La Paz 4 Day Itinerary (No Tourist Traps)
Four days is enough for the city core, one real adventure day, and a proper day trip, without feeling rushed. La Paz sits in a bowl at roughly 3,640 meters; El Alto’s airport, where you land, is higher still, around 4,060 to 4,150 meters, so day one is about adjusting, not sightseeing hard.
Day 1: Arrival and Acclimatize
Take a registered radio taxi from the airport, roughly $8-12, and never a street hail; the express-kidnapping and fake-police scam here specifically targets tourists who flag down unmarked cars, so call ahead or book through an app instead. Check in and go slow for the rest of the day: hydrate more than feels necessary, skip alcohol, and try coca tea, the traditional altitude remedy. If you’re steady by late afternoon, a short walk to the Witches’ Market on Calle Linares works well; it’s a living Aymara market, so ask before photographing vendors. Tip for the day: altitude sickness passes faster with rest than it does with willpower, don’t push a first-day agenda.
Day 2: Casco Viejo
Salteñas before 11am, then Plaza Murillo, home to the Palacio Quemado and the National Congress with its backwards-running clock, followed by Iglesia de San Francisco and the small colonial museums on Calle Jaen. In the afternoon, ride Mi Teleferico, load a card first since the turnstiles take no cash, and take the Red Line toward El Alto for the best view in the city. Dinner: a casual spot for pique macho or anticuchos. Tip for the day: carry small US dollars as backup; the boliviano floated in mid-2026 and its value keeps shifting, so check a live converter rather than any fixed number.
Day 3: Death Road, With a Reputable Operator Only
Book ahead with a well-reviewed mountain-bike company, expect to pay roughly $80-130 per person for bikes, guide, transport, and gear. The old Yungas Road drops roughly 3,600 meters over about 61km, from cold highland into warm cloud forest near Coroico; its dangerous reputation comes from decades of vehicle traffic before a 2006 bypass, and the real risk today is operator quality, never attempt this unguided. Return tired and go easy on dinner, room service or something simple near your hotel is the right call. Tip for the day: pay for the better bike and gear package, this is not where to economize.
Day 4: Tiwanaku
About two hours west of La Paz, the pre-Inca ruins at Tiwanaku, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, predate the Inca by centuries; the Gate of the Sun and Kalasasaya Temple are the highlights, and the site museum adds useful context. Buses run from the terminal near the cemetery district for a few dollars each way. Return by late afternoon for a farewell dinner at one of the city’s verified kitchens, Propiedad Publica in Zona Sur is a good, honest choice for a last night. Tip for the day: buy the combined site-and-museum ticket at the entrance, it’s cheaper than paying separately.
What this trip leaves out
Lake Titicaca deserves an overnight of its own, so it’s left for a longer stay. And Uyuni, roughly 550km from La Paz, is a separate multi-day expedition regardless of how long this trip runs, not something to fold in here.
Read more: the 5-day itinerary adds an El Alto market day if you have one more day to spend.