Salar de Uyuni © Judith Duk
Bolivia is known as the 'Tibet of the Americas', the highest and
most remote of the countries in South America. It is a landlocked
region with two Andean mountain ranges binding the Altiplano, or
High Plain, between them. This plain has an altitude ranging from
9,000ft to 13,000ft (3,000m to 4,000m) and is where the majority of
the population live.
The history of the region dates back to the pre-Columbian times,
from the ancient Aymará civilisation in 1,500 BC who lived
on Lake Titicaca, to the Tiahuanaco and the Inca Empire of the
Altiplano, until the conquest of the Spanish in 1538. Reminders of
these civilisations are evident in the architecture of the colonial
cities, displayed in informative museums that can be visited at the
sites of ancient ruins.
Bolivia is one of South America's more intriguing countries, as
one with the most indigenous population on the continent, the
majority of whom still maintain their firmly established culture
and beliefs. This living historical culture is one of the reasons
that Bolivia is such an exciting tourist destination. Travellers
will encounter shy people in traditional clothing, colourfully
dressed and red-cheeked from the mountain air. The landscape is
imbued with traditional houses and age-old methods of agriculture,
and visitors will find remarkable traditions kept alive in the
ancient techniques of weaving, handcraft and food production. The
sounds of this cultural legacy echo in the haunting melodies of the
panpipes from the high Altiplano or in the lively tunes emanating
from the warmer lowlands.
The dramatic geography affords many adventure opportunities:
explorers can track wildlife in the Amazonian basin, drive across
the surreal landscape of the Salar de Uyuni, take a boat trip on
the world's highest navigable lake, Titicaca, scramble through
muddy shafts in the silver mines of Potosi, or hike in the
magnificent Andes mountains. There is enough diversity to meet many
tastes.
The country is a juxtaposition of extraordinary altitudes and
spectacular landscapes, fascinating remains of ancient
civilisations, a rich indigenous culture and vast colonial
treasures.
