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COVID-19: travel health notice for all travellers

Bolivia travel advice

Latest updates: Health – Travel health notice for Oropouche updated

Last updated: September 3, 2024 10:55 ET

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Safety and security, entry and exit requirements, laws and culture, natural disasters and climate, bolivia - exercise a high degree of caution.

Exercise a high degree of caution in Bolivia due to the continuing political and social tensions resulting in frequent roadblocks throughout the country.

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Demonstrations

Demonstrations occur frequently, often with little or no notice. Even peaceful demonstrations can turn violent at any time. They can also lead to disruptions to traffic and public transportation. Protesters may also use dynamite during protests. The police often respond with tear gas to disperse crowds.

• Avoid areas where demonstrations and large gatherings are taking place
• Follow the instructions of local authorities
• Monitor local media for information on ongoing demonstrations

Mass gatherings (large-scale events)

Strikes occur frequently and often take place nationwide. Roadblocks are frequently erected during strikes, which can complicate travel plans.

• Consult local media to be aware of strikes that may affect your stay or travel plans
• In the event of a transport strike, plan extra time to get to your destination

Roadblocks are common throughout the country. They can lead to significant disruptions to traffic and public transportation. Roadblocks can also restrict the flow of goods and services throughout the country. The following are particularly vulnerable to blockades:

• main roads leading to large cities
• main arteries in cities
• roads leading to airports

Before making your way to the airport, check with your airline to determine if there are delays or changes in flight schedules caused by roadblocks

If you plan to take a road trip:

• review your travel plans to determine if they will be affected by roadblocks
• take personal security measures
• monitor local media

Once a roadblock is in place, local authorities, officials, and vendors will not be able to enter or exit the city to provide supplies to stranded travellers. As a precaution, you should take extra:

• warm clothing

Don’t cross roadblocks, even if they appear unattended. This may aggravate the situation and lead to physical harm. Instead, consider:

• taking an alternative safer route
• returning to your place of departure

Road closures and blockages  – Bolivian Highway Administrator (in Spanish)

Petty crime

Petty crime, such as pickpocketing and purse snatching, is common in large cities, including La Paz and Santa Cruz. Thieves target tourist areas and public transport. Theft also occurs in unofficial taxis.

• Only use a reputable taxi company or a trusted ride-sharing app
• Avoid hailing taxis on the street

Criminals often operate in organized groups. They will distract victims while an accomplice steals from them. Strategies include:

• staging a fight
• starting a conversation or offering help
• blocking a sidewalk
• throwing an object or liquid on the victims, then offering to help clean up
• posing as a victim of crime
• posing as a law enforcement officer
• using a young child to lure a tourist to a separate location

To avoid becoming a victim of theft:

• ensure that your belongings, including your passport and other travel documents, are secure at all times
• don’t travel alone, especially at night
• be cautious of strangers approaching you
• remain alert to your surroundings at all times
• avoid showing signs of affluence
• avoid carrying large sums of money
• keep cellphones, cameras and other electronic equipment out of sight

Violent and drug-related crime

Violent crime against tourists is uncommon but does occur. Foreigners have been victims of armed robberies and assaults at tourist destinations.

Violent crime, carjacking and civil unrest, mainly associated with drug trafficking, pose risks in:

• the Chapare region between Santa Cruz and Cochabamba
• the Yungas region, northeast of La Paz
•  border areas with Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Peru

Fraudulent police officers

Criminals often pose as police officers and ask to examine the traveller’s belongings or ask the traveller to accompany them to a bogus police station, sometimes in collusion with a criminal posing as a taxi driver or as another traveller.

Under Bolivian law, there’s no obligation to go with an officer to a police station unless they have a formal written request from a judge with your name on it. Any search or seizure must occur at a genuine police station in the prosecutor's presence.

If you’re stopped while travelling by someone claiming to be a local authority, ask to see their official identification.

Overseas fraud

Credit card and ATM fraud

Credit card and ATM fraud occurs. When using debit or credit cards:

• pay careful attention when others are handling your cards
• use ATMs located in well-lit public areas or inside a bank or business
• avoid using card readers with an irregular or unusual feature
• cover the keypad with one hand when entering your PIN
• check for any unauthorized transactions on your account statements 

Vehicle and auto-parts theft, as well as theft from vehicles, are common throughout Bolivia.

• Keep valuables in the trunk, and only when necessary
• Park your car in a supervised lot
• Keep car windows and doors locked at all times

Express kidnapping

There is a risk of express kidnappings. Criminals ask for small, immediate ransoms. They usually force their victims to withdraw funds from an ATM or to arrange for family or friends to pay the ransom. This ploy is often used by criminal taxi drivers, who pick up the victim and then stop to pick up associates. These kidnappings are committed by organized gangs and occur throughout the country.

• Use only reputable taxi companies or ride-sharing apps
• If armed criminals threaten you, cooperate and don’t resist

Women's safety

Women travelling alone may be subject to some forms of harassment or verbal abuse.

Incidents of sexual assault against women travellers have occurred, including on guided tours.

• Do not accept offers of transportation from strangers
• Keep your hotel doors and windows locked

Advice for women travellers

Spiked food and drinks

There are reports of criminals adding drugs into items that could put you at risk of sexual assault or robbery. Items include food and drinks.

Incidents are most likely to occur:

• in nightclubs
• in bars and restaurants
• on public transportation, including taxis on the street

While you’re in Bolivia: 

• be wary of accepting these items from new acquaintances
• never leave food or drinks unattended or in the care of strangers
• ask for drinks coming from sealed bottles or cans instead of in plastic cups

Adventure tourism

There are no official minimum safety standards for tour operators, and reputable tour operators are limited.

Only participate in tours with well-established companies for adventure tourist activities, including:

• Salar de Uyuni
• jungle expeditions
• mountain biking, including old Yungas Road (commonly known as “Death Road”)
• Potosi mine tours

Be vigilant when hiking or trekking as criminals have targeted these tourist areas:

• in the areas surrounding La Paz, such as the Muela del Diablo
• near Rurrenabaque
• the Bolivian Andes
• in the Yungas region
• on the Inca trail

If you intend to participate in adventure tourism activities:  

• stay on marked trails and consider hiring an experienced guide from a reputable company  
• obtain detailed information on your activity and on the environment in which you will be setting out   
• buy travel insurance that covers  incidents related to this type of recreational activity    
• ensure that your physical condition is good enough to tackle the challenges of your activity   
• ensure that you have proper equipment and bring sufficient water  
• monitor weather conditions and other possible hazards; 
• share your itinerary with a friend or family member if hiking alone  
• know the symptoms of acute altitude sickness, dehydration and heatstroke, which can be fatal 
• stay away from stray dogs, which can be aggressive and carry rabies.

Useful links:

• National registration of tourist services – Government of Bolivia (in Spanish)
• Certified mountain guides - Bolivian mountain guides association (in Spanish)

Spiritual cleansing ceremonies

Spiritual cleansing ceremonies involving hallucinogenic substances (ayahuasca, peyote, San Pedro, etc.) have led to serious illness, injury, physical and sexual assault and even the deaths of several tourists.

Ceremonies involve consuming substances that can cause medical complications and severely impair cognitive and physical abilities. They often take place in remote areas with no access to medical or mental health facilities or resources. Often, there is no access to communications with local authorities. Facilities generally lack basic first aid or emergency plans to help those suffering from physical or psychological illness during these ceremonies.

Spiritual cleansing ceremonies are not regulated and individuals offering them are not licensed. There is no way to assess the safety of any of the services or the operators.

Avoid participating in spiritual cleansing ceremonies using hallucinogenic substances.

Road safety

Road safety is poor throughout the country. Accidents and fatalities are common.

Road conditions

Road conditions are poor throughout the country.

Although improved highways connect Cochabamba, La Paz, Santa Cruz and Sucre, many roads in Bolivia are unpaved. The old Yungas Road (commonly known as “Death Road”) is considered one of the world’s most dangerous roads.

Driving can also be dangerous due to:  

• narrow, winding and mountainous roads
• lack of guardrails
• insufficient lighting  
• lack of traffic signs  
• poorly marked construction sites
• unpaved roads 
• torrential rain and landslides
• poorly maintained vehicles

Four-wheel-drive vehicles are necessary outside major cities, especially in mountainous areas and during the rainy season.

Driving habits

Drinking and driving is common.  

Drivers do not always respect traffic laws. Drivers can be aggressive and reckless and often speed.  

Water activities

Lifeguard services do not always meet Canadian standards.  Most lakes do not have warning flags to alert of unsafe conditions.  

• Consult residents and tour operators for information on possible hazards and safe swimming areas

If you take a boat tour:

• make sure the boat you are boarding is carrying appropriate safety equipment, including life jackets accessible for all passengers at all times
• don’t board boats that appear overloaded or unsafe
• verify the safety standards of boats with your tour operator
• if you have any doubts about the safety of the equipment, do not use it.

Water safety abroad

Public transportation

Crime is high in public transportation and at transportation hubs. Accidents are common due to:

• poor maintenance of vehicles
• lack of safety standards
• poor road conditions

Buses and coaches

Road accidents involving local/interurban buses are frequent, especially with overnight buses.

If you choose to travel by intercity bus, exercise caution in:

• La Paz bus terminals due to petty crime, including:
• the main bus terminal on Peru Avenue in Zona Norte
• the terminal near the La Paz cemetery, and the Minasa terminal in Zona Villa Fatima
• the Santa Cruz bus/train terminal, where violent crimes against foreigners have occurred
• Coronilla Hill, adjacent to the main bus terminal in Cochabamba, due to assaults

Accidents involving poorly maintained coaches have caused death and injuries among tourists.

Only use tour buses operated by well-known, reputable companies. If you have any doubt about the safety of a bus or its driver, use another company.

Many taxis are poorly maintained and do not have functional seatbelts.

You can call registered radio taxi companies from a landline or from a hotel. Radio taxis are identifiable by the telephone number and name of the taxi company on the vehicle’s roof.

• Avoid hailing taxis on the street and taking motorcycle taxis
• Note the driver’s name on his or her photo identification card and license number  
• Exercise caution when taking cabs to and from airports, especially in Santa Cruz and La Paz, where tourists have been the victims of robberies
• Decline transportation from people offering cheaper fares
• Never share a taxi with strangers
• Confirm the fare in advance , as taxis are not equipped with meters

Ridesharing services

Ride-sharing services are not available in many cities.

If you use a ride-sharing app: 

• confirm the driver’s identity and license plate before getting in the car
• use the security features in rideshare apps

Train service is limited and irregular.

You can cross Lake Titicaca by ferry.

