Best Times to Visit

Weather

Bolivia has a temperate climate, but temperatures can vary greatly between day and night. The climate also varies according to altitude; it is humid and tropical in the lowlands, and cold and semi-arid in the mountains. Due to its high altitude, many visitors find the thin air of La Paz uncomfortable.

In the tropical lowlands, summers can be miserable with mud, steamy heat and downpours. The wettest period is between November and March, which occasionally induce landslides in mountainous areas, causing roads to become impassable. It is dry in winter between May and October. For more information about the Bolivian weather, see Climate in Bolivia.

Visitors are advised to bring lightweight, natural fibre clothing, with warmer clothing for the evenings and for the Altiplano and the Puna. Rainwear is also advisable for the summer.

Festivals

Bolivian fiestas are invariably of religious or political origin, normally commemorating a Christian or Indian saint or god, or a political event such as a battle or revolution. Festivities typically include folk music, dancing processions, food, alcohol and ritual.

Major fiestas include Fiesta de la Virgen de Candelaria, a week-long festival in the virgin's honour, best seen in Copacabana on the shores of Lake Titicaca (early February). Carnaval is a nationwide event but is best seen in Oruro, during the week before Lent. Independence Day is a riotous nationwide party on 6 August.

Public Holidays

The following table shows the public holidays celebrated in Bolivia: