South America and South Atlantic Islands

No restrictions in this travel advice

Avoid all but essential travel to part(s) of country

Avoid all but essential travel to whole country

Avoid all travel to part(s) of country

Avoid all travel to whole country

• Travel Summary
• Safety and security
• Local laws and customs
• Entry requirements

• Health
• Natural disasters
• General
 

 

• There is a continual risk of public protests and strikes throughout Bolivia. Major roads can be blocked and public transport disrupted at very short notice. Although this means you will not be able to travel until the blockade is lifted, you should never try to cross a blockade due to the risk of violence. See Safety and Security - Local Travel.
  
  
• There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.
  
  
• 88 British nationals required consular assistance in Bolivia in the period 01 April 2010 - 31 March 2011. See General - Consular Assistance Statistics. The British Embassy in La Paz does not issue full replacement passports. See General - Passports. You should register with the British Embassy using LOCATE.
  
  
• You should carry a photocopy of your passport (including the entry stamp and disembarkation card) with you at all times in case it is requested by immigration officials or the police.
  
  
• You should take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. See General - Insurance.

Safety and Security - Terrorism
There is a low threat from terrorism. But you should be aware of the global risk of indiscriminate terrorist attacks which could be in public areas, including those frequented by expatriates and foreign travellers.

See our terrorism abroad page.

Safety and Security - Crime
Be vigilant and cautious about your surroundings on arrival and while travelling in Bolivia because of the number of violent crimes against foreign nationals, including British visitors. Exercise caution when choosing which type of transport to travel in. Look out for established transport companies and ask widely for guidance - avoid people offering cheaper transport. Since 2008, Copocabana in particular has been a regular starting point of violent, and sometimes life-threatening, attacks and abductions.

Be aware of the risk of so called ‘express kidnappings’ - short-term, opportunistic abductions, aimed at extracting cash from the victim - that are occurring in Bolivia. Victims are normally selected at random and held while criminals empty their bank accounts with stolen cash cards, or use their credit cards. Once the criminals have managed to obtain money from the ATM for two or three days, the victim is usually quickly released. Foreign visitors are particularly vulnerable when entering Bolivia on overland border points with Peru and Chile, such as Desaguadero and Copacabana, and in transit to La Paz. Visitors travelling from Copacabana to La Paz should try to use direct buses. All travellers should exercise caution on arrival, especially in the Cementerio General area in La Paz where a number of incidents have been reported. There have also been incidents in the Sopocachi area of La Paz, and cases of tourists being choked until unconscious and robbed.

Beware of individuals offering help at taxi points and at bus terminals where many thieves work in teams to distract their victims. They are quick and effective once they have a target in view. If you do use a taxi look out for a "radio taxi" (identifiable by the telephone number prominently displayed on the vehicle's roof), and make a note of the taxi's registration number and telephone number before starting your journey. Such taxis should carry no other passengers. ‘Express kidnappings’ have occurred in taxis taken in La Paz. Phone for a taxi service that is registered with the authorities.

Exercise caution around transport in tourist sites such as Rurrenabaque, as cases of attacks on lone travellers taking motorbike taxis have been reported.

Some criminals pose as police officers and act in collusion with bogus taxi drivers to target foreigners on arrival. Their tactics have included using bogus police stations to fool victims. If you suspect that impostors are targeting you, note that you cannot be searched without a written order from a state prosecutor.

Petty criminals are common in central La Paz and other destinations popular with tourists, e.g. Sagarnaga. They are a common danger, especially on buses and in crowded areas and we have received numerous reports of bags being stolen.

Always keep your passport, air ticket and other valuable items, especially bankcards, in a safe location. Keep a copy of your passport, in case you lose the original, to facilitate a more rapid replacement. You should carry some form of identification at all times; a photocopy of your passport is sufficient. See Identification section for further details.

See our victims of crime abroad page.

Safety and Security - Adventure Tourism
Bolivia offers a number of adventure activities, including mountain biking, salt flat tours and jungle expeditions. There are no government-implemented minimum standards for tour operators. For mountain biking on the so-called 'Death Road', from La Paz to Coroico through the Yungas Valley, ensure that the bicycles are in good condition, and that the guides are fully equipped with safety equipment and first-aid kits. Check for any exclusions to your travel insurance policy to ensure that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. You are advised to use reputable companies when booking trips through tour operators.

Safety and Security - Prison Tours
We strongly advise against going on prison tours, which aside from being illegal, offer no guarantees for your safety and no authorities to help should you encounter a problem within the prison.