If you choose to travel by ferry:

• make sure the ferry you are boarding is carrying appropriate safety equipment
• make sure that life jackets are provided for all passengers and accessible at all times
• avoid boarding ferries that appear overloaded
• verify the safety standards of ferries with your tour operator

We do not make assessments on the compliance of foreign domestic airlines with international safety standards.

Information about foreign domestic airlines

Every country or territory decides who can enter or exit through its borders. The Government of Canada cannot intervene on your behalf if you do not meet your destination’s entry or exit requirements.

We have obtained the information on this page from the Bolivian authorities. It can, however, change at any time.

Verify this information with the  Foreign Representatives in Canada .

Entry requirements vary depending on the type of passport you use for travel.

Before you travel, check with your transportation company about passport requirements. Its rules on passport validity may be more stringent than the country’s entry rules.

Regular Canadian passport

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date you arrive in Bolivia.

Passport for official travel

Different entry rules may apply.

Official travel

Passport with “X” gender identifier

While the Government of Canada issues passports with an “X” gender identifier, it cannot guarantee your entry or transit through other countries. You might face entry restrictions in countries that do not recognize the “X” gender identifier. Before you leave, check with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

Other travel documents

Different entry rules may apply when travelling with a temporary passport or an emergency travel document. Before you leave, check with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

Useful links

• Foreign Representatives in Canada
• Canadian passports

Tourist visa: not required for stays up to 30 days Business visa: required  Student visa: required Volunteer work visa: required

Registration

All foreign residents and tourists must complete the web-based registration process (SIGEMIG) prior to arriving in Bolivia. Registration must include lodging information for the entire stay.

If you have not completed the electronic registration prior to arriving in Bolivia, immigration agents at the port of entry will register you and give you further instructions. If you fail to comply, you will be subject to fines upon leaving the country.

Address registration  – General Directorate of Migration (in Spanish)

Extensions of tourist visa

Applications for tourist visa extensions must be submitted to the General Directorate of Migration before the end of the 30-day period.  A 30-day extension can be obtained twice, at no extra cost and to a maximum of 90 days during one calendar year.

If you overstay the 90-day period without proper authorization, you may be fined upon departure.

Other entry and exit requirements

Customs officials may ask you to show them a return or onward ticket and proof of sufficient funds to cover your stay.

When arriving by land, ensure your passport is stamped upon exiting the country you’re leaving and upon entering Bolivia. If you fail to do so, you’ll be fined upon departure. Avoid travelling at night when border officials and police may not be present.

Luggage screening

Bolivia employs strict luggage screening measures at its international airports. You must complete an online declaration form prior to luggage screening and show an electronic or printed version of the QR code to authorities. All luggage is routinely X-rayed upon arrival. 

• Children and travel

Bolivia has strict requirements for the entry and exit of persons under the age of 18, including special documentation.

Parents of children travelling alone, with one parent or with another individual are strongly encouraged to contact the nearest Bolivian embassy or consulate before departure to ensure that the latest entry and exit requirements, which may change without notice, are met.

Travelling with children

Yellow fever

Learn about potential entry requirements related to yellow fever (vaccines section).

Relevant Travel Health Notices

• Global Measles Notice - 13 March, 2024
• Zika virus: Advice for travellers - 31 August, 2023
• COVID-19 and International Travel - 13 March, 2024
• Oropouche fever in the Americas - 3 September, 2024

This section contains information on possible health risks and restrictions regularly found or ongoing in the destination. Follow this advice to lower your risk of becoming ill while travelling. Not all risks are listed below.

Consult a health care professional or visit a travel health clinic preferably 6 weeks before you travel to get personalized health advice and recommendations.

Routine vaccines

Be sure that your  routine vaccinations , as per your province or territory , are up-to-date before travelling, regardless of your destination.

Some of these vaccinations include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, varicella (chickenpox), influenza and others.

Pre-travel vaccines and medications

You may be at risk for preventable diseases while travelling in this destination. Talk to a travel health professional about which medications or vaccines may be right for you, based on your destination and itinerary. 

Yellow fever   is a disease caused by a flavivirus from the bite of an infected mosquito.

Travellers get vaccinated either because it is required to enter a country or because it is recommended for their protection.

• There is a risk of yellow fever in this country.

Country Entry Requirement*

• Proof of vaccination is required if you are coming from a country   where yellow fever occurs.

Recommendation

• Vaccination is recommended depending on your itinerary.
• Contact a designated  Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre  well in advance of your trip to arrange for vaccination.
• Discuss travel plans, activities, and destinations with a health care professional.
• Protect yourself from mosquito bites .

About Yellow Fever

Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres in Canada * It is important to note that   country entry requirements   may not reflect your risk of yellow fever at your destination. It is recommended that you contact the nearest   diplomatic or consular office   of the destination(s) you will be visiting to verify any additional entry requirements.

There is a risk of hepatitis A in this destination. It is a disease of the liver. People can get hepatitis A if they ingest contaminated food or water, eat foods prepared by an infectious person, or if they have close physical contact (such as oral-anal sex) with an infectious person, although casual contact among people does not spread the virus.

Practise  safe food and water precautions and wash your hands often. Vaccination is recommended for all travellers to areas where hepatitis A is present.

  Hepatitis B is a risk in every destination. It is a viral liver disease that is easily transmitted from one person to another through exposure to blood and body fluids containing the hepatitis B virus.  Travellers who may be exposed to blood or other bodily fluids (e.g., through sexual contact, medical treatment, sharing needles, tattooing, acupuncture or occupational exposure) are at higher risk of getting hepatitis B.

Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for all travellers. Prevent hepatitis B infection by practicing safe sex, only using new and sterile drug equipment, and only getting tattoos and piercings in settings that follow public health regulations and standards.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease. It can spread quickly from person to person by direct contact and through droplets in the air.

Anyone who is not protected against measles is at risk of being infected with it when travelling internationally.

Regardless of where you are going, talk to a health care professional before travelling to make sure you are fully protected against measles.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious viral disease. It can spread from person to person by direct contact and through droplets in the air.

It is recommended that all eligible travellers complete a COVID-19 vaccine series along with any additional recommended doses in Canada before travelling. Evidence shows that vaccines are very effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19. While vaccination provides better protection against serious illness, you may still be at risk of infection from the virus that causes COVID-19. Anyone who has not completed a vaccine series is at increased risk of being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 and is at greater risk for severe disease when travelling internationally.

Before travelling, verify your destination’s COVID-19 vaccination entry/exit requirements. Regardless of where you are going, talk to a health care professional before travelling to make sure you are adequately protected against COVID-19.

 The best way to protect yourself from seasonal influenza (flu) is to get vaccinated every year. Get the flu shot at least 2 weeks before travelling.  

 The flu occurs worldwide. 

•  In the Northern Hemisphere, the flu season usually runs from November to   April.
•  In the Southern Hemisphere, the flu season usually runs between April and   October.
•  In the tropics, there is flu activity year round. 

The flu vaccine available in one hemisphere may only offer partial protection against the flu in the other hemisphere.

The flu virus spreads from person to person when they cough or sneeze or by touching objects and surfaces that have been contaminated with the virus. Clean your hands often and wear a mask if you have a fever or respiratory symptoms.

Malaria  is a serious and sometimes fatal disease that is caused by parasites spread through the bites of mosquitoes.   There is a risk of malaria in certain areas and/or during a certain time of year in this destination. 

Antimalarial medication may be recommended depending on your itinerary and the time of year you are travelling. Consult a health care professional or visit a travel health clinic before travelling to discuss your options. It is recommended to do this 6 weeks before travel, however, it is still a good idea any time before leaving.    Protect yourself from mosquito bites at all times:  • Cover your skin and use an approved insect repellent on uncovered skin.  • Exclude mosquitoes from your living area with screening and/or closed, well-sealed doors and windows. • Use insecticide-treated bed nets if mosquitoes cannot be excluded from your living area.  • Wear permethrin-treated clothing.    If you develop symptoms similar to malaria when you are travelling or up to a year after you return home, see a health care professional immediately. Tell them where you have been travelling or living. 

In this destination, rabies is commonly carried by dogs and some wildlife, including bats. Rabies is a deadly disease that spreads to humans primarily through bites or scratches from an infected animal. While travelling, take precautions , including keeping your distance from animals (including free-roaming dogs), and closely supervising children.

If you are bitten or scratched by a dog or other animal while travelling, immediately wash the wound with soap and clean water and see a health care professional. In this destination, rabies treatment may be limited or may not be available, therefore you may need to return to Canada for treatment.  

Before travel, discuss rabies vaccination with a health care professional. It may be recommended for travellers who are at high risk of exposure (e.g., occupational risk such as veterinarians and wildlife workers, children, adventure travellers and spelunkers, and others in close contact with animals). 

Safe food and water precautions

Many illnesses can be caused by eating food or drinking beverages contaminated by bacteria, parasites, toxins, or viruses, or by swimming or bathing in contaminated water.

• Learn more about food and water precautions to take to avoid getting sick by visiting our eat and drink safely abroad page. Remember: Boil it, cook it, peel it, or leave it!
• Avoid getting water into your eyes, mouth or nose when swimming or participating in activities in freshwater (streams, canals, lakes), particularly after flooding or heavy rain. Water may look clean but could still be polluted or contaminated.
• Avoid inhaling or swallowing water while bathing, showering, or swimming in pools or hot tubs. 

Travellers' diarrhea is the most common illness affecting travellers. It is spread from eating or drinking contaminated food or water.

Risk of developing travellers' diarrhea increases when travelling in regions with poor standards of hygiene and sanitation. Practise safe food and water precautions.

The most important treatment for travellers' diarrhea is rehydration (drinking lots of fluids). Carry oral rehydration salts when travelling.

Typhoid   is a bacterial infection spread by contaminated food or water. Risk is higher among children, travellers going to rural areas, travellers visiting friends and relatives or those travelling for a long period of time.

Travellers visiting regions with a risk of typhoid, especially those exposed to places with poor sanitation, should speak to a health care professional about vaccination.  

Insect bite prevention

Many diseases are spread by the bites of infected insects such as mosquitoes, ticks, fleas or flies. When travelling to areas where infected insects may be present:

• Use insect repellent (bug spray) on exposed skin
• Cover up with light-coloured, loose clothes made of tightly woven materials such as nylon or polyester
• Minimize exposure to insects
• Use mosquito netting when sleeping outdoors or in buildings that are not fully enclosed

To learn more about how you can reduce your risk of infection and disease caused by bites, both at home and abroad, visit our insect bite prevention page.

Find out what types of insects are present where you’re travelling, when they’re most active, and the symptoms of the diseases they spread.

