Bolivia, landlocked in the heart of South America, offers a wealth of cultural riches, enticing holiday-makers to its colourful, multi-culturally lands. This large, isolated country's landscape ranges from barren terrain to lush tropical jungles. Bolivia's isolation is the reason that you can still see indigenous women wearing multi-layered petticoats and locals weaving colourful textiles in the same fashion that their ancestors did centuries ago.
Western Bolivia is home to the Andean Highlands, where two Andes Mountain ranges part to form the Puna grasslands and environs. Found here are the stunning sights of Lake Titicaca, the ruins of Tiwanaku, the capital city of La Paz and the city of Oruro. Eastern Bolivia offers lowlands that comprise part of the Amazon River basin, and its accompanying varied wildlife.
Bolivia is fairly undeveloped, so it retains a great deal more of its indigenous cultural traits than its South American neighbours. Its virgin forest, unspoiled rivers and relatively undisturbed landscape all contribute to the aura of a land left behind by time. Add the colourful clothing of its native people, going about their daily lives as they’ve done for centuries, and the effect is complete, making a visit to Bolivia much like a trip back through time.
Its capital city of La Paz is where most visitors start their trek when visiting Bolivia. Hotels are abundant and offer a plethora of choice for every traveller pocketbook and taste. Venturing out into the countryside and the smaller cities, one can find resorts and accommodation that are peppered amongst a striking landscape, including over ten national parks and vast tracts of protected regions. Bolivia is truly one of the few places on earth visitors can be revel in true jungles one day and Tibet-like mountains the next.
Despite its apparent poverty, Bolivia’s people are proud and industrious, known for their craftsmanship and adeptness with textile goods. Scouring the markets in town or in the countryside will reward visitors with high quality, colourful artefacts and clothing. If one is seeking an opportunity to appreciate a culture that hasn’t changed much even as the world has, in a splendid, unspoiled environment that is cared for and respected by its people, one should come to Bolivia.
