Global Staci

Once again, leading a Global Builders team with The Fuller Center for Housing, took me overseas, this time to Bolivia. I live near sea level, so landing straight away at an elevation over 13,000 feet at La Paz’s El Alto Airport was an adjustment to say the least.

Bolivia is not an easy destination for us North Americans. Altitude aside, all flights landing from the USA (at least during April 2023) arrive in the middle of the night. At which point you must wait in line (a potentially long ass line) to get your visa, which will set you back $160, if you are an American. All between 2 and 4am.

Important Pro Tips on Arriving at El Alto

VISAS: Not every agent treats every visitor the same. Some may pay with a credit card, others in cash. It’s a considerable headache when you factor in the near microscopic examination of each and every bill you present to pay for your visa. And paperwork and copies of all your official documents. My advice: Copy all necessary paperwork at home and bring it with you. Bring both a credit card and exactly $160 in cash in the most pristine bills the bank will give you. I mean perfect. And then, maybe then, someone will stamp your visa.

DEALING WITH ALTITUDE: Take altitude meds in advance of your arrival. My doctor prescribed them without question, and I believe the medication helped a lot for the first four days. After that I discontinued without a hiccup.]

I spent three weeks in Bolivia, including a visit to Lake Titicaca and the Bolivian Salt Flats. I spent most of my time in La Paz, and there are aspects of this huge, gnarly, vibrant, crowded city in a very poor country that are really cool. I’ll stick to the highlights for La Paz, which I hope will make your stay all the more enjoyable.

Where to Stay in La Paz

I recommend all the hotels where I stayed.

FIRST UP: I booked the Selina [Avenida 20 de October 2080, Sopocachi +591-7722-1244] for its location in this walkable bohemian neighborhood and because it’s my most favorite hotel chain in the world. Selina is awesome! Blending beautifully designed accommodation with coworking, recreation, wellness, and local experiences, Selina is perfect for today’s nomadic traveler, who wants to connect without spending a fortune.

[PRO TIP: If you know you have a very early morning arrival, book your room starting the day before so you can check in right away. Alert the hotel that you’ll be doing so, so that they won’t wonder why you didn’t arrive the day before.]

I opted to arrive five days in advance of my build with The Fuller Center in order to get used to the altitude. Trust me, no matter your level of fitness, you will be winded just walking up hill. No reason to feel bad. Just keep going and know that you’ll adjust in time, although it may never get easy.

SECOND: My team and I stayed at popular Hotel Sagarnaga [Calle Sagarnaga 326, Zona Rosario +591 7 0517717 (WhatsApp)] also very well located. There’s a lot you can do on foot, even on the same street (including laundry services). The famed Witches Market and the Church of San Francisco are super close. Just down the street, I bought some of my favorite souvenirs in the Yanaka Bolivia Boutique.

Enjoy the amazing street art!

THIRD: I spent my last night in La Paz at the Stannum Boutique Hotel and Spa [Av. Arce, 2631, La Paz City Center +591-2214-8393] which felt much fancier than the other two. I booked a spa treatment here that was fabulous, and we also ate our last meal here before heading out on our very late-night flight home. Again, Bolivia is a pain to travel to and from the USA.

What to Do in La Paz

While at Selina I booked a massage, took the Red Cap City Walking Tour that met at Plaza San Pedro, a short walk from the hotel. The friendly front desk staff also helped me to book a tour of Valle de la Luna, Moon Valley (it’s not hard to see how this geological oddity got its name) and a customized tour of the Cholets in El Alto.

[PRO TIP: I recommend reading the mind-blowing Marching Powder by Rusty Young, a true story all about the San Pedro Prison, still there on the square, which we saw on our walking tour.]

More highlights include a longer city tour with a ride on the teleférico, La Paz’s latest public transportation system, which includes the longest cable car in the world. Walking tours are terrific because it gets you out moving and familiarizing yourself with the city. We visited the city center including Plaza Murillo (don’t miss the clock that runs backwards on the House of Congress) and Mercado 16 de Julio.

Calle Jaen is a quaint cobblestone street which features La Paz’s best-preserved colonial architecture. This peaceful pedestrian-only thoroughfare feels light years away from the congestion of downtown La Paz, despite the fact it’s just a five-minute walk from Plaza Murillo. Don’t miss four of the city’s best museums plus some cool bars, restaurants, and cafés.

[PRO TIP: You can book the Cholitas wrestling tour through most hotels. It’s one of the most unique sporting events in the world!]

What To Eat in La Paz

GOOD EATS WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF SELINA: Carrot Tree Restaurant [Calle Linares 809, Corner with Calle Santa Cruz] and Manq’a Restaurant [Av. 20 de October 927, Between Belisario Salinas and Pedro Salazar, in front of Plaza Abaroa]

GOOD EATS WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF HOTEL SAGARNAGA: Inside the hotel is El Tambo and next door is the yummy Cafe del Mundo [Calle Sagarnaga 324], where every day I bought an early morning oat milk latte, La Grosería [Calle Sagarnaga 327] great food, beer and milkshakes, Munay Cocina Fusión Boliviana [Av. Montenegro 1019], Lamurillo [Calle Murillo 826, between Santa Cruz and Sagarnaga +591-6403-0864] for all things quinoa, The Witches Pub [Calle Linares 888, 2nd floor] great for people watching and a drink, and The English Pub [Calle Tarija 189, corner Linares] which is exactly as it sounds. Order a Prost, the Bolivian beer with a German taste!

[PRO TIP: Wherever you are, ask around for the best salteñas, such as Paceña la Salteña, mighty good stuffed pastries.]

Despite the literal ups and downs, my adventure was exactly that, a grand adventure. Bolivia is long on culture and has natural beauty in abundance. Stay as long as you can before dealing with the short-lived hassles of travelling home. And remember. That expensive visa is good for ten years.

READ MY POST ON Lake Titicaca…

READ MY POST ON Salar de Uyuni, The Salt Flats…