There is a risk of chikungunya in this country. The level of risk may vary by:

The virus that causes chikungunya is spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. It can cause fever and pain in the joints. In some cases, the joint pain can be severe and last for months or years.

Protect yourself from mosquito bites at all times.

Learn more:

Insect bite and pest prevention Chikungunya

Cutaneous and mucosal   leishmaniasis   causes skin sores and ulcers. It is caused by a parasite spread through the bite of a female sandfly.

Risk is generally low for most travellers. Protect yourself from sandfly bites, which typically occur after sunset in rural and forested areas and in some urban centres. There is no vaccine or medication to protect against leishmaniasis.

• In this country,   dengue  is a risk to travellers. It is a viral disease spread to humans by mosquito bites.
• Dengue can cause flu-like symptoms. In some cases, it can lead to severe dengue, which can be fatal.
• The level of risk of dengue changes seasonally, and varies from year to year. The level of risk also varies between regions in a country and can depend on the elevation in the region.
• Mosquitoes carrying dengue typically bite during the daytime, particularly around sunrise and sunset.
• Protect yourself from mosquito bites . There is no vaccine or medication that protects against dengue.

Zika virus is a risk in this country. 

Zika virus is primarily spread through the bite of an infected mosquito. It can also be sexually transmitted. Zika virus can cause serious birth defects.

During your trip:

• Prevent mosquito bites at all times.
• Use condoms correctly or avoid sexual contact, particularly if you are pregnant.

If you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, you should discuss the potential risks of travelling to this destination with your health care provider. You may choose to avoid or postpone travel. 

For more information, see Zika virus: Pregnant or planning a pregnancy.

American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease)   is a risk in this country. It is caused by a parasite spread by infected triatomine bugs. The infection can be inactive for decades, but humans can eventually develop complications causing disability and even death.

Risk is generally low for most travellers. Protect yourself from triatomine bugs, which are active at night, by using mosquito nets if staying in poorly-constructed housing. There is no vaccine available for Chagas disease.

Animal precautions

Some infections, such as rabies and influenza, can be shared between humans and animals. Certain types of activities may increase your chance of contact with animals, such as travelling in rural or forested areas, camping, hiking, and visiting wet markets (places where live animals are slaughtered and sold) or caves.

Travellers are cautioned to avoid contact with animals, including dogs, livestock (pigs, cows), monkeys, snakes, rodents, birds, and bats, and to avoid eating undercooked wild game.

Closely supervise children, as they are more likely to come in contact with animals.

Person-to-person infections

Stay home if you’re sick and practise proper cough and sneeze etiquette , which includes coughing or sneezing into a tissue or the bend of your arm, not your hand. Reduce your risk of colds, the flu and other illnesses by:

•   washing your hands often
• avoiding or limiting the amount of time spent in closed spaces, crowded places, or at large-scale events (concerts, sporting events, rallies)
• avoiding close physical contact with people who may be showing symptoms of illness 

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) , HIV , and mpox are spread through blood and bodily fluids; use condoms, practise safe sex, and limit your number of sexual partners. Check with your local public health authority pre-travel to determine your eligibility for mpox vaccine.  

Tuberculosis is an infection caused by bacteria and usually affects the lungs.

For most travellers the risk of tuberculosis is low.

Travellers who may be at high risk while travelling in regions with risk of tuberculosis should discuss pre- and post-travel options with a health care professional.

High-risk travellers include those visiting or working in prisons, refugee camps, homeless shelters, or hospitals, or travellers visiting friends and relatives.

Medical services and facilities

The quality of health care varies greatly throughout the country. Good health care is available only in private hospitals in larger cities.

Public medical services and facilities have limited resources and don’t meet Canadian standards. There’s limited access to healthcare facilities and medical assistance in rural areas, including tourist areas. It can take days to receive medical services in remote areas.

Ambulance services are limited throughout Bolivia.

If you have doubts about the medical services you are being provided, contact the Embassy of Canada.

Evacuation by air ambulance can be difficult. Some air ambulance providers are unable to fly into locations at higher altitudes, such as La Paz. You may need it in case of serious illness or injury.

Most healthcare providers speak only Spanish.

Many clinics and hospitals accept cash only. They may require upfront payment or proof of medical insurance before providing medical services, even in an emergency.

Make sure you get travel insurance that includes coverage for medical evacuation and hospital stays.

Health and safety outside Canada

Altitude sickness

You’re at risk of altitude sickness if you travel 2500 metres above sea level or more.

In some departments, you may experience health problems due to high altitudes including in:

• La Paz (3,640 metres above sea level)
• Uyuni (3,656 metres above sea level)
• Oruro (3,735 metres above sea level)
• Potosi (4,090 metres above sea level)

You're more at risk if you:

• ascend quickly
• exercise or drink alcohol before you get used to the altitude

Altitude sickness can be fatal. You may require immediate medical evacuation, which is less accessible in remote areas. Seek medical attention at a lower altitude if you develop symptoms.

Well on Your Way - A Canadian’s Guide to Healthy Travel Abroad

There is a shortage of prescription medication in Bolivia.

If you travel to Bolivia, bring enough prescription and over-the-counter medication for the duration of your trip.

• Always keep your medication in the original container
• Pack your medication in your carry-on luggage
• Carry a copy of your prescriptions

Certain prescription and over-the-counter medications legally available in Canada are listed as controlled substances in Bolivia. 

If you attempt to bring banned medication into Bolivia, you may be subject to:

• confiscation of medication
• heavy fines
• jail sentences

Keep in Mind...

The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller. The traveller is also responsible for his or her own personal safety.

Be prepared. Do not expect medical services to be the same as in Canada. Pack a   travel health kit , especially if you will be travelling away from major city centres.

You must abide by local laws.

Learn about what you should do and how we can help if you are arrested or detained abroad .

Transfer to a Canadian prison

No transfer of offender’s treaty exists between Canada and Bolivia. If you’re convicted of a serious crime, you must serve your jail sentence in Bolivia. You may also have to remain in the country for a parole period after your release. 

Detention conditions may be below the standards of Canadian prisons.

Bolivian drug laws include a zero-tolerance policy. Penalties for possession, use or trafficking of illegal drugs are severe. Convicted offenders can expect lengthy prison sentences and heavy fines.

Travellers have fallen victim to scams in which illegal drugs are hidden inside objects or luggage that an acquaintance has asked them to bring to or take away from Bolivia. Dating websites are a source of such scams.

• Pack your own luggage
• Never transport luggage or packages on behalf of another person

Unlicensed bars

Unlicensed bars in Bolivia are illegal. They are known to sell drugs. Police may detain and question you if they raid the establishment, even if you’re not consuming any illegal substances.

Avoid unlicensed bars.

Drugs, alcohol and travel

It’s illegal to export any item that the Bolivian government considers a national treasure (Patrimonio cultural) without formal written permission from the Ministry of Culture, including:

• pre-Columbian artifacts
• historical paintings
• items of Spanish colonial architecture and history
• native textiles
• flora, fauna and fossils

Any type of excavation for fossils or collection of fossils without prior written authorization is illegal.

Coca leaves

It’s illegal to import coca leaves and related products into Canada.

Controlled drugs and substances act – Government of Canada

Identification

Police and immigration officials occasionally conduct identification checks. You may have to present your passport upon check-in at hotels and other commercial accommodation providers.

• Carry copies of your passport and Bolivian entry stamp pages of your passport
• Never leave your passport or any other identity document with anyone

Photography

Locals may find the presence of photographers intrusive, particularly in remote areas.

• Be careful when travelling with cameras and communications devices
• Befort taking someone’s photo, ask for permission

2SLGBTQI+ persons

Bolivian law does not prohibit sexual acts between individuals of the same sex.

Homosexuality is increasingly socially accepted, but much of Bolivian society remains conservative. 2SLGBTQI+ persons could be discriminated against based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or sex characteristics.

Travel and your sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics

Dual citizenship

Dual citizenship is legally recognized in Bolivia.

If you are a Canadian citizen, but also a citizen of Bolivia, our ability to offer you consular services may be limited while you're there. You may also be subject to different entry/exit requirements .

Dual citizens

Military service

Military service is compulsory in Bolivia. Males aged 18 or over who are dual citizens must undertake military service upon arrival in the country.

International Child Abduction

The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction is an international treaty. It can help parents with the return of children who have been removed to or retained in certain countries in violation of custody rights. It does not apply between Canada and Bolivia.

If your child was wrongfully taken to, or is being held in Bolivia by an abducting parent:

• act as quickly as you can
• consult a lawyer in Canada and in Bolivia to explore all the legal options for the return of your child
• report the situation to the nearest Canadian government office abroad or to the Vulnerable Children's Consular Unit at Global Affairs Canada by calling the Emergency Watch and Response Centre

If your child was removed from a country other than Canada, consult a lawyer to determine if The Hague Convention applies.

Be aware that Canadian consular officials cannot interfere in private legal matters or in another country's judicial affairs.

• International Child Abductions: A guide for affected parents
• Canadian embassies and consulates by destination
• Request emergency assistance

You must carry an international driving permit to rent or drive a vehicle.

The legal blood alcohol limit is 0.00%. If the police suspect you of drinking and driving, they could confiscate your driver’s licence on the spot and apply heavy fines and jail sentences.

If you’re involved in a traffic accident, remain at the scene until local police arrive. Attempting to leave the scene violates Bolivian law.

International Driving Permit

The currency in Bolivia is the boliviano (BOB).

Credit and debit cards are not widely accepted outside urban centres. Carry small bank notes to facilitate daily transactions such as:

• street food

It’s difficult to exchange Canadian dollars in Bolivia. Bring U.S. dollars if you need to exchange cash.

Bolivia is subject to various natural disasters such as:

• earthquakes
• torrential rains

Climate change

Climate change is affecting Bolivia. Extreme and unusual weather events are becoming more frequent and may affect your travel plans. Monitor local news to stay informed on the current situation.

Rainy season

The rainy season extends from November to March.

Seasonal flooding occurs throughout the country, mainly as a result of heavy rains and overloaded sewage systems. Seasonal flooding can hamper overland travel and reduce the provision of essential services. Roads may become impassable and bridges damaged. Heavy rains may contribute to dangerous landslides. In particular, the Uyuni Salt Flats become dangerous to visit in the rainy season.

If you decide to travel to Bolivia during the rainy season:

• be prepared to change your travel plans on short notice, including cutting short or cancelling your trip
• stay informed of the latest regional weather forecasts
• carry emergency contact information for your airline or tour operator
• follow the advice and instructions of local authorities

Weather alerts  – National Meteorological and Hydrological Service (in Spanish)

Forest fires are at risk during the dry season, from July to October. Heavy smoke may deteriorate the air quality in areas near active fires.

