La Paz 7 Day Itinerary (No Tourist Traps)
A full week is enough to cover La Paz properly without rushing: the city core, a real adventure day, an ancient site, a lake overnight, and a high-altitude viewpoint that most visitors never reach. It’s also enough time to make altitude a non-issue instead of a problem, as long as day one goes toward rest.
Day 1: Arrival and Acclimatize
El Alto International Airport sits around 4,060 to 4,150 meters, one of the highest airports in the world; La Paz itself is roughly 400 meters lower, still a serious altitude for anyone arriving from sea level. A registered radio taxi into the city runs roughly $8-12; never flag down a street taxi, the fake-police and express-kidnapping scam here specifically targets tourists who do. Check in, then rest properly: skip alcohol, drink far more water than feels necessary, and try coca tea, sold everywhere as the local remedy. Tip for the day: don’t schedule anything for tonight, a slow first day pays off all week.
Day 2: Casco Viejo
Salteñas before 11am near Plaza Murillo, home to the Palacio Quemado and the National Congress’s backwards-running clock. Walk on to Iglesia de San Francisco, its carved facade blending Spanish and Andean styles, then the small colonial museums along Calle Jaen, most under $2 entry. Finish at the Witches’ Market on Calle Linares, a living Aymara market, ask before photographing vendors. Dinner: a casual spot for pique macho. Tip for the day: carry small US dollars as backup, the boliviano floated in mid-2026 and its rate is still moving, check a live converter rather than any fixed number.
Day 3: Mi Teleferico and Sagarnaga Street
Ride Mi Teleferico, loading a card first since the turnstiles take no cash, and take the Red Line up toward El Alto for the most dramatic view in the city, Illimani framed behind the bowl below. Spend the afternoon browsing Sagarnaga Street for alpaca goods and textiles; quality varies, so compare a few stalls before buying. Dinner: try Popular Cocina Boliviana near San Francisco for a casual, modern-Bolivian prix-fixe. Tip for the day: arrive early for Popular Cocina Boliviana, it’s first-come and fills up.
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, carved from a single block of andesite, and the Kalasasaya Temple are the highlights. Buses run from the terminal near the cemetery district for a few dollars each way; buy the combined site-and-museum ticket at the entrance. Tip for the day: return by late afternoon to catch the light over the Altiplano, with Illimani behind the city, on the way back.
Day 5: Death Road, With a Reputable Operator
Book at least two or three days ahead with a well-reviewed mountain-bike company, roughly $80-130 per person including bikes, guide, gear, and transport. The old Yungas Road drops about 3,600 meters over 61km from cold highland into warm cloud forest near Coroico; through-traffic moved to a new road in 2006, and the real risk today is operator quality, not the road itself, so never attempt it unguided. Go easy on dinner afterward. Tip for the day: pay for hydraulic disc brakes over mechanical ones, it genuinely matters on this descent.
Day 6: Lake Titicaca
Head to Copacabana, on the shore of the world’s highest navigable lake at roughly 3,810 meters, about 2.5 hours from La Paz by bus. Boats to Isla del Sol leave in the morning; the island has been divided between north and south communities with some access disputes in recent years, so check current conditions locally before booking. Many visitors see one end and hike the ridge between them, roughly two to three hours. If Titicaca doesn’t appeal, Chacaltaya, at around 5,300 meters and once the world’s highest ski resort, its glacier now largely gone, makes a striking alternative day trip. Tip for the day: if you go to Chacaltaya instead, save it for today, not earlier in the trip, since it’s the highest point most visitors reach on foot.
Day 7: Mercado Rodriguez and Departure
Mercado Rodriguez, running each morning, is where the city actually shops, cholita vendors, fresh produce, and a completely different pace than the tourist-facing markets. Arrive before 10am for the best atmosphere. Spend the rest of the morning in Sopocachi for a final coffee, then allow at least 90 minutes to El Alto Airport, more during peak traffic, since the road climbs back up out of the city bowl. Tip for the day: if your flight is before noon, leave your hotel by 7am to be safe.
One honest note throughout the week
Uyuni, roughly 550km from La Paz, is a separate multi-day expedition no matter how long this trip runs; it’s not something a week in La Paz can fold in, plan it separately if it’s on your list. And coca leaf, the tea you’ll drink most mornings here, is legal and culturally central in Bolivia, entirely distinct from cocaine, though it’s illegal to export and can trigger a positive drug test abroad, so leave the leaves and tea bags behind when you fly home.
Read more: the full La Paz guide covers everything on this list in more depth, and the places overview is worth a look if you’re still deciding how long to stay.