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Traveling in Bolivia with kids

Bolivia doesn't quite have the family appeal of Costa Rica or Cancun, say - but those thinking of traveling in Bolivia with kids shouldn't be deterred. If you choose itineraries, activities and your vacation company wisely, there are phenomenal adventures to be had - and maybe even with a llama for company. The jungle and pampas are particularly worthwhile, with warm weather, no altitude, and plenty of wildlife simply lounging on the riverbanks.

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Traveling in Bolivia with kids

Landscapes are rarely a child’s vacation highlight, but Bolivia’s gurgling geysers, colour-changing lakes and endless salt pan might just change that.

Traveling in Bolivia with kids is daring but doable. The key is to adjust gently to the altitude, break up long journeys and pick destinations with the seasons in mind; the desert is brutal in winter (July-Aug). The cities and markets are fascinating for little ones, the abundant wildlife of the Pampas is the closest thing you’ll get to a wild zoo, and of course - everyone loves a llama. Boat tours are a perennial pleaser, whether on Lake Titicaca or dolphin-filled Amazon tributaries. Younger children may prefer the warmth of the lowlands, along with the more spacious lodges and gentle activities.

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Activities for families in Bolivia

Prado Boulevard

Each Sunday, La Paz’s Prado Boulevard is closed to traffic, and turns into a street festival – with food stalls, craft displays, live music and dance and a fantastic kids’ zone – where they can paint, play, make music and create. Kids can get creative – and mix with local children as well.

Head to the jungle!

Boat rides, monkeys, swimming pools, pink dolphins, warm weather, hammocks and capybaras are just some of the attractions in the lowlands. Stay at a community-run lodge and get stuck into indigenous life – learning how to make chocolate, squeeze sugarcane juice and fish for piranhas.

Trek with llamas

The ultimate Andean experience: trek with llamas along an ancient Inca trail. Take a boat across Lake Titicaca to the mysterious Isla del Sol, and walk with a local Aymara guide and llama across the stunning landscape, passing women working in the terraced fields, fishing huts and shepherds.

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Call toll free

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Traveling in Bolivia with kids

Kat Dougal, from our supplier Andean Trails, frequently travels with her own daughter:
“I would recommend it for people traveling with children, simply because people are very kid friendly. Family means a lot in Bolivia, so people are quite welcoming. In certain areas, you can have long journeys so it’s important to have someone who helps you decide an itinerary that breaks up journeys and doesn’t pack in quite as much. The altitude is difficult to avoid, but often kids are perfectly fine, and often they take it better than adults, so I wouldn’t let that put me off. I’d just make sure that I allowed enough time for everyone to settle in rather than rushing.”

From our supplier Latin America Journeys:
“We recommend private transportation with children; most of the buses do not have a toilet and they do not stop if you need it. Also children get bored in long trips and they need to go out of the car to have a short walk or a short break. Always carry snacks and hot/cold beverages with children, there are no restaurants on the way.”

More about Bolivia

Best time to visit Bolivia

Bolivia's climate changes with altitude, not latitude - with landscapes ranging from the high desert of the Altiplano, which freezes at night and burns during the day - to the hot, wet Amazon.

Bolivia travel guide

Inca and Aymara myths and legends swirl around Bolivia.

Bolivia Map & highlights

Our interactive Bolivia map reveals our favourite places to go in Bolivia - with the famous highlights such as the Salar, Titicaca and La Paz as well as the more hidden treats of Torotoro National Park, the Pampas and Tiwanaku.

Things to do in Bolivia

From the lung-busting altitude of the Alar de Uyuni, to the "lungs of the earth" in the Amazon, there is no shortage of things to do in Bolivia.

Bolivia’s salt flats

Bolivia’s salt flats are one of the planet’s most surreal sights.

Seeing Bolivia and Peru together

We explain why, when you cross the border at Lake Titicaca and see Bolivia and Peru together, you gain more than just an extra stamp in your passport...

Lake Titicaca in Bolivia

Community homestays, brightly woven handicrafts and spectacular island hikes are Lake Titicaca’s calling cards.

Bolivia travel advice

Our top Bolivia vacation companies share their Bolivia travel advice - the most important being to expect the unexpected! Bolivia's appeal is its unpredictability.

Responsible tourism in Bolivia

Bolivia is a complex country to unravel - as centuries of coups, revolutions and an uneasy relationship with coca and cocaine have taken their toll.

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Written by Vicki Brown

Traveling in Bolivia with kids