In case of a significant fire:

• stay away from affected areas, particularly if you suffer from respiratory ailments
• monitor local media for up-to-date information on the situation
• follow the advice of local authorities

Latest alerts  – Vice Ministry of Civil Defence (in Spanish)

Earthquakes

Bolivia is in an active seismic zone and is prone to earthquakes in the centre and southwest areas.

Dangerous landslides can also occur, even after minor earthquakes.

In the event of an earthquake:

• monitor local news to stay informed on the evolving situation
• follow the instructions of local authorities, including evacuation orders
• Earthquake monitoring  – San Calixto Observatory (in Spanish)
• Latest earthquakes  – U.S. Geological Survey
• Prepare for earthquakes

Local services

In case of emergency, dial:

• police: 110
• firefighters: 119
• gender-based violence: 800-14-0348
• ambulance service in La Paz: 165
• tourist police in La Paz: +591-2-222-5016

Consular assistance

For emergency consular assistance, call the Embassy of Canada to Bolivia (Program Office), in La Paz, and follow the instructions. At any time, you may also contact the Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa.

The decision to travel is your choice and you are responsible for your personal safety abroad. We take the safety and security of Canadians abroad very seriously and provide credible and timely information in our Travel Advice to enable you to make well-informed decisions regarding your travel abroad.

The content on this page is provided for information only. While we make every effort to give you correct information, it is provided on an "as is" basis without warranty of any kind, expressed or implied. The Government of Canada does not assume responsibility and will not be liable for any damages in connection to the information provided.

If you need consular assistance while abroad, we will make every effort to help you. However, there may be constraints that will limit the ability of the Government of Canada to provide services.

Learn more about consular services .

Risk Levels

  take normal security precautions.

Take similar precautions to those you would take in Canada.

  Exercise a high degree of caution

There are certain safety and security concerns or the situation could change quickly. Be very cautious at all times, monitor local media and follow the instructions of local authorities.

IMPORTANT: The two levels below are official Government of Canada Travel Advisories and are issued when the safety and security of Canadians travelling or living in the country or region may be at risk.

  Avoid non-essential travel

Your safety and security could be at risk. You should think about your need to travel to this country, territory or region based on family or business requirements, knowledge of or familiarity with the region, and other factors. If you are already there, think about whether you really need to be there. If you do not need to be there, you should think about leaving.

  Avoid all travel

You should not travel to this country, territory or region. Your personal safety and security are at great risk. If you are already there, you should think about leaving if it is safe to do so.

Four Mind-Blowing Bolivia Itineraries For 10 Days to One Month of Traveling

By Author Sarah Ketchum

Posted on Last updated: 6th October 2023

Fantastically biodiverse and with a rich cultural and historical heritage, Bolivia is filled with jaw-dropping natural wonders and plenty to pack into a Bolivia itinerary – however long your trip.

This country is packed with so many sights and experiences to keep an adventurous traveler on the edge of their seat that, even after living in Bolivia for two years, my wish list was still full of destinations I’d not had the chance to explore! 

Planning a trip to this South American country can seem intimidating due to Bolivia’s scale and reputation as a tricky place to travel, but the itineraries listed below will make your trip memorable, regardless of the length of your adventure.  

Click to navigate this article:

Recommendations for traveling in Bolivia and using this itinerary:

• Public transportation in Bolivia is a relatively inexpensive and easy way to travel between major cities and tourist attractions in Bolivia has, although you’ll want to be flexible, careful with your valuables and ready for a sleepless night, as we explain in this guide to traveling in Bolivia .  
• To make boarding public transport and moving around easier, pack light, backpack-style luggage rather than a large, heavy, rolling suitcase. Many hostels and hotels offer laundry service, so you should be able to pack light and still have clean clothes throughout your trip.
• Safety in Bolivia is always a key concern for travelers. While living there, I never felt threatened or unsafe, however I do suggest being aware of your surroundings and personal belongings in order to avoid petty theft or more serious crimes, while learning a bit of Spanish before you arrive can be invaluable.
• There’s isn’t really a best time to visit Bolivia. The weather in Bolivia typically is rainier and warmer from November to March, and drier and colder from April to October. This itinerary includes travel between many different altitudes and climate zones, regardless of the time of year you travel, so plan and pack accordingly with a variety of layers.
• One key to preparing for your backpacking trip to Bolivia is knowing how to deal with altitude. Not only does your entry point for the itinerary sit at a dizzying height (4,061 m (13,325 ft) above sea level), many of Bolivia’s other attractions are also at altitude and travelers risk experiencing soroche (altitude sickness). Talking to a doctor who can prescribe the medication Diamox for when you arrive can also help, especially if you know you are especially prone to altitude sickness. If you’re ever feeling fatigued, dizzy, nauseous, or have a bad headache, take it easy and stay hydrated!
• Bolivia is a very affordable destination to visit , with daily travel costs easy to keep below $30 USD per person for budget travelers staying in hostels and eating in inexpensive cafés, while those with a mid-range budget staying in B&Bs and dining in fancier restaurants can budget under $50 USD per person per day.

Ten-day Bolivia itinerary

An overview of this Bolivia itinerary for ten days:

• Days One to Three: La Paz
• Day Four: Bike the Death Road to Coroico
• Day Five: Coroico and overnight to Uyuni
• Days Six to Nine: Uyuni
• Days Nine to Ten: La Paz

A ten-day itinerary of Bolivia is enough to explore the heady heights of de-facto capital, La Paz, take your life into your own hands biking down Death Road and be awestruck by the perspective-bending landscapes of the Salar de Uyuni or Bolivian salt flats.

Day One: Arrive in La Paz 

Your Bolivian adventure begins in La Paz , a marvelous city overlooked by the snow-capped peaks of the Cordillera Real.

Fly into El Alto International Airport and, to adjust to the altitude, take this first day carefully.

Use it to rest, relax, and soak in the sights of this incredible city from the windows of your taxi as you wind your way through the streets from the airport to your lodgings. 

Where to stay in La Paz: If you’re looking for something luxurious, try Casa Grande ($178 USD double) in the Zona Sur (Southern Zone) neighborhood where you can start your morning with their fantastic breakfast buffet, relax in the pool, and enjoy a cocktail at the end of the day in their penthouse bar.

Where to stay in La Paz: One of my absolute favorite places to stay in the La Paz area is actually located a short distance outside of the city. It’s called Colibri Camping and Eco Lodge ($65 USD for double bed with private bath in a cabin) and if you want a comfortable place to stay separated from the city’s noise, this is the place for you.

Where to stay in La Paz on a budget: If casual hostels are more your style, try the Adventure Brew Hostel ($40 USD double) or The Nest Boutique Hostel ($37 USD double), both of which are located in the downtown area close to main tourist attractions like Calle Sagarnaga and the San Francisco Basilica.

Days Two to Three: Experience La Paz

La Paz is a Bolivian highlight and this beautiful and energetic city is where you can learn much about the country’s history, culture, and government.

Spend your days getting to grips with this mountain metropolis: stroll through the Plaza Murillo to see several of Bolivia’s government buildings, pick up an alpaca sweater at a tienda in Calle Sagarnaga, snack on a Bolivian salteña or cuñape , and soar over the city in the colorful teleférico cable cars.

Get even more tips about unmissable things to do, places to eat, and sights to see in La Paz .

One of the top things to do in Bolivia is the famous Death Road , and the best way to experience it is by bicycle.

You should now be adjusted enough to the altitude to take on the challenge of downhill mountain biking down the “World’s Most Dangerous Road.” 

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There are many tour companies offering Death Road cycling tours, but I always recommend booking with Gravity Bolivia for their skillful guides and high-quality bikes and equipment.

They’ll give you time to stop, rest, snack, and take photos along the way.

Your ride ends at the village of Yolosa, near Coroico where you can take a ride on a zipline over the jungle before visiting Senda Verde , where you’ll have lunch and meet some local wildlife who, having been rescued from illegal trafficking situations, call the Senda Verde refuge home.

Where to stay in Yolosa/Coroico: Senda Verde isn’t just a cool place to visit, it’s also a cool place to stay! They offer many ecolodge options to accommodate various group sizes. If you’ve ever dreamed of spending the night in a treehouse, look no further. You might even be able to spend the morning hanging out on your balcony with a monkey friend or two. 

Where to stay in Yolosa/Coroico: If a rustic ecolodge isn’t your style, there are plenty of other options for accommodations in Coroico. Sol y Luna Ecolodge and Hotel El Viejo Molino are all decent options that offer great views over the valley. 

Enjoy a relaxing morning in Coroico before a busy afternoon and evening of travel. Grab lunch before catching a minibus (three hours) back to La Paz from the town’s main plaza.

Give yourself some extra time to accommodate traffic and other potential travel delays. 

Your goal is to make it back to La Paz in time to have dinner in one of the city’s many restaurants before hopping on an overnight bus to Uyuni (eight hours) – one of the absolute must-see places in Bolivia.

A journey on a night bus is a key part of the Bolivian experience. Buy tickets online for a bus that gets you to Uyuni before 8:00 am tomorrow so that you are on time to meet your guides for your salt flats tour. 

Days Six to Nine: Salar de Uyuni

When you wake up from your long night of travel, you’ll be in Uyuni , home to the world’s largest salt flat and a highlight of Bolivia.

You’ll be spending not one, but three days in the Uyuni area, exploring not just the salt flats, but all that the surrounding region has to offer.

The sights in and around Uyuni are otherworldly: spend a night in a hotel made of salt, wander among abandoned trains, catch a glimpse of vicuñas , flamingos, and other Bolivian wildlife, and marvel at the multi-coloured mineral lakes and geysers.

Tour companies in Uyuni offer three-day excursions; for detailed information on choosing a tour group, what you can expect to see and do while on a tour, and how to get to the Bolivia salt flats, read our guide to visiting El Salar de Uyuni and this article about seeing dawn break over El Salar de Uyuni .

Remember that the three-day, two-night tours do not include accommodations in Uyuni for the night following your tour, so book a room in town or at one of the salt hotels closer to the flats.

Or, you could always take another time-and-money-saving night bus back to La Paz

Day Nine: Head to La Paz

From Uyuni, head back to La Paz via bus or flight. Now is your chance to hit any of the La Paz attractions you missed during your first few days here.

Options include taking a hike or even playing a round of golf, as well as diving into the local cuisine with a remarkably affordable fine-dining experience at Gustu .

Day Ten: Travel home 

Alas, your ten-day trip has come to an end! Perhaps you can get one last glimpse of Mount Illimani from your airplane window as you fly away. 

