Bolivia Travel Advice

Threat level:Medium-High

COVID-19 Situation in Bolivia

Nationwide lockdown has been lifted since September, authorising Bolivians to go back to work, reopening air borders and resuming commercial flights but entry remains banned to travellers from Europe until at least the 31st of May. However, restrictions remain in place and are applied differently from one region of Bolivia to another. In La Paz, a curfew is in place during the week from Monday to Friday between 22:00 and 05:00 and at weekends from 20:00 to 05:00. Further to this, sanitary measures have been imposed including the mandatory use of facemasks when in public including outside and the requirement for people to maintain social distancing of 1.5 meter from each other.

When travelling to Bolivia, visitors must present a negative PCR test result on arrival and complete a self-declaration that states their place of quarantine. Travellers must quarantine for 14 days on their arrival. See our healthcare section for preventive measures against coronavirus.

Security in Bolivia

The general travel advice for Bolivia is to remain vigilant, especially in areas of La Paz such as Sarganaga Street, the San Francisco Church vicinity and the historical Jaen Street. Extra care should be taken at La Paz bus terminals, especially the one near the La Paz cemetery and the main bus terminal (located on Peru Avenue in Zona Norte). In Cochabamba, avoid Coronilla Hill the Copacabana–Desaguadero route, particularly after 2pm. There is a very low risk of a terrorist incident in Bolivia.

Nationwide anti-government protests often turning violent have taken place in Bolivia since October, amid the re-election of President Evo Morales as demonstrators suspected that vote-rigging had taken place. Following the uprising, President Morales resigned on the 11th of November 2019 but protests by pro-Morales supporters are likely to continue. It is adviced to avoid public gatherings, to not take part in demonstrations and monitor local news.

Please exerce particular caution if you are travelling to the Isla del Sol on the Lake of Titicaca, there is an ongoing conflict between local communities. Seek local advice if you plan on visiting the island.

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The biggest recent threat within Bolivia is the ongoing drug trafficking disputes and high gang numbers. Most recently, police seized over 7 tonnes of cocaine in August 2016 which is believed to have been destined for the United States. Constant police operations seek to prevent the drug flow in and out of the country.

Bolivia does have its social issues. Public demonstrations and strikes often occur and these have been known to disrupt transportations and logistics, causing food and power shortages on a local level. Protests can also lead to road blockades, causing widespread disruption on the roads; it is recommended not to cross a blockade. Visitors to the country are advised not to get involved with or attend large political gatherings as they can turn heated and violent.

Distraction robberies are renowned; a fight is staged, liquid is thrown on the victim or a conversation with the victim to distract them whilst another thief robs the victim. Avoid getting involved if locals begin to gather or start to fight as this can be a ploy to drag you in.

There remains a risk of kidnapping in Bolivia which reflects the widespread issue in many of the countries in the north of continent. These kidnappings are normally targeted at wealthy individuals, so visitors should take care not to stand out or to wear expensive jewellery. Remain cautious throughout your stay.

A number of incidents have occurred where criminals have impersonated police officers in order to carry out robberies on tourists. This is often done by organised gangs to extort monies from their victims. False police ID cards, uniforms and in some cases false police stations have been used to fool victims.

Bolivia has remained for some time a “stable” country after the decades of military coups in the 1980s & 1990s. Being a land-locked country, it maintains close ties with its neighbours, especially Brazil through the export of petroleum gas.

Road travel is very dangerous once outside major cities. Roads are often in a very poor state and can be swept away in the rainy season. The standard of driving in Bolivia is very poor and travellers should always take great care when driving, especially at night although this is not advised in many rural areas.

An International Driving Permit is required for the driving of cars in Bolivia. This along with your passport should be on you at all times when driving. Failure to do so will result in detention and fines or both.

Roadblocks do occur and disruptions to public transport when public demonstrations have been instigated. It is recommended that you avoid public transport, particularly buses, if at all possible.

Police emergency: 110
Fire emergency: 118
Medical emergency: 119
Medical emergency: 161 (UDEM)
Medical emergency: 169 (Cardiocruz-Emergencias Médicas)

Official languages: Spanish, Quechua Aymara & Guaraní, plus other local languages
Religion: Christianity (Roman Catholic)
Currency: Boliviano
Time now in Sucre:

U.S. Embassy La Paz
Casilla 425,
La Paz,
Bolivia
Telephone: +591 2 2168 000
Telephone: +591 2 2168 246
Telephone: +591 4 4116 313 (Cochabamba)
Telephone: +591 3 3513 480 (Santa Cruz)
Email: ConsularLaPazNIV@state.gov
Email: consularsantacruz@state.gov
Email: consularcochabamba@state.gov

British Embassy La Paz
Avenida Arce No. 2732,
La Paz
Bolivia
Telephone: +591 2 2433 424
Email: consular.lapaz@fco.gov.uk
Email: bolivia.consulate@fco.gov.uk
Email: BELaPaz@fco.gov.uk

Visitors to Bolivia from the UK do not require a visa for stays of up to 30 days. Visitors from the U.S. can obtain a visa on arrival. Further advice can be found here: Visa advice Bolivia

Cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Bolivia. There is no vaccination against the disease, to avoid contracting the disease, self-isolate, apply good hygiene practices, maintain social distancing, avoid unnecessary public gatherings and unnecessary travel.

It is advised that visitors to Bolivia are up-to-date with primary boosters such as MMR. It is further recommended that most travellers get Tetanus and Hepatitis A vaccinations. You may also want to consider vaccinating yourself against Yellow Fever.

Yellow fever vaccination is recommended for travellers older than 9 months who are likely to visit areas below 2,300m east of the Andes Mountains. These areas include the entire departments of Beni, Pando, and Santa Cruz, and some areas in the departments of Chuquisaca, Cochabamba, La Paz and Tarija. You should check with your local health professional prior to your departure as the yellow fever vaccine is not suitable for all travellers.

It is advised that all visitors to Bolivia take precautions against Malaria including the use of Malaria mosquito nets and anti-Malaria medications. There have also been confirmed cases of the Zika virus, Chikungunya fever and Dengue fever in the country and suitable precautions are advised. All three diseases are transmitted to humans by mosquito bites and although there is no vaccine at present, taking precautions against bites can prevent contraction in the first place.

You can find more about Zika virus here: Zika virus facts
More information on Dengue fever, see: Dengue Fever facts
Information about the Chikungunya Fever, see: Chikungunya Fever facts

Personal hygiene must be paramount, the local water supply avoided at all costs and bottled water inspected prior to consumption. There have been a number of cases of bottled water being refilled with tap water and re-sold.