Nuestra Señora de La Paz, called Chuqui Yapu in Aymara, the language of the Amerindian people of the same name, is located in western Bolivia at more than 3,650 meters above sea level. The country's federal capital is a dynamic and fascinating city full of places to visit and nooks to discover. From the South zone to the Alto, nearly 1,000 meters of altitude mark the economic, cultural, climatic and landscape contrasts of this city as intriguing as surprising. Today we present you the top 6 activities for discovering La Paz, which will allow you to discover all the facets of this bustling capital.   
La Paz is the highest capital in the world at 3,600 meters above sea level / Photo: Tiffany Flour
 

Cable car ride

Emblematic symbols of La Paz, the first cable cars were put into service in 2014 and today they have 11 lines connecting the popular and strategic places to the most remote corners of the city. For real economic and social upheaval, this transport network has changed the lives of the Paceños, the inhabitants of La Paz, as well as tourists. In addition to the hundreds of buses and vans that allow you to get around the city, the cable cars are the fastest means of transport and offer you an incredible view, admiring the particular constructions extending in the valleys. This transport network allows one to discover the unique configuration of the city, to be blown away by its size and the diversity of its houses and by offering a cheap ticket at the price of 11 bolivianos (1,40 €). A tour of 1h 30 min to 2h crossing the city by its 11 lines, allows you to discover the bustling life of La Paz, offering you the most beautiful views at the highest points.   
11 lines of cable cars run every day from the main points of the capital / Photo: Tiffany Flour

 The Markets

 Music, skill, cuisine, language, ... Bolivia has a very strong cultural identity and that is what makes it so unique. In the day to day life, the Bolivian people have the habit of spending their days on the streets to buy, sell, eat, and spend time. In this very authentic country, we find that very rarely supermarkets for the benefit of small stands spread over several streets, each specialized in a field, in the smallest isolated villages in the large cities. In the latter, we find the large markets, very typical of Bolivia, where entire galleries offer all kinds of products. In La Paz, the witch market is undoubtedly the most popular, where one is surprised to discover objects with magic and spiritual virtues promising all kinds of miracles. Every Thursday and Sunday, we also find the huge market of the Alto located in the agglomeration of the same name where kilometers of stands overlooking La Paz allow you to see all the colors. And these are only the most touristy, leaving the possibility and curiosity to discover the other markets that animate the city of La Paz every day such as the market Camacho, Sopocachi and Rodriguez among others.  
The Camacho market is known for its fruit juices and pastries / Photo: Tiffany Flour

 The Look-Out Points

Stretching over elevations ranging from 3,020 to 4,000 m above sea level, La Paz is full of spots to admire from different points of view. Squares, parks, cable car stations, indomitable mountain tops; these watchtowers surround the city and promise you breathtaking views! You should know that La Paz is a city with fairly marked social climates, until you completely change the atmosphere of the streets from one district to another, so there are watchtowers where access is easier, provided by public transport and avoiding having to go through the most disadvantaged streets of the city for example. We recommend the look-out point of Killi Killi, located north of La Paz and Montículo located further south, to enjoy a moment of calm and admire the crazy city come alive. For the more adventurous who do not fear the climb on high altitude by foot and the adventure in the labyrinthine streets of the city, we recommend the Periférica watchtowers, El Calvarie, Qhana Pata or Faro Murillo. These paths require caution, not being really touristy and asking you to immerse yourself in the heart of popular pachaños neighborhoods.    
The Monticulo viewpoint is one of the favorite places for the pedestrians to admire the city / Photo: Tiffany Flour
  

Valley of the Luna and the valley of the animas

Located in the heart of the valley, La Paz is dominated by several mountains and hills at the sacred Mount Illimani. Peaceful corners with breathtaking scenery are at the gates of this crazy city. In order to take a break from the daily paceña madness and enjoy the calm offered by the Bolivian Altiplano, you can spend the day in the Animas Valley located at the southern exit of the city. Take a bus, preferably in the center of the city, which takes you to Chasquipampa then a minibus that will drop you at the foot of the Valley of Las Animas. Several possibilities of bus and minivan provide this route, so it will not be difficult to get there, and one to two hours of travel, depending on traffic. Arrived at the foot of the Valley of Las Animas, several small paths allow you to discover this magic and charming place. This mystical place, sheltering an important protected ecosystem, is the result of a geological formation which will leave you speechless in front of its impressively colorful craters. More popular and touristy, the Valley of the Moon, and as its name suggests its landscape is reminiscent of the moon by its expansive craters that  take you for a ride to another place in the world and time. Several agencies provide the excursion but you can also go by yourself much like to the Valle de las Animas, by taking a bus to downtown to go to the South Zone and another transport indicating towards the direction Mallassa. Once there, the entrance to the valley is 15 bolivianos for foreign tourists and two trips are offered to visit this mystical place, one of 15 minutes and another of 45 minutes.    
 The Valley of Animas is a place of misery located south of La Paz / Photo: Tiffany Flour
 

 The road to death

 Do you like intense sensations ? Venture down the "road of death" on a mountain bike that promises a mix of adrenaline and admiration for the incredible landscapes it passes through. From Cumbre, about fifty kilometers from La Paz, the adventure begins at 4,700 meters altitude to finish at Yolosita at 1,100 meters! A vertiginous descent that several agencies organize with lunch, snacks, equipment and sometimes photo and video included plus a swim in a peaceful place. This road, nowadays mainly used for tourist purposes, was until the 90's, one of the only roads connecting the region of Las Yungas to La Paz. The "road of death" owes its tragic name to the very narrow passages, its lack of maintenance and its difficult climatic conditions that still cause the death of between 200 and 300 people per year today. Nevertheless, a new one is used today ensuring the safety of the premises and leaving the mythical other road for the amateurs of thrills.  
 The road to death is considered one of the most dangerous in the world / Photo: Tiffany Flour

  The district of Chualluma

 While visiting La Paz by its cable cars or watchtowers, you will not miss noticing among the typical brick buildings, a set of colorful "casitas" on the side of the valley. In the name of Chualluma, this small district shines in the heart of La Paz thanks to the development program "Mi Barrio, Mi hogar" ("my neighborhood, my house") with the aim of improving the living conditions of the inhabitants. It is possible to admire these incredible facades from the red cable car up to the Alto and walk down to walk in these quiet and colorful streets. These rainbow-colored houses are home to real Andean-style urban art that showcases the Bolivian culture.    
 Chualluma is a popular district of La Paz at the foot of the Alto / Photo: Tiffany Flour
  These are the 6 essential activities that will allow you to discover La Paz and its strong character. Bolivia has not finished surprising you with its incredible culture and natural wealth, do not miss to read the 5 things to know before traveling to Bolivia and The 8 must-see places to discover Bolivia and enjoy the best of this jewel of the world. 'South America.  
By: Tiffany Flour, French tourism student and part-time world traveler.