Two weeks in Bolivia itinerary

Overview of this 14-day Bolivia itinerary:

Days Ten to Twelve: Sucre

• Days Thirteen to Fourteen: La Paz

Days Ten to Twelve: Trek Huayna Potosí 

• Days Twelve to Fourteen – La Paz

Want to extend your trip to a full two weeks? An extra few days in Bolivia will give you a chance to throw in plenty more things to see: either visit the striking, well-preserved colonial architecture of its capital city, Sucre, or a thrilling opportunity to summit a 6,000-metre peak.

OPTION 1 – Follow days one through eight of the ten-day itinerary above and then tack on a few days exploring Bolivia’s constitutional capital.

From Uyuni, travel overnight to Sucre by bus (8 hours). Sucre is technically the capital city of Bolivia, even though many of the government buildings reside in La Paz.

You can feel the history in this city as you walk streets lined by fine historic buildings that were constructed using indigenous slave labor following the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors.

There are loads of things to see and do in Sucre , including visiting the Cal Orck’o wall which holds the world’s largest collection of dinosaur footprints!

Where to stay in Sucre: There are plenty of great options for accommodations in Sucre. Many of these hotels, like Mi Pueblo Samary ($120 USD double), Parador Santa Maria La Real ($129 USD double), and Hotel Independencia are located in renovated colonial buildings and authentically decorated to match the city’s historical architecture. 

Days Thirteen to Fourteen: Final days in La Paz 

Return to La Paz . Either take an overnight bus (12 hours), or, if this is a bit too long for you, fly from Sucre to La Paz instead (one hour). 

Spend your last days in Bolivia in La Paz. If you ran out of time to see any attractions during your first few days, now is the time to make up for it!

On the final day, head back to El Alto to catch your flight home and enjoy your last glimpses of the sprawling city and snow-capped mountains. 

OPTION 2 – Follow days one through nine of the ten-day itinerary above and then tack on a few days trekking one of Bolivia’s famous peaks!  

Huayna Potosí and its 6,080-metre (19,974-foot) peak towers above La Paz’s skyline, and it is one of the first things most visitors notice when exiting El Alto International Airport’s doors.

Even for beginner mountaineers, this mountain is possible to trek in just three days with a guided tour.

Many companies offer three-day, two-night excursions up the mountain, with the first day including an introductory course to mountaineering and using crampons and other ice climbing equipment.

If it’s on your bucket list to summit a 6,000-metre peak, Huayna Potosí might be the perfect mountain to tackle!

Days Thirteen and Fourteen: Relax and travel home

After your big trek, and exciting two-week trip, enjoy a day of rest and relaxation in La Paz before catching your flight home.

One-month Bolivia travel itinerary

An overview of a one-month Bolivia travel itinerary:

• Day Five: Coroico and Overnight to Uyuni
• Days Nine to Eleven : Sucre
• Day Twelve: Potosí

Days Thirteen to Sixteen: Santa Cruz

Days seventeen to eighteen: cochabamba, days nineteen to twenty-one: toro toro national park , days twenty-two to twenty-five: head to rurrenabaque, days twenty-six to twenty-nine: lake titicaca .

• Day Thirty: Fly home

Are you one of the lucky few who has an entire month for backpacking in Bolivia?

Check out this extended itinerary for Bolivia, where you’ll explore high-altitude La Paz and the otherworldly Salar de Uyuni before stopping in at the silver mines of historic Potosí.

From there, you’ll tour some of Bolivia’s most diverse green spaces around Santa Cruz, Cochabamba and Rurrenabaque, before ending at the birthplace of the sun, the vast Lake Titicaca.  

Start by following days one through eleven of the fourteen-day itinerary above and tack on another few weeks’ worth of Bolivian adventures! 

Day Twelve: Potosí 

After spending a few days in Sucre, check out another of Bolivia’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the city of  Potosí (three hours).

Potosí was formerly the richest city in the world thanks to the Cerro Rico mine . It enriched the Spanish empire with silver and forced millions of indigenous people into slavery to work in the mines – with eight million people believed to have died in the inhumane conditions .

This still-working mine serves as a testament not just to Bolivia’s mineral wealth, but also, unfortunately, to the exploitative working conditions that many Bolivians deal with on a daily basis.

Guided tours through the mine led by former miners are available to visitors and a worthwhile look into the life of the local people – although be aware that you are putting yourself at risk by entering the mountain.

Another must-see place in Potosí is the Casa Nacional de la Moneda (the National Mint), whose museum covers the history of Potosí and its famous mine, while it’s worth just wandering the streets of the city, admiring the now crumbling grandeur of a city that has been abandoned to its fate.  

If you choose to make your trip to Potosí in one day, you can return to Sucre on a late evening bus for the night.

Where to stay in Potosí: If you’d like to extend your time, there are several options for lodgings in Potosí such as hostels like Santa Monica ($69 USD double) or Colonial ($75 USD double).

From Potosí, head back to Sucre and onwards to Santa Cruz de la Sierra (13 hours by bus; 50 mins by flight), Bolivia’s largest city.

Santa Cruz is a highly commercial and modernized city compared to Sucre and La Paz. It also sits at a much lower altitude (only 400 m (1,300 ft) above sea level), meaning the temperature is warmer and the air more oxygen-rich. 

There are plenty of things to do in and around Santa Cruz, including visiting several of the nearby national parks. Amboró National Park is the closest to the city, and tour operators offer transportation to and from the park as well as guided tours to see the area’s diverse flora and fauna.

A good day trip option to experience a beautiful part of Amboró is the Jardin de las Delicias tour, which allows you to trek between several waterfalls, and cool off with a swim! Nick’s Adventure’s is one company offering Amboró tours, including the waterfall trek.

Another awesome adventure is to spend the day at the Lomas de Arena , where you can sandboard down a dune and keep an eye on the surrounding forest for wildlife – keep your eyes peeled for a sloth! Tour companies offering sand dune excursions include Nick’s Adventures and Ruta Verde . 

If you want to spot some wildlife, but don’t feel like venturing too far outside the city, check out Biocentro Güembé . Güembé is an animal shelter for rescued exotic animals that are unable to be rehabilitated back to the wild.

Here, you can see monkeys, birds, butterflies, and other Bolivian wildlife, as well as relax and beat the heat in their many swimming pools. You can even stay on-site in one of their hotel rooms or cabins. 

Another of Bolivia’s many UNESCO World Heritage Sites can be accessed easily from Santa Cruz. In the late 1600s and early 1700s, Jesuit missionaries built many missions throughout South America, and six of these remain standing in Bolivia and are among the country’s top tourist destinations.

There are several tours that offer multi-day trips to see all six of the missions, but to save time, I suggest booking a two-day tour through Nick’s Adventures or Ruta Verde which guides you to the San Javier and Concepcion missions.

If you’d like to see more than just two of the missions, you will simply have to alter your Santa Cruz schedule a bit to accommodate spending more than two days on a mission’s tour. 

Where to stay in Santa Cruz: Aside from Güembé, the Nomad Hostel ($30 USD double) or Backpacker Suites Hostel ($22 USD double), both located near the city’s main square. 

From Santa Cruz from your Jesuit, travel to the higher altitude city of Cochabamba (10 hours by bus; 45 mins by flight). 

Cochabamba is home to La Cancha , South America’s largest open-air market, and the Cristo de la Concordia , the tallest Christ statue in the world (yes, a bit larger than the one in Rio de Janeiro).

Take a cable car to the top of the Cerro San Pedro to see the statue up close and enjoy a great view overlooking the city.

Some Bolivians will tell you that Cochabamba is the country’s “gastronomic capital,” so be sure to try some favorite Bolivian dishes like silpancho or pique macho. 

If you’re interested in a hike, Pico Tunari in nearby Tunari National Park is the tallest mountain in the area, with trekkers able to clamber up to 5,035 m (16,519 ft). There are several tour companies offering guided treks to the top, including El Mundo Verde . 

Where to stay in Cochabamba: Cochabamba has a lot of nice hotel options for your stay, including Hotel Aranjuez ($85 USD double) and the fantastic Running Chaski ($38 USD double).

One of the coolest places to visit in Bolivia, Toro Toro National Park , can be accessed from Cochabamba. Bolivia is home to so many geological wonders, and Toro Toro is the place to see several of them.

Go caving, hike through a canyon surrounded by red-fronted macaws, and observe ancient cave paintings, fossils, and dinosaur footprints.

Several companies, including Ruta Verde and Kanoo , offer three-day, two-night tours of the park.  

Day 22 is a heavy travel day as you return from Cochabamba, back to La Paz, and on to Rurrenabaque .

All of this can be done via bus (eight hours from Cochabamba to La Paz, and then 12 hours from the Villa Fatima bus station in La Paz to Rurrenabaque), via plane (45 minutes from Cochabamba to La Paz, 40 minutes from La Paz to Rurrenabaque), or via a combination of the two. 

Rurrenabaque is a small town in the jungle region of Bolivia that is the gateway to Madidi National Park – which is one of the most diverse places on the planet and high on the list of underrated Bolivian highlights.

A guided trip through the park is a must for nature lovers. Read our guide to Madidi National Park for advice about which tour companies to use and what to see and do in Madidi.

Several tour operators in Rurrenabaque offer three-day pampas tours of the Beni River and surrounding wetlands area where you can see pink Bolivian dolphins, caimans, and anacondas.

It’s also possible to do combination tours of Madidi and the pampas spanning several days. 

After your jungle adventure, it’s time to head back to higher altitudes and check out another of Bolivia’s most unmissable tourist destinations: Lake Titicaca .

To get to Lake Titicaca from La Paz, catch a bus in the Cementerioarea headed to Copacabana (four hours).

Copacabana is a peaceful town overlooking the world’s highest navigable lake (and South America’s largest lake ), sometimes considered to be the birthplace of the Inca. 

From Copacabana, take day trips via lake ferries to nearby floating islands for a meal of fried trucha or lake trout, to the Isla del Sol where you can hike the Ruta Sagrada Inca trail across the islands ridge and see the Chinkana ruins, or the Isla de la Luna which has a set of ruins of its own.

A hike along Isla del Sol’s Inca trail is a fantastic way to spend a day at Lake Titicaca.

Just be sure to take the earliest ferry to the island’s northern village, Challa Pampa, and walk south to the southern village of Yumani in time to catch the last ferry back to Copacabana at 4:30 pm. 

On Day 29, catch a bus from the main plaza of Cochabamba to make the four-hour drive back to La Paz.

No need to purchase tickets ahead of time for this trip, as there are always plenty of buses lined up waiting to fill with passengers before heading out. 

