La Paz: Day Trips Worth Taking
La Paz makes an excellent base for day trips, mostly because the surrounding Altiplano and Andes hold so much within two or three hours. One honest caveat up front: the Salt Flats do not belong on this list, more on that below.
1. Tiwanaku
About 72km, roughly two hours, west of La Paz, this UNESCO World Heritage Site holds the pre-Inca ruins of a civilization that peaked around 500 to 900 AD. The Gate of the Sun, the Akapana Pyramid, and the Kalasasaya Temple are the highlights, and the on-site museum adds useful context. Buses leave from the terminal near the cemetery district for a few dollars each way; buy the combined museum and site ticket at the entrance.
2. Death Road, with a reputable operator only
The old Yungas Road, once one of the most dangerous roads in the world before a 2006 bypass rerouted through-traffic, is now a genuinely spectacular mountain-bike descent, roughly 61km dropping from cold highland to warm cloud forest near Coroico. The risk today is operator quality, not the road itself, so book a well-reviewed company with proper gear and a support vehicle; expect to pay roughly $80-130 per person, and never attempt this unguided.
3. Lake Titicaca and Copacabana
The world’s highest navigable lake, at roughly 3,810 meters, sits about 3.5 to 4.5 hours from La Paz by road. Copacabana, on the Bolivian shore, is a tight but doable day trip, though an overnight, with a boat out to Isla del Sol, is genuinely better if your schedule allows it.
4. Valle de la Luna
Just 10km south of downtown, this short trip suits a half-day: eroded clay spires that look genuinely lunar, best photographed in morning or late-afternoon light.
5. El Alto and the Feria 16 de Julio
El Alto, the satellite city above La Paz’s rim at roughly 4,150 meters, holds one of South America’s largest open-air markets, running Thursdays and Sundays. Ride Mi Teleferico up for the trip; it’s both transport and one of the best views in the region.
6. Chacaltaya
Once the world’s highest ski resort at around 5,300 meters, Chacaltaya is now a stark reminder of glacial retreat, its ice cover largely gone. Agencies run half-day trips from La Paz; this is high enough that it should follow, not precede, real acclimatization.
7. Valle de las Animas and Palca Canyon
East of the city, these two lesser-visited canyons offer similar dramatic rock formations to Valle de la Luna with noticeably fewer visitors, a good half-day option for travelers wanting quieter scenery.
One honest note: Uyuni is not a day trip
The Salar de Uyuni salt flats sit roughly 550km from La Paz. Getting there means an overnight bus of 10 to 12 hours or a flight to Uyuni town, followed by a separate multi-day 4x4 tour. It’s one of the most spectacular landscapes in South America, but treat it as its own trip, not something to squeeze into a La Paz day.
Read more: things to do in La Paz and nature spots beyond the city .