Bolivia

Bolivia is a unique country within South America that is landlocked due to a complex history with some of the neighboring countries. It has a majority population that identifies as indigenous and the traditional culture is still part of everyday life.

Regions of Bolivia

Bolivia's Fast Facts

Language

Spanish, Aymara, Quechua and 34 other indigenous languages

Capital City

La Paz and Sucre

Currency

Boliviano

Budget Range

$ - $$

Visa Info (Learn More Here)

Find out more about the visa requirements for Bolivia here, especially for United States citizens.

Know Before You Go to Bolivia

Note: Spanish is just one of 37 official languages in Bolivia. Indigenous people make up over 60% of Bolivia’s population and 36 of the indigenous languages spoken around Bolivia are recognized as official languages in the country. The most commonly spoken are Aymara and Quechua, often used colloquially throughout the country. However, many people in La Paz speak and understand Spanish. When talking amongst each other, you may notice that they use the indigenous language they are most comfortable with. Many actually say that the indigenous language is the first language they learn and they pick up Spanish when they first go to school.

hola

OH-la

hello

gracias

GRAH-see-ahs

thank you

por favor

POHR FAH-vohr

please

no entiendo

NOH ehn-tyEN-doh

I don’t understand

¿Hablas inglés?

hah-BLAHS een-GLEHS

do you speak english?

buenos días, buen día (inf.)

BWEN-hos DEE-as, BWEN DEE-a

good morning

buenas tardes, buenas (inf.)

BWEN-ahs TAR-des, BWEN-ahs

good afternoon (until sunset)

¡chau! / hasta luego

CHOW / AH-sta loo-EH-goh

bye! / see you later (also used as “bye”)

buenas noches, buenas (inf.)

BWEN-ahs NOH-ches, BWEN-ahs

good evening or goodnight

¿Dónde está el baño?

DOH-ndeh ehs-TAH EHL BAH-nyoh

where is the bathroom? (IMPORTANT: women’s restrooms are often indicated with an M (mujer=woman)

¿Me da ___, por favor?

MEH DA ___ POHR FAH-vohr

Can i have ___ please? (casual but polite way to order food and drinks)

Quisiera ___, por favor

KEE-see-yehr-ah ___ POHR FAH-vohr

I would like ___ please. (formal and polite way to order food and drinks)

buen provecho

BWEN proh-VE-choh

Enjoy your food or meal. People may use the phrase as they walk by someone eating when in a restaurant. Waiters will say this phrase when they serve you your meal.

La Paz, Lake Titicaca, and the Uyuni Salt Flats are at incredibly high elevations between 3,650 – 3,800 meters (11,975 – 12,470 feet). It is important to be prepared for this elevation change, especially if you are coming from sea level and do not have the chance to work your way up to this elevation. The following are some tips to help make the adjustment much easier:

Eat smaller meals when first at elevation. This will help you feel better throughout the day.
Avoid alcohol. It will decrease your oxygen level and you need as much oxygen as possible at a higher elevation.
Drink as much water as possible! This will also help with the headaches that may appear due to the altitude.
If things truly get worse, find a way to get to a lower elevation, and, in the meantime, you can try to get to a clinic or hospital to get some additional oxygen.

Unfortunately, Bolivia does not have the highest food and restaurant sanitation standards and you do run the risk of getting a digestive illness while visiting. To prepare for Bolivia, you should go to your doctor to get anti-diarrheal medication if you have issues on your trip. You can also go to a clinic on your trip as food-borne diseases are incredibly common and all the doctors know how to treat them easily.