Where to stay in Copacabana: My all-time favorite place to stay in Copacabana is Hotel La Cupula ($39 USD double). With its clean and cozy rooms, fantastic views of the lake, delicious on-site restaurant, and yard filled with hammocks, it is the perfect place to relax after a day or exploring the area. 

Day Thirty – Fly home 

Wow! What a month! I’m sure your flight home will be filled with much-needed naps and sweet dreams of your incredible Bolivian adventure.

Fact-based journalism that sparks the Canadian conversation

Manitoba, Bolivia

Life in a remote mennonite community continues in the aftermath of a scandal.

R oughly 150 kilometres northeast of Santa Cruz, Bolivia, the Manitoba colony’s 2,000 residents maintain the lifestyle of their Dutch ancestors, who established the first Mennonite settlement in Russia in 1789. Since then, Old Colony Mennonites have moved throughout the New World in search of arable land and cultural sovereignty: first to Manitoba in the late 19th century, then to Mexico in the mid-1920s, after Canada required their children to attend government-approved schools. Three decades later, a conservative splinter sect arrived in Bolivia, which, like other host nations, gained skilled agriculturalists in return for its tolerance; the country’s approximately 60,000 Mennonites produce much of its soy crop and dairy products.

The Mennonites—whose Anabaptist denomination takes its name from Menno Simons, a 16th-century priest—owe their prosperity to strict social discipline and traditions closely guarded against surrounding influences. Modern conveniences are avoided. Children study only High German, math, and religion. Around puberty, they leave to join their fathers in the fields and factories, or their mothers at home and hearth. Other forms of work are forbidden to women, who speak Low German and are discouraged from learning Spanish, unlike men, who travel to Santa Cruz for trade.

Over the past decade, girls and women of all ages would occasionally wake up naked and sore; they often blamed their husbands, or the devil. Tacit suspicions were confirmed last year, when it was discovered that a gang of men had drugged and raped between 60 and 140 women (reports vary). Eight men were initially handed over to the police, rupturing the insularity on which the community’s identity hinges.

When Lisa Wiltse visited Manitoba for a week last December, a tension pervaded the colony, although life continued as it had for centuries. Residents rose early for long days of labour, resting on Sundays at church and at gender-segregated parties. The men she encountered were hospitable but wary, and the women were reluctant to pose for photographs; since many Manitobans blamed the rapes on external forces, they were even more distrustful of the outside world. But their younger sisters and daughters were less cautious. By the end of her stay, girls who had once covered their faces at the sight of her camera confronted the lens, smiling communicatively even though they couldn’t speak her language.

This appeared in the November 2010 issue.

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What do Manitoba's new travel rules mean for visitors from other provinces?

For anyone hoping to pay a visit to Manitoba from another province or territory, the key is to get vaccinated, the premier said on Thursday.

Earlier in the week, the province announced changes to the current travel restrictions to allow fully vaccinated Manitobans to travel inter-provincially without having to self-isolate for two weeks upon return to Manitoba. These changes only apply beginning two weeks after someone has received their second dose and as long as they aren’t exhibiting any COVID-19 symptoms.

At a news conference on Thursday, Premier Brian Pallister announced that this rule also applies to those visiting Manitoba from other provinces or territories.

“So if your cousin Bob wants to come over from Vegreville or Miramichi and visit, and Bob has got his second dose plus two weeks, great, he doesn’t need to isolate for two weeks,” he said.

The premier noted that he has also spoken with other premiers so that there is, “commonality across the country.”

“The sooner we can resume our relationships with one another in this country, the better,” he said.

“The sooner we can have a Canadian family reunion, the better. And the sooner we can do it safely, the better.”

On Tuesday, Pallister announced that immunization cards will be available to Manitobans two weeks after they’ve received both doses of the vaccine as a way to prove they’ve been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

Under the current public health orders, anyone entering or arriving in Manitoba must self-isolate for 14 days.

On Wednesday, Dr. Brent Roussin, Manitoba’s chief provincial public health order, said the province is working on new orders. He said once they are signed, they will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. on June 11.

- With files from CTV’s Danton Unger and Devon McKendrick.

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I Covered the Story That Inspired ‘Women Talking.’ Here’s What I Wish More People Knew

M idway through 2009, I awoke to a stranger-than-fiction story in the local press in Bolivia, the country where I had been living and working as a reporter for four years. A group of eight Mennonite men from an isolated off-the-grid colony named Manitoba had been brought to the local police station by members of their own community. They were accused of raping more than 100 women over the course of several years. Their 2011 trial, which I covered for TIME , surfaced the horrific details: the men had turned a cow anesthetic into a spray that sedated humans. For years, they sprayed it into bedroom windows at night, before climbing through to rape the women. In the morning, the survivors had no or few memories of what had occurred. Their bodies were often bruised; their sheets bloodstained. The colony’s men, I was told, insisted that the rapes were figments of the women’s “wild female imagination,” or, perhaps, the work of demons.

If this sounds familiar, that’s because it is the premise for the novel -turned-film Women Talking (book by Miriam Toews; film by Sarah Polley). The plot begins with the rapists having been carted off to jail (for their own safety) and the women of an “ isolated religious community ,” wrestling with the decision to stay and fight, or to leave. The entire novel and film are, as appropriately titled, women simply talking.

My connection to Women Talking ’s origin story goes deeper than just covering the trial. After that initial reporting, I couldn’t get Manitoba out of my head. I wanted to know how the women were faring. What, if anything, had the colony done for them, and for itself, to heal? Given the nature of Mennonite communities in Bolivia—reclusive, hostile to outsiders—my best shot at getting answers would be to live in the colony itself for a short period, so the women could get to know me and, hopefully, trust me enough to open up. I had built a good relationship with one family in Manitoba when I covered the trial, and they graciously offered to host me and my brother Noah, a photojournalist and videographer, in January 2013 for our follow-up piece.

What Noah and I uncovered, which was published in Vice later that year, was devastating. There was no healing process. Women had been refused counseling because, the reasoning went, they were passed out when the events occurred. Survivors had been told to forgive or face eternal damnation. We also unearthed rampant incest throughout the colony. And we broke the story that the rapes had not stopped when the group of nine was caught four years prior. My article and Noah’s accompanying documentary remain the most deeply reported work about the rapes and their aftermath, and the only documentation that brings to the fore perspectives of the women themselves beyond short interviews outside a courthouse or brief visits to the colony.

Ten years later, I sat in a theater in my hometown of Philadelphia watching Polley’s Women Talking , failing miserably to hold back tears. I had recently read the book, but being hurled back visually to the scene of the crimes was overwhelming. My mind raced to “Liz,” the woman I grew closest to in my reporting. I thought of her quick wit and quick hands, moving deftly through her sister’s hair as she braided. The film’s flashbacks to stained sheets and black and blue limbs took me to “Sara,” for whom the rapes became so frequent that washing the blood out of her linens in the morning became a routine.

Also overwhelming was the fact that the nuances of the stories that I helped the world understand were alive on the screen, but most people likely didn’t know that. While Toews’ book opens with a “Note on the Novel,” which summarizes the real-life events inspiring her book , the opening credits of the movie merely state that it is based on the novel. There is no mention of the women whose lives inspired the book, or the journalists who amplified those women’s voices. (Responding to a request for an interview with Toews, her publisher Knopf Canada said in a statement that “Miriam’s own knowledge of those events came not through reading Jean’s journalism, but through a more direct, specific, and personal connection to the community itself, which predates Jean’s stories on the subject.”)

Read More: A Horrific True Story of Rape in a Religious Colony Becomes Thought Provoking Fiction

However the story came to Toews originally, I worry its visibility is fading . Many of the interviews I’ve read and watched about the movie have omitted the history, even as the filmmakers make important points about how women’s voices and experiences ought to be centered. (Polley declined to be interviewed for this piece.) To be clear, I am glad both the novel and the film exist, as I believe fiction—which they both clearly are —is a powerful tool for humans to grapple with our most existential questions. The discourse in Women Talking evolves into a moving reflection on the complexities of—and choices between—faith, love, safety, democracy, and forgiveness. But what I’ve been thinking about since the book was published and even more so as the story has reached a wider audience is the foundation of truth upon which they rest, and how important it is that it’s recognized and shared.

With Women Talking receiving critical acclaim and awards nominations, including Oscar nods for Best Picture and Adapted Screenplay, it is likely that even more people will become familiar with the fictional version of this story. But here’s what I want them to know about the real one.

First, the rapes happened to real people, in a real country. In the movie, the location of the colony is ambiguous (and the one briefly appearing non-Mennonite character speaks English, which signals a place other than a South American Spanish-speaking nation). The women are clearly part of a conservative religious order, but the word Mennonite is never uttered. Polley’s publicly available interviews offer some insight here: In the era of the #MeToo movement, she wanted the film to have broader resonance. “The film is told in the realm of a fable,” she recently told PBS Newshour. Polley said she took it out of a specific place and time so as not to give viewers permission to say that the story’s central issues are ones that concern only hyper-isolated communities.

This is understandable, but having spent considerable time with the women who endured the horror that’s depicted on screen, I still worry about the true story being lost, the specifics subsumed by the takeaways. Without any geographic or historical context in the film, and when the real atrocities are not regularly discussed in cast and filmmaker interviews, where does that leave Liz and Sara? What would they think of a film that depicts women going through their own real personal hell, but in a way that unmoors it from the actual events? How would they feel seeing their colony’s history represented without direct acknowledgement? I, sadly, can not ask them. I moved from Bolivia to Vietnam shortly after reporting my piece for Vice , and could not maintain contact with women in Manitoba, as they have no cell phones, internet access, or landlines, and if I were to write them letters in Spanish (which a few of them speak), they wouldn’t be able to read them.

Read More: The Harrowing Story Behind Sarah Polley’s Buzzy Drama Women Talking

I also want viewers to know that there are powerful throughlines of truth in the novel and film, such as the nods to incest, and the questioning of whether they jailed the right men. Related, it’s important more broadly for us all to remember that, in an age when so many beautifully done movies are “based on real events,” rarely do those events simply happen. Often, we learn about compelling stories precisely because there are reporters who build trust, establish relationships, investigate and then elevate the perspectives of those we might not otherwise hear. Journalists help us as a society make sense of events big and small, day in and day out. Recognizing the interconnection between fiction based on real-life and journalism does not diminish the hard work of screenwriters or novelists who take the stories to another level. Quite the contrary: giving the audience an understanding of how stories, be they real or fictionalized, come about should be all of our jobs as media-makers.

