Bolivia Expeditions: Uyuni, Yacuma and Torotoro

October 29, 2026

Advisory as of October 2026. Bolivia has been under a nationwide state of exception since June 2026, and long trips are the plans most likely to be disrupted. Blockades and protests can close roads, airport routes included, with little warning, and fuel shortages are regular. Britain’s FCDO advises against all but essential travel to Chapare Province, including Villa Tunari, and the US also warns against going there. Use the UK FCDO page and travel.state.gov to check conditions before and during your trip.

Trips of three days or more

Bolivia’s longer journeys cover a lot of ground: a jeep crossing of a salt desert, riverboats in the lowland wetlands and rainforest, and canyon hiking in a remote park. Most are sold as packages, and you pay park fees in cash on top. Quote tour packages in US dollars, since the boliviano has floated and sat near 12 per dollar in late October 2026.

Uyuni and the southwest, 3 days

Shared jeeps hold up to six passengers plus a driver and cook. Day one usually takes in the train graveyard at Uyuni, the salt works at Colchani, the flat itself and Isla Incahuasi. Day two climbs past flamingo lagoons and desert rock formations, and day three passes geysers and hot springs before the return to Uyuni or the border with Chile.

Packages run from about US$150 for a basic seat to US$250 to 400 for a premium trip, with mid-range at roughly US$180 to 250. Eduardo Avaroa Reserve entry is around Bs 150 and Incahuasi about Bs 30. Both are cash. Rain between December and April floods parts of the flat, producing mirror views but closing some tracks and sometimes Incahuasi. Winter nights are bitterly cold, with basic refuges and no heating. Altitude exceeds 3,600 m, so acclimatise first. The flat is not a World Heritage Site. Pick an operator whose vehicles have seatbelts, spare wheels and radios, and walk away from drivers who drink. Cash is essential, as machines in Uyuni are often empty.

Pampas del Yacuma and Madidi

Rurrenabaque is the gateway to both. Flights from La Paz are few, so book the return with a day of slack. The pampas trip is a three-day boat-and-lodge safari for caimans, capybaras and river dolphins. Madidi is wilder, with community-run lodges such as Chalalán, reached by long river journeys. Published park fees differ, from about Bs 120 to 200 for Madidi and Bs 150 to 200 for the pampas, so confirm when you pay. You need a yellow fever certificate, and a clinic should advise on malaria and dengue. Use repellent, stay out of the water where caimans live, and wear a life jacket aboard.

Torotoro canyons

Three days from Cochabamba allow time for dinosaur footprints, the canyon descent to a waterfall and a guided walk into the Umajalanta cave. Park entry runs about Bs 100 for four days, and a local guide is required.

Jesuit missions, Chiquitos

Starting in Santa Cruz, a loop of roughly six days visits restored mission churches in the lowlands that UNESCO recognised in 1990. Distances are long and prices differ by operator, so request an itinerary in writing.

Visas and health

British passport holders can enter for up to 90 days without a visa. Americans should check the Bolivian embassy. Talk to a doctor about altitude before booking, because these trips go high and far from hospitals.

To compare packages, search Viator Bolivia multi-day tours , and read the FCDO safety notes .