Overview of Land and History 21A taxi back up to downtown La Paz costs around US$ 3,
while a micro (bus) will cost about US$ 0.30.
Travel Advisory
Walks are best taken in the afternoon. In La Paz’s thin
atmosphere, ultraviolet rays are not fi ltered as much as they
would be at sea level and the late afternoon sun is on one’s
back for most of the trek.
Urban walks are more enjoyable during the summer
(November through February) when the hills are green, clouds
decorate the rich blue sky and frequent showers wash away
the nefarious dust. For hikers, winter (May through August)
is the best time to get out. Remarkably near the city, rugged
trails leading up to the glaciers or down to the tropics are free
from treacherous mud and what we call civilisation.
If the highland cities and countryside are more magnifi cent
and comfortable in summer, the lowlands are best visited
during the drier winter months, when they are kinder
to health and spirit, with fewer mosquitos and other
pests. Although temperatures are warm, it is less humid,
and there is no need to slosh in mud to cross the street.
Even during the winter, should you decide to explore
beyond the lowland city limits, be well stocked with
mosquito repellent.
The idyllic valleys are comfortable in both winter and
summer. You can’t go wrong in Cochabamba or Sucre,
while lower Tarija may get a little too hot in the thick
of summer.
Meanwhile, the Yungas become mosquito infested during
the summer rainy season, and mud slides make the hairpin
roads quite dangerous.
Easy Riding
If one plans to visit each and every region of Bolivia, it would not
be diffi cult to schedule trips according to this travel advisory, thus
maximising health and comfort. Year in and year out, the weather
for each region is quite predictable.