In this case, Toews says she heard about the situation in Manitoba independent of my reporting and, according to her publisher, referenced my work and other journalists’ when speaking about what happened there. But as this movie gets more attention, I believe it would be a missed opportunity not to continue to highlight the journalism as well, as it crucially paints a fuller picture of the reality. Actress Jessie Buckley’s mention of the Vice article and the real women in Bolivia on Stephen Colbert’s show is an example of how seamlessly and effectively this can be done while still shining a light on the art.

There are other things you might be wondering from me, and I admit I don’t have all the answers. I watched Women Talking with a close friend and she peppered me with questions when it ended. One stuck out: “I know that was all made-up,” she said as we drove home, “but do you think the women you reported on had these thoughts and just didn’t say them to one another? Do you think there’s any scenario in which that kind of conversation could have taken place among them?”

“I don’t know,” I told her. As close as I was to some of the women in my piece, their old-colonist Mennonite world and mindset was, and still is, very foreign to me. Liz’s face rushed to my mind: freckled, inquisitive, guarded. I imagined her and her sisters and her mother in a barnyard loft, exploring what it might feel like to have power over their own future and fate. “I hope so,” I said.

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The Perfect 2-Week Manitoba Road Trip Itinerary [2024]

• Last Updated: February 8, 2024

A 2-week Manitoba road trip itinerary that covers highlights in the southern half of the province. If you love nature, wildlife, culture and cuisine, don’t miss a drive around Manitoba!

On our very first foray into international travel, at the ripe old ages at 20 and 23, we landed in Canada, bought an old campervan and hit the road in search of adventure and wide open landscapes.

Over the course of three years we managed to put almost 50,000km on the odometer as we zig-zagged across the country, from BC to Newfoundland and back, and it’s safe to say that with vast wilderness, diverse wildlife, friendly locals, and endless scenic drives, this spectacular nation cemented our love of road trips.

During our travels we have managed to visit Manitoba three times, and the prairie province truly became one of our unexpected favourites.

Manitoba is massive, and you could easily spend a month at least exploring the entire province, especially if you add on a journey to the far north to see Churchill, the Polar Bear Capital of the World.

But for most travellers who aren’t planning a trip to the Arctic tundra, 2 weeks is a perfect amount of time to see the national parks and charming towns of southern Manitoba by car.

In this new Canada travel guide we outline our suggested itinerary for a 2-week Manitoba road trip, perfect for those driving across the country, or using the vibrant capital of Winnipeg as a base.

READ MORE: Don’t miss our epic guide to the best things to do in Manitoba to discover what else there is to do here!

Of course, you can modify the itinerary however you like, but we’ll recommend all the best national parks, hiking trails, and other attractions within driving distance from Winnipeg.

Whether you follow this itinerary exactly or just take away pieces of it, hopefully this article will help you plan your future Manitoba road trips!

Table of Contents

Where to Stay in Winnipeg

Where to stay in portage la prairie, where to stay in spruce woods provincial park, where to stay in riding mountain national park, day 6 – riding mountain national park, day 7 – return to winnipeg, where to stay in hecla-grindstone provincial park, where to stay near grand beach, where to stay in pinawa, where to stay in whiteshell provincial park, day 5-6 – falcon lake, day 7 – head back to winnipeg, our epic 2-week manitoba road trip itinerary.

The first week of this Manitoba road trip will cover a western loop from Winnipeg. The second week will cover an eastern loop.

So even if you’re just looking for 1 week Manitoba road trips, you can choose to do just half of this itinerary.

Either way, you’re sure to have an epic adventure while you explore the province by car.

The best way to get around is to rent a car and explore on your own! We recommend Rental Cars , which has the largest range of vehicles for the best value on the market.

Week 1 – Western Loop of Southern Manitoba from Winnipeg

Your first half of the Manitoba road trip will begin and end in Winnipeg. You’ll venture west from the city in a loop, passing towns full of history and national parks full of wildlife.

Manitoba has lots of well-equipped official campgrounds for those looking to camp, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to sleep beneath the stars, or stay in a cozy local inn if that’s more your style.

Whichever you choose, you’re guaranteed to have a fun-filled first week on your Manitoba road trip.

Day 1 and 2 – Fly into Winnipeg, Rent a Car, and Explore

With so many incredible things to do in Winnipeg , it’s a fantastic place to begin your adventure.

Fly into Winnipeg and spend your first two days relaxing, exploring, and prepping for your road trip.

You can organise your car rental , stock up on supplies, and make sure all your accommodations are booked for the rest of the journey.

If you’re travelling outside of winter (which is what we recommend), make sure you book things in advance because summer is the peak tourist season in Manitoba.

Also consider things like entry passes to national parks and weather patterns. Once you’ve gotten all your logistics sorted, you can enjoy Winnipeg!

Your first stop should be The Forks , which is the hub for culture and entertainment in the city. After you wander through the Forks Market, relax in the public parks, or visit the famous museums.

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights is a highly interesting space to learn about the evolution of human rights in Canada and abroad.

It is set in a modern glass building and has numerous exhibits, stories, art installations, and more. This Canadian museum is one not to miss! The Manitoba Children’s Museum is perfect if you’re travelling with small children too.

You can also check out the Assiniboine Park Zoo or stroll along the River Walk at The Forks while hanging out in Winnipeg. Or visit the Exchange District, which is a national historic site thanks to its beautiful architecture, and known for independent restaurants, boutiques and galleries housed in a few blocks of historically preserved buildings.

After spending 2 days in Winnipeg, get a good night’s sleep because tomorrow you’re setting out on your Manitoba road trip!

Winnipeg has lots of nice hotels and Airbnbs, though they’re a bit on the expensive side.

Expect to spend at least CAD$100 per night, but the quality is there which makes it worth the cost.

There are a few hostels in Winnipeg, but consider treating yourself to nice accommodation here, especially if you’ll be camping throughout the rest of your trip.

Humphry Inn and Suites is a good budget option, with a room costing around $140 a night.

If you want to treat yourself, stay at the Inn at the Forks . It’s right in the heart of the city and is quite luxurious.

Day 3 – Drive to Portage la Prairie

Today you can start heading west towards Portage la Prairie. This quaint town is only about an hour away from Winnipeg, so there isn’t much driving to do.

Once you arrive, spend the day enjoying this peaceful town in Manitoba.

There are two main highlights of Portage la Prairie. The first is Island Park , a gorgeous outdoor recreation area.

Here you’ll find walking paths, a golf course, parks and playgrounds for kids, as well as picnic and BBQ areas.

Also check out the Fort La Reine Museum , which showcases countless historic artefacts and buildings. If you’re interested in the history of Canada, this museum is a must-see.

The Microtel Inn and Suites by Wyndham Portage la Prairie is a comfortable, easy place to spend the night, ideal for couples on Manitoba road trips.

Day 4 – Spruce Woods Provincial Park

The next stop on your Manitoba road trip is Spruce Woods Provincial Park . It is only an hour away from Portage la Prairie, so if you leave early you’ll have the entire day for an outdoor adventure.

You could easily spend a few days in the Spruce Woods Provincial Park as there are so many activities to do here.

This national park is known for its abundance of hiking trails. Some of the best include:

• Spirit Sands and Devil’s Punch Bowl Hiking Trail
• Marsh Lake Trail
• Isputinaw Trail
• Spring Ridge Trail
• Hogsback Trail

All of these hikes are pretty short and can be done in one day.

The longest hike is the Spirit Sands and Devil’s Punch Bowl Hiking Trail, which takes around 3-4 hours.

This is also the most famous hike in the park, due to its unique landscape. Here you’ll find wide expanses of sand dunes, spiky cacti, and the small turquoise lake known as Devil’s Punch Bowl.

If you only have time for one hike, this is the one we recommend doing. The other trails mentioned are only around 1 hour each, so you could combine a few of them into one big day.

The area also has amazing biking trails and campgrounds. Stargazing and bird-watching are top-notch here as well.

The Assiniboine River cuts through the park and this idea is ideal for canoeing. Canoe rentals are available at the store near the campground.

READ MORE: Looking for more adventures in the Great White North? Check out our detailed guide to the top things to do in Canada !

There are two really good accommodation options for Spruce Woods Provincial Park. Kiche Manitou Campground  is the best campsite in the park. It’s not far from the Spirit Sands, so it’s a convenient spot to camp after the hike.

If you’re not camping, head to the nearby town of Glenboro for the night. The Spruce Woods Inn is a modest option, with an on-site restaurant and bar as well.  

Day 5 – Brandon to Riding Mountain National Park

Day 5 of your road trip will take you to the city of Brandon on your way to Riding Mountain National Park.

Located along the Assiniboine Rivers, Brandon is less than an hour from Spruce Woods Provincial Park and it’s a good place to stop for a break.

You can refuel, stock up on snacks, and grab some breakfast or lunch. While you’re in Brandon, you can also visit one of the interesting museums and art galleries.

The Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum showcases the history of the airmen who served in WWII. There are real aircrafts on display as well as other artefacts.

If you’re more interested in art than history, visit the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba . This contemporary art museum was one of the first visual art museums in Canada.

After you explore the history and art of Brandon, drive north for an hour towards Riding Mountain National Park.

Wasagaming is a small town on Clear Lake, and it’s the most convenient place to base yourself for exploring Riding Mountain National Park.

Honeycomb Bed and Breakfast is a cozy, rustic, moderately-priced place to stay outside of the Park and Wasagaming, in the town of Onanole.

We personally loved staying in the oTentiks in Wasagaming, run by Parks Canada. These warm and spacious A-frames are comfortable at any time of year and come complete with dorm beds, wood-fire heaters and cooking equipment.

Check out this site for more ideas on where to stay.

Like Spruce Woods Provincial Park, there is so much to do here in Riding Mountain National Park .

It’s one of the best places to explore on Manitoba road trips, and you could easily spend a few days enjoying the area.

The abundant wildlife and dense boreal forest make this a paradise for animal and adventure enthusiasts. If you’re lucky you may even spot an elusive black bear here!

Spend all of day 6 of your road trip canoeing or kayaking on Clear Lake, hiking the Buris and Bittersweet Trail, and exploring the Ominik Marsh.

Alternatively, the Bald Hill Trail or Gorge Creek Trail are two of the most epic hikes in the park for the views along the Manitoba Escarpment, which is a large elevated ridge that cuts through the park.

In the winter, the park is amazing for cross country skiing or snowshoeing.

Another one of the top activities in Riding Mountain National Park is visiting the Lake Audy Bison Enclosure .

This is potentially the only place you’ll get to see plains bison roaming around in Manitoba on your road trip.

Bison have been hunted almost to extinction, so this vast, protected space ensures that a captive herd of plains bison is able to thrive.

Drive through the enclosure in the hopes of seeing these magnificent animals up close.

READ MORE: Along with seeing the plains bison, see what else made our list of the top wildlife experiences in Canada !

