KNJ

I am planning a trip for late October (yes I am aware of the current situation). I would appreciate any comments or suggestions you Fodorites can offer.

Friday - Arrive early in Santa Cruz on LAB flight from Miami, fly to Sucre on AeroSur, afternoon tour of Sucre
Saturday - Up early, check out more of Sucre, mid-day take a shared taxi to Potosi, tour Mint and possibly cathedral
Sunday - walk around Potosi, I don't expect to much to be open, bus around noon to Uyuni
Monday - Begin 3 night trip to Salar & Sud Lipez
Thursday - return to Uyuni, leave by train around 11:30 pm to Oruro
Friday - bus from Oruro to La Paz, afternoon tour of city
Saturday - Tour to Lake Titicaca, stopping at Tiawanku Ruins, overnight Copacabana
Sunday - boat ride to north end of Isla del Sol, walk south exploring ruins along the way, overnight on island
Monday - more exploration in the morning, afternoon bus ride back to La Paz
Tuesday - Fly Home

I would like to hear experiences from anyone who has done and bus of train trips on their own, especially the routes mentioned. I have read multiple accounts of taxi drivers working with the fake police to rob tourists. Any suggestions or experiences?

Thanks, Kelly

slyderm

Coroico is well worth the trip, if you can find the time. It's a couple hours outside La Paz as you descend into the Yungas rainforest. A nice contrast to the arid Altiplano.

The only other recommendation is stay flexible as you never know when the roads may be blocked or you run into protests.

I spend quite a bit of time in La Paz and while one hears stories I've never met anyone who got robbed - expect for the pickpockets.

If you speak Spanish and use common sense you should be OK.

thit_cho

I agree on Coroico, but only if you get there by bicycling down the "World's Most Dangerous Road" from La Paz. It was one of my most memorable experiences during a short business trip to La Paz -- which I extended by a couple of days to sightsee and do the bike ride.

lacontessa

consider more time in getting used to the altitude. Sucre is higher than Denver and Potosi is higher than La Paz.

You are moving so fast, would suggest cutting down the locations.

also, missing incredible opportunity to see the Bolivian Amazon (Trinidad) or Noel Kempff Mercado park (my husband says that is the one place he wants to return to more than anything). LAB passes can take you for $300 to Trinidad, and 3 other locations in Bolivia.

KNJ

Thanks for the suggestions. I have tried to fit Coroico (and the bike ride) into the itinerary but I can't add more days and my first priority is the Salar and lagoons.

My Spanish is limited but I plan on taking classes before we go. I'm not worried about people walking up to us on the street since we can just walk away but someone claiming to be the police getting into a taxi that we are in.

I thought by starting in Sucre we would be better off than going straight to LaPaz. I don't seem to have problems with headaches until I get to about 9000 feet and then only for the first 12-18 hours.

I looked at the Noel Kempff Mercado park but, I would have to add several more days and we went to the jungle outside of Puerto Maldonado, Peru a couple of years ago and the Osa peninsula in Costa Rica last fall, so I thought I'd try and make up an itinerary to see places unlike anything we have seen before.

I've got my fingers crossed that the occurance of blockades will become less frequent as the year progresses.

lacontessa

Hi again--having been to both places you mentioned, I would still say that the Bolivian amazon beats the others by a long shot. Depends of course how interested you are in birding and wildlife, and how you are with warm weather. Lots of folks don't realize that the largest land area in Bolivia is lowlands. We are returning to Bolivia this summer and will stay around Santa Cruz and Trinidad only--there is that much to do.

Regardless, I still feel strongly that you have not scheduled enough time to get used to the altitude. Potosi is HIGH.