La Paz 6 Day Itinerary (No Tourist Traps)
Six days lets you add a real overnight at Lake Titicaca on top of the city core, Death Road, and Tiwanaku, without feeling rushed anywhere. La Paz sits at roughly 3,640 meters, and El Alto’s airport, where you land, is higher still, around 4,060 to 4,150 meters, so day one goes toward adjusting rather than sightseeing.
Day 1: Arrival and Acclimatize
A registered radio taxi from the airport runs roughly $8-12; skip street hails, unmarked taxis have been tied to a real fake-police and express-kidnapping scam targeting tourists here. Check in, then rest: hydrate constantly, skip alcohol, and try coca tea, the local altitude remedy. Tip for the day: how you feel by evening should decide how hard you push tomorrow, not the itinerary.
Day 2: Casco Viejo
Salteñas before 11am, then Plaza Murillo, past the Palacio Quemado and the National Congress’s backwards-running clock, on to Iglesia de San Francisco and the small colonial museums on Calle Jaen. Ride Mi Teleferico in the afternoon, load a card first since cash isn’t accepted at the turnstiles, 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: keep small US dollars as backup, the boliviano floated in mid-2026 and its rate keeps moving, so check a live converter rather than any fixed number.
Day 3: Death Road, With a Reputable Operator
Book ahead with a well-reviewed mountain-bike company, roughly $80-130 per person. The old Yungas Road drops about 3,600 meters over 61km into warm cloud forest near Coroico; the real risk today is operator quality, never attempt it unguided. Go easy on dinner. Tip for the day: pay for the better bike package, this is not where to save money.
Day 4: Tiwanaku
About two hours west, the UNESCO-listed ruins at Tiwanaku predate the Inca by centuries; the Gate of the Sun and Kalasasaya Temple are the highlights. Buses run from the terminal near the cemetery district for a few dollars each way. Tip for the day: buy the combined site-and-museum ticket at the entrance.
Day 5: Lake Titicaca and Copacabana Overnight
Head to Copacabana, on the shore of the world’s highest navigable lake at roughly 3,810 meters, about 3.5 to 4.5 hours from La Paz by road. Take a boat out to Isla del Sol and stay the night in Copacabana rather than rushing back; the sunset over the water is worth the extra day. Tip for the day: book your return transport before you go, schedules from the lake back to La Paz can be limited.
Day 6: El Alto Market and Zona Sur
Return to La Paz in the morning, then ride Mi Teleferico up to El Alto for the Feria 16 de Julio, one of South America’s largest open-air markets, running Thursdays and Sundays. In the afternoon, head down to Zona Sur, roughly 500 meters lower and noticeably warmer than downtown, for a relaxed final evening; Propiedad Publica here is a solid farm-to-table choice for a farewell dinner. Tip for the day: Zona Sur’s lower altitude makes for an easy last night before an early flight.
One honest note
Uyuni, roughly 550km from La Paz, remains a separate multi-day expedition, not something six days here can absorb, plan it as its own trip if it’s on your list.
Read more: the 7-day itinerary adds Chacaltaya and the Mercado Rodriguez morning market.