Details

Trip Notes & Expectations

SALT FLATS

The accommodation on the salt flats are really cold at night. Make sure you pack long john bottoms and tops. They rent warm sleeping bags fairly cheaply that we recommend. Your tour leader can arrange this for you the day before. Also pack plenty of snacks as the menu is quite limited in this remote part of Bolivia.

ACCOMMODATION

Our program fees are based on double-occupancy accommodation (see "Single Travelers" below if you do not have a travel companion and would be interested in a private room). Our accommodations are chosen to provide a safe, conveniently located place to sleep. While you may be pleasantly surprised, please don't expect luxury, as we prioritize keeping our programs affordable.

TRANSPORTATION

We use a mix of transportation that gets our guests from location to location safely. Sometimes you will have full days and nights of transportation as our trips tend to cover a lot of ground. The transportation will often be an adventure in itself.

ACTIVITY LEVEL & PACE

Please make sure you have thoroughly read the itinerary and can handle the group activities, which will take place at high altitude. We recommend always carrying snacks with you. Meals can sometimes be far apart.

HEALTH & SAFETY

Yellow Fever: According to the CDC, the risk of yellow fever is considered very low or absent in the parts of Bolivia that you will visit. It is compulsory to show a valid Yellow Fever vaccination certificate if you are traveling to Bolivia from a Yellow Fever endemic country . If required, Yellow Fever inoculations need to be administered at least 10 days prior to your entry into the country. AltitudeYour Adventure travels to high altitude. This is medically defined as anything over 2,440 m (8,000 ft). Most people can travel to 8,000 ft with minimal effects, but everyone reacts to altitude differently, and altitude sickness can set in with some people irrespective of fitness and age. For details on how to best prepare and what to do in the unlikely event you are affected on your adventure, please consult your physician. Make sure your doctor carefully checks to make sure any medication you need is safe to use at over 11,000 feet above sea level. CPAP: If you use a CPAP machine, it is advisable to have a battery backup in case of limited access to electricity at the Salt Flats.

MONEY

Due to a recent economic crisis in Bolivia, credit cards are not widely accepted, and ATMs may offer unfavorable exchange rates. Cash is strongly preferred, especially crisp $50 or $100 USD bills in excellent condition. For more details, see the "Money Exchange" section further down on this page.

GROUP LEADER

All GEEO/G Adventures trips are led by a Chief Experience Officer (CEO), whose role is to take the hassle out of travel and help you get the most from your trip. They’ll share information about the places you visit, suggest activities and restaurants, and introduce you to our local friends. While not traditional guides, CEOs have broad knowledge of the region’s history, culture, and daily life. On some excursions, local guides are used for deeper insight—giving you the best of both worlds.

---

PROGRAM DETAILS

Single Travelers

Traveling solo? You’re in good company—about half of our participants do the same. Shared room by default. The program fee covers one person in a twin room. We’ll pair you with a roommate of the same gender if you don’t have a travel companion. Want a private room? Most trips offer a “My Own Room” (single-supplement) upgrade. Check the price in the Extra Services section, then email travel@geeo.org to reserve it. You pay the single-supplement only if you request it.

Emergency Contacts

If you need urgent help during your trip, call the local G Adventures office first. If no one answers, leave a detailed message with your name and contact information so they can return your call as soon as possible. EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBERS: G Adventures Office Lima, Peru During office hours (Weekdays, 9-6pm Local Time): +51 1 241 1650 After hours Emergency number: +51 99 758 2712 (WhatsApp Available) If for any reason you are unable to reach the G Adventures local office, please call the numbers listed below to connect with their Sales team, who will happily assist you. Toll-free, North America only: 1 888 800 4100 Calls from UK: 0344 272 0000 Calls from Germany: 0800 365 1000 Calls from Australia: 1 300 796 618 Calls from New Zealand: 0800 333 307 Outside North America, Australia, New Zealand, Germany and the UK: +1 416 260 0999

Packing List

See our blog post of staff recommended gear to help you pack for your upcoming travels. You must be able to carry your own luggage—up stairs, on and off of transport, and during 15 to 20 minute walks. Bring one small or medium backpack or rolling bag (22-30lb) and one daypack for daily items. Space is limited on transportation, so oversized bags cannot travel. As you prepare your packing list, we recommend checking average weather conditions for your destination on a site like Weather Spark for the time of year you will be traveling. *Laundry: Laundry facilities are offered by some of our hotels for a charge, or you can ask your tour leader where the nearest laundromat is located. There will be times when you may want to do your own laundry, so we suggest you bring non-polluting/biodegradable soap.

Passports and Visas

Travelers are responsible for securing all required travel documents and meeting the entry requirements for every country on their itinerary, including applicable transit/layover countries. 

• → Read GEEO's Guidance for Bolivia (detailed instructions with official links and resources)

PASSPORT  All travelers must have a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond your trip dates with enough blank pages for stamps. Need to apply or renew? Start here. ENTRY/VISA REQUIREMENTS  Visa rules change frequently—always verify the latest requirements on the U.S. State Department Country Information Pages. Non-U.S. passport holders should verify requirements with your country's official government resources. Use the tool below to see entry requirements for your specific itinerary.  Entry information below is provided by Sherpa, a third-party service and trusted G Adventures partner. You must search each of your destination countries separately; “Add connection” solely searches transit visa requirements. Additional fees apply if you choose to purchase any services through Sherpa.