Safety and Security - Local Travel
Social protest is the traditional way of gaining government attention to address local, regional and national issues of concern. Avoid all protests. Although most are peaceful, some can become violent. Strikes and demonstrations, of which there is a constant risk in Bolivia, can affect local travel including the interdepartmental bus routes.

There is a risk of ‘express kidnappings’. Exercise caution when arriving in, and travelling around, Bolivia and be aware of the general risks of crime for visitors. Use a registered taxi firm if a taxi is required.

Safety and Security - Local Travel - Blockades
Groups often use road blockades as a form of protest, and such blockades can arise with no warning. You should not to attempt to cross these blockades. There is a web-site (www.abc.gov.bo/vialidad) which gives up-to-date information on which roads are blocked.

Safety and Security - Local Travel - Road Travel
You will need an international driving licence to hire a car. You must carry your licence with you at all times when driving a vehicle.

Road travel can be dangerous as a result of poor road conditions, local driving techniques and the condition of vehicles on the road. You should also be aware that weather conditions can seriously affect your ability to travel.

During the rainy season (November to March) there is risk of roads being washed away or flooded. During heavy rainfall, many areas and major roads of Bolivia can result in flooding and be particularly badly affected. Check with the Bolivian road authority website (above) on the state of the roads. We recommend you check local advice before travelling.

There are moderate levels of traffic on both the main highways and unpaved roads. There is little control of vehicle road-worthiness and serious accidents do occur on the main tourist routes. Many drivers are poorly trained and commercial operators drive for well over the time permitted in comparison with European laws. Due to high levels of drinking and driving, a new law against drinking and driving came into effect in 2010. Some of Bolivia’s principal roads are paved, but of variable quality. Most roads are unpaved rough tracks, which are graded from time to time. 4-wheel drive vehicles are often the best means of transport, especially during the rainy season, which can make roads impassable for days. Broken-down vehicles with no warning lights are a frequent hazard on roads at night.

In the main cities, taxis are plentiful and cheap (but see Crime section of this advice, relating to bogus taxi drivers). However many taxis do not meet European standards and rarely have seat belts. There have been a number of recent accidents involving public transport, especially long distance buses.

See our driving abroad page.

Safety and Security - Local Travel - River Travel
You can take boat trips on Lake Titicaca but you should be aware that the craft are often very basic.  The same is true of craft used for excursions on rivers in the jungle areas.

See our River and Sea Safety page.

Safety and Security - Political Situation
Bolivia Country Profile

The political situation in Bolivia is unpredictable and there is the risk that demonstrations and confrontations with the potential to turn violent break out at short notice. You should exercise caution and avoid large crowds. Border areas and other remote regions outside of urban centres can also be subject to demonstrations which can flare up and be resolved at very short notice.

Be aware that illegal bars exist in Bolivia. You may be detained for questioning if caught at a clandestine establishment, particularly if drugs are found at its location.

Bolivia is the world’s third largest producer of cocaine. In their efforts to control the production, the government have harsh penalties for those caught trafficking or in possession. The minimum sentence is eight years. Prison conditions are very basic. Be very careful with your luggage and belongings and avoid any contact with prohibited drugs. 

Be careful especially when carrying cameras or binoculars when travelling off the beaten track, particularly in coca-growing areas such as the Chapare and the Yungas.

Check before taking photographs of the local population.  

Homosexuality is not illegal, but is frowned upon by the majority of Bolivians, more so in the Altiplano than in Santa Cruz, where attitudes tend to be more liberal.

See our Your Trip page.

Entry Requirements - Visas
As a British visitor to Bolivia, you do not need a visa. The length of stay permitted on entering Bolivia is 30 days. This can be extended for a further 60 days, at no extra charge, provided you apply before the end of the 30 day period at the Department of Immigration offices throughout the country. The Department of Immigration has imposed an annual limit for tourists of 90 days stay in Bolivia without a visa. If you want to stay longer seek advice from Bolivian Consulate or the Department of Immigration office in La Paz at Avenida Camacho No. 1468.

The Bolivian Government are now requesting that foreigners travelling into Bolivia be in possession of a valid Yellow Fever Certificate.

Entry Requirements - Passport validity
You must hold a valid passport to enter Bolivia. Your passport must be valid for a minimum period of six months from the date of entry into Bolivia.

Entry Requirements - Travelling with children
For information on exactly what will be required at immigration please contact the Bolivian Embassy in London.  

Medical facilities in the largest cities are good and they are acceptable in the main tourist areas. Outside those areas facilities may not be to the standards expected.

