Exploring Bolivia: Travel Options And Adventures

Bolivia is a landlocked country in the heart of South America, neighbouring Peru, Brazil, Chile, Argentina and Paraguay. There are no direct flights to Bolivia from the UK, Ireland, Australia or New Zealand, but there are direct flights from Miami in the US to La Paz and Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Flights from the US and Canada will usually require a layover, often in Miami, Panama City or Bogotá. From the UK and Ireland, common connecting cities include Madrid, Miami and São Paulo. From Australia and New Zealand, a popular route is to fly to Santiago in Chile and then get a connecting flight to La Paz or Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Alternatively, you can fly via the US.

If you're already in South America, you can enter Bolivia by land on regular bus services from all five of its neighbouring countries.

Flying from the US and Canada

If you're flying from the US to Bolivia, you can get a direct flight from Miami International Airport to Viru Viru International Airport in Santa Cruz de la Sierra. This flight takes around 8 hours and costs $1,032 round-trip. You can also fly directly to El Alto International Airport in La Paz, Bolivia, from Miami. This flight takes around 10 hours.

If you're flying from other US cities, you'll likely have to connect in Miami. For example, you can fly from Washington Dulles International Airport to Viru Viru International Airport in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, but this includes a stopover in Miami and takes around 13 hours.

Flights from the US to Bolivia are on the expensive side, ranging from $800 to $1,100.

If you're flying from Canada, you'll first have to fly to the US to make your connection. The cheapest flight from Canada to Bolivia found in the last 72 hours was C$883 round-trip. The most popular route is from Toronto Pearson International Airport to Viru Viru International Airport in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, and the average flight time is 11 hours and 55 minutes.

Flights from the UK and Ireland

There are no direct flights to Bolivia from the UK or Ireland. However, you can still get there easily with a connection. The quickest route is to fly to Madrid, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, or Miami from one of the daily flights from London. From there, you can connect to Bolivia. The cost of a round-trip ticket is approximately USD$1,500.

If you are travelling from London, you can fly from London Gatwick Airport, London Heathrow Airport, London City Airport, London Luton Airport, or London Stansted Airport. The cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours for a flight from London was £428. The most popular route is London Heathrow to Santa Cruz de la Sierra Viru Viru International Airport, and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 72 hours was £823.

An average direct flight from the United Kingdom to Bolivia takes 25 hours and 9 minutes, covering a distance of 6137 miles. However, there are no direct flights, so your travel time will be longer. The shortest flights are with Iberia out of Heathrow Airport, at roughly 15-16 hours.

When flying from Ireland, the time of day you fly out makes little to no difference to the price of tickets. The airport code DUB stands for Dublin Airport, and VVI stands for Santa Cruz de la Sierra Viru Viru International Airport.

Flights from Australia and New Zealand

If you're travelling from Australia and New Zealand, the quickest route to Bolivia is to fly to Buenos Aires, Argentina. You can do this most easily with Qantas or Aerolineas Argentina via Auckland or Sydney. The cost of the round trip is around USD$1,500. From Buenos Aires, flights to Bolivia will be approximately USD$300-500.

Of course, there is always the option to fly to the USA first and then connect from Miami to Bolivia.

The fastest flight from Bolivia to New Zealand is from Santa Cruz de la Sierra to Auckland, with an average flight time of 25 hours and 55 minutes. The cheapest way to get from Bolivia to New Zealand is to bus and fly, which costs USD$400-$1,300 and takes 28 hours and 27 minutes.

Travelling overland from neighbouring countries

If you're looking to travel overland to Bolivia, you're in luck! You can reach Bolivia by land on regular bus services from all five of its neighbouring countries: Peru, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and Paraguay—which makes the country easy to include in a wider South American trip. Here are some detailed instructions on how to travel to Bolivia from each of these countries:

Peru

The most popular and straightforward route is from Puno in Peru, via the Kasani border crossing near Copacabana or Desaguadero. Both crossings are an easy bus ride (around 4 hours) from La Paz.

Brazil

From Brazil, the main entry point is Quijarro, near the Brazilian city of Corumbá. From Quijarro, you can take a 13 to 18-hour train ride to Santa Cruz. Alternatively, you can enter Bolivia at San Matías, which is a full day's bus journey from San Ignacio in Chiquitania. If you're coming from the Amazon region, you can cross from Brasiléia to Cobija or Guajará-Mirim to Guayaramerín.

Chile

There are three main routes from Chile to Bolivia. You can take a bus from Arica on the Pacific coast via Tambo Quemado, catch a weekly train from Calama to Uyuni via Avaroa, or go on a jeep tour from San Pedro de Atacama to Uyuni, crossing at Laguna Verde.

Argentina

There are two main crossings from Argentina to Bolivia: La Quiaca to Villazón in the southern Altiplano, with connections to Tupiza, Uyuni, and Oruro, and Pocitos to Yacuiba in the Chaco, with routes to Santa Cruz or Tarija. There's also a minor crossing at Bermejo, south of Tarija.

Paraguay

During the dry season (May to September), you can take a challenging bus journey from Asunción to Santa Cruz, which covers approximately 1,000 km and takes around 24 hours.

Visa requirements

The visa requirements for Bolivia depend on the traveller's country of origin and the purpose of their visit.

For U.S. Citizens:

U.S. citizens are required to obtain a visa for Bolivia. They can obtain a tourist visa at any land or air border, or from a Bolivian Embassy or Consulate in the U.S. or a neighbouring country. The visa costs $160 and is valid for 30 days per trip, not exceeding 90 days per year. U.S. citizens can apply for an extension through the Dirección General de Migración (National Migration Service), which has offices in most major cities.

To obtain a visa, U.S. citizens must present:

• A valid U.S. passport with at least six months of validity remaining.
• An International Certificate of Yellow Fever Vaccination.
• Proof of a round-trip ticket or confirmation of plans to depart Bolivia.
• Proof of lodging in Bolivia, such as a hotel reservation. If staying with Bolivian friends or family, a letter of invitation from the host may be required.

It is important to get entry and exit stamps from the Bolivian authorities each time you enter or leave the country. Additionally, if you plan to work, study, volunteer, or conduct business in Bolivia, you must apply for a separate visa.

For Citizens of Other Countries:

The Bolivian government has divided countries into three groups regarding visa requirements:

• Countries that do not require a visa.
• Countries whose citizens require a tourist visa.
• Countries whose citizens require a visa with authorization from Bolivia.

You can check which group your country falls into on the Bolivian government's website.

Frequently asked questions