Tupiza:
This little mining town in the Potosi department may not be an attraction in itself, but it serves as a popular base for tours to nearby San Vicente, the major draw card of this region. Two of the world's most famous outlaws (who many don't know were real people), Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, fled the United States in 1901 to escape pursuit from the Pinkerton Detective Agency (which later became the FBI). Lured by the Bolivia's silver wealth, they headed for South America. The outlaws are rumoured to have been gunned down by the Bolivian army in San Vicente over a century ago, just days after robbing the payroll of a Bolivian mine.
Organised tours from Tupiza lead tourists along the 'death trail' of Butch and Sundance, giving visitors the unique opportunity to follow the outlaws' last days all the way to their supposed final resting place, where the billboard reads, 'Welcome to San Vicente: Here lie the remains of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid'. Although many attempts to exhume the unmarked graves have been made over the years, no remains with DNA matching the outlaws' living relatives have yet been discovered.
Rurrenabaque:
Rurrenabaque is the starting point for holidaymakers planning an eco-tour to the Amazonian pampas and jungle. This little frontier settlement, perched between the surrounding jungle and the River Beni, is the loveliest of the Bolivian lowland villages. A trip on the river in a dugout canoe is an unforgettable experience, while the rainforest in Madidi National Park and surrounding Pampas is abundant in wildlife and many holidaymakers come to see anacondas, capybaras (the world's largest rodent), monkeys, turtles, macaws, caymans, piranhas, and even to swim with the pink dolphins. The tapir and armadillo are difficult to spot, often deep in the impenetrable tangle of the jungle, but there is plenty of bird life to be seen and heard. The rainforest is known for its immense biodiversity, ranging from mountain cloud forest to dry tropical forest, humid lowland rainforest to savannah, to wild rivers and lakes.
Yungas Road:
Not an attraction for the faint of heart, the dangerous Yungas Road, which has been dubbed the 'El Camino de la Muerte' (Road of Death), stretches between La Paz and Coroico in Bolivia and is estimated to claim the lives of approximately 200 to 300 travellers each year. Built during the 1930s Chaco War by Paraguayan prisoners, the road is situated high in the Yungas region of Bolivia and has extreme drops of up to 610 meters (2,000 ft) and has ironically become a popular tourist destination, drawing some 25,000 thrill seekers each year, particularly mountain bikers who love the adrenalin of the continuous downhill riding along 40 miles (64km) of treacherous road. The beautiful location of the road also adds to its allure, but it remains a serious danger as at least 13 cyclists have died since 1998, and trucks have serious problems passing each other. Crosses dotted along the road mark the spots where cars have plunged off the edge of the steep cliff.
Isla del Sol:
Located on Lake Titicaca, Isla del Sol is a major tourist attraction and featuring over 180 ruins dating back to the 15h century AD, it's not hard to see why. The rumoured birthplace of the Incan civilisation, Isla del Sol (meaning Island of the sun) is named so because it is believed to be the birthplace of the sun god in Incan mythology. Visit the Chincana complex on the north of the island, the site of the sacred rock where the Inca creation legend began, explore the island via the maze of elaborate walking trails (but watch out for altitude sickness) and meet the locals in the villages of Yumani and Cha'llapampa.
Coroico:
Coroico is a popular weekend break for La Paz locals and a welcome low altitude chill-out spot for visitors. The trip from La Paz traverses the so-called World's Most Dangerous Road, which makes for a photogenic and adrenalin charged entrance into this laid back resort town. Perched atop the peak of Cerro Uchumachi, Coroico offers gorgeous views of cloud covered mountain tops, forested canyons, orchards and in the distance on a clear day, the snow-capped peaks of the Cordillera Real. Coroico is a good base for some interesting hikes into the jungle and for mountain-biking trips into the local area, including guided descents of the precipitous highway.
Samaipata:
Samaipata itself is a town in the central parts of the country, and nearby Fuerte de Samaipata is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. It was a holy place during the pre-inca and Inca period and was used for ceremonies. There is also a huge sculptured rock which is a testimony to pre-Hispanic traditions and beliefs. The area around Samaipata though is equally interesting with great hiking in the mountains and along waterfalls.
Tiwanaku:
Close to La Paz, the ancient city of Tiwanaku was the capital of a powerful pre-Hispanic empire that dominated a large area of the southern Andes and beyond, mainly between the 5th and 9th century AD. Today, the monumental remains can be visited during an easy day trip from La Paz, where you will be able to be a witness of the cultural and political significance of this civilisation.
World's most dangerous road:
As far as it can be called officially, this is the world's most dangerous road, although it has become better during recent years. The road travels between La Paz and the lowlying town of Coroico and is especially rewarding when biking down from La Paz.
Chacaltaya: is the world's highest ski area at around 5400 meters above sea level.
Potosi: is located at more than 4000 meters above sea level, this city was once one of the wealthiest cities in the world, mainly thanks to its large silvermines. Nowdays, a tour in these mines is one of the highlights here.
Historical Sucre: is one of the best examples of colonial building styles.
Noel Kempff Mercado National Park: like Madidi NP it is a very biological diverse national park with rainforest, grasslands, savanna and swampy areas, home to hundreds of birds, mammals and great flora. It is also very intact and becaus of its remoteness not visited that often.
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