Bolivia - Information

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The country in South America with the highest indigenous population and leads visitors to an authentic South American experience of Indian cultures and dramatic superlative landscapes. There is no danger of falling into a tourist trap when traveling anywhere in Bolivia. Bolivia is the breathtaking beauty of Lake Titikaka in the North and the brackish salt beds of the Salar de Uyuni in the South. An untouched Amazon basin and the Pantanal lowlands, make Bolivia the perfect country to explore.

Area	1 million square km (approximately twice the size of France).
Population	The population of Bolivia is 9.2 million, about 70% of whom are Indian (mostly Aymara and Quechua), 25 % mestizo (Spanish/Indian) and 5% Caucasian, of European origin.
Capital	La Paz
Régimen Político	Democratic. Although Bolivia had a tumultuous past marked dictatorships, there has been a stable democracy since 1981.
Languages	Spanish, Aymara, Quechua and Guarani.
Currency	The local currency is the Boliviano. The rate of exchange varies (in February 2005 1 $US = 8.07 Bolivians). Our advice is to bring cash or traveller cheques (in $US) and a credit card (withdrawing cash is possible in big cities). Travelers’ cheques can only be changed at bureau de change, and very few companies accept them.
Official hour	GMT-4 , 5 (may to october)
Electricity	110 and 220 volts.
Climate	Dry season: Sucre and surroundings: Warm during the day when the sun shines. A little bit cold during the night (2100m to 3500m altitude). Uyuni Salt Deserts: Sunny during the day (15ºC – 20ºC), cold at night (3600m altitude). Lake Titicaca: Sunny during the day (15ºC – 20ºC), cold at night (3850m altitude). These statistics excludes the so-called "Surazo" (usually in June), a cold wind from the South that originates from the Antarctic, Tierra de Fuego and Patagonia. During these days, cold winds, rain and even snow are all possible.

ADVICE FOR THE TRIP

Entrance to the country
Valid passport with minimum expiration of 6 months.
30-day visa given on your arrival and so it is not necessary to apply beforehand.
These conditions may change. Please get information from consulate in your country prior to travelling.

Recommended Vaccinations
DT Polio, Typhoid, Hepatitis A and B.
For the Amazon, Yellow Fever. There is little risk of contracting malaria except on trips inside the Amazon (starsting from Trinidad).
For the Yungas, there is no particular recommendation.

Altiplano Treks
>From March to November. Nights can be very cold on the Cordillera.
- Strong backpack or travel bag + small personal bag
- Good sleeping bag (at least for – 15ºC)
- Ground mat
- Warm clothes (Gore-Tex and polar clothes / cap / gloves / warm socks)
- Waterproof jacket
- Hiking boots
- Hiking sticks (can be rented in La Paz)
- Suntan lotion
- Hat
- Sunglasses
- Head torch and spare bulb and batteries
- Knife
- Water bottle
- Personal first-aid kit