A traveller going abroad with a pre-existing medical problem should carry a letter from the attending physician, describing the medical condition and any prescription medications, including the generic names of prescribed drugs. Any medications being carried overseas should be left in their original containers and be clearly labelled.

Take extra precautions to prevent against mosquito bites because of the risk of Dengue Fever, particularly but not exclusively in the eastern departments. There have been recent cases of the particularly dangerous form, haemorrhagic dengue fever. The disease is common to Latin America and the Caribbean and can occur throughout the year. Although all departments have been affected, the Departments of Beni, Santa Cruz and Cochabamba have reported the largest increase.

The Ministry of Health has reported 994 confirmed cases of Yellow Fever in 2010. Foreigners entering Bolivia are required to have a valid Yellow Fever certificate. However, there are areas that have been designated as “high risk” for yellow fever and include all of the regions of Santa Cruz, Pando and Beni, much of Cochabamba, Tarija and northern La Paz departments. The highland region of the country, including the cities of La Paz, Potosi and Oruro, Lake Titicaca and the Salar de Uyuni, is normally not affected. When outbreaks occur, the government sets up vaccination points at police checkpoints. At each of these, you may be vaccinated if you do not hold a valid Yellow Fever vaccination certificate. The Bolivian authorities are requesting that all travellers should show valid Yellow Fever vaccination certificates.

There is a high incidence of malaria in lowland tropical areas (Beni and Pando) and the area known as Chaco in the south (Yacuiba, Paracari). There have also been outbreaks of leptospirosis in rural areas of Chuquisaca. In 2010, an increase of 25% of cases of malaria was reported by the Ministry of Health.

In the 2011 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 12,000 adults aged 15 or over in Bolivia were living with HIV; the prevalence percentage was estimated at around 0.2% of the adult population, which equals the prevalence percentage in the UK. You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS. For more general information on how to do this see HIV and AIDS.

Seek medical advice before travelling to Bolivia and ensure that all appropriate vaccinations are up-to-date. For further information on vaccination requirements, health outbreaks and general disease protection and prevention you should visit the websites of the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) and NHS Scotland’s Fit for Travel or call NHS Direct on 0845 46 47.

See our travel health page.

Floods and landslides, especially in mountainous areas, are a regular feature of the Bolivian rainy season, which runs from November to March. Roads are frequently impassable for days at a time. (See Local Travel section for the latest situation).

General - Insurance
You should take out comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling. Check for any exclusions and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. See our travel insurance page. Some activities, such as mountain biking, are classified as hazardous and may be excluded in personal insurance policies.

If things do go wrong when you are overseas see our When Things Go Wrong page.

General - Registration
Register with our LOCATE service to tell us when and where you are travelling abroad or where you live abroad so our consular and crisis staff can provide better assistance to you in an emergency.

General - Identification
Police and immigration officials sporadically carry out checks of tourist’s identification (including examining entry stamps and disembarkation cards). You should carry some form of identification at all times in case it is requested by the police or immigration. If you do not have any form of ID with you at the time of the request they may hold you for several hours whilst trying to confirm your identity. You can carry photocopies of the relevant pages from your passport, which are sufficient for these purposes, ensuring that you keep the original in a safe place. Should you lose your passport or other documents, the Consular Section of the British Embassy will do their best to help you with replacements. For this reason, you are advised to keep separately a photocopy of your passport and also register with the British Embassy (through LOCATE) on arrival.

General - Passports
The British Embassy in Bolivia does not have the facility to issue full passports. You are advised to check the validity of your passport and, if necessary, to renew it before travelling. Ensure that you enter next of kin details in the back page of your passport. The Embassy no longer accepts applications for new Full Validity Passports. Since 28 September 2009, applicants must submit their applications direct to the UK Passport Service for the Americas and Caribbean at the British Embassy in Washington. Allow 4 to 6 weeks for receipt of the new passport. If you lose a passport while in Bolivia, you must report this immediately to the police and obtain a police report. The British Embassy in La Paz is able to issue Emergency Travel Documents to facilitate onward travel in an emergency.

General - Money
Banking facilities are good in all of the main Bolivian cities. You can access your money via ATMs, which cater for Visa, Cirrus, and Mastercard.

General - Consular Assistance Statistics
Around 6,000 British tourists visit Bolivia every year. Most visits are trouble free.88 British nationals required consular assistance in Bolivia in the period 01 April 2010 – 31 March 2011 for the following types of incident: two deaths; fourteen hospitalisations. During this period assistance was also requested with regard to lost or stolen passports (71 cases).