeys to trail-blazing Group Tours, browse our range of carefully crafted holidays.

Atacama Desert Death Valley, Chile

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Peru / Lake Titicaca / Bolivia / Chile

Andean Flamingo: Andes laid bare

17 days from £5,636pp

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Sun over Machu Picchu in Peru

Group - Discovery

Peru / Lake Titicaca / Bolivia

Condor: Peru in depth

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Car on the Uyuni Salt Flats

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Discover Bolivia and northwest Argentina

15 days from £4,650pp

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Things to do

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Where to go when - our guide to La Paz and the altiplano

La Paz

The weather in La Paz and the altiplano is wide and varied

At a dizzying 3,632m above sea level, La Paz is easily the highest capital city in the world. Thanks to the high altitude, temperatures in the capital and the surrounding windswept plains feel chilly year round. The summer months (November - March) are rainy and humid with dull skies, while the winter (Apr - Oct) sees colder temperatures but brilliant blue skies and radiant sunshine. The Fiesta del Gran Poder (held annually in May or June) ignites the city with colourful street parades and costumed dancers.

View our La Paz and the altiplano weather guide

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  • Finn Clennett
    Finn Clennett - Travel Expert

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    Charlotte Daubeney - Travel Expert

    Charlotte's fascination with Latin America began with a family holiday to Belize. She went on to study Spanish in school and at university before spending a year living in Santiago, Chile.

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    Ben Line - Travel Expert

    Ben fell in love with Latin America on a six month backpacking trip from Colombia to Mexico in 1995. Since then he has explored most of South America, including living in Peru for a year. He is now Head of Sales.

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    Born in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, Mary’s insider knowledge and dry sense of humour make her a highly valued member of the Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tour sales team.

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    Juliet Ellwood - Travel Expert

    After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and History and having been fascinated by Latin America since childhood by the book featuring photos of Nazca, Juliet first visited the region in 2003. Since then, Juliet has visited the majority of countries in Latin America but has particularly extensive experience with Peru, a country she loves for many reasons but not least, its incredible archaeological richness and delicious food!

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    Kathryn backpacked across Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru before joining us. She has a degree in Philosophy and French and is a keen netball player.

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