Thoughts on Bolivia in early October?

[Anonymous]

I was just playing around on Google Flights and found some reasonable flights to La Paz in early October. Our youngest child will leave for college in August so it would just be my husband and I. I am in my late 40's and speak some Spanish (I've been able to get around on my own in other South and Central American countries) and he is in his late 50's and doesn't speak a word.
We like hiking/nature and historical sites. I see that Bolivia has a small wine making industry which would interest us if we don't have to go too far out of our way.

Has anyone here been to Bolivia and have any advice/thoughts? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

My wife went there for work for a month or two. She loved it. It's a quirky country, but on the poorer end of things so as long as you're comfortable in developing countries you should be fine.

[Anonymous]

My nanny is from there. She likes going to lake titicaca but beware of altitude sickness. There a cool gondola too. It’s very cheap.

[Anonymous]

Good luck to you in Bolivia. Just don’t drink wine and eat salty foods while you’re heading to La Paz.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Good luck to you in Bolivia. Just don’t drink wine and eat salty foods while you’re heading to La Paz.

OP here
Can you elaborate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My nanny is from there. She likes going to lake titicaca but beware of altitude sickness. There a cool gondola too. It’s very cheap.

OP here
Thanks! Yes I'm very interested in the gondola! I've been a few places with high altitude but I don't know how my husband will handle it. We'll definitely plan to take things easy the first couple days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My wife went there for work for a month or two. She loved it. It's a quirky country, but on the poorer end of things so as long as you're comfortable in developing countries you should be fine.

OP here
Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good luck to you in Bolivia. Just don’t drink wine and eat salty foods while you’re heading to La Paz.

OP here
Can you elaborate?

My advice comes from personal experience with very high altitudes, experts recommendation, and my DH experience in La Paz. If you or your husband are willing to come back safe, pls don’t eat anything salty and drink alcohol. I heard stories of hikers who did and were found dead up in the mountains. My husband, who is not athletic, has been in La Paz for work with some colleagues. He told me the locals advised him to chew coca tea leaves to help him tolerate the high altitude.
I would suggest to check your iron levels and your heart before your trip.

[Anonymous]

I spent a few days in La Paz years ago and it was gorgeous. I really liked the city. Then we took a catamaran across Lake Titicaca and went onwards to Machu Pichu.

[Anonymous]

This is not the board for any sort of adventurous trip. The posters here are exceedingly boring type. Go for it OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was just playing around on Google Flights and found some reasonable flights to La Paz in early October. Our youngest child will leave for college in August so it would just be my husband and I. I am in my late 40's and speak some Spanish (I've been able to get around on my own in other South and Central American countries) and he is in his late 50's and doesn't speak a word.
We like hiking/nature and historical sites. I see that Bolivia has a small wine making industry which would interest us if we don't have to go too far out of our way.

Has anyone here been to Bolivia and have any advice/thoughts? Thanks!

If you are specifically interested in winemaking, I wouldn't go to Bolivia to see it. Other countries like Chile or Argentina do it better. I think culture and nature are definitely more interesting in Bolivia.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I spent a few days in La Paz years ago and it was gorgeous. I really liked the city. Then we took a catamaran across Lake Titicaca and went onwards to Machu Pichu.

I did the same trip years ago plus the salt flats. Loved it! I will agree with the PPs on altitude. La Paz is the only place I have ever had an issue with it and I've been to many places of high elevation. That the city is so hilly and requires climbing contributed I'm sure. On the plus side, by the time I got to Machu Pichu I was totally acclimated and had no problems with the Inca Trail.

[Anonymous]

The salts flats in Bolivia look gorgeous. We did the altiplano lakes in Chile (gorgeous) which were at 14,000 ft above sea level and had no problems with the elevation (we travelled with grandparents in their 70s). If you’re reasonably fit you should be fine OP. Enjoy!!

[Anonymous]

I went to Bolivia for the salt flats. When I got there in biting cold I felt it was underrated. In general I was glad when I got out of Bolivia. And this was when I was in my twenties and hardier. I don’t recommend and say you should go to a more well beaten path like Peru. It’s not worth the I went to a remote country bragging rights

[Anonymous]

Also it’s not like the salt flats are safe. There’s an element of risk in everything, we heard stories of all guides and tourists got lost and that was it. Since it’s all the way out in the wilderness you are not going to get comfortable arrangements in the salt flats. I just wouldn’t do it.