Bolivia, main attractions

Trekking

Because of Bolivia 's geography and climate, there is a wide diversity of plants and animals. Currently there are 10 national parks and 8 protected areas which makes Bolivia a perfect place for trekking excursions. Among the more popular routes are the La Cumbre to Corocio trail which takes three days, the Taquesi Route which goes through the Cordillera Real that takes two days and is also known as the Inca Trail and the El Camino de Oro route which takes six days. It starts from Sorata and ends at the Rio Tipuani gold fields.

Jungle Tours

These tours take you into the Amazon Jungle and starts from Rurrenbaque which is roughly 145 miles northeast of La Paz . Tourists take a motorized canoe up the river Beni and Tuichi, then proceeds with a walk throught the rainforest and camping routes. Other popular itineraries in the Amazon region include expeditions to the pampas, Parque Nacional Noel Kempf and trips along the Rio Mamore.

Mountaineering

With and altitude of 13,000 feet, what would be a more appropriate attraction than mountaineering. The most popular being the Cordillera Real which offers several peaks above 14,500 feet. Climbing trips are also available and include mules, porters and guides and goes through valleys that are abundant with trees and flowers. Mountain bike tours are also becoming a popular tourist attraction.

Skiing

At 18,000 feet, Mount Chacaltaya , which is 35 miles from La Paz , is said to be the highest ski resort in the world. It is good to take note though that the resort and lift facitilies are very basic and that the low oxygen levels due to the altitude make for very hard conditions.