You can stay at your accommodation in Wasagaming for another night, but before going to bed, drive out to the eastern end of Clear Lake for a popular sunset spot called the Wishing Well.

Colourful, lakeside sunsets are essential to the best Manitoba road trips!

After your week-long road trip through the western side of Manitoba, drive 3 hours from Riding Mountain National Park back to Winnipeg.

Take some time to do the activities you may have missed at the start of your trip. Go see the polar bears at the Journey to Churchill exhibit in Assiniboine Park Zoo, walk along the shores of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers or further explore the Forks if you haven’t already done so.

For a real treat head to the  Thermëa by Nordik Spa-Nature . This relaxing spa has warm thermal baths, massages, and other luxurious treatments.

It’s easily one of the best things to do in Winnipeg, especially after a week of hiking and camping.

Also in Winnipeg, definitely make time for the award-winning Canadian Museum for Human Rights if you missed it before.

You can also visit the Winnipeg Art Gallery or the famous Royal Canadian Mint coin making facility.

Another fantastic option is Qaumajuq, the new Inuit Art Centre that houses the largest collection of contemporary Inuit Art in the world. It’s attached on all levels to the Winnipeg Art Gallery.

Before or after your Manitoba road trips is a great time to explore Winnipeg, as it’s the heart of culture and entertainment in the province.

Week 2 – Eastern Loop of Southern Manitoba from Winnipeg

Week 2 of this southern Manitoba road trip will cover the eastern side.

You’ll start with a journey up to Lake Winnipeg, then continue further east to explore the lakes and provincial parks.

Be sure to spend at least a few days in Whiteshell Provincial Park, as it’s one of the top places to visit in Manitoba.

Day 1 – Drive to Hecla Provincial Park

Start by driving about 2 hours north of Winnipeg to Hecla-Grindstone Provincial Park . Set on Lake Winnipeg, Manitoba’s largest lake, this gorgeous park consists of islands, beaches, hiking trails, and cross country skiing trails.

You can walk along the rocky shores of the lake, hike to the Hecla Lighthouse, and observe the abundant wildlife and birds.

Grassy Narrows Marsh is the park’s top hiking trail. It will lead you through the marsh of the park.

The Black Wolf Trail and the Gull Harbor Trail are other popular hiking or cycling trails to consider.

After hiking, visit Hecla Village and the Heritage Home Museum to learn about the history of Icelandic settlers in the area.

Another great activity on your road trip is to head to the Wildlife Viewing Tower for bird-watching and nature photography.

You’re almost certain to see geese, pelicans, ducks, and other water birds. But be on the lookout for moose, as they are also common in the area.

Manitoba Parks has numerous holiday cabins and a nice campground available for overnight guests.

You can stay right on the shores of the largest lake in Manitoba and enjoy a peaceful night surrounded by nature during your road trip.

Check out the official Manitoba Parks website to view information on the Hecla Vacation Cabins and Gull Harbour Campground .

Visitors can also stay in guest rooms at Hecla Lakeview Resort (higher-end) or Gull Harbour Marina & Lighthouse Inn .

Day 2 – Grand Beach

For the next adventure on your 2-week Manitoba road trip, head to Grand Beach on the east shore of Lake Winnipeg. The drive takes just over 2 hours, as you have to journey around the lake.

When you arrive, spend your day enjoying one of Canada’s hidden gems. Most beach-loving tourists in Canada flock to the west coast, but Grand Beach is truly stunning.

Grand Beach is the longest white sand lake beach in Canada, so it’s extremely popular in summer.

Spend a day swimming in the freshwater and relaxing on the velvety sand. You can also take windsurfing or kite surfing lessons if you’re looking for a full-day adventure.

If you head about 15 minutes north of Grand Beach, you’ll discover the cutest bed and breakfast known as Pebble Springs Belair B&B . The cozy, family-owned beach cottage has a wood stove, hot tub, and top-rated local hosts.

Alternatively, you can camp at Grand Beach Campground on your road trip.

Day 3 – Drive to Pinawa 

The next stop on your southern Manitoba road trip is Pinawa, one of the best outdoor adventure spots in the province.

It’s only a 1-hour drive from Grand Beach to Pinawa, so you have the entire day to explore the area.

Start by completing the Pinawa Channel Heritage Walk, where you’ll cross the impressive Pinawa Suspension Bridge.

Next, try whitewater kayaking! Many wouldn’t expect rapids in Manitoba since it’s a prairie province. But Pinawa Dam Provincial Park is perfect for kayakers of all experience levels.

Prairie Whitewater is an amazing local company in Manitoba that provides equipment and in-depth instructions for any travellers looking to try whitewater kayaking.

The most popular and accessible ways to get out on the water in Pinawa is by tubing, kayaking or SUPing the Pinawa Channel. You book times and equipment from tour companies like Pinawa Float and Paddle and Pinawa UnPlugged Eco Tours .

So any water-sport lovers doing road trips through central Canada should definitely stop in Pinawa.

This charming wilderness town in Manitoba has some lovely local accommodation for your road trip, including L’Eau Calme Resort, The Pinawa Motel, and Voyageur Houseboats .

Visit the official Pinawa website for more details and travel tips.

Day 4 – West Hawk Lake

After an exciting stay in Pinawa, head to West Hawk Lake, located in one of the most beautiful provincial parks in Canada, Whiteshell.

All Manitoba road trips should include a visit to Whiteshell Provincial Park. This is the largest park in Manitoba, so it is jam-packed with natural beauty including lakes, forests, rivers, wildlife, and hiking trails.

The trip from Pinawa to West Hawk Lake in the park only takes an hour, so you’ll have plenty of time for activities.

Once you arrive in West Hawk Lake, enjoy the area by hiking, birdwatching, kayaking, stand up paddleboarding, or canoeing.

One of the hidden gems in the area is the Caddy Lake Tunnels. Here you can canoe or kayak along the peaceful lake and pass through magical, mad-made tunnels.

A fun fact about West Hawk Lake: it was formed due to a meteor crashing into earth millions of years ago. So the water is surrounded by dramatic granite cliffs formed by the crash.

Days 4-6 of this Manitoba Road Trip are spent near West Hawk Lake and Falcon Lake.

The two lakes are only a 15-minute drive apart, so you can pick one nice accommodation and stay there for a couple of nights on your road trip.

Falcon Trails Resort owns a number of stunning, lakeside log cabins in the forest that will fill the last days of your Manitoba trip with absolute zen.

This is our top recommendation for accommodation not just in Whiteshell, but all of southern Manitoba. Book early though!

The area also has lots of amazing campgrounds, including West Hawk Lake Campground and Falcon Lake Lakeshore Campground .

Spend the next two days of your road trip enjoying another one of the most beautiful lakes in Manitoba.

Falcon Lake is surrounded by fun hiking and cycling trails and a rich boreal forest that is full of life.

A fun way to experience the area is by booking a horse riding tour.

Falcon Beach Ranch , which also has lovely cabins, offers highly-rated horseback riding tours through the forest, making for a very exciting and adventurous way to discover the beauty of the area.

The Ranch has tours for all experience levels, so even if you’ve never ridden a horse before, they will make sure you feel comfortable.

Other fun activities in this gorgeous area of Manitoba include hiking to Rainbow Falls, biking along the boardwalk, and hiking the Falcon Creek Trail.

If you’re visiting Manitoba in the winter, you can also go ice-skating, snow-tubing, snow-shoeing, or cross-country skiing in Falcon Lake.

Now it’s time to finish the road trip, head back to Manitoba’s capital city, where you can return your rental car and get ready for your next adventure.

Whether you’re planning on flying to northern Manitoba, elsewhere in Canada, or elsewhere in the world, you’re sure to carry these unforgettable road trip memories with you.

Manitoba road trips are perfect for travellers looking to disconnect from the hustle of daily life and get in touch with nature.

The forests, lakes, and wildlife of Manitoba are some of the best in Canada, so hopefully you made the most of your road trip here!

DISCLAIMER:  This article was created in partnership with our friends at Destination Canada and Travel Manitoba. All words, opinions and days of epic fun driving across the province are, as always, our own.

Alesha and Jarryd

Hi, We’re Alesha and Jarryd!

We’ve been traveling the world together since 2008, searching for the planet’s best destinations and adventures.

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The two prominent stars of Manitoba are Winnipeg, with its big-city sophistication, and Churchill, with its profusion of natural wonders. But it's what lies between that truly defines this often misunderstood prairie province. Open spaces seem to stretch forever – gently rolling fields of grain punctuated by silos reach all the way north to the boreal forest and the Arctic tundra beyond.

Attractions

Must-see attractions.

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Itsanitaq Museum

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Winnipeg Art Gallery

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Manitoba Museum

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Assiniboine Park Zoo

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St-Boniface Museum

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Oak Hammock Marsh

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Find your next adventure in Manitoba.

Manitoba boasts a mix of landscapes, in-depth history, diverse communities and four distinct seasons. Add those all together and Canada’s central province promises a range of exciting experiences, activities and things to do.

What is there to do on your next visit to Manitoba?

• Outdoor adventures – think world-class fishing, snowmobiling, wildlife viewing and so much more.
• Family vacations – top attractions where the focus is on family fun.
• Arts, culture and history – stories of Manitoba’s past and our creativity come to life.
• Shopping , gaming and sports – top reasons to make Winnipeg your next destination.
• Itineraries – get inspired with these amazing road trips and start exploring.

Bison can weigh up to 2,000 pounds and run up to 60 km per hour. Find them in Riding Mountain National Park .

Fall & Winter

Heat things up this season with these cold weather activities.

Spring & Summer

Make the most of Manitoba's sunny spring and summer.

Discover Great Events in Manitoba

Explore Manitoba’s parks and wild places.

Arts, Culture & History

Stories and creativity on display.

Make memories in Manitoba.

Protected spaces for iconic adventures.

Sights and sounds of the wild.

Get the full story and get more out of your visit.

Explore Manitoba’s waterways on a paddling adventure.

Take a journey from darkness to light.

Get closer to Manitoba’s wilderness on a camping trip.

Explore Churchill

Take another look and you’ll see Churchill is a one-of-a-kind destination. Lying along the migration path of polar bears and beluga whales , Churchill draws wildlife enthusiasts from all over the globe.

Known as the Polar Bear Capital of the World, the northern port of Churchill is perfectly placed to view polar bears in the wild as they congregate and wait for the ice to freeze on Hudson Bay.

The province’s diverse landscape offers exciting trails to explore, with thousands of kilometres of trails for any experience level keep you busy all summer long.

Get away from it all and come to Manitoba for a wilderness fishing adventure like no other.

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