Things to Do in La Paz
Prices, opening hours, best times to visit and the stuff nobody tells you, everything you need for a first trip to La Paz, Bolivia, plus one pigeon's opinions on all of it.
Right, La Paz. Highest administrative capital in the world, cable cars used as actual public transport rather than a novelty, a genuinely dramatic city spilling down a canyon at an elevation that catches most visitors off guard. This is the proper, no-nonsense guide to things to do in La Paz: what things actually cost, when to go, what to skip, and which bits require pacing yourself. Five main stops below, plus a quiz elsewhere on this site to see if you were paying attention.
La Paz's Extreme Altitude
La Paz is often cited as the highest administrative capital city in the world, sitting at over 3,600 metres, high enough that many visitors need a day or two to adjust to the thin mountain air, genuinely one of the more physically noticeable altitude adjustments anywhere, even simple walks uphill can leave newcomers breathless until acclimatised.
Coca tea, widely offered here specifically to help with altitude adjustment, is worth trying, a genuine local remedy, though proper rest and hydration on your first day or two matter more than any single remedy.
Best time Build in a rest day on arrival before strenuous activity
The Teleferico Cable Car Network
La Paz is well known for using cable cars as part of its everyday public transit system, a genuinely practical solution to the city's steep, mountainous terrain, connecting different elevation levels, the Teleferico network, the largest urban cable car transit system in the world, connects La Paz to neighbouring El Alto and various districts across dramatic elevation changes.
Riding it is genuinely one of the best things to do here regardless of your actual destination, sweeping views over the canyon city below, worth simply riding a line or two purely for the experience and the view.
Hours Daily, roughly 6am–11pm, varies by line
Best time Clear days for the best views
Bolivia's Split Capital
Bolivia is unusual among nations for having its official capital and its seat of government split between two cities, La Paz and Sucre, the constitutional capital holds the judiciary, while La Paz houses the executive and legislative branches, a genuinely unusual governmental arrangement worth understanding, most of the country's actual day-to-day political activity happens here in La Paz despite Sucre holding the official capital title.
The Plaza Murillo, home to the Presidential Palace and National Congress, is the natural place to see this in action, worth a visit to understand the city's genuine political weight despite the technicality.
Address Plaza Murillo, La Paz
The Witches' Market (Mercado de las Brujas)
A genuinely unusual, atmospheric market selling traditional Andean folk remedies, herbal medicines, and ritual items connected to indigenous Aymara spiritual traditions, including dried llama fetuses, traditionally buried beneath new buildings as an offering for good fortune, a striking, if slightly unsettling to unfamiliar visitors, local tradition worth understanding respectfully.
It's a good, free wander, worth going with genuine curiosity and an open mind rather than treating it purely as a photo opportunity, this reflects real, still-practised spiritual traditions.
Hours Daily, busiest mornings through early afternoon
Address Calle Linares, La Paz
Valle de la Luna
A genuinely otherworldly landscape of eroded clay and rock formations on the edge of the city, nicknamed 'Moon Valley' for its strange, cratered appearance, a good, short day trip if you want a break from the steep city streets and want to see the region's striking geology up close.
Walking trails wind through the formations, a couple of hours covers it comfortably, worth combining with lunch somewhere nearby given the trip out.
Hours Daily, roughly 9am–6pm
Getting there About 30 minutes from central La Paz
Best time to visit La Paz
May through October is the dry season and genuinely the most comfortable window, less rain than the rest of the year, though La Paz stays cool given its altitude regardless of season.
The wet season (roughly November through April) brings heavier rain and can affect some outlying day trips, worth checking current conditions if travelling then, the city sights themselves remain workable regardless.
Getting around La Paz
The Teleferico cable car network is genuinely the best way to get around and see the city, cheap, scenic, and practical all at once. Minibuses cover routes the cable cars don't reach, worth having a bit of local guidance to navigate the system confidently.
Frequently asked questions
- Is La Paz worth visiting?
- Yes, particularly for the Teleferico cable car network, genuinely one of the more unique urban transit experiences anywhere, and the Witches' Market offers real insight into living Andean spiritual traditions.
- How many days do you need in La Paz?
- Two to three days allows proper altitude acclimatisation alongside the Teleferico, Witches' Market, and a Valle de la Luna day trip.
- Is La Paz expensive?
- No, genuinely affordable, cable car fares, markets, and local food all remain cheap by international standards.
- What is La Paz famous for?
- Being the highest administrative capital city in the world, its extensive Teleferico cable car public transit network, and Bolivia's unusual split capital arrangement with Sucre.
That's everything I've got.
A note before you plan around this: prices, opening hours, booking requirements and admission details in this guide were correct at the time of writing, but venues change these often and sometimes without notice. Always check directly with the attraction or its official website before you travel or build a schedule around a specific time or price.
Before travelling to any destination featured on this site, please also check your government's latest travel advice, as safety situations, entry requirements and travel warnings can change.
