Getting Here & Around

Getting Here & Around

It takes nearly five hours to drive southeast from La Paz to Cochabamba. From La Paz, drive 190 km (118 mi) south to Caracollo, one of the few villages along the way with a gas station, and then head east toward Cochabamba. The drive between Cochabamba and Santa Cruz takes 10 hours on the Nuevo Camino (New Road). It may be new, but don't try this route without a four-wheel-drive vehicle. You can break the trip into almost equal parts by staying overnight at Villa Tunari.

Depending on the state of the road, it takes about seven hours to travel by bus between La Paz and Cochabamba. If you're headed from La Paz to Santa Cruz, figure on a 20-hour trip. One-way tickets for either journey cost between $10 and $15. To avoid standing in the aisle for the entire journey, book tickets at least a day in advance. Many companies have buses that leave several times a day.