Bolivia Travel & Emergency Guide

Emergency Numbers in Bolivia

Key Travel Facts

Driving Rules & Speed Limits in Bolivia

Toll & Vignette: Toll charges (Peaje) payable in cash at highway toll checkpoints (Trancas).

Tipping & Etiquette

Recommendation: Tipping (Propina) of around 10% customary in restaurants. In casual eateries, rounding up is common. Tour guides on Uyuni Salt Flat expeditions appreciate 30–50 BOB per person per day.

• DO Take a 3-day 4WD expedition across the surreal Salar de Uyuni, geysers, and colored lagoons.
• DO Ride the modern colorful cable cars of 'Mi Teleférico' soaring above the canyon of La Paz.
• DO Always carry small cash banknotes (Bolivianos), as card payments are rare outside upscale city hotels.
• DON'T Avoid heavy meals and alcohol during your first 24 hours at high altitude in the Andes.
• DON'T Never photograph indigenous Cholita market vendors without politely asking for their permission first.
• DON'T Never show aggression or attempt to force your way through local road blockades ('bloqueos').

Power Sockets & Tap Water

Plug Type & Electricity: Type A & C (220V/115V, 50Hz – European two-pin plugs fit most circular sockets in La Paz).

Tap Water: Tap water is not safe to drink in Bolivia. Always use bottled or boiled water for drinking and brushing teeth.

Insider Tip: Altitude Adjustment: When arriving in La Paz (3,640 m) or El Alto (4,150 m), rest, drink plenty of water and traditional coca tea (mate de coca) to prevent altitude sickness (soroche). The 'Mi Teleférico' cable car is the cleanest and most scenic way to navigate the city!