I’m off to Bolivia in October and as part of the trip we will visit Tarija, anyone got any recommended wineries etc to visit? Ones to avoid? Tour companies etc?
Don’t post over her too much but any help very gratefully received.
Any other recommendations welcomed as well, we will be staying in la Paz, Uyuni, Cochabamba, Tarija and a Copacabana.
My other half is native Bolivian but this will be her first time in country for 16 years!
Also looking at hiring a vehicle at different stages, so any recommended companies on that front!?
Thanks in anticipation!
I did some climbing and trekking around La Paz in 2015.
I can highly recommend the Hotel Rosario in the old town, they also have a wonderful dinner menu and free bags of coca leaves everywhere haha. However be warned even in the nicer old town hotels likes this the hot water service is unreliable. Better creature comforts can be had in the more modern options further south.
My biggest regret was not going to Gustu restaurant (a joint venture by the founder of Noma in Copenhagen), their menu sounds fabulous, along with an extensive singani menu.
Check out Pacena La Saltena for a local cheap eat option.
If you are looking to get into the mountains the trek to Laguna Kotia and Pico Austria are very accessible and would only take a couple days out of your schedule. Bolivian Mountain Guides (http://www.bolivianmountainguides.com/) were great for us, ask for Pedro, his English is top notch. Lake Titicaca shouldn’t be missed either, they can arrange drivers and all lodging there on Isla Del Sol. And the salt flats, I will definitely hit that up next time we are there!
Only advice I can give is to get in shape, try to spend some time at altitude before you go, if possible. When you get off the plane in La Paz (13,000 ft) you’ll literally feel faint. Some people are prone to altitude sickness, if you’r not sure you might consult your doctor before going. If possible, I’d try to leave a couple of days at least to acclimatize before embarking on any more strenuous activities.
Thanks guys, Itinery pretty much set just waiting to hear from some wineries in Tarija.
We will stay part of our time in Rosario hotel and have got reservations made for Gustu as well! We have a trip to the slat flats planned as well.
I have been on a diet for the last two months and it steps up in intensity with some training from this week until departure!!
Have 3 full days allocated to chill out on arrival and try to acclimatise maybe do some gentle exploring in the city. Looking forward to it!
Get full travel insurance, in case the altitude is not safely bearable.
I’m so damn jealous of your Gustu res, report back on what you thought of it!
Chew coca leaves to acclimatize, not sure if it actually did anything to help, but it’s a totally cool and acceptable gringo thing to do there. Rosario even has coca tea bags on offer in the lobby 