La Paz in 5 Days on a Budget (Daily Costs)

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A 5-Day La Paz Itinerary on a Budget

Five days is where La Paz’s real budget highlight, a guided Death Road descent, fits comfortably alongside the city core and one UNESCO day trip, running roughly $170-235 per person including that one splurge. Day 1 stays a genuine rest day regardless, since El Alto’s airport lands you around 4,050-4,150m. For a fuller week that adds Titicaca or Tiwanaku plus Death Road both, see our 6-day and 7-day itineraries.

Book these before you go:

Day 1: Arrival and Acclimatize

Morning. Land at El Alto, take a registered radio taxi or hostel transfer in, check in, and take it easy.

Afternoon. A gentle Yellow Line Mi Teleferico ride, around 3 BOB.

Evening. An early dinner, coca tea, no alcohol.

Day 1 running cost (USD, per person): airport transfer $5-8 + Mi Teleferico $0.40 + meals $8-10 + hostel bed $6-10 = ~$20-28

Day 2: Casco Viejo and a Viewpoint

Morning. Plaza Murillo, the backwards Reloj del Sur clock, and Iglesia de San Francisco’s facade, free.

Midday. Almuerzo at Mercado Lanza for a few dollars.

Afternoon. The Witches’ Market and Calle Jaen, both free, asking before you photograph anyone.

Evening. Mirador Killi Killi at sunset, free.

Day 2 running cost (USD, per person): transport $2 + meals $8-10 = **$10-12**

Day 3: Tiwanaku Day Trip

Morning. A two-hour public bus for a few dollars each way reaches the UNESCO-listed Tiwanaku site, entry a modest fee (confirm at the gate).

Afternoon. Walk the Gate of the Sun, the Kalasasaya courtyard, and the Akapana mound at an easy pace; you’re still around 3,800m.

Evening. Return to La Paz for a low-key dinner.

Day 3 running cost (USD, per person): round-trip bus $6-10 + site entry $10-15 + meals $8-10 = ~$24-35

Day 4: Death Road

Morning. Meet your booked, reputable mountain-bike operator for the North Yungas Road descent, roughly $80-130 including bikes, a guide, and a support vehicle. Never attempt this unguided; the risk today is entirely about operator quality, not the road itself.

Afternoon. Most tours include lunch and a ride back to La Paz; expect a long but exhilarating day.

Evening. An early, restful dinner. This is the one splurge on the trip, so keep the rest of the day cheap.

Day 4 running cost (USD, per person): Death Road tour $80-130 (includes lunch and transport) + dinner $5-8 = ~$85-138

Day 5: El Alto Market and Zona Sur

Morning. Mi Teleferico up to El Alto for the Feria 16 de Julio, free entry, Thursday and Sunday; check which day lands in your trip.

Afternoon. Cholita wrestling if it’s a Sunday (roughly $10-15, confirm locally), or a relaxed Zona Sur stroll otherwise, at its milder 3,100m elevation.

Evening. A slightly nicer farewell dinner to close out the trip.

Day 5 running cost (USD, per person): transport $3 + cholita wrestling $10-15 (if applicable) + meals $10-14 = **$23-32**

Five-day total: roughly $162-245 per person, dominated almost entirely by the one Death Road splurge.

Five days covers the city, Tiwanaku, Death Road, and El Alto’s market honestly. Lake Titicaca is still missing, best done as its own overnight rather than squeezed in here; the same goes for Uyuni, which needs a separate multi-day trip regardless of how long you stay in La Paz itself. See our nature and hiking guide for more on what else is nearby if you extend your stay.