La Paz Tours

 At a glance

Nestled in a valley amidst the peaks of the Andes, the heights of La Paz will certainly take your breath away with its exotic and colourful customs. Due to its location, La Paz is a picturesque city of ups and downs, with narrow streets, wide avenues and the Illimani snow-covered mountain standing out; whose silhouette has been an emblem for the city since its foundation.

History and Culture

Bolivia’s culture is the product of a great diversity of expressions, as a result of the variety of settings that its current territory comprises, as well as the ethnic diversity that characterizes it. La Paz has a great richness in traditions, costumes, dances and customs, which has been preserved from the colony to the present day.

The traditions of the towns prior to the colony were mixed with those of the Spaniards in colonial times, achieving the mestizaje of clothing and traditions, which are still preserved by the population and revived in the folkloric festivities of the country.

For instance, in the Altiplano area it is common to see multicolored garments and fabrics, made from llama, alpaca, vicuña or sheep wool, which have been dyed using natural dyes. The fabrics with geometric, patterns and bars are known as Aguayos or – in Quechua – lliqllas.

 Where to stay in La Paz

Budget

• Hotel LP Columbus: 3 star Hotel located in a quiet neighbourhood.
• Hotel Sagarnaga: City centre hotel with restaurant.

Mid-range

• Ritz Apart Hotel: 5 star hotel near the centre of the city.
• Camino Real Apart Hotel: charming fully-equipped rooms,  situated in Downtown La Paz

Splurge

• Casa Grande Suites: unique hotel with avant-garde design suites.
• Camino Real Suites: luxurious hotel ideally located in La Paz

 When is the best time to visit La Paz

The Keteka difference

Keteka grants access to authentic activities run by local tour operators and guides. You can book and secure your place in advance, and we will take care of everything else. We’ll let you know where to go or where you will be picked up and at what time.

 What to do in La Paz

When visiting the city, walk through El mercado de las brujas,  get on the cable car and get off in el barrio del El Alto or lose yourself in the Casco Colonial to experience the town’s odd diversity. Visit Lake Titica and its islands, hike in the Valle de la Luna or go mountain biking in the city’s surroundings. La Paz is a great hub for exploring Bolivia, given its strategic location between the Amazon and the Andes. Travellers can use the city’s convenient location as a base to discover further.

Gastronomy
The department of La Paz is known for having a great variety of dishes that highlight the culinary and traditional richness that is still latent in this region. Hence La Paz’s diversity makes its gastronomic scene is surprisingly rich. Once you’ve opened your appetite, check out the city’s multitude of excellent restaurants for an authentic gourmet experience at high altitude.

 How to get to La Paz

Land
By bus the city of La Paz is seven to eight hours away from Cochabamba ( 241 miles or 388 km), and three hours from Oruro (122 miles or 196km). From Chile you can do a 8 hour ride from Arica (303 miles or 489km)

The main Bus station in the city is located in Central Park, near the upper end of prado. If you arrive by bus to La Paz from Copacabana and Lake Titicaca (the route for entering overland from Puno, Peru) the bus leaves you right at the entrance to the cemetery stop of the red line cable car. From there you can walk for a while to the center.

If you decide to ride by yourself we advise you to rent an SUV as most of Bolivia’s roads aren’t paved, and to carry an international driver’s license to show at toll booth.

Air
El Alto International Airport is the world’s highest international airport, standing at half the jetliners cruising altitude.

If you are in the United States, your only option is to take the daily flights from Miami and Washington.

In Europe, Madrid serves flights to La Paz. Other big cities such as Rome, Berlin and London go to La Paz but have stopovers on the way.

If you are in South America, Chile, Peru, Argentina, Brazil and Colombia have flights to EL Alto International Airport.