La Paz in 7 Days on a Budget (Daily Costs)

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A 7-Day La Paz Itinerary on a Budget

A full week is enough to do La Paz properly without rushing: the city core, Tiwanaku, Death Road, an overnight to Lake Titicaca, and El Alto’s market, all for roughly $220-310 per person on a shoestring budget. Day 1 stays a genuine rest day, since El Alto’s airport lands you around 4,050-4,150m before you’ve even reached downtown. This is also the longest itinerary we’ll build toward; add more days to this same spine if you have them, rather than trying to squeeze in the Uyuni salt flats, which need their own separate multi-day trip no matter how long you stay in La Paz.

Book these before you go:

Day 1: Arrival and Acclimatize

Morning. Land at El Alto, take a registered radio taxi or hostel transfer in, and check in without pushing yourself.

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, respectfully.

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.

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.

Afternoon. Most tours include lunch and transport back to La Paz.

Evening. An early, restful dinner; this is the trip’s one big splurge.

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

Day 5: To Copacabana and Lake Titicaca

Morning. A bus to Copacabana, roughly 3.5-4.5 hours, a few dollars each way. Lake Titicaca sits around 3,810m, higher again than La Paz, so keep the pace gentle.

Afternoon. Walk the waterfront, or take a boat to Isla del Sol (roughly $5-10 extra) for Inca-era terraces and ruins.

Evening. An inexpensive lakeside guesthouse (roughly $10-15) and fresh trout, a local specialty.

Day 5 running cost (USD, per person): bus $6-10 + Isla del Sol boat $5-10 + guesthouse $10-15 + meals $8-12 = ~$29-47

Day 6: Return and Rest

Morning. Bus back to La Paz, the same 3.5-4.5 hours.

Afternoon. A genuinely light afternoon after two travel-heavy days; Zona Sur’s milder streets (around 3,100m) are a good low-key option.

Evening. A simple dinner and an early night before your last full day.

Day 6 running cost (USD, per person): bus $6-10 + transport $2 + meals $8-12 = **$16-24**

Day 7: El Alto Market and Farewell

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

Afternoon. If it’s a Sunday, catch cholita wrestling for a modest ticket price (roughly $10-15, confirm locally), a tradition rooted in domestic-violence-survivor support circles, best treated as community sport rather than spectacle. If not, spend the afternoon browsing artisan stalls on Calle Sagarnaga instead.

Evening. A proper farewell dinner; you’ve covered the city and its best day trips honestly over the week.

Day 7 running cost (USD, per person): transport $3 + cholita wrestling $10-15 (if applicable) + meals $10-15 = **$23-33**

Seven-day total: roughly $207-317 per person, with Death Road as the main splurge and everything else genuinely affordable.

A full week is the honest way to see La Paz and its surroundings without rushing any single piece: the city itself, one UNESCO ruin, one guided adventure day, a proper lake overnight, and the market that keeps El Alto running. For the fuller sight-by-sight breakdown, see our La Paz budget guide and place guide .