Money Exchange

Currency: The local currency in Bolivia is the Bolivian boliviano (BOB). For current exchange rates, visit www.xe.com. *Important Update: Due to recent economic instability in Bolivia, cash is strongly preferred throughout the country. Many businesses—especially small shops, restaurants, and service providers—do not accept credit cards, even when they advertise otherwise, because they urgently need cash and may want to avoid card processing fees. ATMs vs. Cash Exchange: ATMs are available but may offer a less favorable exchange rate than cash exchanges on the informal (black market) economy, which travelers have found to be common and safe. If you choose to bring U.S. dollars, bring $50 and $100 bills in excellent condition (new, unmarked, no tears), as smaller or older notes may be rejected. These can be exchanged informally at many points throughout the trip. If you don’t arrive with enough cash, some travelers have successfully used money transfer services (e.g., Western Union) to send themselves USD and receive local currency at the better rate, although this can take extra time and coordination. Emergency Funds: Bring at least $200 USD (or the equivalent in local currency) in cash for emergencies in case of ATM or card issues. Always carry more rather than less to avoid feeling short of funds while traveling. See the Estimated Trip Costs section at the bottom of this page for budgeting guidance. For more advice, see our post, Smart Travel Finances: Your Guide to Money, ATMs, Fees, and Safety Abroad

Tipping

Tipping is optional but appreciated and goes a long way for the people who look after you on the trip. If you are happy with the service, use these ballpark amounts and adjust as you see fit: - Service providers/Waiters: 10% of the bill. - Local guides and drivers: $5-10 USD per person per day. - G Adventures tour leader (CEO): $20-25 USD per person per week. (We suggest pooling contributions in an envelope and presenting it as a group) Tipping Kitty: On some trips, your CEO may suggest a “tipping kitty” where everyone contributes at the start of the tour, and the CEO uses that pooled amount to tip service providers for the group as a whole (not including your CEO). If your CEO doesn’t mention it and you’d like to use a kitty, we recommend asking about it early in the trip. Your CEO will advise the suggested amount and preferred currency for the kitty.

Vaccinations

GEEO cannot provide any medical advice, so it is very important to consult your doctor or a travel clinic about which vaccinations you will need for your trip. We recommend contacting Passport Health, which has travel clinics located throughout the United States. You can also check the CDC's recommended vaccinations for your destination. Please take this seriously! YELLOW FEVER VACCINATION Proof of Yellow Fever vaccination is only required if you are arriving from or transiting more than 12 hours through a yellow fever-endemic country. If you need the official "Yellow Card" (International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis), visit a CDC-certified Yellow Fever Vaccination Center. Find clinics through CDC Travelers’ Health, Passport Health, or your local public health department. Expect to pay $190–$260 out-of-pocket (vaccine $150–$200 + consultation $40–$60); most U.S. health insurance plans do not cover Yellow Fever vaccination. Make your appointment early to allow a minimum 10 days between your vaccine and first day of travel.

Flights

Wait for official trip confirmation via email from GEEO before booking your flights. Prices tend to be lowest 90–120 days out, but that window varies by route and year. Neither GEEO nor G Adventures bear responsibility for any flights purchased before the trip is confirmed. This program begins and ends in La Paz. Please double-check our itinerary for the date by which you must arrive in La Paz. You may want to arrive in La Paz one or more days early in case you have flight disruptions. You can arrive at any time you choose, but try to make it in time for our 6:00 p.m. Welcome Meeting on Day 1. You can depart from La Paz any time on the final day of the program.

Plugs and Converters

Bolivia uses Type A and Type C plugs and the voltage is 220-230V. To use your electronics safely, you’ll need to consider: 1. Adapter (plug shape) Adapts your U.S. plug to fit another type of socket. See our recommended all-in-one travel adapter in our Gear Recommendations post. 2. Converter / transformer (voltage) Steps the outlet voltage down to 120V for U.S. appliances that can’t handle higher voltage. How to know which you need: Look at the fine print on the plug or power brick. An “Input 100-240 V” means the device is dual-voltage and works worldwide with only an adapter—phones, laptops, and most camera chargers fall into this category. If the label shows “Input 120 V” (hair dryers, curling irons, some shavers), it could be damaged on high voltage. Pack both an adapter and a travel voltage converter. Converters are inexpensive and sold online or in the travel aisle of many stores.

Advice From Past Participants

"Bring cash. Don't expect to use a lot of credit cards. Nowadays, Bolivia's economy is is distress (terrible inflation) so cash is king. Bolivians don't want to pay the credit card fees, they need cash so badly. Also, ATMs don't give as a good of an exchange rate as the black market rates." "I would strongly recommend that people get to La Paz several days early to acclimatize to the altitude...or go beforehand to another city like Quito, Ecuador or Bogato, Columbia or Sucre, Bolivia to acclimatize at a lower altitude than La Paz. There is a big difference betweeb 8000 feelt and 12,000 feet for acclimatization. This is a quick paced trip, often remote, mostly at 12,000-15,000 feet (with the exception of Sucre). We all survived the altitude but it was very real." "When they say the Salt Flats excursion is cold, believe them. It was colder than I anticipated. I guess I figured I would be OK because I spend a lot of the winter outside horse riding in the cold, but the places we were staying were unheated, so you don't exactly "warm up" when you are inside. Also, bring more cash than suggested due to the political situation in Bolivia."

Weather

Consisting of temperate valleys, semi-arid highlands, humid jungles, and balmy lakeside villages, Bolivia’s weather differs greatly depending on the altitude and topography of the region. Because most of the country is situated at a high elevation, temperatures vary from hot and humid during the day to freezing cold at night. From May to October, Bolivia’s highland areas are cool and dry during the day, making it a consistently good time to visit. Days feature clear blue skies and light breezes, and evenings can get very cold, dropping to below freezing at night. July is one of the best times to visit Salar de Uyuni as it sees lots of sunshine and very little rain. You should prepare for weather that can get up into the 80s during the day, but most of the time will be in the 50s and 60s. Night temperatures will typically be in 20s and 30s. You will probably be wearing jeans and a fleece during the day and adding on a winter coat at night.