Because of the altitude, nights are cold, year round. If the day is sunny, temperatures can rise to 70F. at night, it will be freezing or close to it. The coldest months are June to September, when it will dip below freezing at night. My advice is to dress in layers, so you can change quickly in case it gets cloudy or windy. The rainy season runs from December to March, typically with showers in the afternoon. It very rarely rains all day. Adjusting to the altitude – If you are coming from Puno, Peru, then you are already acclimated. If you are coming from the USA or from a lower elevation, take it easy the first 24/48 hours you are in La Paz. Drink loads of water, have your big meals at breakfast and lunch, and pace yourself.

Crossing from Puno. There is a border crossing in Desaguadero, and the crossing takes about 1 hour, start to finish. Desaguadero is an unattractive town whose sole purpose is to handle frontier matters. If you are traveling with a local tour operator or destination specialist, the local guide should be able to transfer your luggage and you must show up in person at Peru + Bolivia immigration to present your entry/exit forms and get your passport stamped. Make sure you keep the small forms given on arrival/departure as you will need this paper when you leave Bolivia.

Food from the Altiplano is suited to the high, cold climate, so there’s a lot of spice, whereas dishes in the lowlands and Amazon region of Bolivia tend to be comprised of yucca, fish, vegetables and fruit. Quinoa is a popular and abundant staple. Papas rellenas are balls of mashed potato stuffed with egg or cheese, coated in a flour batter and deep-fried. Salteñas is a Bolivian baked empanada baked filled with meat, vegetables, egg, olives and a sauce, while tucumanas is a pasty that may be filled with meat, diced veggies, boiled egg and a spicy sauce. Pique a lo macho is comprised of pieces of beef, sausage, onions, locotos (spicy peppers), boiled egg and thickly cut fries. Choripan is a chorizo sandwich, and sandwich de chola is filled with roasted pork and crackling, pickled vegetables and a spicy chili sauce. Bolivia also produces fine chocolate sourced from the Beni and Alto Beni regions of North-East.

The Fat Man from La Paz (Edited by R. Santos), Turing’s Delirium (E. Paz Soldan), The Bolivian Times (T. Elliott), The Matter of Desire (E. Paz Soldan), The Lost City of Z (D. Grann)